tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34315289910927713032024-02-19T20:54:38.373-08:00Erin's European EatsAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02020731818578029433noreply@blogger.comBlogger16125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3431528991092771303.post-36229130188247396212013-12-14T11:38:00.001-08:002013-12-14T11:38:58.711-08:00Roma...part deuxTHE final leg of the trip. Well, I'm writing this a day after I was supposed to be home from the airplane, so Roma doesn't really feel anymore like the final leg of the trip, but, for the sake of the blog, we will call it that. <div><br></div><div>We got on an early high speed train to Rome, so we were there in no time. My dad was hurting a bit and I was feeling only alright after our big night with Cherry. We dropped our bags off at the hostel that was really more like a hotel because we had a private room with our own bathroom. Fancy! It was kind of nice returning to a city for the second time. I knew where to go, how to get there, and without wandering around so we were able to have quite an efficient day. </div><div><br></div><div>The last time I was in Rome, I kept trying to eat at this place called Pinsere which was the number 1 restaurant in Rome, according to Trip Advisor. It should be noted that it has now dropped to number 2; most likely because of their inconsistent hours. They were only open from 9am-2pm, despite their trip advisor post saying it's good for 'late night eats'. Well today, we were determined to go there because we would be there within their hours. We walked the short walk from the hostel, got to the door that was open and the server said they were closed for a private event for some rich guy from Dubai. WTF? You have to be kidding me. He recommended a place just down the street that was supposed to have good pizza so we went. It was a small shop with prepared pizzas of different varieties. They cut you squares or rectangles depending on how much you want and you pay per kg. My dad and I didn't totally get the concept or we would have tried different types. We opted for a mushroom pizza that had creamy cheese on it. Then, we added a delicious spicy oil in lieu of red chili pepper flakes. It was delicious. We need to bring that to the states! </div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhObwAB2LXNDA2mIPOIvD15Qt4ZHvNYMnZRMjOdUeaJaBreAbOpKNlyhsQiWgDhgg6kE_CyRUIMMu1NL4bq9oav4u1_LyP1kMOqK30EjQtlKEP4Ylgx7TBTmSbhF9FlISBA-A-WJy4IvGqR/s640/blogger-image-686308216.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhObwAB2LXNDA2mIPOIvD15Qt4ZHvNYMnZRMjOdUeaJaBreAbOpKNlyhsQiWgDhgg6kE_CyRUIMMu1NL4bq9oav4u1_LyP1kMOqK30EjQtlKEP4Ylgx7TBTmSbhF9FlISBA-A-WJy4IvGqR/s640/blogger-image-686308216.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">We continued on our walk and hit up all the hot spots that were in a short distance; the Spanish steps, Trevi fountain, the pantheon, some big piazza I'm blanking on the name, and then St. Peter's Basilica. It was nice to be able to soak in the sights this time because the last time I was glued to my camera. It was exciting to see my dad experience these places for the first time because they are really amazing. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSaq_9jySKar7PoL-kUTNm1X47E7-zsAJUtkuJC3qgvwpaY3Avx-AQSHLzY6Wah1d-q0DMxxUNWBrCcxn5NHNcvKjj-yT5vVqUSLL7Z_JORsBKviEjgX0fLctD3d5j7-DS84jMuuvs7SVZ/s640/blogger-image--1071560284.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSaq_9jySKar7PoL-kUTNm1X47E7-zsAJUtkuJC3qgvwpaY3Avx-AQSHLzY6Wah1d-q0DMxxUNWBrCcxn5NHNcvKjj-yT5vVqUSLL7Z_JORsBKviEjgX0fLctD3d5j7-DS84jMuuvs7SVZ/s640/blogger-image--1071560284.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5xEfHVEy1hdvb8c_cds0XvVueCNpTr5mYNPhx1j5rUsbCf_S-iSyf7YF3GVkZ5Q36mzkrSm-vZVwikd1ZfRWRGfcsuaEcWYh8gBZVuLgmYsRXGtAqp1WoAYIA1i6j8FM1ScBTW-nxYrIj/s640/blogger-image-1659612023.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5xEfHVEy1hdvb8c_cds0XvVueCNpTr5mYNPhx1j5rUsbCf_S-iSyf7YF3GVkZ5Q36mzkrSm-vZVwikd1ZfRWRGfcsuaEcWYh8gBZVuLgmYsRXGtAqp1WoAYIA1i6j8FM1ScBTW-nxYrIj/s640/blogger-image-1659612023.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNtqma8n7oU0fSYCi0t7KC6eWPlmxFN0tnIRxP1CKeRqOYdlFJhVuQZGTflk_pfRJawfj0KFzsDdxmAfp5qw3JXfwTTRczSd5kERbeszRxqeFQLyUp3g5bXZ6H6shnRsBlx_5B2hOPvhVC/s640/blogger-image--395523999.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNtqma8n7oU0fSYCi0t7KC6eWPlmxFN0tnIRxP1CKeRqOYdlFJhVuQZGTflk_pfRJawfj0KFzsDdxmAfp5qw3JXfwTTRczSd5kERbeszRxqeFQLyUp3g5bXZ6H6shnRsBlx_5B2hOPvhVC/s640/blogger-image--395523999.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixovZYqy1mALAlvJ2kQm-o8XnCra3ffcySzEEBBDhrgGPWHyLTHZHt653dbmy3Eg1Qu4-rTWUmXroeUOC5U3TkoAZisSDkK_uaAcjo0awsSFBuqJOTYHzIsyMrhiDFG7qUXyiWj9oT-ybm/s640/blogger-image--1482632940.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixovZYqy1mALAlvJ2kQm-o8XnCra3ffcySzEEBBDhrgGPWHyLTHZHt653dbmy3Eg1Qu4-rTWUmXroeUOC5U3TkoAZisSDkK_uaAcjo0awsSFBuqJOTYHzIsyMrhiDFG7qUXyiWj9oT-ybm/s640/blogger-image--1482632940.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">We continued on the course and walked to the Santa Maria Travestere neighborhood where we stumbled on a group of people hovered around a table eating some bread and wine. We tried to figure out what was going on and lurked nearby hoping to be invited in. Shortly after, a kind Italian man said 'prego, please, enjoy'. He cut a large piece of this sweet bread covered in powdered sugar. Heaven. Then he poured us a large glass of wine and explained that they were artists and they did this once a month. He shared about his family and how he was retired and kept busy by painting and being a part of this group. It was such a perfect Italian moment and another memory that I'll keep with me for a long time. This is Elrico or Rick as he had us call him.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlfZy73legHF0WN_4dwk3-Ru6EFOs9G1y75uvB5YKROBIWLzZQnbdCq1HEqdw4dpHsuQppkT4szQ2hDysHm4CsBITmxf9czIziZ1EfUQM2xXw530UA3ZG_wpl1P97J45Vb6Px6ZsnzYtmP/s640/blogger-image-741623036.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlfZy73legHF0WN_4dwk3-Ru6EFOs9G1y75uvB5YKROBIWLzZQnbdCq1HEqdw4dpHsuQppkT4szQ2hDysHm4CsBITmxf9czIziZ1EfUQM2xXw530UA3ZG_wpl1P97J45Vb6Px6ZsnzYtmP/s640/blogger-image-741623036.jpg"></a></div><br></div>We kept walking, now covering many miles, and made our way to the coliseum. By now, we had seen almost every top sight there is to see in Rome, except for the Vatican. I couldn't do that tour again, no matter how beautiful the artwork was. Sorry dad! We finally got back to our hostel after walking for about 10 hours straight. We relaxed, called Colin and Mom, and got a game plan for dinner. </div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCdluQwTcxzfiIQB0mFzGdUbFbT73s39cGlRgfqi1qe8Ti2EK0hHoQPXB5AeTt2hqMejSbIadGlpHxcHrA_Ht3nbyb68_xaUEEYJaN08d2DO4IZ6KwQdfLIxIkeq0HRyoYfr6P8XOE2A6v/s640/blogger-image-1294563703.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCdluQwTcxzfiIQB0mFzGdUbFbT73s39cGlRgfqi1qe8Ti2EK0hHoQPXB5AeTt2hqMejSbIadGlpHxcHrA_Ht3nbyb68_xaUEEYJaN08d2DO4IZ6KwQdfLIxIkeq0HRyoYfr6P8XOE2A6v/s640/blogger-image-1294563703.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div><br></div><div>Trip advisor led us to a nearby modern Italian restaurant that reminded me of something you'd see outside of Italy. Their take on Italian cooking, if you will. We started with a mixed green salad and then I ordered the braised veal with crispy potatoes and my dad got eggplant Parmesan topped with salted cod. I have to say, he won that order. Mine was very rich and comforting, but his was perfect. The saltiness of the fish with the smooth<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"> eggplant and tomato sauce complemented each other. Still hurting from the night before, we opted for only a glass of house wine. We finished with 'tiramisu' if you can call it that. It was more like deconstructed tiramisu and had all the flavors, but was in a glass dish and seemed more like a layered espresso pudding. This meal was delicious, even if it wasn't home traditional Italian.</span></div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht5GEuEleHsoNyeKr3TJiulMpZtjWaDSh0rrJJ3Cj1BwoOUZWcHCJUZtljKr67eTZ1QLBQLKYpHq9bcvMfqwc3kXkMnmZXNMJCTttV5YgC5QNuSgJDxB1IgN56BTktGLRf6IuXK57oelzb/s640/blogger-image-2033469993.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht5GEuEleHsoNyeKr3TJiulMpZtjWaDSh0rrJJ3Cj1BwoOUZWcHCJUZtljKr67eTZ1QLBQLKYpHq9bcvMfqwc3kXkMnmZXNMJCTttV5YgC5QNuSgJDxB1IgN56BTktGLRf6IuXK57oelzb/s640/blogger-image-2033469993.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirhzsrXuqHQTNDGDIN6IdHS-5HhCCRO7nbvdX9hFhoSvamQIdiccUezZpxGAXl6sj8g6VQjSoGYXi-xKM4UoC_32IgPS821RLfP2cDsDBDKt5Ax15v2RVjOUjpVR3BMogWmYAoSoRMr8F7/s640/blogger-image--435223806.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirhzsrXuqHQTNDGDIN6IdHS-5HhCCRO7nbvdX9hFhoSvamQIdiccUezZpxGAXl6sj8g6VQjSoGYXi-xKM4UoC_32IgPS821RLfP2cDsDBDKt5Ax15v2RVjOUjpVR3BMogWmYAoSoRMr8F7/s640/blogger-image--435223806.jpg"></a></div><br></div>We walked the short walk back and rested up for our final day. Quite a difference from my Contiki tours that had me out till 4 in the morning.</div><div><br></div><div>Our final day was filled with even more walking. We started with breakfast at the hostel and then started the walk to the Coliseum for our day of Ancient Rome. We wanted to avoid the shady characters at the train station so we walked entirely out of our way and ended up next to a grocery store that had the sweet powder sugar bread that we had the previous day. I figured it would be the perfect thing to bring for my coworkers so I bought one and so did my dad. I secretly, well not so secretly, can't wait to cut it up so I can have some more. Hopefully it makes it till Wednesday. [follow up: it did make it till Wednesday and was exactly how I remembered it]</div><div><br></div><div>We walked back to the hostel, dropped off our huge boxes of Italian cake and started out again, losing about an hour, but gaining a worthwhile treat. This time, we just sucked it up and went by the train station and shortened our route a fair bit. We finally got to the coliseum and found someone offering a tour. I learned some interesting things on the tour including some of the shit they did in the coliseum. They tied people up to poles and let wild animals that had been caged for a few days with little food into the arena and watched as the animals ate the people alive. That was just a warmer up before they had two people fight to their death. They set up matches against little people they called nets and big people that were covered in heavy armor that tried to fall and squish the little people. How messed up is that? We wondered around there for a bit and then went on the Ancient Rome tour.</div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioD1-ia2D9olDt-2DvM_r2DGlx8TYj0kQ3D07YUn4Tv3iISL2_enYGy-UzjHrl5WgquZSig4NNcoUkCIotOLMvIoD5pAKv_XUN9Np93KzZJR0qnhQExDTC0hjAxS1S6mEXO3JhFedHkkUe/s640/blogger-image-1708249174.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioD1-ia2D9olDt-2DvM_r2DGlx8TYj0kQ3D07YUn4Tv3iISL2_enYGy-UzjHrl5WgquZSig4NNcoUkCIotOLMvIoD5pAKv_XUN9Np93KzZJR0qnhQExDTC0hjAxS1S6mEXO3JhFedHkkUe/s640/blogger-image-1708249174.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div>The Ancient Rome tour was another interesting tour where we found out that the reason the area is so desolate and destroyed was because, in the fourteen hundreds, the church moved back to Rome and they decided they needed to make more churches. They had no money, so they scavenged on some of the buildings that weren't being used any more. Bronze tees that supported the coliseum, gone. Marble on all the facades of the buildings in Ancient Rome was ripped off and used to make the new churches. The bronze that used to cover the pantheon, now is on top of St. Peter's crypt. It's really sad to think that all of the buildings would still be in place if it weren't for the additions that the church made. However, you walk into St. Peter's basilica and it was put to good use...</div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-gg-P1KODcLBr1IaQ4yZZSDboo71944ClQNFvBppYudoPbkEibCy46gZ-Qj8mrzhb8-0xJiVToytajOJSysK2qq0W3GBkDDWYYhu2J4pquh2SS_maXGKGgYI5OfWrWbdRlMaL2sGKZpqm/s640/blogger-image--1057212186.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-gg-P1KODcLBr1IaQ4yZZSDboo71944ClQNFvBppYudoPbkEibCy46gZ-Qj8mrzhb8-0xJiVToytajOJSysK2qq0W3GBkDDWYYhu2J4pquh2SS_maXGKGgYI5OfWrWbdRlMaL2sGKZpqm/s640/blogger-image--1057212186.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div>By now, it is 3pm and I'm starving. Our small breakfast from the hostel is long gone and I'm doing everything in my power to not get hangry at my dad. I tell him I'd like to wrap up the tour and he says ok, but then continues to snap photo after photo after panorama. I was losing patience quick. In Italy, they take breaks between lunch and dinner to get ready for the next service. We were inching close to that closing time. He did get some good photos, but I was at my end.</div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpaN7Gf3LBb1DZch6Ns_oa-dUGCZ6K9A1byE4f3A5tzbz_OsT5wUqrGjWuuijP5ci53YSwlh-osbmCKU55LzKJa3dL8VaPUTdDGFS6rjKU3slpKfQD685F4OuVLAEUywnZD3Hgnbbn_hZv/s640/blogger-image-46703975.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpaN7Gf3LBb1DZch6Ns_oa-dUGCZ6K9A1byE4f3A5tzbz_OsT5wUqrGjWuuijP5ci53YSwlh-osbmCKU55LzKJa3dL8VaPUTdDGFS6rjKU3slpKfQD685F4OuVLAEUywnZD3Hgnbbn_hZv/s640/blogger-image-46703975.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5HALe55kQs90iagwDtl0F3r5ALjljdCtIVRhWQ_0r3ZJzr-ra4BqKbIhss-OCHy4a3MtiSO9aJ3xIZFN6EbBlHyufaZQc_QbCHiT3lShgK1Wjo0lwM7P9FaSMj2zkxtc3etMAvaBH1d6Y/s640/blogger-image--149829652.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5HALe55kQs90iagwDtl0F3r5ALjljdCtIVRhWQ_0r3ZJzr-ra4BqKbIhss-OCHy4a3MtiSO9aJ3xIZFN6EbBlHyufaZQc_QbCHiT3lShgK1Wjo0lwM7P9FaSMj2zkxtc3etMAvaBH1d6Y/s640/blogger-image--149829652.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgytJ_M4WRZJglp5yBEzHdkCH2KLJaPQYoIIbXZEuJjuPKEw8bl9B6gJTWklr2FxsbBAsW7RxWRH3qZB5QBvuKD3bX-RibvwVKWu-gsKbRueKgzUfvetz0VTeFF0caoVgKWfSlpyI6_avF1/s640/blogger-image-344631305.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgytJ_M4WRZJglp5yBEzHdkCH2KLJaPQYoIIbXZEuJjuPKEw8bl9B6gJTWklr2FxsbBAsW7RxWRH3qZB5QBvuKD3bX-RibvwVKWu-gsKbRueKgzUfvetz0VTeFF0caoVgKWfSlpyI6_avF1/s640/blogger-image-344631305.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMSuPT0P1he2UnhtkuMLjBVEuBb5rx785_2UAf-MqZgNkC3KTHMGN9wnbqChbSl-nvRTp-myuOLkkWsAnaQatXnynN-OtvmQIbeOUx9UH-NpRn2rDGw5oGsk5AMzT2EAkR-0BKVaK6GXVl/s640/blogger-image--320481326.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMSuPT0P1he2UnhtkuMLjBVEuBb5rx785_2UAf-MqZgNkC3KTHMGN9wnbqChbSl-nvRTp-myuOLkkWsAnaQatXnynN-OtvmQIbeOUx9UH-NpRn2rDGw5oGsk5AMzT2EAkR-0BKVaK6GXVl/s640/blogger-image--320481326.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div>Finally, we exited the Ancient Rome area and made our way to the pizza restaurant my mom and I are at when she was here. Looking back, we should have gone to somewhere closer, even if it was in the tourist area because it took us about 45 minutes to walk to the pizza place. As we got closer, my dad and I remembered we were out of cash and would need a place that took cards. Well, those places don't exist in this area, so I really started to lose it. And then it started raining. Seriously? The one day I don't wear my huge puffer coat with hood it rains? Perfect. We finally scrounged in our wallets and pockets for whatever remaining change we have and find a small pizza place that was similar to the spot from the day before. We had like 8 euro and ordered our pizzas. The total came to 6 euros and we quickly ate the pizza and I immediately felt a calm come over me. The rain had stopped and we walked back to the hostel to relax before dinner, grabbing a couple beers before we got back. </div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfTPoMN4-VaYEIydMz9fE9lSn8mliSVddBkdpVkcYbEehrkJrvwehWKkadaRIHSlThoTBoDfuQBUjxGNHqLWkMLtqVGebsB9KEOHFSKcRXyoYkPpyfKADNR7P1wcT18PdRtXP4ghzBSe0U/s640/blogger-image--2100480819.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfTPoMN4-VaYEIydMz9fE9lSn8mliSVddBkdpVkcYbEehrkJrvwehWKkadaRIHSlThoTBoDfuQBUjxGNHqLWkMLtqVGebsB9KEOHFSKcRXyoYkPpyfKADNR7P1wcT18PdRtXP4ghzBSe0U/s640/blogger-image--2100480819.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div>I found a restaurant around the corner that had great ratings and served lasagne, which is just what I wanted for my last meal in Italy. We made reservations for 8 and drank our beers in the meantime. We walked in and it was much more crowded than when we made reservations. Good sign. We were seated next to two young guys and my dad immediately started a conversation with them. The waiter brought over two glasses of prosecco and gave us a chance to peruse the menu. I settled on lasagne and my dad ordered the fettuccini with seafood (another favorite of mine). </div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggdDFAuwQYx5vJ76jz-yH3ou2YypjjwMnqEY1lJBZPz5XX9_oiD38s6c6F7Cb3FHSHs4qaS27xmnOlyiil4HSzER81PQX0vHyUhk1GCnYmD-DSPS-8cll05SojDUsaT2eiF-b8z4g3W0IJ/s640/blogger-image-849677635.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggdDFAuwQYx5vJ76jz-yH3ou2YypjjwMnqEY1lJBZPz5XX9_oiD38s6c6F7Cb3FHSHs4qaS27xmnOlyiil4HSzER81PQX0vHyUhk1GCnYmD-DSPS-8cll05SojDUsaT2eiF-b8z4g3W0IJ/s640/blogger-image-849677635.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div>We ordered the house wine and continued our conversation with the two English guys who ended up being cousins. Our food came out and my lasagne was the perfect serving and my dads was a heaping pile of pasta. It was good, not the best, but our company at the table next to us was so fun that the meal seemed excellent. We ended up moving over to their table and had shots of limoncello and exchanged stories of travels to areas that we had all been. Finally, the waiter came over and said the restaurant was closed and we looked at our watches and it was 11:30pm. We had talked with them for so long and the time flew by. We said our goodbyes and dad and I walked the short distance to our hostel still chatting about how fun the two guys were. We packed what we could and got ready for bed, anxious that we were finally heading home. </div><div><br></div><div>Rome was still fun the second time I was there and I even saw places I didn't get to see with my mom. My dad was able to be 'my mom' and rely on me for directions which is a huge change for him. I was so ready to go home, but the last meal made it a bit bittersweet because it's so fun to meet these new people. I hope when I get back to sf (if I ever do) that I continue to meet new people while out. It's great to hear their stories and find similarities in our lives. </div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02020731818578029433noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3431528991092771303.post-78544020325291692792013-12-14T11:21:00.001-08:002013-12-14T11:21:33.018-08:00FirenzeSecond or last stop on my tour. I can't believe I began this trip in October and now it's December. Time flies when you're having fun.<div><br></div><div>My dad and I got on an early train out of Venice after we found a nearby supermarket to grab breakfast and snacks for lunch. As the train attendant came around with snacks and drinks, we chose the champagne. You can see we are settling nicely into the first class train thing.</div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFQZ3F50dIKn-fGLPjvD9GbnOtLN9-2HKGuXiAHdbLCtF1w0sp9WkI7vKCR3FO5OZaGJnP8EddOGdI_CHmcyv0GIMUgMVYYPrqTvzV2fyk2NIR-jLoqB-nshpEAxJX85ZpqEpKMi3tf0XF/s640/blogger-image--1644859056.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFQZ3F50dIKn-fGLPjvD9GbnOtLN9-2HKGuXiAHdbLCtF1w0sp9WkI7vKCR3FO5OZaGJnP8EddOGdI_CHmcyv0GIMUgMVYYPrqTvzV2fyk2NIR-jLoqB-nshpEAxJX85ZpqEpKMi3tf0XF/s640/blogger-image--1644859056.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div>We changed trains in Florence and headed to Pisa for a quick touristy afternoon. For those that have been to Pisa, you know there is really not much to do in Pisa, except to pose with their construction fail that has made them famous. We made our little picnic of salami, cheese soaked in Cabernet, fresh bread filled with delicious seeds, and a bottle of vino with our bathroom cups we stole from the hotel. It was actually a nice day; clear and sunny, maybe even a little warm. We sat on the grass and enjoyed the day. We even did our part to put the tower back in place.</div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO6awusxuTR5Yj_ZlZiRTr_spK41VClvMlohB4skoFzq57ucejPQoz1aUM8OiH8_o9cv4t5prpAYYJ2XKENOMMAovpK0nvSkdfqSOERNKA_gYEoASNvPKPLDMm8MiVAbhRZ2HoBTkcoNG5/s640/blogger-image--1961007503.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO6awusxuTR5Yj_ZlZiRTr_spK41VClvMlohB4skoFzq57ucejPQoz1aUM8OiH8_o9cv4t5prpAYYJ2XKENOMMAovpK0nvSkdfqSOERNKA_gYEoASNvPKPLDMm8MiVAbhRZ2HoBTkcoNG5/s640/blogger-image--1961007503.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt2lTK_dTg1yqx5vZ1lf9AajAseD-vd0iSsyfHBuqcsifualOwhiZBw0CWIjSnfH_5ufjxYwgXKjilB7SzFWGshf5y0IBGd-nEpMZ0LuA9z8ojhFNQ99v-bE-cUvwyJPi1fUoApuNA61JA/s640/blogger-image--2085688575.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt2lTK_dTg1yqx5vZ1lf9AajAseD-vd0iSsyfHBuqcsifualOwhiZBw0CWIjSnfH_5ufjxYwgXKjilB7SzFWGshf5y0IBGd-nEpMZ0LuA9z8ojhFNQ99v-bE-cUvwyJPi1fUoApuNA61JA/s640/blogger-image--2085688575.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI4UMIsy6iaPus_YoC0v9ez4MifiiIB-raY73pFzrsr4PM6a1AhVFyYTzGCLd9US8HC_0TxWZbWVFJCnaB5WHy2k33QRLvWP70cA0e6TAl4trI0_doq4Ed9nZM2RC0vDIPJRLW0eZahZmK/s640/blogger-image--167574683.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI4UMIsy6iaPus_YoC0v9ez4MifiiIB-raY73pFzrsr4PM6a1AhVFyYTzGCLd9US8HC_0TxWZbWVFJCnaB5WHy2k33QRLvWP70cA0e6TAl4trI0_doq4Ed9nZM2RC0vDIPJRLW0eZahZmK/s640/blogger-image--167574683.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRS1H5zAvvGiUFDq3zWphjAua69rhyphenhyphenEA3uonQutKAHvz_k3lh69OWnGiia2YxBqObDEokHsUd68tnyD4CfU2LKVOaPHxs1mMHWyqrAtrcOFB-khVqA7UgGsz1VAR3BkkihBXuc7vFRJvw9/s640/blogger-image-2024965365.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRS1H5zAvvGiUFDq3zWphjAua69rhyphenhyphenEA3uonQutKAHvz_k3lh69OWnGiia2YxBqObDEokHsUd68tnyD4CfU2LKVOaPHxs1mMHWyqrAtrcOFB-khVqA7UgGsz1VAR3BkkihBXuc7vFRJvw9/s640/blogger-image-2024965365.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">After a couple hours, we headed back to Florence to start our touring there. The place that we stayed was just perfect. I'm a huge fan of airbnb now and recommend it to anyone traveling. The ability to cook while on vacation is like having a piece of home and it's nice to have more than just a room to put your stuff down in. This place was exceptional and the hosts were so kind. They gave us a list of their favorite restaurants, cafés, gelaterias, and supermarkets. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">We decided to try one that was just a few minute walk from where we were staying; Antica Mescita in the San Niccolo district. We walked in and they were still getting everything set up so they got us bread, olive oil, and wine to tide us over. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiB00S60Pjn-cMKfKhRUbFWQjh4D-fmlfhAttdrkigBrCpKbxbXjvOFaOjoO8QzpvSXa1mauiOLMMe-uF6xd3QfNqHHw443Vxm8G6oNCO0oX2kq1usiaUU1nhK1qHNEcPUnxPZmvDfuFsW/s640/blogger-image-359464334.