A Danish in Denmark

I made the most of my only full day in Denmark by exploring as many castles as I could. I had bought the "Copenhagen Card" at the airport and this turned out to be a pretty good purchase. It was only good for 24 hours, but got me in free to nearly every place I wanted to go.

After seeing the Danish crown jewels (insert joke here), I hopped on a train to Hillerod, a little village about 45 minutes outside of the city. There sat another castle and one of the most impressive places I've been. Many parts of the castle were restored and the rooms were all decorated as they had been when people lived there with lots of original furnishings. The best part though is just the building itself. It's a true castle surrounded by a large moat and is just very impressive to see. I will post pictures on my return.

I spent the rest of the day walking around the city. Had a monstrous salad for lunch at Nyhaven, which is probably the prettiest area of Copenhagen. After that I walked up and had a Wienerbrot (a Danish) and a cappuccino at one of the oldest confectionary shops in Denmark. It was excellent.

This marks the end of my continental European tour and now I head back to England. I'm flying to Manchester and then taking the train to Liverpool. Maersk-Air offers super cheap flights to Manchester. I'm only paying about $85 for a one-way flight to get back that I only booked a few days in advance. Very nice.

Copenhagen

Luckily, I got to the airport in Stockholm more than two hours ahead of my flight because the line at the SAS check-in was enormous. It took more than an hour just to check in, but fortunately, I had no problems.

I arrived in Copenhagen in the afternoon and set out to explore the city for a bit. I walked around, tried to get my bearings and then stopped to eat at a traditional Danish restaurant. I ordered what they had on special and waited to see what it would be. Well, it turns out that traditional Danish food is not much different from traditional Southern U.S. food. When my plate came it had two hamburger steaks covered in onions, potatoes, and pickled red beets. Perfect! One of the best meals I've had on my trip.

Since I was quite tired from my three nights in Stockholm, I made it an early night and went to bed. I stayed in the Hotel Mermaid, which had a great location, but was unimpressive other than that.

Beautiful People

There is definitely an impressive gene pool in Stockholm. The people here are all very good looking. Even random people working in McDonalds or grocery stores are attractive. I could quickly get used to living here.

Peter and I explored a bunch of museums and saw some very cool old Viking stuff. The best thing was probably a recovered Viking ship that had sunk in the harbor in the 1600's. If you only do one thing in Stockholm, I would probably pick this. It's very impressive in person and also on an island, so you have to take a little ferry to get there which adds to the fun.

At night Peter and I went to the Opera Bar. This is clearly the place to be on Sunday and we had a great time.

Next up, Copenhagen!

The sun won't go down!

One of the strange things about Stockholm in the summer is that the sun never really goes down! At around 11pm it gets a bit darker, but it's more like dusk than night time. At around 1am or 2am it starts to get brighter again! This is very strange when you are out.

Peter and I spent the day exploring the old city and walking around checking everything out. We decided that tomorrow we would get the "Stockholm Card" which gives you the ability to travel around on the public transportation and gets you in free or at a discount to most of the main monuments, museums, and attractions.

We spent the evening on a boat/bar called the Patricia. Luckily, we were there on Saturday night and not Sunday as we later heard that it turns into a different kind of place on Sundays.

One of the interesting things about most of the bars in Stockholm is that they all have roulette and blackjack in them! It's very low stakes (minimum $3 bet and maximum $6), but it still provides a nice distraction if you get bored. Of course I played and managed to win enough to pay for the cover charge and a few drinks. Not bad.

On to Stockholm!

Had to be up early to catch my flight to Stockholm. After another very long walk to the train station, I got to the airport nice and early. I went to check out the Diners Club airport lounge and hung out in there for a while. This is one of the few member benefits I had never taken advantage of before and it was very nice. Just by being a cardholder, you can go to these lounges and have free drinks and newspapers in a quiet environment. The funny thing is, you hardly need it in Amsterdam. The airport there is outstanding. One of the best I've ever visited.

After the relatively short flight to Stockholm, I caught the bus into the city (about a 40 minute ride), but half the price of the train. My hotel (Scandia Continental) was right next to the bus/train station, which was super convenient. It's also by far the nicest hotel I've stayed in during my trip so far. My room was a little cabin room made out to be as if you were on a ship. Small, but perfect for me and very comfortable and affordable. Apparently, they are affiliated with Hilton, so that's another benefit. I should be able to get some Hilton Honors points as well.