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiB00S60Pjn-cMKfKhRUbFWQjh4D-fmlfhAttdrkigBrCpKbxbXjvOFaOjoO8QzpvSXa1mauiOLMMe-uF6xd3QfNqHHw443Vxm8G6oNCO0oX2kq1usiaUU1nhK1qHNEcPUnxPZmvDfuFsW/s640/blogger-image-359464334.jpg"></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">The entire menu was in Italian so I was really unsure what to get. I understood 'bistecca' ans remembered Marina telling me about the infamous florentine steak. Shortly after we sat down, an older couple walked in and we chatted with them for a bit. The old man got up almost mid conversation and said one moment and walked outside. He reappeared shortly holding a green bottle of olive oil and he explained it was olive oil his family made just in October and that we could share it with him. It was fabulous and so fresh. At the end of the meal, he ended up giving us the entire bottle to take home. It was such a sweet gesture and I'm excited to share it with family when I return.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKRzRlRHI3e7Qx7FsO4gU7MkyBMjlFAzX_itsfmd-1PCmc_Vuw4pGwWjMhYQtsKUzlO9zw5Cu1LAPFpypSch6OrWjaem_9WDxk9dHm_QWsZyTo0djky6LfgxbQpW6bKpSQdJGWmHnDBdEg/s640/blogger-image--1133495386.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKRzRlRHI3e7Qx7FsO4gU7MkyBMjlFAzX_itsfmd-1PCmc_Vuw4pGwWjMhYQtsKUzlO9zw5Cu1LAPFpypSch6OrWjaem_9WDxk9dHm_QWsZyTo0djky6LfgxbQpW6bKpSQdJGWmHnDBdEg/s640/blogger-image--1133495386.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBFYMk-fLVVY2kFcl_kzdpKjZx0SuVMfSROxBf2z1of2Iw5WnTzZC2Uhyphenhyphen4jqDwjTlMwmYW6SS-yk3yJPIcQb7BTaZKh2Rmr74T9WR2sa63CzMKNE43iSb5t8xDBJk6k2JBzyabVUyqVzMO/s640/blogger-image-1169415517.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBFYMk-fLVVY2kFcl_kzdpKjZx0SuVMfSROxBf2z1of2Iw5WnTzZC2Uhyphenhyphen4jqDwjTlMwmYW6SS-yk3yJPIcQb7BTaZKh2Rmr74T9WR2sa63CzMKNE43iSb5t8xDBJk6k2JBzyabVUyqVzMO/s640/blogger-image-1169415517.jpg"></a></div><br></div>The waiter came over and explained the menu and gave us some pointers on where to begin. He suggested a bread soup that was a Florentine staple and then the florentine steak to share prepared just as the chef would like it, rare. We agreed and were excited for what we were going to taste. He brought out the soup, told us to add olive oil, and dive in. It was so yummy. It had black cabbage which reminds me of kale, beans, tomatoes, carrots, and, of course, bread. My dad was so happy with this meal and the company we shared I thought he would shed a tear. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnliuvvZSQlLWQye9fg9OUMWLWnXv82-ykoHHxw9pvCyZQDDt7keoBdbrlAkaemw1SubEPIA93M3_UH7pvBkNIllt8uX8G_fWg_f4hOY0B9QHWI4zQZcpyNYuPUmz5-AuaQtWy9E4TybWS/s640/blogger-image--450814078.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnliuvvZSQlLWQye9fg9OUMWLWnXv82-ykoHHxw9pvCyZQDDt7keoBdbrlAkaemw1SubEPIA93M3_UH7pvBkNIllt8uX8G_fWg_f4hOY0B9QHWI4zQZcpyNYuPUmz5-AuaQtWy9E4TybWS/s640/blogger-image--450814078.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMLRb0K-7GDNj1zFAXUE1Jogtq-ILi8aF59UNu6nVd7FbjFNQTfu9bHl4Vo79pzoC-iCNJgMLU108VntERcbfuE7HlYwuoZNQqdnmqzI8Ve8_boNoRAj224iXQIWB2LAf2PSZMPq96Gq5y/s640/blogger-image-1023587373.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMLRb0K-7GDNj1zFAXUE1Jogtq-ILi8aF59UNu6nVd7FbjFNQTfu9bHl4Vo79pzoC-iCNJgMLU108VntERcbfuE7HlYwuoZNQqdnmqzI8Ve8_boNoRAj224iXQIWB2LAf2PSZMPq96Gq5y/s640/blogger-image-1023587373.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">While we were enjoying the soup, he brought out the steak for us to check and make sure it was to our liking. Holy cow. This had to be where that expression came from because this thing was glorious. House of Prime Rib ain't got nothin on this.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSk1cTZNI-jitNkawZOMAwsSAxmiFjr4X1Sd4aq3pJAfs6WsKhieNU9BkrJdgS4oWpjfJzg2GSa7UVJp0p6SMQnIYlxICN_BKHXThLP9sCjm9FNT3B450G2DOJLuieeWeIpS7gEkax4QCX/s640/blogger-image--1028764822.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSk1cTZNI-jitNkawZOMAwsSAxmiFjr4X1Sd4aq3pJAfs6WsKhieNU9BkrJdgS4oWpjfJzg2GSa7UVJp0p6SMQnIYlxICN_BKHXThLP9sCjm9FNT3B450G2DOJLuieeWeIpS7gEkax4QCX/s640/blogger-image--1028764822.jpg"></a></div></div><br></div><div>We continued chatting with our neighbors in what English they could understand and learned a bit more about them and their family. The waiter brought out the cooked steak and cut it for us explaining that it was ok to pick up the bone and eat what he called the 'priest cut' that is right next to bone. It was amazing and head the best flavor. It might have been a little rare for my dad, but I didn't mind the pink in the center because it was so tender.</div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik1w87z2DPaC3AlvoXFDTfrcUnyLqvKhGQ-moQ04EpSv1sbMBmWSA4zJ9e7wGA97oHpeM5VRo6bJbkf4iOf2apyR897eXVFtf_VwCeGZ4TMtflhK6cD2fZiWpd4mRMr5v6Hl2n-9kRqEpj/s640/blogger-image--1393200622.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik1w87z2DPaC3AlvoXFDTfrcUnyLqvKhGQ-moQ04EpSv1sbMBmWSA4zJ9e7wGA97oHpeM5VRo6bJbkf4iOf2apyR897eXVFtf_VwCeGZ4TMtflhK6cD2fZiWpd4mRMr5v6Hl2n-9kRqEpj/s640/blogger-image--1393200622.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqI54D5Jft9sj1pOsjW1WjDjY4HZaO1hl2VulvL7sUFci1TOg6JNrbKdRycxipStWO72zRkFMKn3tBXHxn8q0Up3eT3FCl85a99meU1Q5fA7xYh1fKwrXnQWyi5nVcQkNuTgYYCgiB8AhF/s640/blogger-image-904114474.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqI54D5Jft9sj1pOsjW1WjDjY4HZaO1hl2VulvL7sUFci1TOg6JNrbKdRycxipStWO72zRkFMKn3tBXHxn8q0Up3eT3FCl85a99meU1Q5fA7xYh1fKwrXnQWyi5nVcQkNuTgYYCgiB8AhF/s640/blogger-image-904114474.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div>We finished the meal with another house specialty - cheesecake topped with orange glaze and chocolate chips and a coffee. I can't believe I order coffee at restaurants, at night time. What has Italy done to me?</div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3Nq5pu9MPbHLSRrr9AeoAdxnNwXYxdetiyE8HPQrf-LWiBhFDggPsm6C0lpZBB5utBAKTN5KKKcmFumHczKFLs-nBWY3Ipw4sS-EZpuULbC7f2b57U7FrCruZq_UH7qPIQKMaCs_mc2zq/s640/blogger-image--1629701938.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3Nq5pu9MPbHLSRrr9AeoAdxnNwXYxdetiyE8HPQrf-LWiBhFDggPsm6C0lpZBB5utBAKTN5KKKcmFumHczKFLs-nBWY3Ipw4sS-EZpuULbC7f2b57U7FrCruZq_UH7qPIQKMaCs_mc2zq/s640/blogger-image--1629701938.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div>We said goodbye to our new friends and thanked them for the olive oil. It was the perfect Italian meal and everything that I had hoped for. My dad clearly enjoyed himself and, I'd imagine, he will be sharing this story for many years to come.</div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhO4TLHld7w26mKJk_hPXwU353ZoCtZlvhSXuqHbZ0gOWyrUbdItQ2XVztK80TAbTt976IvoZ18mRI6jOK0KamvcIuEtr0s2OtuxQUAjnW55n1A6h8eIl29WQD2QHJtcYvbTxvYc-t4Wdh/s640/blogger-image-223294778.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhO4TLHld7w26mKJk_hPXwU353ZoCtZlvhSXuqHbZ0gOWyrUbdItQ2XVztK80TAbTt976IvoZ18mRI6jOK0KamvcIuEtr0s2OtuxQUAjnW55n1A6h8eIl29WQD2QHJtcYvbTxvYc-t4Wdh/s640/blogger-image-223294778.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">After dinner, we walked up to the top of the hill to Piazza Michelangelo to burn off some calories from our rich meal and to get a beautiful view of the city. There is a bronze version of the David statue at the top of the hill and it is quite a site to see.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizKasWAmRRPX43lGhFtpnxfDnAyK4M1dVGAuHGoQaBdJs_iRoXzu1ab4Ars01N1Je3aTzXwJEbuUbMYBWxenMymwX1WAgLG2Tpp_1zIaNx6qZX9r-hJKog-KU9CUAUGhWxu7jYRgd4nh1d/s640/blogger-image--1701417274.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizKasWAmRRPX43lGhFtpnxfDnAyK4M1dVGAuHGoQaBdJs_iRoXzu1ab4Ars01N1Je3aTzXwJEbuUbMYBWxenMymwX1WAgLG2Tpp_1zIaNx6qZX9r-hJKog-KU9CUAUGhWxu7jYRgd4nh1d/s640/blogger-image--1701417274.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_8CCV1ZhtucJWcuTt9MfrVTyfmtqvC0Uz54UA6N6DnaandKuvE2EA4o53SzN6dSxB3kvOVo3ebZmoblcbYCA4P5rchiVyDeG1MqpXQgYMLm50t2qDT8iYktd9QuyLvsvEb6IzKNwtFRtW/s640/blogger-image--2062452599.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_8CCV1ZhtucJWcuTt9MfrVTyfmtqvC0Uz54UA6N6DnaandKuvE2EA4o53SzN6dSxB3kvOVo3ebZmoblcbYCA4P5rchiVyDeG1MqpXQgYMLm50t2qDT8iYktd9QuyLvsvEb6IzKNwtFRtW/s640/blogger-image--2062452599.jpg"></a></div><br></div></div>The next day we got up and had planned to go to the Uffize Museum and the Duomo. We stopped to get coffee and breakfast first, but it wasn't easy finding a place because my dad said they all looked 'too fancy'. I guess when you're used to McDonalds for breakfast, anything is fancy. Finally, I got him to agree to go in to a place near the museum and we spent a whopping 5 euro on two coffees and two croissants. Less than Starbucks and look how pretty it is (I had already eaten my croissant before I remembered I needed a pic, oops).</div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4xHQYh3mbltjQrbK5K3010rN23P2O6DscjLhZR-8YYHrI6ZYSQYM2Lt7XUKCUkoqGG5LAmFlfUN6wXoiFJKtOZJBzY39Gaafdvo_Yyonltp7hhS22rMaTkxzxuVrzTxqLHcWNG08oNMHT/s640/blogger-image--759873111.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4xHQYh3mbltjQrbK5K3010rN23P2O6DscjLhZR-8YYHrI6ZYSQYM2Lt7XUKCUkoqGG5LAmFlfUN6wXoiFJKtOZJBzY39Gaafdvo_Yyonltp7hhS22rMaTkxzxuVrzTxqLHcWNG08oNMHT/s640/blogger-image--759873111.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhomUORsBS7RUl_ydB3CPpNXnSeWZc4iS3H_lecfISpFOYJ_Qm_ngMl-gilkT_kke_Q32kTtaNWRuwBbU3drrfegZ4_37z4-B_y0BvZ16dT3xNb87COyY8W3rltLw5Lmhr_liTttobBm0Gn/s640/blogger-image-1627683752.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhomUORsBS7RUl_ydB3CPpNXnSeWZc4iS3H_lecfISpFOYJ_Qm_ngMl-gilkT_kke_Q32kTtaNWRuwBbU3drrfegZ4_37z4-B_y0BvZ16dT3xNb87COyY8W3rltLw5Lmhr_liTttobBm0Gn/s640/blogger-image-1627683752.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">We went into the Uffize museum and went room by room to look at all the paintings and sculptures. I don't know if the Louvre spoiled me, but I wasn't that impressed. I know, it is supposed to be THE biggest collection of Italian art and mind blowing, but after about our 6th room of paintings that were hanging in a church at one point, I sort of zoned out. Plus, my dad wanted to read all the information, so it was dragging on a bit. <span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">We were there for over 3 hours and I was getting hungry. </span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">He sensed my restlessness and sped up his tour. We found a nearby pizza place and shared a insalata mista and a sausage and mushroom pizza with some house wine on the side. It's as delicious and just what I love about Italy. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><br></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje-tzLejDwA31TGCcvrxsVR_yxSJ_Jo4zuDdtmw57hOfUbBN3LaLSrz-QscWwTciki3ssJXacPrStof7mKRtIjRObq8o0oi5W7ADcV3x2rAFIKu-6TbwUijqfMdHAFJZnLHaKruot7MTf0/s640/blogger-image--1470763410.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje-tzLejDwA31TGCcvrxsVR_yxSJ_Jo4zuDdtmw57hOfUbBN3LaLSrz-QscWwTciki3ssJXacPrStof7mKRtIjRObq8o0oi5W7ADcV3x2rAFIKu-6TbwUijqfMdHAFJZnLHaKruot7MTf0/s640/blogger-image--1470763410.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">With full bellies we continued out exploring the city and stumbled about the Duomo, a beautiful church in the heart of Florence. We went in the church and looked around and then went into the basement of the church where there were remnants from hundreds of years ago. We got the ticket that allowed us access to all parts of the Duomo; including the parts where you can climb the tower and dome. We decided to start with the tower first, a modest 430 steps to the top. It was quite a climb, but worth the views.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd8lL8r-JGmXTO7MzYZkyyiZVYOijJotPrNAovYMb1ZyN1ab5K4QqvcFR8S9lo2G4otqlwLpz1yOqXuGgln1BIhfSZacLDEnkH76icB1oxGgoT5PIiltzA4C6jBuf3Qv7B22KlgLDfSjrV/s640/blogger-image--1870247944.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd8lL8r-JGmXTO7MzYZkyyiZVYOijJotPrNAovYMb1ZyN1ab5K4QqvcFR8S9lo2G4otqlwLpz1yOqXuGgln1BIhfSZacLDEnkH76icB1oxGgoT5PIiltzA4C6jBuf3Qv7B22KlgLDfSjrV/s640/blogger-image--1870247944.jpg"></a></div><br></div></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrkSVfMfs5rmrSBW29dNq8QduHb5G1SqtRmJ7vhqCnWCw7srAaFt2-UvH931Tsyy_78YCoJGt9fZnfA8yucUPep3HdTMR2dO3A3xdr0U2E91oTR7a44G39E47dz_xzLjQ-0HLB1hb9CgDR/s640/blogger-image-861336215.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrkSVfMfs5rmrSBW29dNq8QduHb5G1SqtRmJ7vhqCnWCw7srAaFt2-UvH931Tsyy_78YCoJGt9fZnfA8yucUPep3HdTMR2dO3A3xdr0U2E91oTR7a44G39E47dz_xzLjQ-0HLB1hb9CgDR/s640/blogger-image-861336215.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjkh-GDlAhzoRkVMBJWKNug9Qk7Z2NHVOm7bEcYG1gYTdm-ZNo15MkuWwhp3rt_FQVh_uAXz8JDmcSaIFsFfQ17pHXfDBtGg4eKJ6kyGD8zh0euN04t8Vzfn2W9fSpKK7hfG7UTtAs3N25/s640/blogger-image--156416617.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjkh-GDlAhzoRkVMBJWKNug9Qk7Z2NHVOm7bEcYG1gYTdm-ZNo15MkuWwhp3rt_FQVh_uAXz8JDmcSaIFsFfQ17pHXfDBtGg4eKJ6kyGD8zh0euN04t8Vzfn2W9fSpKK7hfG7UTtAs3N25/s640/blogger-image--156416617.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div>When we got done with the climb, we had obviously earned some gelato and found some at a nearby cafe that also had free wifi so we were able to FaceTime my mom too! </div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJTDEAF2aIiIhp4QYIO3518a9Hf5_YmamHFnyGVjxoosu3-Y7CSMJlxlFVC4xsFfV200i1EMcIaIZWEJ2qPhiy6oZELtrFwodLvSQ_H9mJ7Qhx3vYicYP7b1R0meY-7UGQ0vWAigGz-z2f/s640/blogger-image--1149366225.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJTDEAF2aIiIhp4QYIO3518a9Hf5_YmamHFnyGVjxoosu3-Y7CSMJlxlFVC4xsFfV200i1EMcIaIZWEJ2qPhiy6oZELtrFwodLvSQ_H9mJ7Qhx3vYicYP7b1R0meY-7UGQ0vWAigGz-z2f/s640/blogger-image--1149366225.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">We hung out in the warm cafe for about an hour and then went to the grocery store near our apartment to make a nice Italian meal in our kitchen. I convinced my dad to splurge the extra 60 cents to get the fresh pasta instead of the box pasta and a fresh ragu sauce instead of a can of sauce. We were going to have paperdelle pasta with carne ragu, a fresh mixed green salad, and a fresh load of bread. We also picked up a couple bottles of wine, breakfast goodies, and some snacks for the day. Our meal was delicious, if I do say so myself. The vino - an amazing 5 euro bottle of chianti - paired perfectly and the company couldn't have been better.</span></div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA4O6NJtNLHAFyWPSKflIVl-uAYLjWq0ewjV6zDuZ7UC_fIVZ1ZEWFm0IwIWz5-BuZIamdn6y-uqnOUP65QJIE06HkSyF5u1A-tp7egCtOwhRNz63iWps77AwUxxNuyQzM9vHqVVmSJFm-/s640/blogger-image-52412618.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA4O6NJtNLHAFyWPSKflIVl-uAYLjWq0ewjV6zDuZ7UC_fIVZ1ZEWFm0IwIWz5-BuZIamdn6y-uqnOUP65QJIE06HkSyF5u1A-tp7egCtOwhRNz63iWps77AwUxxNuyQzM9vHqVVmSJFm-/s640/blogger-image-52412618.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOSmSgA1P4P-L64UVObi5k-D4A4xmiETh4fuk5JVT-C9_6Qy65eC5EnHLXDtHAnwAaDZXIE4NMRe8D-yk5-NgFUP44FcVHUYMxTK3fXqerWx9WF3w0dF_S37HWpkLc1KZnDGbTG0Ikc0rP/s640/blogger-image--1008714854.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOSmSgA1P4P-L64UVObi5k-D4A4xmiETh4fuk5JVT-C9_6Qy65eC5EnHLXDtHAnwAaDZXIE4NMRe8D-yk5-NgFUP44FcVHUYMxTK3fXqerWx9WF3w0dF_S37HWpkLc1KZnDGbTG0Ikc0rP/s640/blogger-image--1008714854.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigUtiMSQUbxWoEm5IbiMqXGrtN8E7rbxigIzYd0CU8q6JUMlV9-QrXja3UYKmM2q2mZyzMEG-YW37wAYQB3o3zOUyRrPXr_EZv6dJZbTCYwz3QpwlXj8mFSHX6Ld0exgyRtLWeMwbk4ikb/s640/blogger-image-877172595.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigUtiMSQUbxWoEm5IbiMqXGrtN8E7rbxigIzYd0CU8q6JUMlV9-QrXja3UYKmM2q2mZyzMEG-YW37wAYQB3o3zOUyRrPXr_EZv6dJZbTCYwz3QpwlXj8mFSHX6Ld0exgyRtLWeMwbk4ikb/s640/blogger-image-877172595.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">We took it easy the rest of the night and woke up early the next day to get as much stuff some as possible. We went back to the Duomo to climb the dome this time. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh14-U0JPgQhZMbAz3kaoALdz7fFcCHLqVP90NZXwu6tm2AVy827oQws6RGWn-Ezu8ptpP98ztQf_1YS3LdgUqUC6peWcyy-VQ61x9gMDymPBLrt_FftKFfjQ8Dbv2UcBLLDUJ3C3I-3hgq/s640/blogger-image--1789202287.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh14-U0JPgQhZMbAz3kaoALdz7fFcCHLqVP90NZXwu6tm2AVy827oQws6RGWn-Ezu8ptpP98ztQf_1YS3LdgUqUC6peWcyy-VQ61x9gMDymPBLrt_FftKFfjQ8Dbv2UcBLLDUJ3C3I-3hgq/s640/blogger-image--1789202287.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkWAaAGQkmuty26vBm7jkD8rcUtLcn-xLCSBoYwvM90diM3wdSK1SqYYH-QabUU6WzInHZyhyNYG0p0ZTIR3BjytvjbCnPFCZwcLN_JP0Fx4XWuwUtg1b7UzOPSmSx0qciVb4dq_QDHoRF/s640/blogger-image--2038580792.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkWAaAGQkmuty26vBm7jkD8rcUtLcn-xLCSBoYwvM90diM3wdSK1SqYYH-QabUU6WzInHZyhyNYG0p0ZTIR3BjytvjbCnPFCZwcLN_JP0Fx4XWuwUtg1b7UzOPSmSx0qciVb4dq_QDHoRF/s640/blogger-image--2038580792.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdES93ftOFJj7OYkMT3pbPEWrVVOZqFhFYfs-dgPMyJVnUK3xqfAuITxvss8qTT9QBywyBYxtoDqJD5yQJLAWVORUGsaoj-Sqxtdmud9fnyySpkHCsFd28WG8pU0apbcVwuNb2i2vYV_oN/s640/blogger-image-1569945720.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdES93ftOFJj7OYkMT3pbPEWrVVOZqFhFYfs-dgPMyJVnUK3xqfAuITxvss8qTT9QBywyBYxtoDqJD5yQJLAWVORUGsaoj-Sqxtdmud9fnyySpkHCsFd28WG8pU0apbcVwuNb2i2vYV_oN/s640/blogger-image-1569945720.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">My dad and I had finished getting countless panoramas of the view and were relaxing on the bench when we noticed a girl trying to get a selfie with the complete view behind her. My dad offered to take the picture and we started chatting with her. She was from Singapore and traveling in Italy for 6 weeks. She had a great personality and was fun to talk to so we continued the conversation at the nearby cafe over a couple glasses of spritz - an Italian cocktail served over ice. We split off to go to museums but decided to meet up for drinks that evening.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><br></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhShwTZjOGMwNzo8y3ngkcF7VsGdud-9KBvRoL8JxLxm0q7gcmteHMJQ3Uoyt7KyZdd1hsM3_LNKVwy0Artd1hfXjy-bbbhT5Fr81JhyVpvzswLNi9I5WyxOav1LKc8ivGsUoiYySogExO/s640/blogger-image--1878174845.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhShwTZjOGMwNzo8y3ngkcF7VsGdud-9KBvRoL8JxLxm0q7gcmteHMJQ3Uoyt7KyZdd1hsM3_LNKVwy0Artd1hfXjy-bbbhT5Fr81JhyVpvzswLNi9I5WyxOav1LKc8ivGsUoiYySogExO/s640/blogger-image--1878174845.jpg"></a></div><br></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">My dad and I went to have our leftover pasta for lunch which seemed to be better than when we ate it fresh. We had some vino along side and then headed back out to continue seeing the city since it was our last day. We were off to another museum, the Accademia, that housed the original sculpture of. Michael Angelo's David. I know you're not supposed to take photos...but I did. I didn't use a flash, so I don't see the big deal. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0LORo0z1ZOQJpMA-FHURewFBodJZZOBMAVftcusQgqJ41oGuJ42bLCh_uIo1uSUpiXp8jQudehWnhWOAXmfvRQ6wbSNNlCE14ZNalvcBY9fG-5AW81ANBQsGOR7gVBTcoB2tz3f4vLSRn/s640/blogger-image--1442243992.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0LORo0z1ZOQJpMA-FHURewFBodJZZOBMAVftcusQgqJ41oGuJ42bLCh_uIo1uSUpiXp8jQudehWnhWOAXmfvRQ6wbSNNlCE14ZNalvcBY9fG-5AW81ANBQsGOR7gVBTcoB2tz3f4vLSRn/s640/blogger-image--1442243992.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">The David is so impressive, it really is something everyone should seem the craftsmanship that he took carving it is absolutely incredible. Every detail is captured from his muscular body, the veins in his hands, to the toenails on his feet. The rest of the museum; however, was not much to speak of. I don't understand why the David isn't at Uffize museum which would make more sense. Oh well, another way to get 11 euro out of a couple of tourists. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">We wandered around the city after the Accademia museum and found the gelato shop that Amanda had told me about, Grom. It was tucked off the square and had all housemade gelato. I decided on straciatella and pistachio and my dad got the hazelnut and pistachio. Unfortunately, it turns out I'm not a big pistachio fan, but the straciatella was delicious! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><font face="Helvetica Neue Light, HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif"><br></font></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><font face="Helvetica Neue Light, HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif">After going around the city for another couple hours, it was time to meet up with Cherry. She led us to a place called Small Bar that serves pizza, paninis, chips, peanuts, and olives for free when you buy a drink. What a great deal! Cherry had a bottle of wine started and we continued to have more until we finished our third bottle. We were there for so long that the bartender even showed us his cellar that he is building stocked with racks and racks of wine. Unfortunately, he didn't open any reserve bottles for us, but it was still fun to see his collection.</font></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><font face="Helvetica Neue Light, HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif"><br></font></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><font face="Helvetica Neue Light, HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm0HNse2rAoDgWaLdin21VF0DFN1JxZScvffOVRk-vDV-QHaAAlso42N-MIU_raGfg7VwFm-BaiF_M6yIsRt-FX3_CderdXfomJK75jzY868CvK2wioYa-mBJq3s-HT8rTGKVr-XVMWDFA/s640/blogger-image-1901859965.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm0HNse2rAoDgWaLdin21VF0DFN1JxZScvffOVRk-vDV-QHaAAlso42N-MIU_raGfg7VwFm-BaiF_M6yIsRt-FX3_CderdXfomJK75jzY868CvK2wioYa-mBJq3s-HT8rTGKVr-XVMWDFA/s640/blogger-image-1901859965.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">This girl Cherry was so funny. She warned us about never going to the bathroom after a Chinese person because of their interesting habits, she told us about her travels, Singapore culture, and we even planned for her to come to sf to visit. She was a great addition for the evening and made our time in Florence extra special with her company. I couldn't help but think, that would have been me traveling by myself and how much I would want to meet people to enjoy an evening with. We walked around the city and my dad was set on trying a cannoli. We asked a local where to get one and he said, 'those aren't in Florence, they are a Sicilian specialty!' Despite his guidance, my dad continued on his search for a cannoli. We found a gelato shop that had some and bought two to share. I took one bite and immediately had to spit it out. It tasted as if the filling were vomit flavored. Pungent and bitter and not what I was expecting at all. So disappointing! We found a fountain sculpture of a boar that was similar to one we saw in the museums and decided to take a picture. You almost can't tell who is Asian here because my dad was laughing so hard. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDxHSGAvZL2ka-yNVoigzcfE_AsMRHILbQXc14pXk_Puqkhyphenhyphenc1LM3Xkrh_KNkY7nj9SCMOlwE9zxq78F66tPxfET2Xo7h28FwYb-JQGlNXx5m01gtDTlNWWPOJ1P-HsG77RZK5uqeNeOT2/s640/blogger-image--931346131.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDxHSGAvZL2ka-yNVoigzcfE_AsMRHILbQXc14pXk_Puqkhyphenhyphenc1LM3Xkrh_KNkY7nj9SCMOlwE9zxq78F66tPxfET2Xo7h28FwYb-JQGlNXx5m01gtDTlNWWPOJ1P-HsG77RZK5uqeNeOT2/s640/blogger-image--931346131.jpg"></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">I don't know if it was the bad cannoli, walking around the city, or just the wine that was already in our bellies talking, but we decided we needed more wine and that we should go back to our apartment and drink more. That's always a good idea, right? Especially after seeing my dad in the picture above. Wrong. We finished another bottle of wine and then Cherry went home. I passed out dreading the hangover that I knew I would wake up to, especially on a travel day. Sure enough, I woke up with a pounding headache, but it was Saturday and I would be going home on Monday. Hooray!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Florence was a favorite city of mine. It's another place that I wish I had longer to stay because I feel like I wanted to see more of the city and the surrounding areas. Also, meeting the people that we did made it such a memorable place. When I crack my olive oil bottle at home I will think of the older couple from our first night there. The Duomo was by far the best 'deal' if you will. For 10 euro you got access to all parts and the stair climbs were refreshing and had some of the most beautiful sites on the trip. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Final destination, Roma.</div><br></font></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02020731818578029433noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3431528991092771303.post-74557573427511103332013-12-04T13:09:00.001-08:002013-12-05T23:45:12.784-08:00VeneziaMy dad and I said our goodbyes to Sara and got on the train to Venice. We continued to be in awe of how beautiful the train ride was. Luckily, this time we weren't the only ones snapping all the pictures; our neighbors were even worse than us. My dad got some ones that are too good not to share...<div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMcL6zHrFwEI2CHyo6Wi7xD8Tx4Iuptjhur3IBybHTfmLL9roEVLh6JmIQdxdbSedbsdaMSsVxaGWMH2KUmeEIxHAlJutuxNJTfx-i7UCrWza-rHR8NeUQY_w-vjZXsoKaqU1yFY084QOq/s640/blogger-image--1389837253.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMcL6zHrFwEI2CHyo6Wi7xD8Tx4Iuptjhur3IBybHTfmLL9roEVLh6JmIQdxdbSedbsdaMSsVxaGWMH2KUmeEIxHAlJutuxNJTfx-i7UCrWza-rHR8NeUQY_w-vjZXsoKaqU1yFY084QOq/s640/blogger-image--1389837253.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVWELuLYQv_T0TPbYhWEC6cRWYrt6_QEwyeA8fJONQzUPmOZBxHiTR2PYaxv4ZAPMkbnussd96EGl1CiNEy11DewsCUCwR06Jem2KhdpgOlo2F-QaAybOsyAA0-GskY_nwdejn2A_97Uba/s640/blogger-image-1272375513.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVWELuLYQv_T0TPbYhWEC6cRWYrt6_QEwyeA8fJONQzUPmOZBxHiTR2PYaxv4ZAPMkbnussd96EGl1CiNEy11DewsCUCwR06Jem2KhdpgOlo2F-QaAybOsyAA0-GskY_nwdejn2A_97Uba/s640/blogger-image-1272375513.jpg"></a></div><br></div>We had to change trains in quite possibly the biggest shit hole of a train station ever: Milan. My dad and I had an overpriced mediocre piece of pizza and a panini and then waited for our train to come. I remembered I had some Bailey's Swiss chocolate truffles in my bag and decided to have one to pass the time. At the same time, some chubby gypsy comes up and asks in a language I can't understand, maybe Italian, for some money. I decline and continue to pull the truffle that I've been drooling over for a bit now. She takes this as an invitation for her to enjoy, as well. Ah hell nah lady. One truffle alone cost me more than $1.50 and was like tasting heaven and her gnarly hands weren't having a single one. She started to rub her large belly as if she was hungry and I said 'no way'. Wow did I piss her off. She began to curse at me in her strange language and stared me down. I returned the pleasantries only I was enjoying the truffle and she wasn't. Finally, she walked away and proceeded to tell everyone in the station about me. No one felt sorry for her. <span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">As a sidebar, I follow Michael Kors on Instagram and, coincidentally, he posted a video of Milan the same day we were at the traim station and it looked beautiful. I can only believe that basing my opinion of Milan by the train station is like someone coming to SF via Powell street Bart stop and thinking, what a shit hole this city is. I'm hoping that once you get out of the station filled with greedy gypsys trying to make a buck, it is a pleasant city. Plus, their actual train station is quite pretty.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><br></span></div><div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_oR8veHeAUtViXkzXsuFTVL6q7fudAnzwQKr3M1DDfXeQ4P_riRKLf8pcXw3Q73ZOTPI23apqS6AlFveOgvSM9rqM8u5x7ZnxEBMwtz7sPKyPumMw1m3a9XfiGKKxnsmrDS7PvLQJp9Pg/s640/blogger-image--1767788315.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_oR8veHeAUtViXkzXsuFTVL6q7fudAnzwQKr3M1DDfXeQ4P_riRKLf8pcXw3Q73ZOTPI23apqS6AlFveOgvSM9rqM8u5x7ZnxEBMwtz7sPKyPumMw1m3a9XfiGKKxnsmrDS7PvLQJp9Pg/s640/blogger-image--1767788315.jpg"></a></div></span></div><div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><br></span></div><div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">We finally got on the train to Venice and settled down. All high speed trains in Italy require a reservation which costs somewhere from 10-15 euro. We thought this was a waste, but then the train equivalent of a flight attendant offered us glasses of wine and snacks and it didn't seem so bad.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><br></span></div><div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">My dad and I arrived at our train station and walked the short distance to the hotel. I was a bit nervous because it was outside of Venice proper in the Venizia Mestre area. We got to our hotel, met the sweet Italian lady who runs the place and settled into our adorable room that only cost us $80 per night. I can't imagine ever paying so little and getting something equivalent anywhere in the US. We got our stuff together and headed in to Venice by taking the short train ride over. I don't know if I'm getting burnt out or if I've visited some if the most beautiful places ever, but I wasn't blown away by Venice. It was gorgeous and in Italy and I was so excited for the Italian food, but, after visiting upwards of 20 cities, I'd say it's mid pack. Not like a Frankfurt, but not a Brugges. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><br></span></div><div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmVPUeCd_u3Iz-R7_ph8YyW3GiOPitrRKXR4Vo4m9nqqqR3-vu65BMI3i8Cf23b9E9K3h5Qz10IBB1_cNS53cO41DhlH50hQELjD08VHVDC_hckpE2LYD1zTqCn6WQqu0M_aKVgcd9a7sr/s640/blogger-image-107955987.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmVPUeCd_u3Iz-R7_ph8YyW3GiOPitrRKXR4Vo4m9nqqqR3-vu65BMI3i8Cf23b9E9K3h5Qz10IBB1_cNS53cO41DhlH50hQELjD08VHVDC_hckpE2LYD1zTqCn6WQqu0M_aKVgcd9a7sr/s640/blogger-image-107955987.jpg"></a></div><br></span></div><div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><br></span></div><div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">My dad and I got lost through the canals and finally decided to stop for dinner at a place that had the trusty trip advisor seal of approval. There was an older Italian man who greeted us and brought us some house red. It wasn't great, but it wasn't bad either. The menu was quite large but we finally decided on the special of housemade spaghetti with sea bass for my dad and gnocchi with seafood for me. For those who have been with me since the beginning of my travels might recall my awful gnocchi from Rome. This was nothing like that. It was fresh, salty, and perfectly cooked. I'm still looking for a place with gnocchi better than Firenze by night in SF, but this was by far the best in Italy, so far. My dad, of course, complained that his was made with butter and refused to 'spacipiatta' or clean his plate as he usually does. We finished our meal with a light and refreshing dessert of mixed fruit topped with powdered sugar. It was perfect. </span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">We finished up dinner and continued to wonder through the countless canals of the city. After we finally found our way back, we decided to head home and start fresh the following day. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><br></span></div><div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr-zOTpgyHPWVwkoyYtCtGRWM33bgqYZfIfL3KYsq3GY6FOrgL4aoNtyMn9GpiKPesGKfc5ba8AJpo_zq116H_ymIa4l34GRmYPfAtvk1JdHDnsVOsc4RmkTHd52TW6H9Kb-X4gsnMl9WA/s640/blogger-image--2057880319.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr-zOTpgyHPWVwkoyYtCtGRWM33bgqYZfIfL3KYsq3GY6FOrgL4aoNtyMn9GpiKPesGKfc5ba8AJpo_zq116H_ymIa4l34GRmYPfAtvk1JdHDnsVOsc4RmkTHd52TW6H9Kb-X4gsnMl9WA/s640/blogger-image--2057880319.jpg"></a></div><br></span></div><div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHc1yhyphenhyphenc88QuA70mbx4gLbUhuThDgSnfcggO_XPEt8qB2azOdfQwy_1NzmgfzkVEZaBZP_PGeKCX4MRNotOlbDBGHS1cJRWWMlFQrvme0ZHNZRZbCst44MeaxAVB0DvO0EeIGCa5I8npPt/s640/blogger-image--503221864.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHc1yhyphenhyphenc88QuA70mbx4gLbUhuThDgSnfcggO_XPEt8qB2azOdfQwy_1NzmgfzkVEZaBZP_PGeKCX4MRNotOlbDBGHS1cJRWWMlFQrvme0ZHNZRZbCst44MeaxAVB0DvO0EeIGCa5I8npPt/s640/blogger-image--503221864.jpg"></a></div><br></span></div><div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV0BT3yM1lGF7BTmNvMWnt_XNGhrjF0QBixk8VJMKqHPeVjMhDUlgKZJ2ri5EL2YaiSzOLdyILREs1dDaWxtxv5oWZ1gzGh3qhrO2CqsaabgpTzI7Cg7nUCkeJ4esE_1qfXyugHR6aMzKG/s640/blogger-image--1848254875.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV0BT3yM1lGF7BTmNvMWnt_XNGhrjF0QBixk8VJMKqHPeVjMhDUlgKZJ2ri5EL2YaiSzOLdyILREs1dDaWxtxv5oWZ1gzGh3qhrO2CqsaabgpTzI7Cg7nUCkeJ4esE_1qfXyugHR6aMzKG/s640/blogger-image--1848254875.jpg"></a></div><br></span></div><div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1bCr-8XtH1qtnA3bnC3tIBaKr0jE1wYzf0AI6f6g7jJpoxCU-Zk6bfp513fIPdFBYbMQRlj-kAURw4OWksg0UoznSPUiGvGEh5O8lCn-yXHelQsNHeINW4vaB2HhJ_pyOJBjx3sZGNcE_/s640/blogger-image-151779342.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1bCr-8XtH1qtnA3bnC3tIBaKr0jE1wYzf0AI6f6g7jJpoxCU-Zk6bfp513fIPdFBYbMQRlj-kAURw4OWksg0UoznSPUiGvGEh5O8lCn-yXHelQsNHeINW4vaB2HhJ_pyOJBjx3sZGNcE_/s640/blogger-image-151779342.jpg"></a></div><br></span></div><div>The next day I imagined my dad and I would start with a coffee and pastry similar to the locals, but he had his own idea. A McDonalds sausage McMuffin. For those that know my dad, he hates butter, fatty foods, fried food, bologna, but, apparently, has no problem with McDonalds. I was shocked. Not only did we pass up about 15 adorable Italian cafés, but we got lost, found our way back to the sign that gave the directions, and then tried to find it again, unfortunately, being successful the second time. Thankfully, we were able to get a good shot of us on a typical bridge in Venice. </div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-fiuoZeSWGupRx-uXLPoEEOc2ctORNf-qUTuPu9Lg6jZzwNEM7Vu4gBCZAUTQwjm1QGxcG2cVfqwJik4fAgv336W7CKvtgG3pDO_NDG23LvqBAEZC_rU9z2ZiRHR-tgyJij1uCyMiphsy/s640/blogger-image--1021082659.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-fiuoZeSWGupRx-uXLPoEEOc2ctORNf-qUTuPu9Lg6jZzwNEM7Vu4gBCZAUTQwjm1QGxcG2cVfqwJik4fAgv336W7CKvtgG3pDO_NDG23LvqBAEZC_rU9z2ZiRHR-tgyJij1uCyMiphsy/s640/blogger-image--1021082659.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div>I was embarrassed to even walk in, but my dad was so enthusiastic rest I had to go along. I usually reserve New Year's Day in Tahoe to my annual McDonalds breakfast and then swear it off for the rest of the year. I probably won't make it to Tahoe this year, so I'll call it my early celebration. I ordered the usual, a sausage McMuffin with a hash brown on the side. It felt sickening going down, and I should have known it would set the precedence for food for the day. </div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNtVj1uv7_4R-o8ZTqW6XbiY7etfsDWEMI9xdioQ_Le2Jr4EecChkwB__J-bJH3U9DYSnj38GdsStnrSwg_mk14v739CcbRnjvXxeReIyj77g8R_am0XJ2z_PMMZ0u8j_aoKp-YhxwqNYz/s640/blogger-image--1148673459.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNtVj1uv7_4R-o8ZTqW6XbiY7etfsDWEMI9xdioQ_Le2Jr4EecChkwB__J-bJH3U9DYSnj38GdsStnrSwg_mk14v739CcbRnjvXxeReIyj77g8R_am0XJ2z_PMMZ0u8j_aoKp-YhxwqNYz/s640/blogger-image--1148673459.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div>My dad and I had checked the weather before we left and it was going to be a whopping 55 degrees so I ditched the boots for my ballerina flats and exchanged my jacket for a puffer vest. Huge mistake. By noon, I was shivering, but trying to not complain to my dad since he is a grin and bear it kind of guy. Luckily, he was just as cold as me, and we decided to head back and get our jackets so we wouldn't be miserable for the day. We rode the portagee gondola or water bus as the locals call it back to the station and warmed up back at home. </div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQP9TVE0gAV_1YctgSLW0-NMZunKmHjC6DRnNY8tXVhzTGUm-ajrHWdj2965OyZbRIP1xBHMZugOSZ0RZps3LvEivKEiJjRfePDHKfFlsqJlrd4xlX7vRKN-1EYVray5qw7W5IJVC2ftIb/s640/blogger-image-326787681.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQP9TVE0gAV_1YctgSLW0-NMZunKmHjC6DRnNY8tXVhzTGUm-ajrHWdj2965OyZbRIP1xBHMZugOSZ0RZps3LvEivKEiJjRfePDHKfFlsqJlrd4xlX7vRKN-1EYVray5qw7W5IJVC2ftIb/s640/blogger-image-326787681.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDpdRqULpjsy4LRYz3uul3juQgStNmey28nrfJPwKksptEvUQ-mu-XD54iY_SidQJSw20Eeb_nLYRbFBB3EAYV3X-2_j2Tu8PvK_NZghzP-FybOOOVHvpaTKWzhlSYwYMt_RFvr6Ewaqzp/s640/blogger-image--1507543334.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDpdRqULpjsy4LRYz3uul3juQgStNmey28nrfJPwKksptEvUQ-mu-XD54iY_SidQJSw20Eeb_nLYRbFBB3EAYV3X-2_j2Tu8PvK_NZghzP-FybOOOVHvpaTKWzhlSYwYMt_RFvr6Ewaqzp/s640/blogger-image--1507543334.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_6oanhU0KeX5OAme7sWJzlPyAZtziVZDvI2W-eIpJKrYcbvt-kXN0NflSlfMgueuEMrHVFZLo_eCW1ph-vWsfPh-aeaFT_tWUtq9U07gOyto9I9bV9UpxN6hWYQpq-oiSgdvFFzbZrTLb/s640/blogger-image-1570375196.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_6oanhU0KeX5OAme7sWJzlPyAZtziVZDvI2W-eIpJKrYcbvt-kXN0NflSlfMgueuEMrHVFZLo_eCW1ph-vWsfPh-aeaFT_tWUtq9U07gOyto9I9bV9UpxN6hWYQpq-oiSgdvFFzbZrTLb/s640/blogger-image-1570375196.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLeYkH3DBFCJ83q3cwX-oIcb2NFBVVr5uPNA3J2Kvc2558JnrfjTSBJ4HsK6rojU0Ky3AuxAM4i0Z8hnQ-N3R9-48DEioEunw-qAvQif_TBhopTRHT1SajF7HQb-o6tp6yonG1Pp_2N9ug/s640/blogger-image-1632269490.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLeYkH3DBFCJ83q3cwX-oIcb2NFBVVr5uPNA3J2Kvc2558JnrfjTSBJ4HsK6rojU0Ky3AuxAM4i0Z8hnQ-N3R9-48DEioEunw-qAvQif_TBhopTRHT1SajF7HQb-o6tp6yonG1Pp_2N9ug/s640/blogger-image-1632269490.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div>We were back in Venice by 2:30 and ready for some lunch. We passed about 6 or 7 decent looking places until we finally decided we were too hungry and we'd settle for the next place. Here are a couple photos of us prior to our afternoon snack.</div><div><br></div><div class="separator" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFlY3Y-Q2aDyl8_EReIXYU1SpdajWzI4okdui48SwQ1fETccpt1hBLnP2Rj8dTYzKpWKht39A9SF04rFMIVM-bobW5wiw-qQADuw8g4RMhjF_XIaN_f9E-OU-Bmho7GB2E2lRg9fkorVgB/s640/blogger-image-723744782.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFlY3Y-Q2aDyl8_EReIXYU1SpdajWzI4okdui48SwQ1fETccpt1hBLnP2Rj8dTYzKpWKht39A9SF04rFMIVM-bobW5wiw-qQADuw8g4RMhjF_XIaN_f9E-OU-Bmho7GB2E2lRg9fkorVgB/s640/blogger-image-723744782.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1mlgECPkfQ-rtUTdKF9MV7h3GnBjYC39jmQ7fkjf7GKDR_b5LJZjFopEHhy2t59oOubZ8wwJAZM5JVKpNdPx6OBqNgvWDbxvQXWUG8kM7DVDXB8rowCa4VMGwATbVg48dnw0lGo1YCnHs/s640/blogger-image-539333262.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1mlgECPkfQ-rtUTdKF9MV7h3GnBjYC39jmQ7fkjf7GKDR_b5LJZjFopEHhy2t59oOubZ8wwJAZM5JVKpNdPx6OBqNgvWDbxvQXWUG8kM7DVDXB8rowCa4VMGwATbVg48dnw0lGo1YCnHs/s640/blogger-image-539333262.jpg"></a></div><div><br></div><div>We walked in and the waiter informed us that their kitchen was closed but that he could make us a plate of items he had in the display window. He brought us over bread, olive oil, and wine and then proceeded to whip us up a plate. The wine was obviously labeled 'shit for tourists to drink' and was sort of bubbly even though it was a red wine. The bread and olive oil was delicious. We heard a microwave going, but the. he brought over the most beautiful platter of items that my dad and I were quite excited about that our McDonald's had worn off.</div><div><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8mJ5c7OTnI770B-RcAU-UnREcc21jFAZU8EYFG02UAozK9rd8zJK8bNqZn6aACw89woBKYSuYxDperiwCS8_sYbYYmBXEY2qoC6_k0tf4ebnWo8EqRhZN_bTbxtHob2mX0qtT64SCrcfp/s640/blogger-image--364026974.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8mJ5c7OTnI770B-RcAU-UnREcc21jFAZU8EYFG02UAozK9rd8zJK8bNqZn6aACw89woBKYSuYxDperiwCS8_sYbYYmBXEY2qoC6_k0tf4ebnWo8EqRhZN_bTbxtHob2mX0qtT64SCrcfp/s640/blogger-image--364026974.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaiDOu-o0Kjaun82Kb7U_EFXHtNcznVFj1Qe3NK5_F_MAyjLfchbtl-ykcVoE0WZlWPgYKG77uAEVYrJKUfCl_8i6PKSVuQBP_kw2kcrXCZm3Gp_IiqZFHLN1jdjyl0_myvz06XHHydU9I/s640/blogger-image-1702619187.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaiDOu-o0Kjaun82Kb7U_EFXHtNcznVFj1Qe3NK5_F_MAyjLfchbtl-ykcVoE0WZlWPgYKG77uAEVYrJKUfCl_8i6PKSVuQBP_kw2kcrXCZm3Gp_IiqZFHLN1jdjyl0_myvz06XHHydU9I/s640/blogger-image-1702619187.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Let me describe this plate for you in clockwise order. It began with assortment of fried items; none good. There was fried cheese, olives, sardines, and something I can't describe except as deep fried crumbs of someone else's leftovers. We move to the right and see a sandwich. Seems harmless, right? Oh no, to our suprise, this was a sandwich battered, deep fried, cooled, and then microwaved to peak mediocrity. We move along to the assortment of bruschettas placed on top of stale polenta. The one with cream colored fish tasted like licking an armpit. The sausage one was decent, but the polenta was so dry and flavorless, even the best sausage couldn't perk it up. The one that looked like the normal bruschetta was actually masking canned sardines, oh joy. It was on top of one of the only decent items on the plate - roasted zucchini. We continue to move along to the other white fishy bruschetta only to get more nauseated with multi day old fish. In the center are some decent shrimp that help to offset the awfulness of this meal and continue to the mysterious white ball on the plate. Oddly, this item, was the best thing on the plate, especially when the olive oil was added. It was, however, placed on top of soggy eggplant that was bitter and flavorless at the same time. We move up into the final quarter of the plate where things get really hairy. Have you ever had a can of Vienna sausage? You know how you have to rinse off the slime before eating them? Well that's what the squid was like except they forgot to rinse the slime off. I'm getting sick even remembering this plate. My dad, who can eat mostly anything (except for what was mentioned above) said this plate even pushed him out of his comfort zone. It was so awful. My dad and I got up from the table feeling quite sick and did the best we could to walk our food off. You might notice we don't look as happy as we did earlier...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdh166aCSFCURsGm234NCmx4i1iPuN3eRnGen8puNBSEaPDEw3Ylh3-ZZT6IomgjWa9yIjtLNpIwZaM1WpV7dqYajwIPm7QPRiMsvAuYzdAw8U47DRjVxeEwJMkakstC3kMtNfCDsbS1eg/s640/blogger-image--599632504.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdh166aCSFCURsGm234NCmx4i1iPuN3eRnGen8puNBSEaPDEw3Ylh3-ZZT6IomgjWa9yIjtLNpIwZaM1WpV7dqYajwIPm7QPRiMsvAuYzdAw8U47DRjVxeEwJMkakstC3kMtNfCDsbS1eg/s640/blogger-image--599632504.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrRa2R8ivZaiMP2UciLa6bec4ceMAYTGRApA5vsxa_nlk6L78tnB_FrloRf9Dj54yG7lLIsq9uzbDcbshTp8Ogyy_UItuF-s2lo-0TMwJKnFqVeZKeJ-qjw4ojfs_i4Qj3j0UxTMts4PtV/s640/blogger-image-615132816.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrRa2R8ivZaiMP2UciLa6bec4ceMAYTGRApA5vsxa_nlk6L78tnB_FrloRf9Dj54yG7lLIsq9uzbDcbshTp8Ogyy_UItuF-s2lo-0TMwJKnFqVeZKeJ-qjw4ojfs_i4Qj3j0UxTMts4PtV/s640/blogger-image-615132816.jpg"></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiMWHcWzi5n918j2gTbnzYyvB1-ylNqgsMymyzgVsRqXe2nuR6WBOOtjuJVwt5pC8XAX7egT_5DGPyRfQs49by6-qFDL0xoSn8khtlmn0lVdeX2XzmMnek_JWe_l8rXA7UPx54y97S748N/s640/blogger-image--1758674542.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiMWHcWzi5n918j2gTbnzYyvB1-ylNqgsMymyzgVsRqXe2nuR6WBOOtjuJVwt5pC8XAX7egT_5DGPyRfQs49by6-qFDL0xoSn8khtlmn0lVdeX2XzmMnek_JWe_l8rXA7UPx54y97S748N/s640/blogger-image--1758674542.jpg"></a></div></div><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5DuVph1Zo71Z9pGTxXnqDRM9a3e-MuCkIit0oRSkhPUDjMAqmfTAYK9Ymky3UTLrF861r8NNbSCtf-byCE_m3p_0f_12mhgPskuFbCfnBzxn2M3RAC_jo_p8RRudv2lCaVZ6dnwknHJPU/s640/blogger-image-1255132974.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5DuVph1Zo71Z9pGTxXnqDRM9a3e-MuCkIit0oRSkhPUDjMAqmfTAYK9Ymky3UTLrF861r8NNbSCtf-byCE_m3p_0f_12mhgPskuFbCfnBzxn2M3RAC_jo_p8RRudv2lCaVZ6dnwknHJPU/s640/blogger-image-1255132974.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Finally, I we stumbled across an open gelato place and I settled my tummy with some lemon flavored kind. It sure did make me happy.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj43F13qgxnPhwNse5emEtOaYgwryWH5ifz8IpQDLVXBC23aJO-vJXDTd_5c7qf_elRDMyDLpsSvfctP4_RXUAfVR1I4Pb52RnAqcip_xghuq1ZPRKVYg3N-5UlrSOnyLdoJ_ErXSASU58A/s640/blogger-image-1755254754.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj43F13qgxnPhwNse5emEtOaYgwryWH5ifz8IpQDLVXBC23aJO-vJXDTd_5c7qf_elRDMyDLpsSvfctP4_RXUAfVR1I4Pb52RnAqcip_xghuq1ZPRKVYg3N-5UlrSOnyLdoJ_ErXSASU58A/s640/blogger-image-1755254754.jpg"></a></div><br></div>We ended our brief stay in Venice on that high note and caught the water bus back to the train station and then to our hotel, ready to move on to Florence. It might be clearer why Venice is only a middle to lower of the pack city in my book after this blog. Although it was undeniably pretty, the food was just not what I imagined for a famous Italian city. I guess that's what us desparate tourists get for being inpatient and unprepared. I also think the closeness to the end of the trip played a part in my opinion of this city. Getting engaged and then immediately leaving is quite difficult and I'm looking forward to being back home with Colin.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">On to Florence where, spoiler alert, I'm definitely enjoying myself. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Xoxo,</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Erin </div></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02020731818578029433noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3431528991092771303.post-8700384530194207412013-12-02T13:31:00.001-08:002013-12-02T13:31:37.204-08:00SwitzerlandI was thinking about what to say in this blog post for the entire trip because it's hard to put something this beautiful into words. Expect a lot of pictures; as you know, they can say a lot more than I can. I'll just start with one to blow your mind.<div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibQEvClRFOwrFkQDHsHZbFzjYNAotS9YiMpKkPgaiu0HtQ96aQmlXvq6g_LOqCB1Y8p3dKrIY7cvgv6rsfB4wY_cNgYrMlj5jIl5It0LWXfkF_9Mwww0IF0NSMUN-rwzW6xzrLrwFk0O8-/s640/blogger-image-1086799099.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibQEvClRFOwrFkQDHsHZbFzjYNAotS9YiMpKkPgaiu0HtQ96aQmlXvq6g_LOqCB1Y8p3dKrIY7cvgv6rsfB4wY_cNgYrMlj5jIl5It0LWXfkF_9Mwww0IF0NSMUN-rwzW6xzrLrwFk0O8-/s640/blogger-image-1086799099.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">My dad and I said goodbye to Sara Saturday morning as she was heading back home. It was so great to have Sara visit. Even with all of our history, we were able to just have fun and explore some amazing cities. My dad and I got on the train to Switzerland shortly after she left and were ready to move on to the next great place on our trip. Colin had warned me to be prepared for how beautiful the train ride was going to be, but even still I was amazed. We got in a train that had extra big windows to allow us to see as much of the scenery as possible. My dad and I were definitely 'those people' oohing and ahhing over all the different sites.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKENTK8NRmNycwuyQixdL6cYUQ1kp3v-9xD0cHkkxzvblOjfchOf0cK6ILI8lW3v1FG5kQIST16NC3Buc7hDno_v2o6e7jy4BqnYEkO-HQCfWj0oVo-LJSXNi7K2gzujwBUM3vINhOZ5mU/s640/blogger-image--1263989571.