One of the things I first noticed when I arrived at the airport is that it seemed unusually quiet. I mean, there were NO people around! Strange. I later learned that it was "midsummer holiday". Apparently, I picked one of the worst weekends to be in Stockholm because nearly everyone who lives there went out to the countryside to celebrate this holiday, which is almost like a Christmas in summer celebration. Not in a religious sense, but in terms of everything closing!

After a short rest, I went to meet Peter Rankin (KFBS class of 2005). Stockholm is BY FAR the most beautiful city I have ever seen. It really can't be described in words. When I get home, I'll post some of the pictures I have. You really have to see it in person to appreciate it though. The city has such a majestic feel to it.

One of the neatest things about the city is the water that flows through and around it. The water has a strange color that I noticed right away. It's very clear and has more of a blackish hue rather than blue or green like you normally see with seawater. Well, it turns out that the water is half fresh water and half seawater!

I met Peter and we had a few drinks at a bar down by the harbor and ended up staying out far too late.

Biking in Amsterdam

Rented a bike today and rode all over the city. It's quite easy to get around on a bike in Amsterdam. In most of the streets, there are specific pathways just for bikes. You have to be careful walking around because it's easy to forget and walk in front of an oncoming bike.

I stopped at a cool coffee place (not the drug kind) and had an iced latte. I really liked the menus there. They had pictures of all of the different kinds of coffee drinks which made it easy for people to see the difference between say a cappuccino and a latte. Great idea.

Amsterdam

Had to be up pretty early to catch my train to Amsterdam. Despite being in a shady area, the location of my hotel (Garnia Astoria) was good because it was only a short walk to the train station. The station is one of the coolest buildings in Hamburg. It's VERY big and has lots of good shops, bakeries and restaurants.

My train was 20 minutes late, which wasn't good because I had to make a connnection in Osnabruck with only 15 minutes to connect. I asked if it will still be okay and the conductor said to get on board and we would see. When we got to Osnabruck, I had to run, but managed to catch the train to Amsterdam along with several other people. After the 5 hour trip, I arrived in Amsterdam pretty much on time. It was a beautiful day, but a bit hot. I had a long way to walk to the hotel, but I wanted to see some of the city, so I pushed ahead. I got to the Hotel (Hotel Atlanta) and checked in. It was nice, but like most hotels in Europe, no A/C! This was not good because it was over 80 degrees outside. Worse still, my room was in the middle of the hotel, so no air flow. It was actually hotter in my room than outside!

Anyway, I dropped off my stuff and grabbed a quick falafel lunch at Maos, a veggie place. Apparently there is one in Philadelphia too. I then began exploring the western part of the city. It is absolutely beautiful. Once you get off of the main streets with all of the "coffee shops" which are really marijuana hangouts, the city is very picturesque with lots of bridges and canals much like Venice. There are also loads of bikes everywhere. Must rent a bike tomorrow. Later, I had dinner at an Indonesian restaurant and went to bed relatively early.

Only hamburgers here in Hamburg are in McDonalds

Yes, it's true. The only hamburgers I saw in Hamburg were in McDonalds and Burger King. BK is not air conditioned by the way, which just makes no sense at all. It's really hot here today. Definitely 85+.

Since it was so hot, I decided to go check out the art museum. First, I returned the car, which was super sad. But, it´s also nice to not have to worry about it any more too. Then I had breakfast at a local bakery. Rhubarb strudel and milchkaffe. Very good.

I walked by the big lake that is in the middle of the city. Nice views and very relaxing. Lots of people out jogging and walking.

The art museum is quite big and I saw some cool Renoir, Picasso, Rembrandt, Manet, and best of all Monet paintings. I also saw the Campbell´s soup cans and Marilyn Monroe paintings by Andy Warhol. That was pretty cool.

For lunch I had a traditional German meal of CurryWurst (type of long sausage) and fries along with an Alsterwasser (like an English shandy - beer mixed with 7up).

I walked around some more and checked out the St. Pauli area. Is this where that beer comes from? Not sure, but it was a nice area. Lots of cafes and students. I went down to the harbor again. I think that´s my favorite area of Hamburg. I also went into a Wal-Mart to see what it was like. Pretty much the same stuff we´re used to. After that I went back to the hotel to rest for a bit, use the internet, and change for dinner.