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKENTK8NRmNycwuyQixdL6cYUQ1kp3v-9xD0cHkkxzvblOjfchOf0cK6ILI8lW3v1FG5kQIST16NC3Buc7hDno_v2o6e7jy4BqnYEkO-HQCfWj0oVo-LJSXNi7K2gzujwBUM3vINhOZ5mU/s640/blogger-image--1263989571.jpg"></a></div><br></div> We arrived in Lucern early afternoon and made the short walk to our hostel. This hostel was awesome - it was called Backpackers Luzern and every room had a balcony to sit out on and enjoy the views. My dad and I bought a delicious bottle of red wine from the hostel and sat out there for a picnic of salami, cheese, and bread that we bought at the market in Frankfurt the night before. I don't think I could fully capture the view, but my jaw dropped. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvFzA_saIh3lSTDgBipQc31U7zUJU2Boeasw9lkt2dkRFFrlV6V8gTXKRVIrr8hGrgf6Ec3jZLRtWCb0jLk96Pu84bdCVJ_3LGG_RT8OwCKvcIvGKiLr8LuNKR2nNFNR7E2_Ff5NUKW0sQ/s640/blogger-image--97383196.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvFzA_saIh3lSTDgBipQc31U7zUJU2Boeasw9lkt2dkRFFrlV6V8gTXKRVIrr8hGrgf6Ec3jZLRtWCb0jLk96Pu84bdCVJ_3LGG_RT8OwCKvcIvGKiLr8LuNKR2nNFNR7E2_Ff5NUKW0sQ/s640/blogger-image--97383196.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFvH1LEgve-KDPQgU9LE5K3NfRrDCjvAPGenz2_IUHdtzEeDL1CG1zMvPDia2jvH10C1O5-VDRHAWFzsyfNbWs_b3f-S5el4p4eUccZOt_iIEID3-u2eOhZpB-MH7EHEAtyINYlpNQ4jxr/s640/blogger-image-1850308275.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFvH1LEgve-KDPQgU9LE5K3NfRrDCjvAPGenz2_IUHdtzEeDL1CG1zMvPDia2jvH10C1O5-VDRHAWFzsyfNbWs_b3f-S5el4p4eUccZOt_iIEID3-u2eOhZpB-MH7EHEAtyINYlpNQ4jxr/s640/blogger-image-1850308275.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJeMOybjyBUWcAz5CKcLXceMe7eBPTLgJwKJznSKiCMCIYU26rodIlpEAv-YVWin7T9hld4Lh-GRbn5xGVTcKCPnwiI0mqCDkwt6eETfXx8gwVF0tXKhlgSH6x2Nbvj8wfnh2k7Tv1Syue/s640/blogger-image-598185922.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJeMOybjyBUWcAz5CKcLXceMe7eBPTLgJwKJznSKiCMCIYU26rodIlpEAv-YVWin7T9hld4Lh-GRbn5xGVTcKCPnwiI0mqCDkwt6eETfXx8gwVF0tXKhlgSH6x2Nbvj8wfnh2k7Tv1Syue/s640/blogger-image-598185922.jpg"></a></div><br></div>We finished our meal, bundled up, and set out to explore the city. Lucern is along Lake Lucern and the skyline is magical. <span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">We walked through the old town to their church and then to a place where an artist carved out a lion in the wall. It has some significance, but I'm blanking on it right now. We had to break for some coffee because it was literally 32 degrees out. After defrosting we went up by the castle and got some views over the city.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><br></span></div><div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii3fIx2mIAnv9CuORrySm7uSTNaEXPjNy0CgEjahTAYPxKXjOpe-qBhznDzWkqiXmIBiP5CrhTZayUZJs74dJYgkW1l2h72aTjYPOZ0iJFQ9rDrrB7JaKDY82V030JWWLa_MVCLGkQcUAL/s640/blogger-image--1434728767.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii3fIx2mIAnv9CuORrySm7uSTNaEXPjNy0CgEjahTAYPxKXjOpe-qBhznDzWkqiXmIBiP5CrhTZayUZJs74dJYgkW1l2h72aTjYPOZ0iJFQ9rDrrB7JaKDY82V030JWWLa_MVCLGkQcUAL/s640/blogger-image--1434728767.jpg"></a></div></span></div><div><br></div><div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFKayGlqcCXbMl_dJsX7AifzgjNVc9EDm2CkYEqZl7Hvsr97XagexLsHUF4KMs5ovguURm4BlOGl4T40HNMP9Ly8aya9WqZp_sIcSzQr2Jq5VqspPHkwLFbr4UW-PQR75aSUjcAk2xgrXV/s640/blogger-image--1872908364.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFKayGlqcCXbMl_dJsX7AifzgjNVc9EDm2CkYEqZl7Hvsr97XagexLsHUF4KMs5ovguURm4BlOGl4T40HNMP9Ly8aya9WqZp_sIcSzQr2Jq5VqspPHkwLFbr4UW-PQR75aSUjcAk2xgrXV/s640/blogger-image--1872908364.jpg"></a></div></span></div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkRemk1oYvciM9nTFTLO_SdQOgGoquV3ueos51LzLqiHLr7FPw1H2TWejtOWpABiJHjHhn1KQkPpjnidOQ_TpptWPOySPQhxFmkWl7eIDKtq_v1Xt0b2s7XJdbhP_fBGJUUGf4__XjyyfY/s640/blogger-image--342146729.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkRemk1oYvciM9nTFTLO_SdQOgGoquV3ueos51LzLqiHLr7FPw1H2TWejtOWpABiJHjHhn1KQkPpjnidOQ_TpptWPOySPQhxFmkWl7eIDKtq_v1Xt0b2s7XJdbhP_fBGJUUGf4__XjyyfY/s640/blogger-image--342146729.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDAXeWYHhtCHnK1tmqa7pkaKzt5D41Jeu3kJjpsh-cPX5APNi2Ik-bglKWDflB-rNXQyoqpua0NopUa-CtCewezo5trGPCOgbVv_mLrmG0lc_u2w1QNY9rojVNF08KizoYjGLX29wNDxQX/s640/blogger-image-164417613.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDAXeWYHhtCHnK1tmqa7pkaKzt5D41Jeu3kJjpsh-cPX5APNi2Ik-bglKWDflB-rNXQyoqpua0NopUa-CtCewezo5trGPCOgbVv_mLrmG0lc_u2w1QNY9rojVNF08KizoYjGLX29wNDxQX/s640/blogger-image-164417613.jpg"></a></div><br></div>We went to rest up for a little bit since my dad wasn't as settled into the time change as he thought he would have been and then went to a place next door for dinner. It was called See Park and was entirely in German. I asked the waitress her recommendations and she suggested the pork schnitzel so we got that. For those that don't know my dad, he hates fried foods so I had to sell him on the schnitzel. I told him it was a pork chop pounded thin, breaded and cooked in a pan. I left out what 'cooked in a pan' actually meant and he ended up being ok with it. Phew. The waitress brought out a HUGE plate with the schnitzel, fries, and a salad and we split it up. The schnitzel was better than I had in Vienna as it was more tender, flavorful, and not dry in the slightest. The fries were squishy, just the way I like them and the salad was lightly dressed with a tangy dressing. My dad and I cleaned up our plates and walked around before heading to bed. </div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7rbyAtWqrgL2CRnQzc45vTeyzOHuN2tZ2P9de97PvKn4sRJ-pIryhTwk2wVfASbO1CfVL1-zgImksn3rIE106Q-SuJuNvlvk0XadDJUScnWUMlh8Z4W5wHjbY0wMR_VHO3-lsFGYLOCJ-/s640/blogger-image-449955643.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7rbyAtWqrgL2CRnQzc45vTeyzOHuN2tZ2P9de97PvKn4sRJ-pIryhTwk2wVfASbO1CfVL1-zgImksn3rIE106Q-SuJuNvlvk0XadDJUScnWUMlh8Z4W5wHjbY0wMR_VHO3-lsFGYLOCJ-/s640/blogger-image-449955643.jpg"></a></div> </div><div>The next day we decided to get up into the mountains to see some of the Alps. We went to the tourist area and decided to head up to Mt. Pilatus. We got in the gondola and started up the mountain. The first part reminded me of the gondola at Heavenly Valley, but once we got into the cable car, it was unlike I had ever seen.</div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfQMRnhUAx093PHXjaNC6Av5p5v8qWfz3VlIMJJ5cLBiUBacWSsiF3RCaOO1mf8ts-onRf4nOfmLfiMRtzKIOm-d9ygUQ1IBx66v2rqTTy1xIJAceoHPYY3xUDu1Tq1_vK8JGJUzMixbbD/s640/blogger-image--1384515269.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfQMRnhUAx093PHXjaNC6Av5p5v8qWfz3VlIMJJ5cLBiUBacWSsiF3RCaOO1mf8ts-onRf4nOfmLfiMRtzKIOm-d9ygUQ1IBx66v2rqTTy1xIJAceoHPYY3xUDu1Tq1_vK8JGJUzMixbbD/s640/blogger-image--1384515269.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUMqYjxhstar1tsRRdmbaOPMZQdz06-JWk6FXQTouvow2wZR91dWikqSx9V3jNjvXnZZipHUOW_96iT5Gv5DThG5fD70WFGexs0v99P0mmYZloqCuWsB73BcZCEQhoX0QJcEdtzBENtzhK/s640/blogger-image-1577489566.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUMqYjxhstar1tsRRdmbaOPMZQdz06-JWk6FXQTouvow2wZR91dWikqSx9V3jNjvXnZZipHUOW_96iT5Gv5DThG5fD70WFGexs0v99P0mmYZloqCuWsB73BcZCEQhoX0QJcEdtzBENtzhK/s640/blogger-image-1577489566.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEwaEqUNAfCuO1drjs-atBHohPMgtynUe841YadAb485ZcPEd7d_6xjskHBTE56bAIPca5C-SdeMu4uDRtw74f5HpeJDtl4XUQt6Lcbm2om3cjTa7JJ0Rg6-5k5bVtVZCVCu8hGjVP-W7p/s640/blogger-image--2085420712.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEwaEqUNAfCuO1drjs-atBHohPMgtynUe841YadAb485ZcPEd7d_6xjskHBTE56bAIPca5C-SdeMu4uDRtw74f5HpeJDtl4XUQt6Lcbm2om3cjTa7JJ0Rg6-5k5bVtVZCVCu8hGjVP-W7p/s640/blogger-image--2085420712.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfHjc8SXBM7_lTePO4kCzWtXK7xeNUrbbAyDJtfx0F6EARsamHfwSI2nTaQ8ISyJ2u4-fwgI8Pj6Qm-HUG2npIoOA2IbCOSGAWleggXNg91NV2LWyvb4A-LZHBfy2pcUSgWI7OXs_mpAgw/s640/blogger-image-59559012.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfHjc8SXBM7_lTePO4kCzWtXK7xeNUrbbAyDJtfx0F6EARsamHfwSI2nTaQ8ISyJ2u4-fwgI8Pj6Qm-HUG2npIoOA2IbCOSGAWleggXNg91NV2LWyvb4A-LZHBfy2pcUSgWI7OXs_mpAgw/s640/blogger-image-59559012.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div>Once at the top, we got a coffee and looked at the views. I finally found out how to use the panorama feature on my camera and my life is now better. I'll let the pictures tell the story for now...</div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCY7wF6cD9SV6NyP7PAi7icGsXro_H4DuJVb9ldiEI7Pv4ObhyvR12eIdgJc7OjW5aTJokpcAPh4YRAl5Lhy6gJzuaGAwzR16Owrb8BjEf8n8wRVca0sVxA4Dn641f37HU-WoWqDIneLHQ/s640/blogger-image-1242597480.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCY7wF6cD9SV6NyP7PAi7icGsXro_H4DuJVb9ldiEI7Pv4ObhyvR12eIdgJc7OjW5aTJokpcAPh4YRAl5Lhy6gJzuaGAwzR16Owrb8BjEf8n8wRVca0sVxA4Dn641f37HU-WoWqDIneLHQ/s640/blogger-image-1242597480.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaprvmTOYL3s8TIZ_4PfSzQMDh2LdJb6aZW2TBEy4hWZ08o5JnuJH0tEnit2V_BFxAlPIlxuyBk2LAsFX0nuu0bDiH-mx_uCV_ZgnhNYV9HnbpQD1EY9ualErSCdnW0elJZcZ6VyIiXfXT/s640/blogger-image-834012151.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaprvmTOYL3s8TIZ_4PfSzQMDh2LdJb6aZW2TBEy4hWZ08o5JnuJH0tEnit2V_BFxAlPIlxuyBk2LAsFX0nuu0bDiH-mx_uCV_ZgnhNYV9HnbpQD1EY9ualErSCdnW0elJZcZ6VyIiXfXT/s640/blogger-image-834012151.jpg"></a></div></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdUad2KmwL5LVoAGin2CmCv_SDCw_-fd-C819QsZx0FGrnBJrCxQmPbXe7BA81DhTJSoomSNwCyHrrsdiKaiCVraBnVLi-5clAo1btSWvWabdTj1egDOZRqd9c8Kjr1SoUBlnpvYiYI7aE/s640/blogger-image-1375250551.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdUad2KmwL5LVoAGin2CmCv_SDCw_-fd-C819QsZx0FGrnBJrCxQmPbXe7BA81DhTJSoomSNwCyHrrsdiKaiCVraBnVLi-5clAo1btSWvWabdTj1egDOZRqd9c8Kjr1SoUBlnpvYiYI7aE/s640/blogger-image-1375250551.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE4KzlECNjzmfZVLZBwTjQXpNhjxgiHCPBZH0zIu0jTrSoLCAzWwMya7LGrlPOcXe8X54qMWGU2A41SZZ2W4S8djFvZ7L6cSVBuBRz-q_H2gHEV2uBmFh-MppaWqPqplJK1W8qyANkcDEo/s640/blogger-image--411595637.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; 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margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxulc2HvZ-bMCTuSJSCEMk-yKRhH7BuMxprL1HpngSnoo8pJZvyHi6VBqYQXBGpDgtlV86HIUVUNugh4UPkxMLp6SGg0wZ6owSa5hc3YzXTkMbQ4OyNBWGGPhmMedLWXc6f7bUtf6yWZfG/s640/blogger-image--1523990571.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcUM-ukmsTrdZLTkWCoST0Yu9KbPfTM8QOuaHJqNAlYdtV_-7p6DVGocd8FznnF1pkTgSNFCXN8-2VTFuYk_3r1vKUKICpfSBi5TvIh9p0LFILRa3nikyZHBG3xWpnCnGiTNj2_FraGQJt/s640/blogger-image--606025802.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcUM-ukmsTrdZLTkWCoST0Yu9KbPfTM8QOuaHJqNAlYdtV_-7p6DVGocd8FznnF1pkTgSNFCXN8-2VTFuYk_3r1vKUKICpfSBi5TvIh9p0LFILRa3nikyZHBG3xWpnCnGiTNj2_FraGQJt/s640/blogger-image--606025802.jpg"></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">We went inside and had another picnic lunch with our remaining salami, cheese, bread, and a new bottle of wine. We were sitting next to the cafeteria area so we sort of had to sneak our lunch to make sure we didn't get kicked out. Luckily, no one caught us.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiHeEq6seM5-GHNokszKWksPBa4w4pQynRCM9PEF8sT0RpkVxadCtY503VMEDsuR9Nbw_oJ0i8L0T0SMhhfx_Ph6brnOCGeLwY1UzPLWfVfH9E0vmC3b1TY4HRyl3LkXDHJ-6ZikE6vwjY/s640/blogger-image--119328574.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiHeEq6seM5-GHNokszKWksPBa4w4pQynRCM9PEF8sT0RpkVxadCtY503VMEDsuR9Nbw_oJ0i8L0T0SMhhfx_Ph6brnOCGeLwY1UzPLWfVfH9E0vmC3b1TY4HRyl3LkXDHJ-6ZikE6vwjY/s640/blogger-image--119328574.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">We headed down the mountain, still in awe of the sights we had just witnessed. My dad and I walked around the city a bit, but, it was a Sunday, so everything was closed. We managed to find a chocolate store that was open and got hot chocolate spiked with a little baileys for me, and disarano for my dad. It was heavenly. I considered buying some of the hot chocolate mix, but at 45 Swiss franks, it was a bit out of my price range. We continued our stroll and found some more sights.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVjmn1Ub_f6jbxNmmZMH-mjltxM5xVmWCGkXgIXKB7UiVnVAfUTLYbnoVoPL868S7UxpJZHD-71gDhl9hpsgU5yxQ8rQKCukRnRxj9PmPEaDW9LeQtfoTIxZqIBjQ6ew3FeRAGlTnSl9Nf/s640/blogger-image-1759603100.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVjmn1Ub_f6jbxNmmZMH-mjltxM5xVmWCGkXgIXKB7UiVnVAfUTLYbnoVoPL868S7UxpJZHD-71gDhl9hpsgU5yxQ8rQKCukRnRxj9PmPEaDW9LeQtfoTIxZqIBjQ6ew3FeRAGlTnSl9Nf/s640/blogger-image-1759603100.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAKvnEhCoOKCLPK1OKPXjmwkD83tRV38n80qBopSzlT0o3bJHQ9lhLrXZJdSLQ8H0nC5VObbZ6UjZt0pGncUB3jjVQT77pgd9ClE5dQ7gxD2sUOyrhOqoUznS1-VBsbnVdfRc8IaJ5FxFZ/s640/blogger-image--917431922.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAKvnEhCoOKCLPK1OKPXjmwkD83tRV38n80qBopSzlT0o3bJHQ9lhLrXZJdSLQ8H0nC5VObbZ6UjZt0pGncUB3jjVQT77pgd9ClE5dQ7gxD2sUOyrhOqoUznS1-VBsbnVdfRc8IaJ5FxFZ/s640/blogger-image--917431922.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbLTRLs-yxMHCFtDT4FLRP004ZiCS5FdZtHVvI9cXZ_LqExeaL4reWzwi8yaCBZylm7SPTTDyBXfjHQ-ZeZeZEHD1i7aUAQBy0uAQrdAupc2kxFpLNQ8BqDletPCuajVtAwZZW1i7a1nuV/s640/blogger-image--1027089243.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbLTRLs-yxMHCFtDT4FLRP004ZiCS5FdZtHVvI9cXZ_LqExeaL4reWzwi8yaCBZylm7SPTTDyBXfjHQ-ZeZeZEHD1i7aUAQBy0uAQrdAupc2kxFpLNQ8BqDletPCuajVtAwZZW1i7a1nuV/s640/blogger-image--1027089243.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">With all the stores closed, we decided to catch a boat because it was free with our eurail pass. You know what dad says, 'if it's free, it's for me'. Within moments, my dad was passed out, still not adjusted to the time change and I wondered around the boat getting more shots. Seriously, this is by far the most beautiful place I have ever been.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-7iH8pDZrnoAM3Berp1qNhpcIVs5cIc133HMPZgLd0QjF37LGJgs4zEQRkVi2mkYM1y5OIVGb6O99TADqoKNYF06pwP5BzJlbhtJ05mP5UfrclKDWpHJhfhIYFs2uqFxEtaaSzakBPI1K/s640/blogger-image-584263882.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-7iH8pDZrnoAM3Berp1qNhpcIVs5cIc133HMPZgLd0QjF37LGJgs4zEQRkVi2mkYM1y5OIVGb6O99TADqoKNYF06pwP5BzJlbhtJ05mP5UfrclKDWpHJhfhIYFs2uqFxEtaaSzakBPI1K/s640/blogger-image-584263882.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiavkNsCHfrN-LfNiOQerRhmM1XrOHOOQSCQLkAdkFrXMvD48LYoRf9eJprQHsegtDphvA9MO51SpNHhzoy7Qu_xhBd1psDPEZQfuHGt02boBODSfJN1gs0Ne6qL1dK_XBKuC7dWbLIV_wx/s640/blogger-image-330170196.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiavkNsCHfrN-LfNiOQerRhmM1XrOHOOQSCQLkAdkFrXMvD48LYoRf9eJprQHsegtDphvA9MO51SpNHhzoy7Qu_xhBd1psDPEZQfuHGt02boBODSfJN1gs0Ne6qL1dK_XBKuC7dWbLIV_wx/s640/blogger-image-330170196.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilhIuwxPy4IPE0uViovMhSRG4b8LsxRJUWGHb_mmKQiU8RyzjZ1XHsZ8GaoaGVZUsY003p_ezLO9LuGkNGUKoAHFUJS92Ky1C2GQCUc2Rt39BqVomQotMetE03bhnErlxo2ifrH6TFSwxQ/s640/blogger-image-263627080.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilhIuwxPy4IPE0uViovMhSRG4b8LsxRJUWGHb_mmKQiU8RyzjZ1XHsZ8GaoaGVZUsY003p_ezLO9LuGkNGUKoAHFUJS92Ky1C2GQCUc2Rt39BqVomQotMetE03bhnErlxo2ifrH6TFSwxQ/s640/blogger-image-263627080.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRjblm60pwN33-F7bGJhZeZXjlml3rmwmG_zA9cChmAYH_BNcJg4NWS8XzAWPS6MjNK9AjZcr2X2p8sPITnTB7LT_0nlGNFLEVdC0nRDfEBeJCM5fnzKtbL7gp-HCaxrWCOhH19hikXQWi/s640/blogger-image-1060451651.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRjblm60pwN33-F7bGJhZeZXjlml3rmwmG_zA9cChmAYH_BNcJg4NWS8XzAWPS6MjNK9AjZcr2X2p8sPITnTB7LT_0nlGNFLEVdC0nRDfEBeJCM5fnzKtbL7gp-HCaxrWCOhH19hikXQWi/s640/blogger-image-1060451651.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">It was a 2 1/2 hour boat ride so we were ready for some dinner. My dad wanted Asian food (I think it was because there were so many Asian people in Switzerland, really) so I found a place in the tourist guide magazine. We walked up to the restaurant and it was closed. There was a Thai food restaurant around the corner and it was opening up in just a few moments so we figured we'd give it a go. As we passed the Michelen Star rated sign and handed the hostess our jackets, I began to worry what we got ourselves into. This place was stunning. Beautiful brass statues, waterfalls, columns, candles, elegant lighting, etc. We were handed menus and, when we peaked inside I wanted to vomit. There were preset meals for 95 CHF per person. I turned another page to find a le carte meals and soups were 18 CHF, Pad Thai was 47 CHF, and curries were 48 CHF. Yikes. Luckily, my dad and I had decided we wanted to eat light, but even eating light was going to cost us an arm and a leg. We decided on spring rolls to share and tom yum soup for each of us. They piled rice on our plate and I thought, at least they give you free rice. When our bill came, my jaw dropped. 79 CHF for a water and a tea, two soups, spring rolls, and two servings of rice. Seriously? For 79 CHF you can practically buy Thailand, at least a portion of it. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf_clc0UohQN6ehCcGqtSLYW49KWzpg_7_GDdKnnkOeaBRhUfk8wPJ797A0n1PIg9_X5OTcy98mjHlc0BW94lvPwvAW59071GtVtS1Q2NkKILrwuvJFsolWv2RwuuxLn_H9ip-T7IVHAS1/s640/blogger-image-1128969537.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf_clc0UohQN6ehCcGqtSLYW49KWzpg_7_GDdKnnkOeaBRhUfk8wPJ797A0n1PIg9_X5OTcy98mjHlc0BW94lvPwvAW59071GtVtS1Q2NkKILrwuvJFsolWv2RwuuxLn_H9ip-T7IVHAS1/s640/blogger-image-1128969537.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUXLtYZRAHcaLiRmLTYJV07POwfSJUw8gryRufAZbqK97g8LouYZRrTSzn0g3ZNkEzNOyxvF6wPnrfJ6qAhWuU_vLjf1yDCyGBe2BDEC0G6B52cSXa7LtpxesBCU74dI5u8-925ASu2NdB/s640/blogger-image-322066321.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUXLtYZRAHcaLiRmLTYJV07POwfSJUw8gryRufAZbqK97g8LouYZRrTSzn0g3ZNkEzNOyxvF6wPnrfJ6qAhWuU_vLjf1yDCyGBe2BDEC0G6B52cSXa7LtpxesBCU74dI5u8-925ASu2NdB/s640/blogger-image-322066321.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_Cg5qoZlUGq9Szxz9NWggUUAnEzmGqDdYaOx6EOy1NM69HAldY1bZW3L05D3wqA6o8SPEHfVMetPGlHHaGJ7dmVEEISalvKvpWjoanPR-TO2Oby9Wv5WdDhSkIxcY9dNvmlfIAcgqdB4q/s640/blogger-image--884731190.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_Cg5qoZlUGq9Szxz9NWggUUAnEzmGqDdYaOx6EOy1NM69HAldY1bZW3L05D3wqA6o8SPEHfVMetPGlHHaGJ7dmVEEISalvKvpWjoanPR-TO2Oby9Wv5WdDhSkIxcY9dNvmlfIAcgqdB4q/s640/blogger-image--884731190.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">We headed back and my dad barely had his head on the pillow before he was snoring. I got to chat with Colin and Lola and got so home sick. I mean look at this. Makes your heart melt. Only one week left!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJVw72CV_syFsYnGmz4qMxbv_XC4hdqugQlKt31NfvjaGhkR9MkNnluxT-t4A2LYg-FlyJtyNGW5zGrbQuJqrdzawO5_WPg7OzZDWYKobuf-zpE9UXselTW_JlrwZ6Hb9jRSaVmWsgvMN_/s640/blogger-image--605258904.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJVw72CV_syFsYnGmz4qMxbv_XC4hdqugQlKt31NfvjaGhkR9MkNnluxT-t4A2LYg-FlyJtyNGW5zGrbQuJqrdzawO5_WPg7OzZDWYKobuf-zpE9UXselTW_JlrwZ6Hb9jRSaVmWsgvMN_/s640/blogger-image--605258904.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Switzerland was fantastic. It was definitely cold, but that's what you expect, so you manage. Every you look is like a post card. It was pricey as people warned us, but we were able to have the granola bars for breakfast and our picnic lunches, so dinners were our only food expense, plus coffee. The trip to the mountain was absolutely priceless and worth every penny we paid and then some. I'd recommend everyone come to Switzerland, even if only for a short time. It is in my top 3 places I've visited.</div><br></div></div></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02020731818578029433noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3431528991092771303.post-25580543673601157602013-11-29T09:03:00.001-08:002013-11-29T09:03:43.688-08:00AmsterdamThe train ride to Amsterdam was the biggest adventure ever. We got to the station where we had to switch trains and nothing made sense. The announcement on the train said to go to one platform, the platform didn't list Amsterdam as a destination, and a man that worked for the station gave us other information. I've learned to not travel in Japan technology because makes any situation more stressful as my sweat begins to boil, but I can't get away from having the huge pack. I mean check this out, it's massive. And on this travel day, Sara and I bought beer as gifts and some for drinking so we had our hands full with heavy ass shit. Not a good combination for traveling. <div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ0xL7glBZYBOaEORBn5qj-bg6ykx8MijXJUYgbEetbpE6znpTx_1H-Qehvxb2I0w_3aQmN1TjsuvleUT_Domq83A4xkYEZbFn-KvQRTTHENWDz1FXHAGbUaQ9kxjZ_D1dhdem4PGZK7Vn/s640/blogger-image-621292473.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ0xL7glBZYBOaEORBn5qj-bg6ykx8MijXJUYgbEetbpE6znpTx_1H-Qehvxb2I0w_3aQmN1TjsuvleUT_Domq83A4xkYEZbFn-KvQRTTHENWDz1FXHAGbUaQ9kxjZ_D1dhdem4PGZK7Vn/s640/blogger-image-621292473.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div>We made a friend with guy who was from San Mateo (a place that's like 25 minutes from San Francisco). He was a solo traveler who had been traveling since June. He claimed he had just graduated from high school, but he looked at least 28, so I'm not sure if he was lying. The train went for about 20 minutes until it stopped and an announcement was made in Dutch only. People didn't look happy so we weren't thinking it was too positive. We asked our neighbor and there was a fire in a tunnel that we needed to pass through so we could either wait or find an alternate route. At that time, a Dutch guy heard our conversation and mentioned that he had found the alternate route. We got on a train back to the first station and then swapped over to another train. If we wouldn't have had this guy, I'm not sure we would have made it as fast as we did or, even at all. </div><div><br></div><div>Right as we walked out of the train station, I knew I was going to like this city. There were beautiful lights everywhere (occupational hazard). The guy directed us to the tram we needed to take and we were at our apartment from Airbnb in no time. The place we stayed was small, but perfect for what we needed. It had a stovetop, fridge, bed, pull out couch, kitchen table, toilet and shower. We found a grocery store a couple doors down and stocked up for the next few days with vegetables, fruit, sandwich goodies, chicken breasts, snacks, and juice. It was my first home cooked meal in over 4 weeks and I could nearly cry. We had brussel sprouts, mushrooms, leaks, and onions sautéed together with grilled chicken. We paired it with some of our Brugge Zot that we had been transporting all day. </div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3egF6A9tqqbGRwT8diMvQcjRIBsQ9_sXSBWepJb12kKpg6qpytia1Ewh0ujWvqRYSTH1nj0-SkWh6sk0ApCk66sHDlKdam1dmN3jAdKTMs3twLQRhE0Xt8sG0dYkkZD5SvJzUGbXCPoDm/s640/blogger-image--1739019831.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3egF6A9tqqbGRwT8diMvQcjRIBsQ9_sXSBWepJb12kKpg6qpytia1Ewh0ujWvqRYSTH1nj0-SkWh6sk0ApCk66sHDlKdam1dmN3jAdKTMs3twLQRhE0Xt8sG0dYkkZD5SvJzUGbXCPoDm/s640/blogger-image--1739019831.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div>We had read about a bar with live music on trip advisor and found out it was near our place. We walked over and it was closed. Apparently it didn't open till 10pm which was a huge change from Brugge. We walked around the area that was filled with people and found an Irish bar to pass the time. There was a soccer game on between Amsterdam and Barcelona that was a big championship game. We got into the culture with some local beer and cheered along with the other people in the bar. When Amsterdam won, the bar went crazy. We went back to the bar and it was open, but not filled yet. The band started shortly after and it was a great time. They sang Reggae, John Mayer, Sting, and other songs we were able to sing along with. </div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmUR6InpCl6MKZMpXGmkAMTq-B0VOtfNiRDu1IS34z8UE-glaaH9x2Ca-aZI_NfkQDKoC5LKToocWI4QUJFqWrVYdQezXawOa_TM6mkUsHXa_d_kMcRri7_LHCJcv_g6pPZ8ukGbFqxBRP/s640/blogger-image--622176478.