For dinner I went to a place recommended by my travel guide called La Sepia. It´s a Portugese seafood place. Had red snapper with citrus sauce. Not bad, but a bit overcooked. They did however make very good caipirinhas, which I enjoyed.

Next up, Amsterdam!

Where are the hamburgers?

After a bit of a late start, I drove to Hamburg this morning. The drive was really nice without much traffic at all. I did come to a complete stop on the Autobahn once due to an accident, but it was only for about 10 minutes. I just switched on the TV that´s part of the navigation/entertainment system and watched some tennis. This car is really cool.

Speaking of cars, I haven't talked much about the Autobahn. It's really fun to drive on and what they say about no speed limits is mostly true. There are areas where you have to slow down and there's usually traffic, but for the most part you can go as fast as you want. I was cruising at close to 200 km/h for most of the way. I'm not sure what the conversion is, so I don't really know how fast that was, but I can tell you that it felt pretty fast! I don't think I would have felt comfortable going much faster. In my car, yes, but not in this one. The suspension was a little loose, which made for a better ride, but made me a bit apprehensive as I´m used to feeling every part of the road in my car.

Anyway, once I got to Hamburg, I quickly found parking near the hotel, which was nice and checked in. I hopped on the internet around the corner from the hotel and was able to print out my discount train ticket that I had reserved online the night before. I had to do it online to get the discount, but it was half price, so definitely worth the hassle.

I walked around the city for a bit and checked out the sites. Hamburg is a strange place. There are some super seedy areas right next to some really beautiful ritzy areas. They're just jammed together and it's a stark contrast. You can walk down one street and see high class department stores and the next street over you see shady guys and girls and just stuff you don't want to see. The tourist board claims that there are more millionaires living in Hamburg than any other city in Europe. I find this impossible to believe, but that´s what they say.

There are lots of bridges and canals here. It´s a bit like Venice in that regard, but not quite as scenic. Still, there are some beautiful places too. Best of all there are great cafes here. I had a milkshake overlooking the river Elbe and picked up a free city map at the tourist information center. I also bought a "welcome card" for traveling on the subway tomorrow.

After that I stopped for a quick spaghetti dinner and walked to a super nice place called Cafe Melange near the Rathaus and by a canal. There I had a Milchkaffe. Like a latte, but with regular coffee and in a big bowl. It was still bright at 10am which is strange, but I guess I'm pretty far north.

Sunday in Berlin

Driving is much easier today due to less traffic and free parking, which is SO nice. I got up relatively early and went in search of breakfast. I passed a nice looking cafe and parked right outside (so nice to not have to walk forever to get food). Had a traditional German breakfast which consists of cold cuts and fruit. Mostly different types of cheeses and hams.

After breakfast I went to see Schloss Charlottenburg. Since I´m moving to Charlotte, this seemed like a good thing to check out. It's a big castle built in the style of Versailles in France. It was nice, but not nearly as cool as Schön Brunn in Vienna or Nymphenburg Schloss in Munich. But, what was neat was there was a festival going on, so there were tons of people there and lots of street vendors. I walked through and picked up a Kirschbier. Sweet flavored beer. Pretty tasty on a hot day.

After that I walked back to the car and drove to the Zoo train station. This was the inspiration for the U2 song "Zoo Station". A bit of a seedy area, but not too bad. I picked up some shampoo and toothpaste at the nearby grocery store. It was interesting to walk through and see how that was set up. Way too hot in there. Europeans just don´t seem to see the value in having a cool store. Providing a pleasant shopping experience is apparently a pretty low priority.

I then drove to another Döner kebab place that my travel guide recommended. The one I had last night was so good, I had to try another place. This one wasn´t bad, but not quite as good as the one last night.

I then drove to Checkpoint Charlie to see what that was like. Very cool to see the place where the wall was and look at the differences in the western and eastern sides. The eastern side is much more built up and modern now. I guess developers moved in there pretty quickly after the wall came down and got some good deals on real estate. There's even a Schlotzky's there! Most things were closed, so I didn´t hang around too long.

BTW, if you´re ever in Europe and need the internet, EasyInternet is the way to go.

Saturday in Berlin

Got up around 10am and went into the city to find a place to park. After drving around aimlessly for about half an hour, I finally pulled over and consulted the nav system. It quickly directed me to a park & ride area near the subway. Have I mentioned that I love the navigation system?!?!

Bought a one day subway pass and went to the city center. Once there I stopped at a Kamps and bought an Apfelstrudel and a michkaffe. I´m guessing you can figure out what those are. Then I walked along one of the main shopping districts. There I stopped in a book store and decided to buy a Lonely Planet guide to Berlin. My Let´s Go travel guide for Western Europe is woefully inadequate when it comes to finding your way around in a city. This purchase turned out to be well worth it.

Took the book and began one of the walking tours. Saw some very cool stuff including the Brandenburg Gate.



There is so much history there. This is the place where Reagan said, "Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!" Very cool to think about how America played a role in liberating this city and the people of Germany.

There are lots of big E signs all over the city for the "Einstein Year" celebration. It was 100 years ago this year that Einstein published his first two theories on relativity. Each sign has a little bit of history. It was fun to check them all out.

For dinner I decided to check out one of the Döner kebab places that my travel guide raved about. Apparently these Döner kebab things were invented in Berlin by Turkish immigrants and have become the most popular fast food here. I have to say after trying it that I can see why. It's VERY similar to a gyro, but the bread is a little different and it's toasted. Inside you get shaved lamb, red cabbage, onions, lettuce, tomato, and some sauce. In all, an outstanding cheap meal.

Berlin

After a very long drive to Berlin (roughly 5 hours), I checked into my room at the Motel-One again. I liked the one in Frankfurt so much, I decided to change my reservation in Berlin and stay at the one there. It´s a bit outside of town, but with the car it shouldn´t be any problem at all. Might as well take advantage of it while I can.

The weather was cloudy all day. I encountered a few traffic problems, but the handy navigation system quickly rerouted me around most of them. So cool.

Checked into the hotel (with a live person this time) and droppped off my stuff. Then set out for the city to get some grub. Found a nice place to eat and had a plate of pasta. Walked around for a bit and went back to the hotel to get some much needed schlafen (sleep). I think tomorrow I will sleep in and then explore Berlin. The weather is supposed to be much better tomorrow (Saturday).

Mein auto ist sehr schön!

OK, so I decided to rent a car to drive from Stuttgart to Frankfurt to Berlin to Hamburg. I know it´s a bit more expensive, but I wanted to see the countryside and I also wanted to drive on the Autobahn.

I initially reserved the smallest car they had, a VW Lupo without A/C. After doing some research and realizing that for only about $100 more I could get a much better car, I upgraded it. Well, when I went to get the car, they were out of the type I had reserved (note: seems like a good idea to make the reservation the day before to make this more likely). So, naturally, they upgraded me to the next level for the same price. This means I get to drive around in a s-w-e-e-t BMW 560L. At least I think that´s what it is because it has no external markings, which is a bit strange. It has a leather interior, A/C, and best of all A NAVIGATION SYSTEM!! It also runs on diesel, which is nice because diesel is about 20% cheaper than regular gas here.

So, after a nice breakfast at the hotel, I picked up the car and set off for Frankfurt. It was a nice ride with a little traffic, but not too bad. The weather was pretty grim, overcast most of the way, so it made for a nice ride. The navigation system is truly awesome. My next car must have this! You never have to worry about getting lost or knowing where you are. No futzing with maps or anything! Awesome!

I made it to the hotel www.motel-one.de and there was nobody at the reception. Instead there was a kiosk. Not really sure what to do, I went up to the kiosk and figured out how to enter my reservation information. After feeding my credit card to the machine, it spat out a ticket with my room number and a code for the door. That´s it! No human interaction necessary. A little strange, but very, very cool.

After dropping off my stuff, I drove around Frankfurt for a bit and parked the car. I like Frankfurt. It reminds me a lot of Charlotte, but with more foot traffic. There is a huge pedestrian road where there was a big market going on. Lots to see and do. I took a quick tour of the city by foot, walking by the Bundesbank and along the river. Had a nice lunch with fresh spargel (white asparagus), schnitzel, and potatoes. Later on I had "kaffe und kuchen" at a place called Tchibo. Strange store that is mostly a coffee shop but also sells linens and things type stuff. Their iced lattes are great though. Just like home.

I don´t think I´ve mention the escalators here in Germany. They are very cool. If no one is using them, they don´t move. But, if you walk up to it, it has a sensor and starts going in the direction you need it. What a great idea!