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmUR6InpCl6MKZMpXGmkAMTq-B0VOtfNiRDu1IS34z8UE-glaaH9x2Ca-aZI_NfkQDKoC5LKToocWI4QUJFqWrVYdQezXawOa_TM6mkUsHXa_d_kMcRri7_LHCJcv_g6pPZ8ukGbFqxBRP/s640/blogger-image--622176478.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3kAxEZZGYAhMps0MzMFXNNE8iv00M06_CvlYFVg1SyrrxOrylemdVoeLy7z3jZWCH7-vbnLO0RquwtybiwtMAWAWt_mE42B-MGyHt8bJ1jJDZCRg21-m3l-U_mIr38ZL0j38wkDgEpkKR/s640/blogger-image--898217830.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3kAxEZZGYAhMps0MzMFXNNE8iv00M06_CvlYFVg1SyrrxOrylemdVoeLy7z3jZWCH7-vbnLO0RquwtybiwtMAWAWt_mE42B-MGyHt8bJ1jJDZCRg21-m3l-U_mIr38ZL0j38wkDgEpkKR/s640/blogger-image--898217830.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div>A waitress walked over with a couple Heinekens that some guy bought us and they tasted awful. We did what any adults would do and left the bar to avoid him coming to talk to us. We went to a nearby Piano bar that we saw earlier. I immediately regretted coming to this place. We went from getting two beers for 7 euro to buying one drink for 9 euro. Plus, the bathrooms cost .50 euro. I am still not over having to pay for a bathroom in Europe. We grabbed some seats that were available and got ready to watch the piano man. Unfortunately, this place allowed smoking inside so it earned three strikes against it and we left when our drinks were finished. We realized I forgot my scarf in the bar with the band and snuck back in to grab it. Our beer was still sitting there and the guy that bought them found us and asked why we left them. Sara told him that we were big smokers and that we had been outside smoking. I thought it was a good excuse and she thought of it so quickly, but apparently the guy had gone outside to check where we went so our case was up. He went to the bar to grab his friend and Sara and I left. Sorry bud, we weren't interested. </div><div><br></div><div>The next day we started with some homemade breakfast. I can't tell you how much Europeans suck at making eggs and bacon. I don't know how they do it, but it's just not good. At this time, I was nearing the 4 week mark, so eggs and bacon were big things. Here's the result.</div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzfB0y4ytjuxZlnMYXGMN1oDl0Xo6de1KVqy4cqIylA-jxcR0tpoMqTl4NBs1trj0uyCJcJ38K3WD0W_ALum9eTB7E0HLBhi7jla9FGRTAR0w3zpZATBZS6KvGwp7HSRi5Aj_CMuwNKg4s/s640/blogger-image-1802356634.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzfB0y4ytjuxZlnMYXGMN1oDl0Xo6de1KVqy4cqIylA-jxcR0tpoMqTl4NBs1trj0uyCJcJ38K3WD0W_ALum9eTB7E0HLBhi7jla9FGRTAR0w3zpZATBZS6KvGwp7HSRi5Aj_CMuwNKg4s/s640/blogger-image-1802356634.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">After breakfast, we met up with one of my favorite Contiki friends, Janessa, for a walking tour around the city. We saw all parts of the city including the red light district, the old town, the Jewish quarter, and the Jordan district. There are more canals in Amsterdam than in Venice so it is really a beautiful city. </span></div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHmyxz-Eb6uMTh7gj5kcbEPexae7BDH54v714TTdryM8CARjxHKzunDc1XLNKh2wCJBlnXvYNpR6M5-DSel3kVnJRnb1YvXO8CeIN1u4gdx9wObnCdo3SEheivx62mAcsHIWsD1ork5eNO/s640/blogger-image--459610306.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHmyxz-Eb6uMTh7gj5kcbEPexae7BDH54v714TTdryM8CARjxHKzunDc1XLNKh2wCJBlnXvYNpR6M5-DSel3kVnJRnb1YvXO8CeIN1u4gdx9wObnCdo3SEheivx62mAcsHIWsD1ork5eNO/s640/blogger-image--459610306.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik6kQxsJFKUJlLaoWyrylKbwvM-YDc76qikO332onK3myAWZ3LoaQhAbBWrixYMClZ917Qprc8cImZPE6b8RgCfoPsl_yQZ3XG0V6DxR6YPatAG3SPyVWblkmYuChBULSJtwqTHo4lsSP1/s640/blogger-image-74797310.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik6kQxsJFKUJlLaoWyrylKbwvM-YDc76qikO332onK3myAWZ3LoaQhAbBWrixYMClZ917Qprc8cImZPE6b8RgCfoPsl_yQZ3XG0V6DxR6YPatAG3SPyVWblkmYuChBULSJtwqTHo4lsSP1/s640/blogger-image-74797310.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgojLOMABwGjfQmLIcwjatY_eKXjVtLNDPw_LIqRmqoIaXvcMWdCz2PJVNsyCzVBu1iGi5TNmRmju1qMQxZAuiyYDl_iuOhibuf_FHNI8tzR4hUDz6XmdTN11WDW8nLa29Wz1cVZYL4M2g_/s640/blogger-image--1923286288.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgojLOMABwGjfQmLIcwjatY_eKXjVtLNDPw_LIqRmqoIaXvcMWdCz2PJVNsyCzVBu1iGi5TNmRmju1qMQxZAuiyYDl_iuOhibuf_FHNI8tzR4hUDz6XmdTN11WDW8nLa29Wz1cVZYL4M2g_/s640/blogger-image--1923286288.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div>From the tour I learned that Amsterdam used to own New York but traded it during a treaty signing. They got some place in Africa and lost New York. I think they lost that one... Also, we share the saying 'it's as American as apple pie' except they replace American with Dutch. Say what? Is that why there is a Dutch Apple pie at Safeway? Crazy. We finished the tour near a cheese shop that offered tastings that were paired with wine so we signed up for that. We had some time till the cheese tasting so we walked around a bit and found a place with a sign that read 'best apple pie in town' so we had to stop in. It was amazing. Had they warmed it up, I'd say it was almost better than my godfathers wife, Kim's apple pie. Almost, but not quite. We also had a cappuccino that was delicious, even for a non coffee drinker like me.</div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq5Fb3EnmU0ETGuhzftMN1DkWy6CmEscbdy3Q8QRA3JlIrzFdp1McOOc9gG5llOTDTIyfA1e4msqBM5BWbyCkc6u0kSUrf3NoNeQYELcZjgjWuGkGMccNyDUQbgXHUdqkLRJsp5aZpw__9/s640/blogger-image-1311746171.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq5Fb3EnmU0ETGuhzftMN1DkWy6CmEscbdy3Q8QRA3JlIrzFdp1McOOc9gG5llOTDTIyfA1e4msqBM5BWbyCkc6u0kSUrf3NoNeQYELcZjgjWuGkGMccNyDUQbgXHUdqkLRJsp5aZpw__9/s640/blogger-image-1311746171.jpg"></a></div> </div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIUJts16d5gWF92kGG41Ngs6s4e9KFbmMogcg2TDJgyrm5ALaEicVjWjQp2n0U9ixZzMOF6b9qsjWMFvOhX_g8BG_YBphO-Rk8JFc3Ib-GABfDxUBnMEJzjjWE2yIFXy9HmBUWjTkkx4O_/s640/blogger-image--1911455847.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIUJts16d5gWF92kGG41Ngs6s4e9KFbmMogcg2TDJgyrm5ALaEicVjWjQp2n0U9ixZzMOF6b9qsjWMFvOhX_g8BG_YBphO-Rk8JFc3Ib-GABfDxUBnMEJzjjWE2yIFXy9HmBUWjTkkx4O_/s640/blogger-image--1911455847.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div>While we were enjoying our treat, Janessa messaged some more Contiki people in Amsterdam, Ryan and Michael, to come meet up with us. They did and it was great to see people from the trip, especially these two. We grabbed some beers at a bar nearby called the Sluteru and caught up on our travels over the past week that we had been a part. The five of us headed to the cheese tasting nearby. The gave us 6 cheeses - a couple goat cheeses and the rest were Gouda cheese - and 3 wines to taste - a Viognier, Syrah and a port. </div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFH9aDcPElnMpncXG05vKv2j_dOXujrzytEmYlKBDrajEqKDTx91wnRr-s0BBab-XirJK-n1lPqfF2GYFrdupL1LWXDjcWKLZ__jNEy5Wk9ulopELqRhHAgLSNDlfZ3TMaSs4eJiTu4bfZ/s640/blogger-image--1086279931.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFH9aDcPElnMpncXG05vKv2j_dOXujrzytEmYlKBDrajEqKDTx91wnRr-s0BBab-XirJK-n1lPqfF2GYFrdupL1LWXDjcWKLZ__jNEy5Wk9ulopELqRhHAgLSNDlfZ3TMaSs4eJiTu4bfZ/s640/blogger-image--1086279931.jpg"></a></div> </div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCYJZhlHIWRgqaQZf-LEMzbiiZHaIvWZ7A963sn1td94G736dhYc5kh3VAT1otCkzyR1OGdatXeGaIH62XKF3pYtN49uT0rxDOvfEOdbHI4XYLKulU3x7g4C0XUSfl_d1tUyCboD5DA6su/s640/blogger-image-443358442.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCYJZhlHIWRgqaQZf-LEMzbiiZHaIvWZ7A963sn1td94G736dhYc5kh3VAT1otCkzyR1OGdatXeGaIH62XKF3pYtN49uT0rxDOvfEOdbHI4XYLKulU3x7g4C0XUSfl_d1tUyCboD5DA6su/s640/blogger-image-443358442.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div>After such a cultural experience, we grabbed some beers and wine and headed to our apartment to play our new favorite game, Heads Up. If you haven't heard of it, get excited. Kristy, my Contiki roommate, had us play it on the boat in Budapest and it was a hit. We didn't split up into teams, just had the one person hold the iPad with the words and then the rest would give hints for that person to guess. We played for hours and were in tears with laughter by the time we did the singing round. <span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">The guys were heading to a club and we decided to continue enjoying the local culture. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><br></span></div><div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">Let me start with a preface for this next paragraph. There should be no judgements (mom). Part of the culture in Amsterdam is heading to a coffee shop and getting a treat and then peeling your pants with laughter about 30-45 minutes later. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><br></span></div><div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"> Janessa, Sara, and I headed out to get dinner at the pedestrian area nearby for sausage and fries covered in a spicy garlic sauce. Looking back, we were pretty shitty by this point since we started drinking hours earlier.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><br></span></div><div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAMoh2W0lGXoD7if_FNjoN24GYPnRiIqCOEDlBFKu-PxlMQqRpVfEo41r6WykbstWVKWqnWsFzFRt8GvFDNOJNEztKXwDnT3KizpkZ1LyGM6NRHBy1CDAFvOyZoDJtGyTSXhlroFVJ4xqP/s640/blogger-image--440157178.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAMoh2W0lGXoD7if_FNjoN24GYPnRiIqCOEDlBFKu-PxlMQqRpVfEo41r6WykbstWVKWqnWsFzFRt8GvFDNOJNEztKXwDnT3KizpkZ1LyGM6NRHBy1CDAFvOyZoDJtGyTSXhlroFVJ4xqP/s640/blogger-image--440157178.jpg"></a></div><br></span></div><div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinmit2EbDQ53VIzkRSxJrNt0zijLacefm6HKDAp6j3VSZCyv4CZZw4KzuDPL3_hyphenhyphenb7CzBfEgG6T-9cPKo2NWiI9Coe-aEIaGhbpxQtoTMR62yqNoPd7z8n61jNhrZUsN5UHE0jxbilvfRZ/s640/blogger-image-726951960.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinmit2EbDQ53VIzkRSxJrNt0zijLacefm6HKDAp6j3VSZCyv4CZZw4KzuDPL3_hyphenhyphenb7CzBfEgG6T-9cPKo2NWiI9Coe-aEIaGhbpxQtoTMR62yqNoPd7z8n61jNhrZUsN5UHE0jxbilvfRZ/s640/blogger-image-726951960.jpg"></a></div><br></span></div><div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisTDKnTWl8OztPW5ksBK18G3fH6684hYOoHK65PMYOwwuUe4sqTGpUg9mGe__QIt6xW2ICcmq4s1fSfzBCu0JAfMY0Vo0Aq3ygJP9ZVWv0bOOKAVqfKXieiKmoUqCxaSUpruwr2iskkU75/s640/blogger-image-1845015445.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisTDKnTWl8OztPW5ksBK18G3fH6684hYOoHK65PMYOwwuUe4sqTGpUg9mGe__QIt6xW2ICcmq4s1fSfzBCu0JAfMY0Vo0Aq3ygJP9ZVWv0bOOKAVqfKXieiKmoUqCxaSUpruwr2iskkU75/s640/blogger-image-1845015445.jpg"></a></div><br></span></div><div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">We finished our meal and headed to a a coffee shop nearby where we picked up a chocolate space muffin. We were a bit nervous so we decided we'd split one three ways to make sure we didn't end up like my brother at the Taco Bell in Cordelia that one time. </span></div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcO_16WY9cYWyLBtw0hhCgoKOH7o4XqGM5d-RyoxWH2nwldPWEzu83M0qGnebFF95VFAy00W28jrcA52jwVgkUzQiuf7XMoFRRUkg3QWv6TJoTVCvxTdp6vva3KYTd7BNNmXrIkwhO3Qef/s640/blogger-image--1353950678.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcO_16WY9cYWyLBtw0hhCgoKOH7o4XqGM5d-RyoxWH2nwldPWEzu83M0qGnebFF95VFAy00W28jrcA52jwVgkUzQiuf7XMoFRRUkg3QWv6TJoTVCvxTdp6vva3KYTd7BNNmXrIkwhO3Qef/s640/blogger-image--1353950678.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div>We played more heads up, animal edition, as the muffin kicked in. After a little bit, we couldn't stop laughing at our own impression of the animals. Literally everything was funny. I don't know how we stayed straight faced to capture this picture. <span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">Shortly after, we passed out into a night filled with funny dreams. </span></div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkQFcoYezNBqbedsVa9uhcb83a8mfPLuvJLVZP1AN5rfaqtbYexAYCQkDfbh9Xs21WYRLUOSl_WzZHPbbOCQigSxhQyAt5pVAdRJHeLrYhNExIaI8uKj24RuKK3N1n47UAD-r369fkTUC4/s640/blogger-image--1671514295.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkQFcoYezNBqbedsVa9uhcb83a8mfPLuvJLVZP1AN5rfaqtbYexAYCQkDfbh9Xs21WYRLUOSl_WzZHPbbOCQigSxhQyAt5pVAdRJHeLrYhNExIaI8uKj24RuKK3N1n47UAD-r369fkTUC4/s640/blogger-image--1671514295.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div>The next day we were quite hungover, but couldn't help but be excited because my dad was on his way! We got ready and went to pick him up at the station. This was my 4th week since arriving and it was also Thanksgiving so seeing family was pretty special. </div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjGFxSkLYil1-ZrWh37Gw4kjCgI1Zq4Ue9Nd5HD0k0TduThvmKusuREdk6x48SZRjzlcnODDDYIn1NvCvGHRRbtHH96idLFkZiAE-9bmuEsivabIgSRqtaxA8FmsndJf0dHAU9ogN08P3J/s640/blogger-image-2080991260.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjGFxSkLYil1-ZrWh37Gw4kjCgI1Zq4Ue9Nd5HD0k0TduThvmKusuREdk6x48SZRjzlcnODDDYIn1NvCvGHRRbtHH96idLFkZiAE-9bmuEsivabIgSRqtaxA8FmsndJf0dHAU9ogN08P3J/s640/blogger-image-2080991260.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkhvKcd91E47sjHu0p-hKWqA080Mn7AO4J8hFUxHtYwO0xtCjLiVYXC61uVyqgQ12ClcTryzB3Jy-sroGpzNtl-r0JY8CyLEeIrGLxDbuoGSIwv6Ekc-OS6OBZotHNAVENe-kIVun_yDnC/s640/blogger-image-703793204.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkhvKcd91E47sjHu0p-hKWqA080Mn7AO4J8hFUxHtYwO0xtCjLiVYXC61uVyqgQ12ClcTryzB3Jy-sroGpzNtl-r0JY8CyLEeIrGLxDbuoGSIwv6Ekc-OS6OBZotHNAVENe-kIVun_yDnC/s640/blogger-image-703793204.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM1b3lhJK53bj-3StloURfvLgW5fGL9es638cSb4XfauRJ8WSjofhFDo5vzpzvq5yELjczct7sc0vC5zocHQwcE2uCl4LrQ1VEuf-Ko0TpU_mRhHGkcnBax6pkdJR9Poz0sIC3VUH2Havz/s640/blogger-image--1313758763.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM1b3lhJK53bj-3StloURfvLgW5fGL9es638cSb4XfauRJ8WSjofhFDo5vzpzvq5yELjczct7sc0vC5zocHQwcE2uCl4LrQ1VEuf-Ko0TpU_mRhHGkcnBax6pkdJR9Poz0sIC3VUH2Havz/s640/blogger-image--1313758763.jpg"></a></div></div><div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><br></span></div><div>After a brief photo shoot at the IAmsterdam sign, we headed<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"> to tour the Van Gogh museum. We walked through the four floors, my dad and I analyzing the electrical while also looking at the art. We were shocked to make it through to find out that the two pieces we wanted to see, the Starry Night and The Night at the Cafe, were not being displayed at this museum. Well shit. Isn't that what people come to see? I guess we did see some amazing pieces still.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><br></span></div><div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRcyMu3nU1lIaKKC_M5UZfloQZTjFDCIoS9AeRKdURRhtHqlnfH41Fatrw5FF94E-COKhEccxu2UQmP38YQbEph4tWU5vja5RLkgeVvlSzPY-zWLzLUduTlzEIkZ3DZXDQFFHB5wc3YoI5/s640/blogger-image--927704310.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRcyMu3nU1lIaKKC_M5UZfloQZTjFDCIoS9AeRKdURRhtHqlnfH41Fatrw5FF94E-COKhEccxu2UQmP38YQbEph4tWU5vja5RLkgeVvlSzPY-zWLzLUduTlzEIkZ3DZXDQFFHB5wc3YoI5/s640/blogger-image--927704310.jpg"></a></div><br></span></div><div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">We moved along and headed to the Heineken Experience for some beer tasting. After the beers that the guy bought us the other night that tasted so bad, we were a little hesitant to try more Heineken, but Michael and Ryan said it was a great experience. After completing it, I do agree, it's worth the time and money. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><br></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5E-qDfxhEFiYg43Jn5qPo6Cb3FP8c1OQhaxuC-WvVvdVxkCz53ay4uNtZdAJ9EyMWTp4Vl2jHzg5PuPS7uSipTa9O0RQmW4urNGsckOZjm7ulGNt6_Ewg7HKm887ecRID0qXC-NyDETZN/s640/blogger-image--1301875927.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5E-qDfxhEFiYg43Jn5qPo6Cb3FP8c1OQhaxuC-WvVvdVxkCz53ay4uNtZdAJ9EyMWTp4Vl2jHzg5PuPS7uSipTa9O0RQmW4urNGsckOZjm7ulGNt6_Ewg7HKm887ecRID0qXC-NyDETZN/s640/blogger-image--1301875927.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIKw7kYTwc3gdeffm2iSVQ6qoZTy1mm4hD_gjT4qsJIXqE6QE8_L3REe9JQsW8wDvCAPfnwo53eFJOsbPS3TtlHgC8c3hLcoFwjy5hc_4TwAoNS0lHVpnAQt2r57nY5nxCABq4zaNYQdSH/s640/blogger-image-135388494.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIKw7kYTwc3gdeffm2iSVQ6qoZTy1mm4hD_gjT4qsJIXqE6QE8_L3REe9JQsW8wDvCAPfnwo53eFJOsbPS3TtlHgC8c3hLcoFwjy5hc_4TwAoNS0lHVpnAQt2r57nY5nxCABq4zaNYQdSH/s640/blogger-image-135388494.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiISRS_s5taTelQ8MeNJ7Fzpr8h-9XQ_a8BWGicu0REnItUe-quyM4B0ui4tVmSoLzuQcNWqtZUwKqPPTKegA3xNqo8AS97OEBde11irAymAk6kgmiH1p-xCcCFAL8cVQHJ2jnTJUk-miI/s640/blogger-image--1489682655.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiISRS_s5taTelQ8MeNJ7Fzpr8h-9XQ_a8BWGicu0REnItUe-quyM4B0ui4tVmSoLzuQcNWqtZUwKqPPTKegA3xNqo8AS97OEBde11irAymAk6kgmiH1p-xCcCFAL8cVQHJ2jnTJUk-miI/s640/blogger-image--1489682655.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr6Z4uuVI8WLIqv4NW7WyrHxrVdrn776rKaSWZ2iYISI1-un2BKx555QmTcwYs4wo4RjXI57ABDts0dZ-8dgJTm2hDCqPyBvogySbRj7BoSvsVMJ4JVzpyz5WlobA2SJ9xm99rKva1qOaO/s640/blogger-image-100773966.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr6Z4uuVI8WLIqv4NW7WyrHxrVdrn776rKaSWZ2iYISI1-un2BKx555QmTcwYs4wo4RjXI57ABDts0dZ-8dgJTm2hDCqPyBvogySbRj7BoSvsVMJ4JVzpyz5WlobA2SJ9xm99rKva1qOaO/s640/blogger-image-100773966.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div>The tour finished and we caught the boat that gave us a free canal tour. Sara and I had one more beer, I guess it was growing on us..</div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMjtpzQAyh7-nqtUqDtZVd4o3u-bkPocABuG7kyEkpcHq5hjyT8gPfB4GfpRZALk-LZCD-oxAC8nEuaJuc3klsasqi8RP-j_ii7ZGRC1s5Kg_YyiVpLnsWI8LBH5BJRxQccM7si4f0SyF9/s640/blogger-image--108765842.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMjtpzQAyh7-nqtUqDtZVd4o3u-bkPocABuG7kyEkpcHq5hjyT8gPfB4GfpRZALk-LZCD-oxAC8nEuaJuc3klsasqi8RP-j_ii7ZGRC1s5Kg_YyiVpLnsWI8LBH5BJRxQccM7si4f0SyF9/s640/blogger-image--108765842.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjnNsnWRm0A9JnBZg2b_Fq0jPxyOMqyd8pQIo8SKw5PTPg-yEkrgaKbSaUT3HY9i-ztsNa_oHYAWLKVrNvkQpjT57nqRNhZ2FuSa2BA6Pb0ofEvYDqEF5bNRmqhwm-Efmd3VpR_WT_pXPd/s640/blogger-image--1498263300.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjnNsnWRm0A9JnBZg2b_Fq0jPxyOMqyd8pQIo8SKw5PTPg-yEkrgaKbSaUT3HY9i-ztsNa_oHYAWLKVrNvkQpjT57nqRNhZ2FuSa2BA6Pb0ofEvYDqEF5bNRmqhwm-Efmd3VpR_WT_pXPd/s640/blogger-image--1498263300.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div>The boat tour dropped us off downtown and we walked through the markets clearing out all samples that were available. We found a place that sold speculoos and went to a nearby place to have a cappuccino and to warm up. We still had some time before the Anne Frank house was closing, so we rushed over and found it and completed the tour. We walked through where her and her family lived for the handful of years they hid to avoid being captured. It was quite a moving tour and made me quite thankful I grew up in a time where there wasn't such hatred like what that little girl and her family experienced.</div><div><br></div><div>By this time, we had such a busy day of traveling, we were ready for whatever Thanksgiving meal we could scrounge up. After a bit of back and forth, we settled on a restaurant that looked homey. We ordered the house wine and some escargot to start. I've never had escargot, but, I figured I'd try it. Actually, it was really good. They flavor was so delicious and had garlic, shallots, and olive oil. Put it on a piece of bread, and, boom, taste buds explode. </div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVLmqxL-Q8iCaZBZcArRl-LCbr9k088hwquB5Y2W64j01OIZcADqlBB8weOI8dlZsjcnuWt17dGHFMYIwnMOF0ODDNCCPCSRp0y-Yf6paw8LhCPo4VH-ZvKoCS0KxcZTZT0IgcO94saJHy/s640/blogger-image-1280135855.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVLmqxL-Q8iCaZBZcArRl-LCbr9k088hwquB5Y2W64j01OIZcADqlBB8weOI8dlZsjcnuWt17dGHFMYIwnMOF0ODDNCCPCSRp0y-Yf6paw8LhCPo4VH-ZvKoCS0KxcZTZT0IgcO94saJHy/s640/blogger-image-1280135855.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div>My dad selected the lamb chop, Sara ordered the steak, and I got mussels and fries. My mussels were so tasty and I didn't have a single gnarly mussel. My dad's lamb chop was oddly thin, but still tasty. Sara's steak was good, as well. We finished with some apple pie, cinnamon ice cream, and my dad ordered coffee. The cinnamon ice cream that was served with the pie was so yummy. It reminded me of the snicker doodle ice cream from BiRite in SF. </div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX4bcDCCTHLPW7KhPAjnwz_65bbGg-32UTNnBsjvVg4Ge5M3HPZpOZYRupqfB8BQfYUSp_1q-_1O2O3o-29OaiaWalF7Mm-0AgMBVwHzxNzr9ILdwHsk_UMdM4gtGw6Ibdiq3oo60mJSGC/s640/blogger-image--453539275.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX4bcDCCTHLPW7KhPAjnwz_65bbGg-32UTNnBsjvVg4Ge5M3HPZpOZYRupqfB8BQfYUSp_1q-_1O2O3o-29OaiaWalF7Mm-0AgMBVwHzxNzr9ILdwHsk_UMdM4gtGw6Ibdiq3oo60mJSGC/s640/blogger-image--453539275.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtFz2gVnXO9qmveZ3EPcoM4YkVCrffW620_Y1dpgHV_DG6XgJrrvhvCANkhWUipV9JYYY9wSCoGc-RhAzj6m9a8bGrS370YvkWuittq0nrS8nMHkUueshPT39UdLsypoSui7Kg764MeEVt/s640/blogger-image--552488906.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtFz2gVnXO9qmveZ3EPcoM4YkVCrffW620_Y1dpgHV_DG6XgJrrvhvCANkhWUipV9JYYY9wSCoGc-RhAzj6m9a8bGrS370YvkWuittq0nrS8nMHkUueshPT39UdLsypoSui7Kg764MeEVt/s640/blogger-image--552488906.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div>We got home and were able to FaceTime all the family. It was so great to see Colin and his family (bummed I missed Claudia), Lola, and then my mom. I only have a week and a half left so I'm in the final stretch. </div><div><br></div><div>Amsterdam was an awesome city. We had a good mix of touristy things and local things to fill our time. My favorite activities were the Heineken Experience, the bar with live music, and the cheese tasting. We only have Sara for one more day and we're heading back to Frankfurt for the night. Their Christmas Market starts up tonight, so I'm hoping the city has a little more charm than before. My dad and I head to Switzerland tomorrow! </div><div><br></div><div>Until next time!</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02020731818578029433noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3431528991092771303.post-60630614722671299662013-11-29T08:59:00.001-08:002013-11-29T08:59:29.301-08:00Waffles, beer and chocolate - that's what Belgium does<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">Sara and I couldn't have been more excited to leave Frankfurt and head to Belgium. We were first stopping in Brussels for a night and then heading to Brugge for a couple days. We caught the train and made our way to our budget hotel that was just a few kilometers outside the city. Sara and I, being experienced runners, figured it was more than 3 miles, but less than 6 miles from the city center, so we shouldn't have any trouble walking. While we were walking to the hotel, we figured out it was not in the greatest area. If I made a comparison to the city, I'd say this hotel was near candlestick park and we just had to walk to pier 39. Not that far, right? Totally walkable, right? Would you ever make that walk even if there were no cabs, ubers, lyfts, sidecars or some other new cab that is out there? No way. </span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">We told the front desk manager that we wanted to walk into town and he looked at us like we were crazy and gave us the tram schedule. After an unsolicited request to get into someone's car, we decided the tram might be the best bet. By the time we made it to the station, we missed the train and had to wait an hour till the next one got there. We kept busy by challenging each other to best time in Solitaire. I'm currently up with a winning time of 2:18. Colin would be so proud! Here is a pic of me waiting for the tram completely unamused. </span></div><div><font face="Helvetica Neue Light, HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif"><br></font><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeerriIt62Fd5Om0rpVwyzJ_WHgnCiizKfXivhOJAyj34NwL2yjH-RyWgiAn4NzI6yQrQhsDrW0djD2lb6j2poQP8AgeuBsX5E-yyz5zuS_8QFsAmcDBwJJcXSVcC0LpKl6doGQBQ9hTyR/s640/blogger-image-591800921.