A lot of the steps here also have ramps on the side, which I assume are for bikes. Another innovative idea that I like. With all of the bikers here, it makes sense I guess.

Well, off to Berlin tomorrow!

On to Stuttgart!

Woke up bright and early at 6:30am to catch the 9am train to Stuttgart. This train was the ICE express and was very nice. Not at all crowded either. I spent my last Swiss Francs (only spent 100 in 2 days). After a 2:50hr ride, the train arrived exactly on time and I went off to seek out my hotel. The hotel was a last minute booking, so it was a bit farther out than I would have liked (not walking distance). After a little confusion, I figured out the bus/train system and caught the bus I needed to the hotel. After checking in and dropping off my stuff, I set out to explore.

Stuttgart seems very much like a university town with a very nice park and fountains. I grabbed a Mezzo Mix cola (basically a coke with orange made by the real Coca Cola). Interesting that they don´t have this in the U.S.

I also stopped at one of the numerous cafes and had an "eiskaffe". Now, this is a good idea. It´s a scoop of vanilla ice cream topped with coffee and whipped cream. Very popular and very good. After that I wandered down the main shopping area and bought some gummi bears at a gummi bear store. Pretty cool.

After that it was starting to get dark, so after some internet time, I went back to the hotel.

Chocolate, Cheese, and Watches

These are the things I think of when I hear about Switzerland. I suppose you could throw in banking and swiss army knives too, but it was pretty cool to see it all in person. I woke up at 6:10am and nearly missed my train due to the heavy traffic in München. Fortunately, Roland´s Dad is an experienced Bavarian driver and we made it to my train with 3 minutes to spare!

One of the first stops on the way there was a place called Lindau which has a big beautiful lake.



When I first got on the train, I accidentally sat in 1st class, so the conductor made me move. It didn´t look much like 1st class to me and the other people near me had made the same mistake. Other than that, the ride was pretty uneventful. When we crossed the Swiss border, the police came on to check our passports. The police here always come in pairs of male and female. Strange.

Once I got to Zurich, I quickly found my hotel (Zic-Zac) and checked in. This hostel/hotel is a little strange and not that nice, but it did have a TV, which turned out to be great. I was put in the "Jimmy Hendrix" room, which was a little disappointing as I was hoping for the Beatles or Elvis room, not that it mattered. After dropping off my stuff, I headed out to find food. I ate a quick meal of rice and some sort of eggplant casserole. Not bad and not too expensive, which is unique in Zurich since it is by far the most expensive city I have been to. Speaking of expensive, what is the deal with the price of Coke here in Europe?!?!?! It is often above $3 a can even at fast food places. I just don´t understand why.

Anyway, after eating I spent the afternoon exploring the city and walked down to the harbor. It´s very pretty to see the mountains in the background and the city is nice too. My biggest complaint though is that it seems like EVERYONE smokes here. It´s even worse than Italy! The EU has an anti-smoking campaign going, but that hasn´t reached Switzerland. Speaking of the EU, the Swiss still have their own currency, so I had to take out some of their money from an ATM. I took out 100 sf (about $80) which I managed to make last for both days I was there. Not an easy feat when a coke is $4 and a cappucino is $6.

That night I watched the coverage of the Michael Jackson trial. Very cool that I had a TV to be able to watch it live. Of course he was acquitted, which anyone who followed the trial could have easily predicted. What a terrible waste of resources for the town of Santa Maria. The people there should be outraged and Tom Sneddon for bringing such an utterly absurd case to trial.

The next day it was quite rainy, but I walked around some more and spent a few hours on the internet ($8/hr!!!). I also managed to book my train ticket and some other hotels for Stuttgart, Frankfurt, and Berlin. I broke down and had a nice Big Mac lunch at McDonalds (only $8 for the combo). Later on, I stopped and had a cappuccino, which was awful! I had two while I was here and both times they sprinkled some strong tasting chocolate powder on top that overpowered the very weak espresso (if it even was espresso). It´s no wonder that there are several Starbucks here. They should do very well as the local coffee is really terrible.

For dinner, I decided to splurge a bit and ate at an authentic Swiss restaurant where I had gazpacho and traditional fondue. All was good. Since it was still raining, I headed back to the hotel for an early night.

On to München

Got up very early (5:45am) to catch my train to München. The 4.5 hour ride passed by relatively quickly as I caught up on my magazine reading and watched the beautiful Bavarian countryside roll by. Huge mountains and very green scenery.



Arrived in München and was met at the station by Roland´s Dad, which was very nice of him. After a short ride to his house, we had an apertif - some sort of Pear schnapps. We had a nice lunch (where I drank my first Augstiner Beer - good stuff) and then Roland´s Mom took me into the city to explore. We bought some very tasty nougat (like very smooth fudge) and had some fresh squeezed mango & orange juice. Then we walked around the main part of the city and at 5pm watched the Glockenspiel.



It was interesting, but a bit strange. After that we walked around some more and then went back to Marienplatz (where the Glockenspiel is) and had a nice cappuccino.

After we got home, we all went out to dinner at a very nice authentic restaurant where I had two maß (each beer comes in a liter sized stein called a maß) of the local brew. I also had some bratwurst, sauerkraut, and brezen (jumbo sized pretzels like you get at the ballgame). All was very good. When we finally made it back home, Roland´s Dad and I split a bottle of dry white wine and had a good time chatting.

The next day, Roland´s Dad and I both woke up with hangovers, but that didn´t stop me heading out to explore the city on my own. Roland´s Mom prepared an awesome breakfast with a boiled egg, various hams, and cheese, etc. I walked all over München, but my favorite place was the Englischer Garden. Basically a HUGE park with many streams running through it. I think the streams are man-made, but they are very cool nonetheless. I stopped for lunch at the Chinese Turm and had another meal of wurst, fries, and sauerkraut. After walking around the city some more, I stopped at the San Francisco Coffee Shop and had a pretty good American style latte. After that, I headed back to Roland´s parents´house. Roland´s Mom prepared a really great meal with fresh spargel (white asparagus) which is all the rage here in the summer. It was good, but was also drowning in butter. After the long day, I turned in early to get some much needed rest.

For my final day in München, Roland´s Dad drove me around the city to see some of the bigger sites including the Nymphenburg Schloß (castle). Very cool and much like Schön Brunn in Vienna. We also drove by the new stadium where they will play some world cup matches next year. The highlight of the day though was lunch at the Hofbrauhaus. This place is a must see for any tourist and it didn´t disappoint. Lots of history here and terrific beer and food. I tried Weißwurst (white sausage) for the first time. Not bad. Also had potatoes and more brezen.



In the evening, we took a picnic basket with wurst and cheese and went to the Waldwirtschaft (the local beer garden). There was a festival there and we got to see lots of people, many dressed in traditional dress, which was cool. That pretty much concluded my time in München and I must say that I enjoyed it immensely. Roland´s parents couldn´t have been nicer and the city is one of the best I´ve ever seen.

Vienna

Yesterday and today I spent more time exploring Vienna, checking out the Belvedere Schloß and other very cool places.



Traudi and I also went to the big museum here, the Kunsthistorische. It was nice with some great paintings from Rembrandt, Rubens, Raphael, and others.



Traudi then took me to the Schweizerhaus and Riesenrad. Here we had a huge lunch consisting of deep fried pork! VERY good!

Today is my last day in Vienna before I head to München (Munich) tomorrow morning. I spent the day walking around by myself and had lunch at Cafe Central. It is a great coffeehouse and I had a nice meal there followed by a "Cafe Central" which is a coffee with apricot liquer topped with whipped cream. Quite tasty.



Tonight, Roland´s aunt is cooking dinner for me. She has been so nice. I hope that I get a chance to repay her hospitality one day.

All aboard for the Night Train!

After a nice day in Venice, I hopped on board the night train to Vienna. My cabin was built for four people, but there were only two others so there was plenty of room. The other two were a mother and son from Ohio who were very nice. It was a German train, so it was nice and clean. It didn´t take long for me to fall asleep, and I slept surprisingly well. I guess the rumble of the train and being so tired helped knock me out pretty quickly.

Roland´s aunt Traudi was waiting for me in Vienna and drove me back to her summer house. It is a beautiful little house with a very nice garden. I took a quick shower, ate a wonderfully prepared breakfast, and then we were off to explore Vienna.