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeerriIt62Fd5Om0rpVwyzJ_WHgnCiizKfXivhOJAyj34NwL2yjH-RyWgiAn4NzI6yQrQhsDrW0djD2lb6j2poQP8AgeuBsX5E-yyz5zuS_8QFsAmcDBwJJcXSVcC0LpKl6doGQBQ9hTyR/s640/blogger-image-591800921.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">We arrived in downtown Brussels and immediately fell in love. The city is covered in lights and the smell of chocolate and waffles is in the air. We stopped right away and had the best Belgian waffle we would have the entire trip and we didn't even know it yet. We went classic and only got powdered sugar. Perfection. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGpOvTjD7PXq5gsgMrlXUnrXSPmteLQRFcg0IQAIIIsku0_k104PMTRgpi9-auCLdAhtuWw9sXUl4iDkMty_8OeEd-_TnWK-9qF7nPHo6gt1VAxyyaNpPRMaz4XD3inHxCCBhl-7P4RqoF/s640/blogger-image--459927029.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGpOvTjD7PXq5gsgMrlXUnrXSPmteLQRFcg0IQAIIIsku0_k104PMTRgpi9-auCLdAhtuWw9sXUl4iDkMty_8OeEd-_TnWK-9qF7nPHo6gt1VAxyyaNpPRMaz4XD3inHxCCBhl-7P4RqoF/s640/blogger-image--459927029.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6F3RcXre-6dqAUBfdj6yOSWxI2Bh9cp94IYMbY7aE_TY-wUevaVAEKa-fiyOsDrWuefYtZYkHkAox7W8urdxb85yiCo1Ng6ZZvmw81HiRgJ0PHnXXnFluLuNWj59BqJcdyeZdJhe8gWD_/s640/blogger-image--33301818.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6F3RcXre-6dqAUBfdj6yOSWxI2Bh9cp94IYMbY7aE_TY-wUevaVAEKa-fiyOsDrWuefYtZYkHkAox7W8urdxb85yiCo1Ng6ZZvmw81HiRgJ0PHnXXnFluLuNWj59BqJcdyeZdJhe8gWD_/s640/blogger-image--33301818.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrlC4yx29Ez3hafwdbF0swb42iWXq4fQUe_Wz1miwwCaeSUSebvTmvybJWrqBfOJjlDB5j56GbgkMm_bYJsTa9ECPulJMG8HgcyySIs38KEHME1lCUh6zZNJlBSbOIAxTFM59YTUAekx-f/s640/blogger-image-971931500.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrlC4yx29Ez3hafwdbF0swb42iWXq4fQUe_Wz1miwwCaeSUSebvTmvybJWrqBfOJjlDB5j56GbgkMm_bYJsTa9ECPulJMG8HgcyySIs38KEHME1lCUh6zZNJlBSbOIAxTFM59YTUAekx-f/s640/blogger-image-971931500.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">The streets are like mazes each filled with more chocolate shops, restaurants, and tons of advertisements for moules frittes (muscles and fries). Our friend, Tom, had told us about a place called Delirium that had over 2000 beers to try. Sara and I had researched the beers and found the top 20. Unfortunately, the person who selected the top 20 had a much different taste for beers than us so we quickly went off on our own to find our favorite beers. We started with the Delirium Tremers and Delirium Red. So good. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5S0SuAC8RJ2lXTcR51Ntj-Pbih48jvmtRUN3mZHWX7G2IdpA-Z1JnQ07Yz4F7ad_ibTB07FuLb2EdlH2jbCVsHAPHHWcUnOSf3yX37O-CNiwO5epzTNZjsRbtcQ-ZUum75YtfiVuRDqoy/s640/blogger-image-1893180176.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5S0SuAC8RJ2lXTcR51Ntj-Pbih48jvmtRUN3mZHWX7G2IdpA-Z1JnQ07Yz4F7ad_ibTB07FuLb2EdlH2jbCVsHAPHHWcUnOSf3yX37O-CNiwO5epzTNZjsRbtcQ-ZUum75YtfiVuRDqoy/s640/blogger-image-1893180176.jpg"></a></div><br></div><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguyoDAAu3P5v6riW_h4zDl37q82YJcil5LTW39UR3VOBx75qVIQ2FuyTGGIodEsf5-_n0ZFzw89RFl2iFTmCncLRt_MZl7tlTHv8kdBIYH6EVn4h5osHWLomODcwalXvIcIVjixETaKsI2/s640/blogger-image-31007726.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguyoDAAu3P5v6riW_h4zDl37q82YJcil5LTW39UR3VOBx75qVIQ2FuyTGGIodEsf5-_n0ZFzw89RFl2iFTmCncLRt_MZl7tlTHv8kdBIYH6EVn4h5osHWLomODcwalXvIcIVjixETaKsI2/s640/blogger-image-31007726.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy-TErIELROo1uRL-a57t5fapQMAOSCcIBjJk_WwAT0XpVa9jk-b65oe8xwxpisulF5EpDrJ194vOcKDV3Nzut8xM2jCANBob3n8UB3gn8ew9MIM9K0HA1QzLhB0WTl-kYpnA3qPS2MpVe/s640/blogger-image--2120424794.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy-TErIELROo1uRL-a57t5fapQMAOSCcIBjJk_WwAT0XpVa9jk-b65oe8xwxpisulF5EpDrJ194vOcKDV3Nzut8xM2jCANBob3n8UB3gn8ew9MIM9K0HA1QzLhB0WTl-kYpnA3qPS2MpVe/s640/blogger-image--2120424794.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">The menu from Delirium was a 262 page manual. More like a phone book than a menu. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZlp1JXveMoMuoQNJEMpqELkFjprNASf3FfhBfnwc99q7up0lelyGnBy_elBz0mHqKXnEclU3r0akJ_4FVYSEZ7G-1xxHtI89wZE0OPMaNjTsPQPovtGGL4tt8FlpX1q3ps5AiSO9d98CN/s640/blogger-image--11555594.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZlp1JXveMoMuoQNJEMpqELkFjprNASf3FfhBfnwc99q7up0lelyGnBy_elBz0mHqKXnEclU3r0akJ_4FVYSEZ7G-1xxHtI89wZE0OPMaNjTsPQPovtGGL4tt8FlpX1q3ps5AiSO9d98CN/s640/blogger-image--11555594.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">As we sat down, there was a girl next to us that said something in American accent so we decided to sit with her. She was an extremely chatty woman who was originally from Philadelphia and had been living in Europe for the last 3 years because her husband was studying over here. This woman talked and talked and talked and then she talked more. I don't think Sara and I got two words in. We tried to ditch her by going downstairs, but she followed us. I can't say all negative things about her because she did give us some suggestions for decent beer. The first two pics below were from the top 20 list and the bottom two were suggestioms from the girl.</div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm6WYieXilsU_VyxW501_K7r0Gu4mDarEzM4dnbiCYcnurp1R78-pxh4R7PVj499QCDei5dDHyJIUc3xCR7-J8PJ45A2R67R8gKIy36Oh8SUtxIEh1krAJ8H1hyi8CGRlixyzasuwe1X0b/s640/blogger-image--595037414.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm6WYieXilsU_VyxW501_K7r0Gu4mDarEzM4dnbiCYcnurp1R78-pxh4R7PVj499QCDei5dDHyJIUc3xCR7-J8PJ45A2R67R8gKIy36Oh8SUtxIEh1krAJ8H1hyi8CGRlixyzasuwe1X0b/s640/blogger-image--595037414.jpg"></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4HFHKAWREkRO52lNwIavKZycfI40gL8tCiNcgcRm43_0oIzBy1mPQfOHtoFiB6ZXyE3ABuuPtCQhyUmbTxgg-6WJNyxk1oLP0dAF2XSpYParf1Bfj_8mM8CTMRFm8Q1zajEpHGDZA_ZbE/s640/blogger-image--1595803476.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4HFHKAWREkRO52lNwIavKZycfI40gL8tCiNcgcRm43_0oIzBy1mPQfOHtoFiB6ZXyE3ABuuPtCQhyUmbTxgg-6WJNyxk1oLP0dAF2XSpYParf1Bfj_8mM8CTMRFm8Q1zajEpHGDZA_ZbE/s640/blogger-image--1595803476.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdyU_03_kCz9eUCX2I-BO5q7v2PF1QwL2wkIgkWd_y5n3SaxpnTMCq5aMr9m_Y-5YufB500-ocqoJry15ZJfkSYTLvnfeHDUmWTs00aVM0OA8HMIcvjF6SD1THVHVuO-OGV9y_MT8jRtih/s640/blogger-image-57271728.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdyU_03_kCz9eUCX2I-BO5q7v2PF1QwL2wkIgkWd_y5n3SaxpnTMCq5aMr9m_Y-5YufB500-ocqoJry15ZJfkSYTLvnfeHDUmWTs00aVM0OA8HMIcvjF6SD1THVHVuO-OGV9y_MT8jRtih/s640/blogger-image-57271728.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5o7oE6bdkdp8Fljyf2hFPkDIWR3GtwmPFx7wkpcBkHdQOl835RX4jdVxID5vPm55n453AvvOAQUF5CZMch7IPdhhWy0_mVgI1VG6ew1LA3wYeRCPIKpi7yL24GyTd2GMKfWnMKjD1V84T/s640/blogger-image--1932517752.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5o7oE6bdkdp8Fljyf2hFPkDIWR3GtwmPFx7wkpcBkHdQOl835RX4jdVxID5vPm55n453AvvOAQUF5CZMch7IPdhhWy0_mVgI1VG6ew1LA3wYeRCPIKpi7yL24GyTd2GMKfWnMKjD1V84T/s640/blogger-image--1932517752.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">We tried to say goodbye to her to go grab dinner, but, again, she tagged along. I want to stop for a second to say I'm sure this sounds like a mean girl thing to do - ditch someone that you don't want to hang out with - but seriously, this girl didn't even let us get any words in. We wondered around the streets and found a Thai Vietnamese restaurant that had the Trip Advisor seal of approval. Sara and I were starving so we got lumpia, spring rolls and then a Tom Yum Kai / pho soup combination that was delicious. It was so cold outside and this meal immediately warmed us up. Naturally, we had a local beer alongside the meal.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGMclCyxczstkqBgI1JKx73QrCJIZrjNQaaYX_ch118zwg_7mX8Uu2qdCdD2RO9NztNpgicNwnzzHeKz7xBCMEIny4ECOst9rdKG2GJelwcDsbWDMJWU5XKG9ygOA3eLLPlT357BLvGdon/s640/blogger-image--1598355622.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGMclCyxczstkqBgI1JKx73QrCJIZrjNQaaYX_ch118zwg_7mX8Uu2qdCdD2RO9NztNpgicNwnzzHeKz7xBCMEIny4ECOst9rdKG2GJelwcDsbWDMJWU5XKG9ygOA3eLLPlT357BLvGdon/s640/blogger-image--1598355622.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-M9BpZg5Qar2pdU6ie5G6HojnjR8K3RPhc_3cN64pE6V17i-9H7HvuprmPQwxFWX5shtt9WWV46OD3gv5YRlvdTjq8UOklxSq1zjeAXw1l-5U9_Gb2EMFqX3URjWKQPwqHrHSYHMEclsj/s640/blogger-image-93736780.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-M9BpZg5Qar2pdU6ie5G6HojnjR8K3RPhc_3cN64pE6V17i-9H7HvuprmPQwxFWX5shtt9WWV46OD3gv5YRlvdTjq8UOklxSq1zjeAXw1l-5U9_Gb2EMFqX3URjWKQPwqHrHSYHMEclsj/s640/blogger-image-93736780.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvlvYuZfnqkHR4MEiiSKfs4pXbaI6kciBk_3AO0G1WmIGKi323WUBRnd6Sp4rRltZ9dlCGadKdCFp49gDhW-s7HhSPXBAL6UbtByg1Cg6Ji1IxJsejWTmzyxkzaP6arbS_kvqnvHlqJTP5/s640/blogger-image--537146451.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvlvYuZfnqkHR4MEiiSKfs4pXbaI6kciBk_3AO0G1WmIGKi323WUBRnd6Sp4rRltZ9dlCGadKdCFp49gDhW-s7HhSPXBAL6UbtByg1Cg6Ji1IxJsejWTmzyxkzaP6arbS_kvqnvHlqJTP5/s640/blogger-image--537146451.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiizVtQY19Whb1O9rwFV9KcydRPV2zzmBYDDWl_VemHiEaB6DWhScRbIj-lwBBukUpuz5MuCz24Sloj3cMrYWuzutVopJ_oTO2o_kihLfuSNEBMFxfFlHerCbpCPh53eMDVZS3_k5F9iv6I/s640/blogger-image-2128393912.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiizVtQY19Whb1O9rwFV9KcydRPV2zzmBYDDWl_VemHiEaB6DWhScRbIj-lwBBukUpuz5MuCz24Sloj3cMrYWuzutVopJ_oTO2o_kihLfuSNEBMFxfFlHerCbpCPh53eMDVZS3_k5F9iv6I/s640/blogger-image-2128393912.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">We finished dinner and said fair well to the girl whose name we never got and sought out for another Belgian waffle to end our night before we caught the tram to our hotel. The first place we went wasn't open so went around the corner to the next nearest spot and ordered the sweetest, most indulgent waffle with chocolate and whipped cream. As you can see from our faces, we were quite excited after our earlier experience. We were very disappointed when we bit into these waffles. They were way too much, even for me. The waffle tasted like it had been in the window all day and the whipped cream was like butter, not in the good way. We got through a couple bites before we determined it wasn't worth the calories and we threw them away. We decided when we returned to Brussels from Brugge that we would pick up the original waffle we tasted in order to redeem the memory. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_z84x_iY1rU9Maa0n6KJ3w3RFJEVWSSM_oo5XXw3PMhVS407Bo9QcpNP8tVKn9vvNzoPQi6qv44t0ETzRZPxeRVeVA-DIdNrnIqeLnvOCW9Z4riq97eZJ_WyAlAIByCVfHTb6DjgxaMgI/s640/blogger-image-1862524334.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_z84x_iY1rU9Maa0n6KJ3w3RFJEVWSSM_oo5XXw3PMhVS407Bo9QcpNP8tVKn9vvNzoPQi6qv44t0ETzRZPxeRVeVA-DIdNrnIqeLnvOCW9Z4riq97eZJ_WyAlAIByCVfHTb6DjgxaMgI/s640/blogger-image-1862524334.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeL37d7n4qByrANGg3JFoQYH80sNtlwioEhX0oz0lGH_brqxI93Y-Vm_Xo-jPlanrdNE_isfvmrJkWT8J4vDwrsy8eibvBCk9P_sEVRo8tQvfMOuyISnnxWn4rePja9jkjU2ZSBtEkJXUH/s640/blogger-image-380918241.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeL37d7n4qByrANGg3JFoQYH80sNtlwioEhX0oz0lGH_brqxI93Y-Vm_Xo-jPlanrdNE_isfvmrJkWT8J4vDwrsy8eibvBCk9P_sEVRo8tQvfMOuyISnnxWn4rePja9jkjU2ZSBtEkJXUH/s640/blogger-image-380918241.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">We got on the train still wiping off chocolate sauce from around our mouths and were nervous for the walk from the train station to the hotel. We got off at the deserted station and began walking home. A car pulled over behind us and we picked up our pace a bit. I was checking the surroundings behind us and Sara had the front. We turned down the street and had about a quarter mile to go. We decided to walk in the middle of the street, figuring it was the safer route. A car came down the street the wrong way and something seemed wrong so we just took off running. There wasn't an actual reason for our fear, but it was one of those situations that just didn't feel right. We got to the hotel and were out of breath and I was coughing. We were safe. Phew. Note to future travelers: the cheapest hotel isn't always the best choice. Sometimes, it's better to pay a little more and be in the thick of things than save money and be so far away and so afraid to walk to your hotel.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">The next day, we were off to Brugge. As we were waiting for the train, we got a traditional Belgian breakfast - sausage, French fries, and a beer. So delicious. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW6XSGFHUZ8fQhGiPYdRGTvGcK6JYgJ9K2PMddLyi-QinpwMloB7T0c6hKKStfwUXPjkFHsIBFK82iWMA4leOmWfKYlI1msYzm3aSCiNsYfu_HxiUIs7dtH9N_BnAFHlk4A7AF5dYDfocS/s640/blogger-image-777227134.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW6XSGFHUZ8fQhGiPYdRGTvGcK6JYgJ9K2PMddLyi-QinpwMloB7T0c6hKKStfwUXPjkFHsIBFK82iWMA4leOmWfKYlI1msYzm3aSCiNsYfu_HxiUIs7dtH9N_BnAFHlk4A7AF5dYDfocS/s640/blogger-image-777227134.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRE1Ws5nZ4l8Ic6JyFxe_pdHeEbO1VfBfW4wkPtwzOZxr3C3t9MRxfyMuh6cU_OufiaWU5KcLtnuthAEgS5oEW4ElBeyfETosZAQsIkaGiGiJlG-e5CVebzfJ3GBiCxvQOgu5gaJJcd1XT/s640/blogger-image-1786224054.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRE1Ws5nZ4l8Ic6JyFxe_pdHeEbO1VfBfW4wkPtwzOZxr3C3t9MRxfyMuh6cU_OufiaWU5KcLtnuthAEgS5oEW4ElBeyfETosZAQsIkaGiGiJlG-e5CVebzfJ3GBiCxvQOgu5gaJJcd1XT/s640/blogger-image-1786224054.jpg"></a></div><br></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">We arrived early afternoon and our hotel was located right next to the train station, so things were already looking up. We dropped our stuff off and quickly set out to see the town. It was a walking town and all the streets intertwined into each other. Every other store was a chocolate store and we got some treats at each one. There were some that looked like cat poop, but they tasted pretty delicious.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXVBSOEyz-JEiTLZJECFhKQJxjx8PYNE4WRLmV08KABTqQVp1DOfCkqoRqH-NX6eBq-33gs1PFIxAmp6_PAJLRWsSK162t4l950YpCDW2tBSetFxMhr0KTrl83Y5Id0jFpnbbYy6RzGTO3/s640/blogger-image--231766186.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXVBSOEyz-JEiTLZJECFhKQJxjx8PYNE4WRLmV08KABTqQVp1DOfCkqoRqH-NX6eBq-33gs1PFIxAmp6_PAJLRWsSK162t4l950YpCDW2tBSetFxMhr0KTrl83Y5Id0jFpnbbYy6RzGTO3/s640/blogger-image--231766186.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8yKOjPOIePIYy_xMjC5u8H2Wggx2yBFAhdzUp5zxPo1Abk9eXQHh1VssoRJtQcKHp_4y_dSwX1xC6zlfNVaMSivtJLfc9YzwxT3FC5DbQPRj1vDekMI9H4IpCS16jHvUAsci1TP3NgN4Z/s640/blogger-image-903324183.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8yKOjPOIePIYy_xMjC5u8H2Wggx2yBFAhdzUp5zxPo1Abk9eXQHh1VssoRJtQcKHp_4y_dSwX1xC6zlfNVaMSivtJLfc9YzwxT3FC5DbQPRj1vDekMI9H4IpCS16jHvUAsci1TP3NgN4Z/s640/blogger-image-903324183.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">This town quickly rose to my favorite city in all of Europe. Every where you look is picturesque and the people were all friendly. We wondered around for a bit and here are some of the sites. We walked in almost every cookie and chocolate shop and found some amazing treats. I learned about speculoos, a hard cookie that is in cinnamon, vanilla, and ginger. So good. I highly recommend a stop at Juliette's for their cookies. We bought a bunch thinking we'd share with my dad, but the only cookie that remained was the coconut macaroon I got him. Sorry dad.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhivkzUEatPUlpxSFJ3xtEzr_604bImWLs2y_bkz3TNa0ITsFza9r1m-xurlSlVVa3_YQ9bUUsTnIAz0VsQCuutmfYHhEQZXWw6aeu7uBqyO7j4mL_ZqPf_l9u8paeF26stwgXGLti_Pqkq/s640/blogger-image--1749656486.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhivkzUEatPUlpxSFJ3xtEzr_604bImWLs2y_bkz3TNa0ITsFza9r1m-xurlSlVVa3_YQ9bUUsTnIAz0VsQCuutmfYHhEQZXWw6aeu7uBqyO7j4mL_ZqPf_l9u8paeF26stwgXGLti_Pqkq/s640/blogger-image--1749656486.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO-HoPZ9SX7JEBhRXZGEZQZRFVf1zC7Vxe2l0SfAMG_VibN6ENavUYcW4ytXuXJlE7fGHZYznFNq0a-SBHgHGUC_t524XC3WZFahEFC9DQI5OUgVwYq605CmBMPf-FuWpSY_IlPIFDoWkl/s640/blogger-image-71778498.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO-HoPZ9SX7JEBhRXZGEZQZRFVf1zC7Vxe2l0SfAMG_VibN6ENavUYcW4ytXuXJlE7fGHZYznFNq0a-SBHgHGUC_t524XC3WZFahEFC9DQI5OUgVwYq605CmBMPf-FuWpSY_IlPIFDoWkl/s640/blogger-image-71778498.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3eoAnvXsYJZhTxTwGyMVfaR_L4DnhtqZTQ-gZfxQsT6OiL_75HhbB2m564FQdmHDslbyki75YPb_7Pbc4y3sxyyqwtJmk0zWsCRTewZpvUzjltsMBow77no9kS4jrN9_5shB5R5Ud_shZ/s640/blogger-image-1293616561.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3eoAnvXsYJZhTxTwGyMVfaR_L4DnhtqZTQ-gZfxQsT6OiL_75HhbB2m564FQdmHDslbyki75YPb_7Pbc4y3sxyyqwtJmk0zWsCRTewZpvUzjltsMBow77no9kS4jrN9_5shB5R5Ud_shZ/s640/blogger-image-1293616561.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhayEf-NURMl-ET3HuvqI9bp7kuE0D9ToLgaQYMUgmIhetQ0JlnNAXf9x9irUL-TmNlCrPUpp0Kb0igTv_tfeswGE3S56E-nej0GtsS8N3Ffzfqmtm9qnLYzwugi_M3ZQ6aRYLPFiey-Z2i/s640/blogger-image-494904039.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhayEf-NURMl-ET3HuvqI9bp7kuE0D9ToLgaQYMUgmIhetQ0JlnNAXf9x9irUL-TmNlCrPUpp0Kb0igTv_tfeswGE3S56E-nej0GtsS8N3Ffzfqmtm9qnLYzwugi_M3ZQ6aRYLPFiey-Z2i/s640/blogger-image-494904039.jpg"></a></div><br></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">We were walking towards the famous Markt square when we found a sign that pointed towards a beer wall. We walked through double doors and were greeted with walls full of beer. It was magical. Sara and I decided to settle in and get a sampler plate.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8T9Gzt9FRZZYNUS1yoZxOFz-XIQJ4-hj4bF68tAMf4eKZtLTiX0-co8ttcg3RbGaB1YKLDAq7ayXtfmo34tkMYee7leOWWxiBrXfesE1NFUPgPY2oLBbvZ84IIEwAZeeetdEwiB8aJdar/s640/blogger-image--1910552504.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8T9Gzt9FRZZYNUS1yoZxOFz-XIQJ4-hj4bF68tAMf4eKZtLTiX0-co8ttcg3RbGaB1YKLDAq7ayXtfmo34tkMYee7leOWWxiBrXfesE1NFUPgPY2oLBbvZ84IIEwAZeeetdEwiB8aJdar/s640/blogger-image--1910552504.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ1ypiDtoXrAPDzxOjK7PFTCMp8J20fVlo_8OjE92Uj0xjJJixwFOFOI5k8MhEoqY9oL_DEHBSGX6tJfBx-iYLUasMCNIYGU7pxt3_QM_tK18RKJc8aFm9iAHfazpL1XBxk3V2AKcP3URK/s640/blogger-image--851584498.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ1ypiDtoXrAPDzxOjK7PFTCMp8J20fVlo_8OjE92Uj0xjJJixwFOFOI5k8MhEoqY9oL_DEHBSGX6tJfBx-iYLUasMCNIYGU7pxt3_QM_tK18RKJc8aFm9iAHfazpL1XBxk3V2AKcP3URK/s640/blogger-image--851584498.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk1WAt1FSxCyXMcEkEYIKGMlTFWYpazCYuug7_lJW9dqknQTEbbRx2M6FDk7VlAAlHb-UiQAP59c4684pc7aLSuRZQcPuBmyx7UJlmQ-5MmCEhENd5KAfOaiZ1ulQD2jHL8G6ZNlwvabLH/s640/blogger-image--1070448265.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk1WAt1FSxCyXMcEkEYIKGMlTFWYpazCYuug7_lJW9dqknQTEbbRx2M6FDk7VlAAlHb-UiQAP59c4684pc7aLSuRZQcPuBmyx7UJlmQ-5MmCEhENd5KAfOaiZ1ulQD2jHL8G6ZNlwvabLH/s640/blogger-image--1070448265.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Our favorite one was the Brugge Zot. It was a darker beer that was very yummy. We finished up our beers and walked over to the market. This was the most magical sight ever. There was an ice skating rink and markets serving sausages, waffles, hot chocolate with baileys, and other warm treats surrounding it. All the buildings were dressed with lights adding to the Disneyland like qualities. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVPgwpLXSS-9RpxGmVUEMqNxTSM_kXVBJoWS23uU8Fa52gWoRjAbmGT7j6_SQPDlhdHAp8ueb0GiPsqVN1NgPDhB284D6qzW2iFMMxlo4BTQDtGIySOqNCuqhRiuDgaGRab231TgNCPjo6/s640/blogger-image-1940157030.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVPgwpLXSS-9RpxGmVUEMqNxTSM_kXVBJoWS23uU8Fa52gWoRjAbmGT7j6_SQPDlhdHAp8ueb0GiPsqVN1NgPDhB284D6qzW2iFMMxlo4BTQDtGIySOqNCuqhRiuDgaGRab231TgNCPjo6/s640/blogger-image-1940157030.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH2LbTAk2Js4mm7CK6LdZJSMbE-wndTg8QiNZ0i4mycu7dKMgXlA7I4iomHP2x86nsarEK0DYKc-1-G8YtTb6EnkAnZ8G2zsroCnrVCzZj9lQDQBODNE1APQLuyXCk-p9Cla9kfko7ltsM/s640/blogger-image-332020812.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH2LbTAk2Js4mm7CK6LdZJSMbE-wndTg8QiNZ0i4mycu7dKMgXlA7I4iomHP2x86nsarEK0DYKc-1-G8YtTb6EnkAnZ8G2zsroCnrVCzZj9lQDQBODNE1APQLuyXCk-p9Cla9kfko7ltsM/s640/blogger-image-332020812.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo2OeKDqKIxqGEnQ4LgypMBJtO4wSuwCE_J6OvwxFZbyUh52D5OMANcY00OyoJcilBXnbV3FqG6bIoDuA4qorQWwg5VzKnr2NorsgPX3qm_u_1fLH168lijehs9vE7lk9GKzCdNkn3LguQ/s640/blogger-image--941022519.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo2OeKDqKIxqGEnQ4LgypMBJtO4wSuwCE_J6OvwxFZbyUh52D5OMANcY00OyoJcilBXnbV3FqG6bIoDuA4qorQWwg5VzKnr2NorsgPX3qm_u_1fLH168lijehs9vE7lk9GKzCdNkn3LguQ/s640/blogger-image--941022519.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">We were pretty hungry by now so we found a nearby brewery and restaurant called Cambrinus. We ordered some cheese croquettes to start and then a beer bread with ham dish. We also did their sampler of beers and a beer that was served in a cornucopia glass. They brought out our food and we were a bit confused. Mine was some egg dish with ham and cheese. I asked the guy if it was what I ordered and he said no, it was an omelette and then brought me over a basket of bread. Finally, we got someone who understood English a bit better and they brought out my actual dish that was not what I was expecting at all. Bread with ham and butter. So strange.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhygvTy3lHrBrJ6GiKERRfGxSspVBK8y5MmZzZ01rYxJKIsOHr0_lLldtbkFLVKWJ7BsSDy_Blw1raQ2BBxaaHF4VpAfKXDR6XNIXFRLOcVPa8u-eP7G50QWRXYlFMII_JEDoEx7IPYjmT4/s640/blogger-image--1084705876.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhygvTy3lHrBrJ6GiKERRfGxSspVBK8y5MmZzZ01rYxJKIsOHr0_lLldtbkFLVKWJ7BsSDy_Blw1raQ2BBxaaHF4VpAfKXDR6XNIXFRLOcVPa8u-eP7G50QWRXYlFMII_JEDoEx7IPYjmT4/s640/blogger-image--1084705876.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglbSCgO7-jnJBy5HvKo62YdmVLHtSj8KMzJeOHG8eoXQtt2a8a4CHcL8YchjYHNzopQzwJrvCarG7vPR4hmRZx5usT2fhJRtF1SphivQFmZKtnHOnt0TdmiBKUlBmKduNNnQt18evdT7Mt/s640/blogger-image--2083563575.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglbSCgO7-jnJBy5HvKo62YdmVLHtSj8KMzJeOHG8eoXQtt2a8a4CHcL8YchjYHNzopQzwJrvCarG7vPR4hmRZx5usT2fhJRtF1SphivQFmZKtnHOnt0TdmiBKUlBmKduNNnQt18evdT7Mt/s640/blogger-image--2083563575.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4v9PlbJb7mH63Bmo6HEMCG4xiLomCRCRwnSpMEr48PNjXUjlTN4zDwVTrTDlh6wgh6dhVbV-Ir1E3qTBd3pXmAy0QbEgazAU4AUKFg63Elqtg-2ParLU5M6rDg7b0HXuuvO7nVo9WJh8f/s640/blogger-image--1203083421.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4v9PlbJb7mH63Bmo6HEMCG4xiLomCRCRwnSpMEr48PNjXUjlTN4zDwVTrTDlh6wgh6dhVbV-Ir1E3qTBd3pXmAy0QbEgazAU4AUKFg63Elqtg-2ParLU5M6rDg7b0HXuuvO7nVo9WJh8f/s640/blogger-image--1203083421.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyxWWFfI3JDlNGdPdlGJpVOhG34Gl9sZtNN2NGDbY45oft18m2uEGainOKKQgV8CsK2E3seSK0jgP91d4pjbes4xGocKT8pJ4AXQoER_Qdc8RNNE83vnypqbclQb_GQvFQ29njNRuyElWz/s640/blogger-image--1887047411.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyxWWFfI3JDlNGdPdlGJpVOhG34Gl9sZtNN2NGDbY45oft18m2uEGainOKKQgV8CsK2E3seSK0jgP91d4pjbes4xGocKT8pJ4AXQoER_Qdc8RNNE83vnypqbclQb_GQvFQ29njNRuyElWz/s640/blogger-image--1887047411.