I can´t really describe Vienna in words. It just wouldn´t do it justice. This is definitely one of the most beatiful cities in the world. When I get back to the States, I will update all of these entries with my own pictures. The best thing about it here is that it is CLEAN! The Italian cities were so crowded and dirty. I can really appreciate the cleanliness of Vienna. It is also quite a bit cooler here. In fact, it is downright cold! I´m very glad I brought some jeans and long sleeve shirts to wear.



Anyway, we explored the highlights of the inner city including the Stephensdom and Karlskirche. Beautiful places! There is also a vibrant shopping district here similar to 5th Ave. in NYC. It began to rain, so we popped into a little bar for a pint of Vienna pilsner. The rain quickly passed and we walked around some more before stopping for a huge portion of Wienerschnitzel at a famous Vienna restaurant. Finally, on our way home we stopped at Cafe Aida for a creme schnitte and a Viannese coffee (melange). It´s like a cafe americano. Espresso and water, with whipped cream on top. Very nice. I love the coffee shops here.

Alone in Venice

Our final night in Venice included going to Harry's Bar per Roland's suggestion and having Bellinis which cost 14 euros! They were good, but man that's an expensive little drink!

Leslie left this morning which was very sad. We got up very early and I walked her to the bus stop where she caught the bus to the airport. Afterwards, I walked back to the hotel and had a very nice breakfast including a cappuccino. So strange that the hotel's buffet breakfast included someone standing there and making cappuccinos!

I spent the day exploring more of Venice including finally seeing the inside of the Basilica, which is absolutely stunning. Sadly, pictures weren't allowed, but the inside is covered with gold mosaics. It's really incredible that so many people dedicated so much time to creating something like that. It makes you wonder what other contributions to the world those people could have made if they weren't so caught up in art and religion.

Tonight I am taking a night train to Vienna. It's a 12-hour ride, but at night so hopefully I will be sleeping through most of it. I'm on train 239 and arrive in Vienna at 8:48am at the West Bahnhof. I'm anxious to see what it will be like. I got a good deal on the price, but I will be sharing a cabin with three other people. I hope they are nice and don't smoke, smell or snore. 12 hours is a long time...

Milano!

Today we left bright and early so we would get to Milan in time to enjoy our day there. We got up on time, but almost ran into a problem when the hostel's credit card machine wouldn't work and the dude there didn't speak English. I finally got him to write down my information and we left. Hopefully, they will figure it out later.

After a nice train ride on Eurostar again, we arrived in Milan. Eurostar trains are so much nicer than the regional trains. It's a bit more expensive, but the A/C alone (even in 2nd class) is worth the extra money. They also have plenty of room for luggage, seat trays, headphone jacks, electric window shades, and more comfortable seats.



Milan is a much bigger city than either Venice or Florence. It's the financial center of Italy and has a subway and other modern city conveniences. The first thing we noticed was that the city and people were significantly cleaner than the other places we had been. In general, Italy is not a clean place. The pollution from the cars and the omnipresent graffiti at times freally detract from the otherwise beautiful architecture. The hotel we stayed in was SUPER nice. It had just been renovated and really was outstanding for the price. I wish we had planned to spend more than just one night there.



Our first stop was to see Da Vinci's last supper (you know, the one in Da Vinci Code) but unfortunately you have to book tickets to see it two weeks in advance. So, that was a bit of a bummer. After that though, we headed out to see the Duomo, the 4th largest cathedral in the world. I have to tell you, it is VERY impressive. It took over 500 years to build. The level of detail is absolutely stunning.



After walking up a few hundred steps to the top, we were rewarded with breathtaking views of the city. Once we had our fill of that, we climbed back down (too cheap to buy elevator tickets!) and headed to the main shopping drag. Leslie badly wanted to go to a store called La Perla to get rid of some euros that were burning a hole clear through her pocket. Fortunately, it's easy to part with your cash in Milan.

The next day we did more walking around and visited the huge castle fortress and park that the city is built around.

 

Finally, we had an AWESOME cappuccino at a very nice place called Sant Umbroews. The presentation was really incredible and the staff were uncharacteristically nice. Sadly, that was the end of our time in Milan, so we picked up our bags and hopped back on the Eurostar and headed back to Venice. Of course we bought the wrong ticket, so we ended up in Venice Mestre instead of Venice San Lucia! This meant we had to get another ticket, which you can't get from the machine and pay two more euros to get to where we needed to go. Not a bad trip though. Milan is a neat place.