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">We finished up dinner and continued to walk around. We sampled some more waffles - a Brussels waffle that was very crispy and a Belgian waffle that is very sweet but thick and doughy. Neither were as good as the ones from Brussels. I mentioned there were thousands of chocolate shops in Belgium, one of them is a very recognized name - Godiva. Sara and I first saw it and said, no way are we going to go there, you can get that stuff back at home. For whatever reason, probably the cold, we decided to go in to their store and I am so happy we did because it changed my life for the better. The girl at the counter let us sample one of the top 5 things I've ever tasted - a truffle rolled in speculoos cookie. Oh. My. God. Heaven. After that treat we called it a night to go talk to the family and rest up for a big walking day. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">We woke up and decided we'd walk to the nearby windmills that are a staple for this area. It was a beautiful walk and the air was nice and crisp and the sun even peeked out for a little bit. Here is some scenery from the walk.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwSbLHQLTYpdafYcrohhE9eLCXKtCZN1MSY33aD2z3ncyl2cyn_NbsX2674gH1SvTxTdA2lLk_6TFO5fS6rpazGtrvQTPoJRS3eTgJ2LyEPdk1a8IDELPz34uTEp1jxCfrAJFyoJsVZOR8/s640/blogger-image--825046687.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwSbLHQLTYpdafYcrohhE9eLCXKtCZN1MSY33aD2z3ncyl2cyn_NbsX2674gH1SvTxTdA2lLk_6TFO5fS6rpazGtrvQTPoJRS3eTgJ2LyEPdk1a8IDELPz34uTEp1jxCfrAJFyoJsVZOR8/s640/blogger-image--825046687.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibyC3-qOfGB07fRSKVNd6v47dHmBHibzctKxyhww_WN5_RoT53ol_gIpqNQpnT504qfEHNsnQ6teCiENnOalasC_h83_ytryNG4557Wnowsa8USUBosyiUm005bf_AlS7KW-BL7YEKpVAL/s640/blogger-image-1878442641.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibyC3-qOfGB07fRSKVNd6v47dHmBHibzctKxyhww_WN5_RoT53ol_gIpqNQpnT504qfEHNsnQ6teCiENnOalasC_h83_ytryNG4557Wnowsa8USUBosyiUm005bf_AlS7KW-BL7YEKpVAL/s640/blogger-image-1878442641.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDcH7PvnTrgbkNIr807Xb9tNHyde-XM69q5FnHRqdJ7XaQf61RJ8yH_OSK5-VLf_bUMIHKCwLXcC53hiQXdD5_whOZhBqtr5qh_icju0Bhk-O7DFBklplUI_AUn_suTjmbJM1nucqPiKkB/s640/blogger-image-224260415.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDcH7PvnTrgbkNIr807Xb9tNHyde-XM69q5FnHRqdJ7XaQf61RJ8yH_OSK5-VLf_bUMIHKCwLXcC53hiQXdD5_whOZhBqtr5qh_icju0Bhk-O7DFBklplUI_AUn_suTjmbJM1nucqPiKkB/s640/blogger-image-224260415.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIJCr769jwkAgzLh3zR6uKQAbf6zHvOe839NJEPEASQCF1y0aE03p_ZzlrNpm_j_3wIa1UB7j1cyUfOstfK9RYuckxvCqZqRJhTOd7VzoEWw7Kzefb5UeYt_z-7Lvmy3zZB8-nPUDFro9K/s640/blogger-image-758139685.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIJCr769jwkAgzLh3zR6uKQAbf6zHvOe839NJEPEASQCF1y0aE03p_ZzlrNpm_j_3wIa1UB7j1cyUfOstfK9RYuckxvCqZqRJhTOd7VzoEWw7Kzefb5UeYt_z-7Lvmy3zZB8-nPUDFro9K/s640/blogger-image-758139685.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">We walked through the city and back to the market to get out lunch for the day - garlic cheese, duck salami, and fresh baked bread all from local markets. The cheese was one of the best things I've ever eaten; it was strong in flavor, but creamy and milky and paired perfectly with the salami. It was pretty cold out so we headed back to the beer wall to have some Brugge Zot with our lunch. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg25vVsDHg5VyyI0LXCyLS6qImiR6evEa_pJL5mOAGND9K2aApytmj5eMAaWzaLJk1NzB2qisJGLeQLd0qUCeurEuIUyHkWeAXD5OIVnj94vn3KBfWDA97LVG_l7AmFz4sMkft2fpksFcp3/s640/blogger-image--1614731250.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg25vVsDHg5VyyI0LXCyLS6qImiR6evEa_pJL5mOAGND9K2aApytmj5eMAaWzaLJk1NzB2qisJGLeQLd0qUCeurEuIUyHkWeAXD5OIVnj94vn3KBfWDA97LVG_l7AmFz4sMkft2fpksFcp3/s640/blogger-image--1614731250.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">We went back to the hotel to drop off our purchases and I booked the rest of our lodging for the trip. I'd like to highlight that I got 19 nights of hotel / hostel / airbnb for $744. That is crazy! We headed back out and found a little hole in the wall bar that let you taste beers. We started with recommendations from the bartender and Sara and I found some favorites - St. Bernardus and Troubadour. After we finished those, we did another sampler and found some more we liked. We even got a big bottle of the Bourgogne one, it was so tasty.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3XNSLdWCYtJHBv9piQi2GTYozj4LUn2ZM9csoXD0k2SsOJjZIemWPnNPdWs0IBI6NaHqGRmrhyphenhyphenFwvSKf6K4-biM0MFgHSdNU-TJgHJPqWy9j4q3wDzU8fy9rT6CLdgFu-sde_tQ_AbVaO/s640/blogger-image-758619001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3XNSLdWCYtJHBv9piQi2GTYozj4LUn2ZM9csoXD0k2SsOJjZIemWPnNPdWs0IBI6NaHqGRmrhyphenhyphenFwvSKf6K4-biM0MFgHSdNU-TJgHJPqWy9j4q3wDzU8fy9rT6CLdgFu-sde_tQ_AbVaO/s640/blogger-image-758619001.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCih3iZfRCiHjpg3ctlVbz2eqhmU1OcH1XDAFgWfHyXgRUNRL999nZEtMp7u_wAh09vDm31DdcUKUC4KPDMMh1kBhEfRvlsvLZhAF0dSDGLyF4jXZOV1MhSaCWJpVXZTjXXj_PYVCAiAv-/s640/blogger-image-48811913.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCih3iZfRCiHjpg3ctlVbz2eqhmU1OcH1XDAFgWfHyXgRUNRL999nZEtMp7u_wAh09vDm31DdcUKUC4KPDMMh1kBhEfRvlsvLZhAF0dSDGLyF4jXZOV1MhSaCWJpVXZTjXXj_PYVCAiAv-/s640/blogger-image-48811913.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">We finished there with a good little buzz and wanted to go back to the market to get some more presents and some more cheese. It was a Monday and we figured that the stores would be open later, but we were wrong. Everything was shut down. We barely made it into the Godiva to buy a handful of those truffles. All the little sausage vendors were closed and Sara and I were getting a little hangry. Every place was pricey and, when you're craving a 3 euro sausage, a 20+ euro steak doesn't sound the same. We finally settled in a place that had a three course meal for 22 euro. We ordered shrimp scampi and cheese croquettes for starters, both of us got steak and fries, and then we finished with a chocolate mousse and vanilla ice cream with chocolate sauce. This was a really good meal, and provably was a good deal, but Sara and I were bitter. Another time I've learned it's not a good thing to be that hungry when looking for food. It was our last night in Brugge and there was nothing left to do so we went back and packed up so we could leave early and head to Amsterdam mid morning the following day.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Brugge rose to the top if my list for amazing cities. I think there are two important factors that can affect my impression of a city; food and weather. We had a sunny day and some of my favorite foods at this trip. Plus I could have taken a million pictures here because it was that freaking cute. Everyone should travel to Brugge once in their life.</div></div></span></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02020731818578029433noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3431528991092771303.post-54250725456579128752013-11-26T09:03:00.001-08:002013-11-26T09:03:10.972-08:00Sara's here!After a little bit of worrying, Sara finally showed up at 9:45pm. If you remember from the last blog, her flight landed at 8pm and the train only takes 12 minutes, so I had imagined she was kidnapped and put into sex slavery. It's rough being my mothers daughter.<div><br></div><div>There was a pub crawl with the hostel so we quickly dropped her stuff off in the room with the guy still sleeping and went down for some shots and headed out. The great thing about Germany is that you can drink on the streets so we picked up a beer from the local store and walked over to the bar on the other side of the river. Shots and beers at this place and we chatted with a couple of people from the hostel. Tom was from Canada and had been traveling for quite some time. He was going to get his masters so he quit his job and was traveling. I was obviously calculating if he was Mr. Right for Amanda, but we didn't exchange email, Facebook, Instagram, etc. so we really will never know. There was also Emilio who was from Chile and in Germany to learn the language. We stayed at the first smokey bar for only a short time and then walked to an Irish Pub. As we walked up, we saw a sign that they had kareoke on Thursdays and, just our luck, it was a Thursday. We had a shot of Jameson and a Guinness and signed up for kareoke. Boy were we a hit. We selected Dance with Somebody by Whitney Houston and we had the whole bar singing along. Maybe we didn't have the whole bar, but there were three girls in front of us that were signing, so it felt like everyone was a part of it. <span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">After our amazing rendition of the song, there was not much else to do so we headed home.</span></div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjATCiZQZekAwFUfWqsggsafeNTDuNrZStnOuKkpcyXVDmk5GO4ql_PT5zghO9k1YnoCfTQC5ANicFJvis122kjL2HLz3mtiaEmjPPntz4IMLmZ9tPUe40ASb_U9gylP47VRyG5JAPz8VIP/s640/blogger-image--335274509.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjATCiZQZekAwFUfWqsggsafeNTDuNrZStnOuKkpcyXVDmk5GO4ql_PT5zghO9k1YnoCfTQC5ANicFJvis122kjL2HLz3mtiaEmjPPntz4IMLmZ9tPUe40ASb_U9gylP47VRyG5JAPz8VIP/s640/blogger-image--335274509.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div> The next day we set out to see the city. Fabulous Frankfurt! Unfortunately, this city is not fabulous whatsoever. We walked with Tom for about 3 hours and went all over looking for some redeeming quality. I was hoping for some market like in Munich or some Christmas Market like in Berlin, but there was nothing. Even finding a sausage for lunch was difficult. We came across Italian after Italian restaurant and, just when we were considering giving up and finding a coffee shop, we found a little fast food restaurant that served sausages. It was like 3 euro and tasted delicious. We only got one picture from the long walk because it such a mediocre city. </div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOi6wmiqzeI97UYOx-XPArOxbjN2cGJzA5IMDgcEjl6sZOBdHeDXNA3Z_TD1pHxsDhg5wiejtt5dRes3PgdD085Mo0HyoEcdtrRgiTcdGleguzIRTRbHyknHAu6OKS6287LeNDD2QuUekl/s640/blogger-image--1865789099.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOi6wmiqzeI97UYOx-XPArOxbjN2cGJzA5IMDgcEjl6sZOBdHeDXNA3Z_TD1pHxsDhg5wiejtt5dRes3PgdD085Mo0HyoEcdtrRgiTcdGleguzIRTRbHyknHAu6OKS6287LeNDD2QuUekl/s640/blogger-image--1865789099.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div><br></div><div>I wish we would have caught a train right then and there to the next city, but we decided to take advantage of the downtime and go see the new Hunger Games movie. We found out the time the movie would be playing in English and relaxed in the hostel until then. We made our way to the theater and settled in. Luckily, the theater was barely even half filled so we had choice middle of the row, middle of the theater seats. Right as we were getting into the movie and Katniss displays her skill to the games people the lights go full bright and the screen goes black and reads PAUSE. What the hell? Sara and I were dying of laughter, but everyone else got up to use the restroom and grab more snacks. Apparently, this is entirely normal for them. After the movie (by the way, it's an awesome movie, go check it out!) we were starving for dinner and it was absolutely freezing out. We found a restaurant near the theater that was in a castle tower. It looked a bit kitschy, but it actually was really good. Sara and I each got a salad - the first fresh veggies I've had all trip - and then split a flat bread covered in cream cheese, olives, and peppercinis. We paired with a nice big glass of wine that was quite tasty. I was so happy to have a salad that I couldn't resist snapping a photo. Look at the tomatos, corn, cucumber, mushrooms, greens, and peppers! </div><div><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLsRcugWwlZdQ5fxRAHcqWTMQ6r5hyphenhyphenALQOeTkvvu9KuOKFT8Lt4TEF6d8DgKZlslRMfQfWnbDE3GVoJxASWEXmcGG3W8G6TH7GxQjoTfMDyRJ011JN_pUv_gOrFWHdSYKwHgelAH4x1hKD/s640/blogger-image--1186547788.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLsRcugWwlZdQ5fxRAHcqWTMQ6r5hyphenhyphenALQOeTkvvu9KuOKFT8Lt4TEF6d8DgKZlslRMfQfWnbDE3GVoJxASWEXmcGG3W8G6TH7GxQjoTfMDyRJ011JN_pUv_gOrFWHdSYKwHgelAH4x1hKD/s640/blogger-image--1186547788.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">We headed back to the hostel and grabbed a bottle of wine and chocolate wafers on the way. We went down to the movie room, but two couples had already commandeered the tv with some mid 90s zombie movie. I couldn't help but miss Colin and his strange selection of movies. We eventually couldn't take the movie and went upstairs to see Tom, Emilio, and some other guy from India in the lobby. We talked with them for a bit and then headed up to pack to leave the next morning. Thank god. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Frankfurt is my least favorite city ever. I think even less than a random ghost town my dad made our family visit when we were little kids. I guess I got decent food, and did get to see Catching Fire, but other than it facilitating as a meeting point for Sara and I, it was completely unforgettable. </div></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02020731818578029433noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3431528991092771303.post-68845238128680162372013-11-24T05:35:00.001-08:002013-11-24T05:35:06.412-08:00The lonely traveler<div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">So, my first official solo travel day was on and I got to the train station for my 7:10 train to Munich. I activated my eurail pass and waited for my train to arrive. The train station in Budapest was really pretty so I attempted to get an artsy shot. It turned out alright..</span></div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjidrHnIJggpRV_tZgLxP1uwTO_xNn-00owba424aBuHaN0cu22pBKrizgEWiUdOYwT_CCLJhonoPt4lkNHSb3ZjECltbxYKkR54QBmK_GiyXZXl6X8NF3xeYlVr5AHLqB3SJZj3DGig7yp/s640/blogger-image-1638180237.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjidrHnIJggpRV_tZgLxP1uwTO_xNn-00owba424aBuHaN0cu22pBKrizgEWiUdOYwT_CCLJhonoPt4lkNHSb3ZjECltbxYKkR54QBmK_GiyXZXl6X8NF3xeYlVr5AHLqB3SJZj3DGig7yp/s640/blogger-image-1638180237.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Hours later, seven to be exact, I arrived in Munich and made my way to the hostel. As you either know me or have gotten to know me through this blog, you will know that I love to eat and some times I either like or dislike a city based on food. At this point, I had only eaten a banana and a pretzel because I was too nervous to leave my bag on the train and not hungry enough to eat the food off the cart passing by. I was starving, but figured I would get settled in first before eating. I found the hostel, checked in, and went to my room to meet my roommates and get started seeing the city. When I got to my room, there was a girl sleeping so I quickly went downstairs and decided to tour about by myself. That's what people do when traveling alone, right? I walked outside and headed where I thought the big beer hall where Oktoberfest is held. After about 25 minutes of walking and getting hollered at, I decided to make my way back to the hostel and go the other direction. I found a populated pedestrian area and wondered around. There were tons of shops so I did what any other lonely person would do and bought myself some new tops at H&M and a Longchamp purse at some high end store. The reason behind the purse purchase was that I had nothing big to hold all my belongings and ended up having about a million things in my hand while on the train. I decided the purse purchase was more for safety than anything else and justified the 78 euros. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">By the time I got back to the hostel, I was really hungry but the girl was still sleeping. It was at least 6pm by this point so I went to the computer room and did some reading and texting. This room was absolutely silent and it was so uncomfortable. I went there hoping someone would be heading to the hostels happy hour, but no one was going and I wasn't going to be the jerk to break the silence. Finally, I got a cough attack and had to run to the bar to get some water. There were three girls sitting nearby so I got a beer and went over to chat with them. Most awkward experience of my life. I said, 'hi, I just got here and am traveling by myself so I wanted to say hello'. Crickets. I felt like how a guy must feel when he walks up to a group of girls and gets shot down. They were Italian travel agents and were just checking out the hostel. Very quickly, they excused themselves to go do more travel agenty type things and I was left standing by myself. I turned around and scanned the crowd to see if I had enough courage to walk up to anyone else. I didn't. I sat at the bar by myself and ordered a half liter of beer hoping someone would reach out to me. Another half liter, still by myself. I think the bartender felt sorry for me because she made some conversation in between pouring 2 euro half liters of beer. Finally, a guy walks up with a very American accent and I struck up a conversation. We chatted for a bit and exchanged our travel stories. He had been traveling for a couple months and was going to be finishing up in a few weeks. We were both hungry, so we decided we'd meet at 8:30 (10 minutes from then) to go grab some curry wurst at a stand nearby for dinner. I went up to grab my coat, used the bathroom and was back downstairs at 8:28. For the next 15 minutes I stood there trying to not make eye contact with the bartender who really felt sorry for me now. He never showed. Nothing makes you more homesick than feeling completely alone in city you've never been to before. I texted Colin and he facetimed me and quickly made me feel at home and told me I wasn't a total loser. True love.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">I went to the room and, this time, the roommates were in there and we exchanged stories for the day. Right away, my luck changed when one of the girls announced she was from Oakland. It's so strange to be thousands of miles away and sharing a room with a girl who lives about 15 miles away from me. We made plans for the next day to go tour about. We checked out of the hostel and went to a nearby market. The girl ordered a sausage and a beer and I followed suit. Breakfast of champions. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOuDlZiD-lBCvD_5mKAhcqpHSJqBLp0IgWikeCpLCbUtFNga4jQieFqtdveWF8OAdRO-6uCsWAxlpcGK9e8oIBt3MJ1Szsn_XlpJeSHDphMQz6vY7byI5IU3YEFUGPAWZP0ZtJxbPSs8c9/s640/blogger-image--185872095.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOuDlZiD-lBCvD_5mKAhcqpHSJqBLp0IgWikeCpLCbUtFNga4jQieFqtdveWF8OAdRO-6uCsWAxlpcGK9e8oIBt3MJ1Szsn_XlpJeSHDphMQz6vY7byI5IU3YEFUGPAWZP0ZtJxbPSs8c9/s640/blogger-image--185872095.jpg"></a></div><br></div>I considered doing a walking tour that she had taken the day before, but, when we passed a cheese shop, we decided to do our own tour of the city. We were still full from our sausage and beer, but decided we'd have a picnic in the English garden (Munich's version of Central Park) with wine, cheese and bread. We had heard there was a place in the park where people surf along the creek so we wanted to check it out. We walked and walked and saw the water, but not surfers. The park was so pretty and it felt great to be walking around.</div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuHDOwSI14-a-u2tdE0-uCjmug1hlFhBzlJKzjC_PQfcQLalrEfLESf9TbeohkeJNRXvjVd5oyMucl6j4t8FvEU5hu49E6Za9ztXvC6DlPoaoIO9Fv92Jw9pZKJzbEL4AS_SsStHvWpp4t/s640/blogger-image--417959674.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuHDOwSI14-a-u2tdE0-uCjmug1hlFhBzlJKzjC_PQfcQLalrEfLESf9TbeohkeJNRXvjVd5oyMucl6j4t8FvEU5hu49E6Za9ztXvC6DlPoaoIO9Fv92Jw9pZKJzbEL4AS_SsStHvWpp4t/s640/blogger-image--417959674.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh589dQdg2yhTRRe3IctbZc7EDEzzByCK5IAHV916X2Jhs1WopP3tFygb4INbhyeSLSRCtSUbuTxgX9_lcZzrPcCPtSzU6WJjnsBlWckp6VXznWolA3nrwJHdAq227JtxN5U1vimC_RLfF0/s640/blogger-image-1450786437.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh589dQdg2yhTRRe3IctbZc7EDEzzByCK5IAHV916X2Jhs1WopP3tFygb4INbhyeSLSRCtSUbuTxgX9_lcZzrPcCPtSzU6WJjnsBlWckp6VXznWolA3nrwJHdAq227JtxN5U1vimC_RLfF0/s640/blogger-image-1450786437.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">After walking for about an hour and not finding the surfers, we stopped a couple women who spoke English and asked them where we could find the surfers. They were heading there as well so we walked together. We ended up exactly where we started and there weren't any surfers. It wasn't a total bust because we covered a good distance and got to see some great sights. The girl from Oakland told me some of the stuff she learned on the walking tour, like BMW stands for Bavarian Motor Works and the logo is the Bavarian flag. Didn't know that before and I bet you didn't either. We got to a courtyard and there were a couple lion statues by a gate that were supposed to bring good luck if you rub their noses. As we stood there, many locals rubbed their noses too, so it must be true. <div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt5UrB7HIpt2gF-_8H33YC_bNMO_fjlBy0kb5YIXsyE1PnCVl5EzaW9vEDRjL-8seeW7rOqJWXd82l3VHriVuLofTR0r9zr48_7hdJyYSydMRfLyXivJzonVGg5QcMEq-QgTAnCcAr-nVB/s640/blogger-image-652424376.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt5UrB7HIpt2gF-_8H33YC_bNMO_fjlBy0kb5YIXsyE1PnCVl5EzaW9vEDRjL-8seeW7rOqJWXd82l3VHriVuLofTR0r9zr48_7hdJyYSydMRfLyXivJzonVGg5QcMEq-QgTAnCcAr-nVB/s640/blogger-image-652424376.jpg"></a></div></div><br></div><div>We visited a church that is described as a banana because it is yellow on the inside and white on the inside. It was a really pretty and different than the other Notre Dame style churches I have seen everywhere else on my trip.</div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYZ6BWyT_D0LY9-W5r9rWEw-vDCA-j_EhUhyphenhyphensX6bbWKruS3JmFEL2wdRpE83ukArLMUWbd2qA8FYrHmUxM33SdLkwBPssGFtZ0MZK33Xcu5B8bkCQ56WYERb2sBZ-isE7wx_fXVVe9QIdX/s640/blogger-image-15385490.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYZ6BWyT_D0LY9-W5r9rWEw-vDCA-j_EhUhyphenhyphensX6bbWKruS3JmFEL2wdRpE83ukArLMUWbd2qA8FYrHmUxM33SdLkwBPssGFtZ0MZK33Xcu5B8bkCQ56WYERb2sBZ-isE7wx_fXVVe9QIdX/s640/blogger-image-15385490.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3Qj7DwhsBGQgzxucyRI8zznc0Q6EMbUUW_jGLQoTKrVGzz95pBAnm-7vsc1WRRUkwaY63s_IfhB4oSzSm_c3XthyphenhyphenT-XandPE4MTRY8IRtgtC2D7RFhYNbCxnEx5ePdPXUaK9iwu-hEL05/s640/blogger-image-393684330.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3Qj7DwhsBGQgzxucyRI8zznc0Q6EMbUUW_jGLQoTKrVGzz95pBAnm-7vsc1WRRUkwaY63s_IfhB4oSzSm_c3XthyphenhyphenT-XandPE4MTRY8IRtgtC2D7RFhYNbCxnEx5ePdPXUaK9iwu-hEL05/s640/blogger-image-393684330.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div>We went back to the market area and had our picnic. The wine I got was delicious - red wine from Spain - and the cheese was delicious too. I found a place that sold apple streusel and had to stop for a little sweet treat for the train later. </div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9m93AeTkSXFgIfGLAGfd71bERJkgQMvjEAI1Yzfv1vFpRnS6b-PCicaxQb5ckHmXy2oQvNmQ0YtkuRlYE_LAdTcQ7YSXCDDiMyfXNiVuyN2FxoTxDDPr7smF6u9UO5x62k_q-QVsSgyva/s640/blogger-image-1284137203.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9m93AeTkSXFgIfGLAGfd71bERJkgQMvjEAI1Yzfv1vFpRnS6b-PCicaxQb5ckHmXy2oQvNmQ0YtkuRlYE_LAdTcQ7YSXCDDiMyfXNiVuyN2FxoTxDDPr7smF6u9UO5x62k_q-QVsSgyva/s640/blogger-image-1284137203.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div>The Oakland girl suggested we get a curry wurst just to round out our German lunch experience so we found a vendor and grabbed some. Yummy. It's chopped sausage with a sauce similar to BBQ sauce and then topped with curry powder. It's a subtle flavor that is really tasty. It's served with bread on the side. She explained that some places sell them with French fries and those are quite a treat. I've noted that for the future. </div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgakh7hMCJxHKn8y85M-CiW8ZXKFF8iPgNBa3VL9WwRHg0x3sHdXc5XgKD7cMDLk5TwxMwpQLu9nVaT9pZsH-si9HFf-cOgy6ALOYza7_qXJuI7YXMleXzUZaBk0x5KS5IImgm2c-Rx4Tj7/s640/blogger-image--1796500752.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgakh7hMCJxHKn8y85M-CiW8ZXKFF8iPgNBa3VL9WwRHg0x3sHdXc5XgKD7cMDLk5TwxMwpQLu9nVaT9pZsH-si9HFf-cOgy6ALOYza7_qXJuI7YXMleXzUZaBk0x5KS5IImgm2c-Rx4Tj7/s640/blogger-image--1796500752.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div>We were walking back to catch our trains when she saw a vendor selling sheets crispy pork skin. What can I say, this girl loved food. And she was skinny. Bitch. Just kidding. She got 100g of crispy pork skin and gave me a piece. It's like pork reins but fresh. So delicious, but so rich and fattening. We got to the train station and I managed to miss 2 trains going to Frankfurt. I even got on one train that the information booth person told me to get on and, luckily, realized it was wrong before the train left. I didn't make a reservation so I walked and walked down the train until I found an empty seat. I had to switch seats at each stop because they kept getting reserved. Talk about stressful. </div><div><br></div><div>This was a couple of days where I learned a fair amount by myself. I rely heavily on being around people. Although I wouldn't love more days of being shot down by people, I wish I had a few more days to overcome this awful fear of mine. It is so pathetic constantly depending on people. I'm happy I had these days, survived them, and can share them with you to be able to laugh at my insecurities. </div><div><br></div><div>Erin </div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02020731818578029433noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3431528991092771303.post-88592670567553653672013-11-22T05:32:00.001-08:002013-11-22T05:32:23.409-08:00BudapestThe Contiki group was onto its final stop, Budapest. I was most looking forward to the city from everything I had heard. Our tour manager who has been to pretty much everywhere said it was her favorite city so I was ready for it. The drive from Vienna isn't too long so we made a pit stop in Slovakia at a town called Brataslava. You might recall from the movie Eurotrip when they end up in a town and scrounge up their money, a whopping $1.50 or so and end up living like kings. Well, it wasn't exactly like that. But it was really pretty. Every street is so picturesque and even the graffiti is nice to look at. We went up to the castle, which should really just be called a big house and then ended with a wholesome meal at McDonalds. <div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeIuPD2q-w1eSbzj0p_YYRCJIBYAqNEQb35bC8PESGjy55gGPo-dqq976Ndu1sjLVTdXpR7U0_QllemHlPCnWxJoq2SgqsK8V1nBLjyuyoH2nIDf46emACmj0FMgvERUI61dAHZpGw6rFc/s640/blogger-image--721965288.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeIuPD2q-w1eSbzj0p_YYRCJIBYAqNEQb35bC8PESGjy55gGPo-dqq976Ndu1sjLVTdXpR7U0_QllemHlPCnWxJoq2SgqsK8V1nBLjyuyoH2nIDf46emACmj0FMgvERUI61dAHZpGw6rFc/s640/blogger-image--721965288.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSVNcmHufNsqan1pb8Yr6xB9dDOpB7oHcDugt8ycmDPYZ0O4BWZ4QQzeSl_9HKDBI1Tp_aKXjZhOUyfooKgZpmEmlkjCJkKCx53KvXuKH4XVqhPve6Dp_UOR3TXgsl4J9U2rRJ3vXnAHzN/s640/blogger-image--2002944209.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSVNcmHufNsqan1pb8Yr6xB9dDOpB7oHcDugt8ycmDPYZ0O4BWZ4QQzeSl_9HKDBI1Tp_aKXjZhOUyfooKgZpmEmlkjCJkKCx53KvXuKH4XVqhPve6Dp_UOR3TXgsl4J9U2rRJ3vXnAHzN/s640/blogger-image--2002944209.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">We got to Budapest in the evening and I was experiencing peak Contiki cough. It was a free night so we went to a restaurant near the hotel and had goulash over Hungarian pasta. It was delicious. Hearty, warm and felt like a home cooked meal. By the time we were done with dinner, everyone went back and crashed at the hotel. We had an early tour of the Parliament building the next day. The parliament is one of the nicest in Europe. Over 40 kilograms, maybe it was only 20, of gold went into the making of the building. The tour was brief and the inside is really beautiful and it gave us a break from the cold, damp weather. Here are some shots of the Parliament building.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIyK_hxzHVwSM0G6ysemVcnyG4FT1e_k8Ov4mLyV4F-_CDgkAzRPpIPWF00FQFMRjtMqUnPQExqmz1IgmrjH-8qfz0kKfltbN9JiYPZC9vcoMOpYArGZm_bixxfS1GzMS8pfgiyN8YDUSm/s640/blogger-image-1038588917.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIyK_hxzHVwSM0G6ysemVcnyG4FT1e_k8Ov4mLyV4F-_CDgkAzRPpIPWF00FQFMRjtMqUnPQExqmz1IgmrjH-8qfz0kKfltbN9JiYPZC9vcoMOpYArGZm_bixxfS1GzMS8pfgiyN8YDUSm/s640/blogger-image-1038588917.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkQ1asZzwB4APQ9hiAWdJJ9jabzi_6mnlm3Dy553lvS1Ei25lO0Nx0evcTYFdTFrxY6Yy_7J8IHH-tBveT6sqFvXW1w2wZ3VpHE81qE9l1mWGVX-wDS9YtNZ1Tl7QEwW1-aqqHxH_qzPT0/s640/blogger-image--2097827340.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkQ1asZzwB4APQ9hiAWdJJ9jabzi_6mnlm3Dy553lvS1Ei25lO0Nx0evcTYFdTFrxY6Yy_7J8IHH-tBveT6sqFvXW1w2wZ3VpHE81qE9l1mWGVX-wDS9YtNZ1Tl7QEwW1-aqqHxH_qzPT0/s640/blogger-image--2097827340.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLo2g1S9KDzL6tj2z7HD2nRK-MMRbRt8iHReqWrvHs5Tzs_WzTWXbkeg3fVqi7J7cJGyBm8biFFuPpu58j1BC_J1WcUcVGVa-LfM38D6s_kj-QjvzkxvPUQzsO62mUPABI2VMLCRoSxbZ0/s640/blogger-image--359933049.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLo2g1S9KDzL6tj2z7HD2nRK-MMRbRt8iHReqWrvHs5Tzs_WzTWXbkeg3fVqi7J7cJGyBm8biFFuPpu58j1BC_J1WcUcVGVa-LfM38D6s_kj-QjvzkxvPUQzsO62mUPABI2VMLCRoSxbZ0/s640/blogger-image--359933049.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL5D-l1v3-6qfXkjB2Qorge7QT1RDbSa6BxTye0A82A5lUYn-4ScHGKdKvGE3yRFRir0G09fh4J6PIQ-NhyphenhyphenkSnTmEQnrqrHHAyuCsytQPIg8h9rdgoPF1d27l1OrbpzqluRyGnJdP1E7QO/s640/blogger-image--1198481980.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL5D-l1v3-6qfXkjB2Qorge7QT1RDbSa6BxTye0A82A5lUYn-4ScHGKdKvGE3yRFRir0G09fh4J6PIQ-NhyphenhyphenkSnTmEQnrqrHHAyuCsytQPIg8h9rdgoPF1d27l1OrbpzqluRyGnJdP1E7QO/s640/blogger-image--1198481980.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">From there, we went towards castle hill and spent a few minutes up there. Unfortunately, it was raining so we quickly found shelter in a coffee shop. Super random, but in met this old couple who were originally from San Francisco and moved to Amador county. My biggest regret of the trip - they were Giants season ticket holders and I didn't even give them my business card to get some tickets. Idiot! I was able to snap some quick photos before we moved along. Plus, I found this pervy karma sutra bottle of alcohol that I had to get a picture of. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg24wUCQZpZWetQdj2MLPdb61f0RcGblQoSuheVfkHrYMHHPTrGlgzeibYKm6nwWHD44rLqlDL4K4YHaB-dcg_7kYu2bB6wqHHNecYHzdvdmohx8rlk4KTHHvWu2_3yEjzoXj4hWgx1bxwO/s640/blogger-image-10173936.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg24wUCQZpZWetQdj2MLPdb61f0RcGblQoSuheVfkHrYMHHPTrGlgzeibYKm6nwWHD44rLqlDL4K4YHaB-dcg_7kYu2bB6wqHHNecYHzdvdmohx8rlk4KTHHvWu2_3yEjzoXj4hWgx1bxwO/s640/blogger-image-10173936.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxTYwmN9o124HPH_jdxy3kQis-MxDx8OJgFDqjWyWCuoo3Xzj36X60zaaPQNFU-cl_0UhhKwOBVEi1lP1V_M-9Ixl8NwHoxDO0LEeEoohNV-GfhAQSjVqJAVL-P1VpmF5i2y3EG5GeedW3/s640/blogger-image-1809844170.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxTYwmN9o124HPH_jdxy3kQis-MxDx8OJgFDqjWyWCuoo3Xzj36X60zaaPQNFU-cl_0UhhKwOBVEi1lP1V_M-9Ixl8NwHoxDO0LEeEoohNV-GfhAQSjVqJAVL-P1VpmF5i2y3EG5GeedW3/s640/blogger-image-1809844170.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">We went further up the hill to the lookout area. Supposedly, it is the best view of the city during the day. Our luck, it was completely foggy and we had little visibility. I'll take their word for it. Even standing in front of their lady liberty was difficult to see.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIeukwRKOCtpAuM67s4GnYM_IPWqjVKJxM94SqJU5522xGwj9OOLu_v0yeTaiQmo2-zeKj5fCzbhMEaKoWUjxnM9s36lyv0cmtcaH1eDr19Of2Dh6IUETtOzrG_lY247qeMskKgGpI8veB/s640/blogger-image-807223139.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIeukwRKOCtpAuM67s4GnYM_IPWqjVKJxM94SqJU5522xGwj9OOLu_v0yeTaiQmo2-zeKj5fCzbhMEaKoWUjxnM9s36lyv0cmtcaH1eDr19Of2Dh6IUETtOzrG_lY247qeMskKgGpI8veB/s640/blogger-image-807223139.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitT8Pf0ni5vEgaiXWxsMOlxn7uY6zSItBPglMIPuvZ1YvIoHDyox9RPXbxXAbTGCMFfntgVLUvXXPVxX5jbmijcXUhTLB8LrRR0DhyNC6pgmgRxIv7QlQ0_zsAnzDuYFv0guw4ai3n7-Xy/s640/blogger-image-1612174950.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitT8Pf0ni5vEgaiXWxsMOlxn7uY6zSItBPglMIPuvZ1YvIoHDyox9RPXbxXAbTGCMFfntgVLUvXXPVxX5jbmijcXUhTLB8LrRR0DhyNC6pgmgRxIv7QlQ0_zsAnzDuYFv0guw4ai3n7-Xy/s640/blogger-image-1612174950.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">I'm very disappointed to say that during our free time, I went to the hotel and slept. I did not go to the thermal baths like everyone recommends, I just tried to get better. It was our last night, so I wanted to make the most of it and sleeping was my only way to do that. Our farewell send off was on a river cruise with some tasty food and wine. Budapest at night is so beautiful it needs to be visited at least once. It is so breathtaking and all the buildings are lit up to look like gold. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ-FRuInzRDR0cODDi0RlvXhNowlQcWDxv7vaRSxiy-UH7PjP4BCnxEvnPelyAkBBttaoK3zVcmNLyUtL7OXSgpIqbZ2GJiLl5koEiICH2yabh1zp8_3EsbNm__X3-82xZtKQFlGDL07dj/s640/blogger-image--1627514866.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ-FRuInzRDR0cODDi0RlvXhNowlQcWDxv7vaRSxiy-UH7PjP4BCnxEvnPelyAkBBttaoK3zVcmNLyUtL7OXSgpIqbZ2GJiLl5koEiICH2yabh1zp8_3EsbNm__X3-82xZtKQFlGDL07dj/s640/blogger-image--1627514866.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-fBjUk3ahJOddakjreQP3ZKf5w0XmMHyuLbTQ8UsU-C3848wcFtlpLQMTRHbZWf3NCrqFyBcoLWh3zQw7lwU1ku9UrolvnReiSn_5vagp_5MiRaX6x4BIN_qpPm0tXTSMouUlgfYo8Vrj/s640/blogger-image-2114922905.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-fBjUk3ahJOddakjreQP3ZKf5w0XmMHyuLbTQ8UsU-C3848wcFtlpLQMTRHbZWf3NCrqFyBcoLWh3zQw7lwU1ku9UrolvnReiSn_5vagp_5MiRaX6x4BIN_qpPm0tXTSMouUlgfYo8Vrj/s640/blogger-image-2114922905.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf1WxCbuWa8cehSsNCUTMYu9IFbyXE3B4Oxn2ZuaUV5pZ-i7xTM_sKoWKoaByDZSRW23C7aF5XBhZwRIuGfYz85QM7oIgIybM7eX3x9V0G6mzzGSYjQIepoM593PbXRE7hV_IRtc_VZEyP/s640/blogger-image-1452743637.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf1WxCbuWa8cehSsNCUTMYu9IFbyXE3B4Oxn2ZuaUV5pZ-i7xTM_sKoWKoaByDZSRW23C7aF5XBhZwRIuGfYz85QM7oIgIybM7eX3x9V0G6mzzGSYjQIepoM593PbXRE7hV_IRtc_VZEyP/s640/blogger-image-1452743637.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">After the boat tour, there were some left over bottles of wine so I did what any smart person would do and I crammed them in my jacket. 4 bottles in total, only 3 could fit in the pic. I am the definition of lush. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuz8umsQYup8VTaWpb4tOsefT2EPFqesOYbOSVXrQxNC0LQ6ns4QVixVpVQDyuXtL846xNG7TtRvAUMephjARQwx8R_-YlkzGyu5rNMDNE7DMZDambR1PVwyB-ShWGerYcap_wKZsqUEZy/s640/blogger-image-175076680.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuz8umsQYup8VTaWpb4tOsefT2EPFqesOYbOSVXrQxNC0LQ6ns4QVixVpVQDyuXtL846xNG7TtRvAUMephjARQwx8R_-YlkzGyu5rNMDNE7DMZDambR1PVwyB-ShWGerYcap_wKZsqUEZy/s640/blogger-image-175076680.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Our last bus ride was so bittersweet. It was our last time so we played our day song, couch potato or something like that, and our wake up song, Wake me up by Avicii. Still, when I hear it, I think it's time for me to get going. Everyone was singing and dancing and taking pictures. As if we don't have enough photos together, Kristy, Brianna, and I got one last one. It's weird how you can only know people for 10 days, but you feel like you have known them forever. I cannot wait to travel to Australia and New York to see those girls again. Oh, and Texas, I can't forget Lisa. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-9o1GZm8fi0L81C2YgW-vls4lTjp-6o1LDbxRJrwx5q7Hm81pnwyKoj8LnOg2xmXQ0Eg0n1ntKHXknmEzQyW9EBt3MAmWO4_g71VlZeRgn9owzNWAVBeXnJFzcObaND3ImDx1GbRYo-GJ/s640/blogger-image--1597728873.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-9o1GZm8fi0L81C2YgW-vls4lTjp-6o1LDbxRJrwx5q7Hm81pnwyKoj8LnOg2xmXQ0Eg0n1ntKHXknmEzQyW9EBt3MAmWO4_g71VlZeRgn9owzNWAVBeXnJFzcObaND3ImDx1GbRYo-GJ/s640/blogger-image--1597728873.jpg"></a></div><br></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>We finished our last night together at a bar that was quite interesting. For starters, the toilets were holes in the ground and there were grab bars for us to hold onto. I guess I haven't seen everything. Then, they sell carrots. Like whole, peeled carrots. So strange. Plus, the people that work there are not the smartest bunch. I am in the middle of pulling a wine bottle out of my jacket and Brianna is holding one when some security guy (if you can call him that) stops us and asks us where we got our wine. Without missing a beat, Brianna responds that we got it at the first bar, but we didn't get glasses. He inspects the bottle and I'm waiting to be kicked out when he says, 'I'm so sorry. Please forgive me for stopping you. There are glasses over there and please enjoy your night.' Brianna and I looked at each other and nearly died. This bar also had some great mixed cocktails. They muddled lime with ice so it was like a vodka soda slushy. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">After a bit, not sure if I could say what time, the three of us headed back. By the morning, both of them were gone and I met up with a girl from Contiki,<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"> Laura </span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">who is a Canadian who quit her job and has been traveling since August or September. We spent the day relaxing and then got dimmer with the 11 remaining people from the tour at a Vietnamese restaurant. It wasn't as good as Sunflower back home, but it was comforting. Most of my time in Budapest was in the hotel room, but I got to see it at night, so I can't complain too much.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><br></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">Already missing my Contiki friends...</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><br></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">Erin </span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"> </span></div><br></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02020731818578029433noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3431528991092771303.post-50525987509624646902013-11-22T04:43:00.001-08:002013-11-22T04:43:15.221-08:00WeinSo Contiki is over and I'm officially touring Europe by myself. Maybe I shouldn't be so dramatic. Sara gets here tomorrow so I only have about 30 hours in total of being by myself; 7 of which are on a train to Munich, so it's really not a big deal. I've caught the Contiki cough so I'm a couple cities behind on blogging. <div><br></div><div>We finished up Prague and made our way to Vienna or, Wein, as all the signs say. On the way we made a couple of stops that were not life changing, but I figured I'd note them as a caution to not waste time stopping in them. The first was in a place called Kurna Hora where there is a church filled with over 40,000 human bones. Apparently, some monk went a little crazy when he was told to make more room in a cemetery for more dead bodies. He thought the best way would be to dig up the bodies and decorate his church. Wouldn't we all? </div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7El14CqH5y_uz5_Pahx4QglFCNZiXyXqsHPrdfaqOU578eIcchx67TGuBF3tnSkD3obE-FF6W6G_NoLxNM9lKycX8ajQCsv-b9UBeS9w4WW3pE1gfdw3c9T3qWx08gzbdcjHhyXyxgjig/s640/blogger-image--8171904.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7El14CqH5y_uz5_Pahx4QglFCNZiXyXqsHPrdfaqOU578eIcchx67TGuBF3tnSkD3obE-FF6W6G_NoLxNM9lKycX8ajQCsv-b9UBeS9w4WW3pE1gfdw3c9T3qWx08gzbdcjHhyXyxgjig/s640/blogger-image--8171904.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0W32bzIhdYKkEFfG9R_0zyhAXp_Jey4I0OcV-qK95EkF3eZ6v_k8fU8U2BJkY9p70ps6L2KZbVPJKUp4qGy7IUacB7POgJfoN8YqYrHN4RrrVRlSgsiI3M-0gyyv66-eWAZd5POVy_wWk/s640/blogger-image--1002567710.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0W32bzIhdYKkEFfG9R_0zyhAXp_Jey4I0OcV-qK95EkF3eZ6v_k8fU8U2BJkY9p70ps6L2KZbVPJKUp4qGy7IUacB7POgJfoN8YqYrHN4RrrVRlSgsiI3M-0gyyv66-eWAZd5POVy_wWk/s640/blogger-image--1002567710.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Now, you have also seen all there is to see in Kutna Hora! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">After the bone church, made our second rest stop in the middle of nowhere that has a strip mall and some play area including a very large dragon and a restaurant inside a jet plane. It was quite awkward because we finally sat down at a restaurant that was entirely in German and the waitress did not speak English, so we had a Mexican stand off when it came to ordering food. Finally we told her to walk away and made it to another restaurant where we ordered pizza. After a couple hours there, we were all ready to get to a normal city with English speaking people. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">We got to Vienna that evening and made our way to a local restaurant. The options were fish, schnitzel, and a vegetarian risotto. Our tour manager, Danielle, cautioned us that our dinner Saturday night would include schnitzel, so we should try something else. Kristy and I decided to get schnitzel and risotto to give us some variety. How bad could Austrian risotto be, anyway? The table even had a debate on how hard / easy it was to make risotto and we determined they had to do it alright. The schnitzel came out and was pretty dry, but is still a thin piece of deep fried breaded chicken, when you look at the ingredients. All in all, I can't say I hated it, especially when the risotto came out. When the dish picture below was placed in front of me, I was speechless. What the shit was this? Seriously, check it out.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3lt5Bjlp7yaKO42lqGspn4EbK-nvRSme5xddyD34AS-3WTCzNpOY_CGb2pQR8NHYMV9L8ROhJv1C4PQ5zrnLLncgxpX0Y3_fP0x2H79h0YSqzsogOYMQbaUdU_B86UEbFwGPoKB-_0alR/s640/blogger-image--1115316194.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3lt5Bjlp7yaKO42lqGspn4EbK-nvRSme5xddyD34AS-3WTCzNpOY_CGb2pQR8NHYMV9L8ROhJv1C4PQ5zrnLLncgxpX0Y3_fP0x2H79h0YSqzsogOYMQbaUdU_B86UEbFwGPoKB-_0alR/s640/blogger-image--1115316194.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Talk about presentation. The 'rice' part of the meal was sort of a gummy barley type substance. The sauce (didn't know risotto had sauce...) was like a can of chef boyardee. There were only actually about 3 pieces of vegetables in the entire dish. It was a disappointment to say the least. Even the chocolate cake they served at the end was nothing special; a dry, dense piece of cake topped with tangy whipped cream. <span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">The group was beginning to get sick, so most everyone took it easy that night. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">The next day, we did a walking tour of Vienna and learned all about the Hapsburgs who are THE family of Vienna. They have a huge palace in the downtown area that is absolutely gorgeous. And, it's only their winter home. We went to their summer home later that evening. The city is so beautiful and has older architecture. I just realized all the pictures I took are on Kristy's camera, so you'll have to take my word for it. After the tour, we headed to Swarovsky, which began in Austria. They gave us a tour and then set us free to shop. I ended up getting a necklace for myself and an Xmas present for someone special. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5ppULEpeAbdhkHXFsKCrSyHeyqeez7ViTP6uRWeaICPfUlmBnWgZ12fmal7fyHhfmFaxdyLLRvYrPd7tq6G9d-Nm2-lh3YHeuPOxhKEdrLTS9grENnyLchk3QmrHdpvdwNLH93yq5bVek/s640/blogger-image--397792272.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5ppULEpeAbdhkHXFsKCrSyHeyqeez7ViTP6uRWeaICPfUlmBnWgZ12fmal7fyHhfmFaxdyLLRvYrPd7tq6G9d-Nm2-lh3YHeuPOxhKEdrLTS9grENnyLchk3QmrHdpvdwNLH93yq5bVek/s640/blogger-image--397792272.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">Kristy, Brianna, and I continued our day doing the most stereo typical things in Vienna. You might have heard of the famous Sacher Torte and Viennese coffee? We had it. Pics with Swarovsky bags, Sacher Torte, and coffee are also on Kristy's camera. We walked around the city and found the Mozart statue and then another Christmas market. By the way, I'm obsessed with Christmas markets now.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><br></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOLRcRuHDWdKMVvIlfITB_Q3bHe70_fVOGOHQLuECtNNZ6SAGNoQgHLEgHhoCHTGgIJHzX4JURJKEVuzKoumYHnP2yCqbzQXTDt-2Vj2XKZfGTfsKOpifjV8dSq0TJfOOBOfOctufDGlSZ/s640/blogger-image--1937091759.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOLRcRuHDWdKMVvIlfITB_Q3bHe70_fVOGOHQLuECtNNZ6SAGNoQgHLEgHhoCHTGgIJHzX4JURJKEVuzKoumYHnP2yCqbzQXTDt-2Vj2XKZfGTfsKOpifjV8dSq0TJfOOBOfOctufDGlSZ/s640/blogger-image--1937091759.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6GibbOm4wvYiV7-jTNHVS2hmgNMOqIuRnH6jDEdG23qDbF_O0p1OEOnGnU8hzWiph2RirwLhgfMmU-alxrE6R0SjeQNfMvnxFM5sds4pt_vPXjan1oT-ZQgkpWXUC7TXcsminuBgt00bh/s640/blogger-image-410893980.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6GibbOm4wvYiV7-jTNHVS2hmgNMOqIuRnH6jDEdG23qDbF_O0p1OEOnGnU8hzWiph2RirwLhgfMmU-alxrE6R0SjeQNfMvnxFM5sds4pt_vPXjan1oT-ZQgkpWXUC7TXcsminuBgt00bh/s640/blogger-image-410893980.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">We met back up with the group and headed to the Schnopps museum to let a day of stereotypical Vienna activities continue. The guy giving the tour was the grandson of the founder of Schnopps and was HOAF. It made for a great tour that even ended with shots of Schnopps. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn8hd60cZUIx5tY0cXFrCFTC2NaZdU9xarSjGmA1SOSzuSMR2DH0zQGoA6xSigPg7dvQVlCwyJ5Vz_NPPyrcGBk0ktw2TLM6hY3ruZF3cnRaMyaHPg2kCNxx_39x03GbA4ZzeQrnEcshyY/s640/blogger-image--1118832631.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn8hd60cZUIx5tY0cXFrCFTC2NaZdU9xarSjGmA1SOSzuSMR2DH0zQGoA6xSigPg7dvQVlCwyJ5Vz_NPPyrcGBk0ktw2TLM6hY3ruZF3cnRaMyaHPg2kCNxx_39x03GbA4ZzeQrnEcshyY/s640/blogger-image--1118832631.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghOai1UiVJzm5AAG__McKGF805yimPWtTiyHlg3sH9YZb2OLPFOFBNLCPpLhdqAoucMBKo7AilpFLg8ON7QP5d0VV8yiMK24VExbF4BepX36m2GOXc8YyOg1SLrh7_g83XdM3G5ia9ntSZ/s640/blogger-image-1051835118.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghOai1UiVJzm5AAG__McKGF805yimPWtTiyHlg3sH9YZb2OLPFOFBNLCPpLhdqAoucMBKo7AilpFLg8ON7QP5d0VV8yiMK24VExbF4BepX36m2GOXc8YyOg1SLrh7_g83XdM3G5ia9ntSZ/s640/blogger-image-1051835118.jpg"></a></div><br></div></div></div>After we were all good and liquored up, we headed back to get ready for our fancy night at a Mozart and Strause concert. We had dinner at the cafe in the Palace and it was delicious. The meal started with a beef soup that had sliced crepe in it. I'd never come up with this concept on my own, but it was really tasty. Then we had the turkey schnitzel that was so much better than the previous night's version. Plus, we had some wine paired with it that made it even better. We finished with some apple streusel and, if it didn't have raisins, it would have been perfect. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpcJo0F57LQcEUERor8NfTBqgdWER3LLs_QQAGCWVjdZdM55l1C3QZiE9-8nTaHoQL0rOpoTg_carrRIhUVo6GDxubHbjMGJD_48BYaP1HjsNd_OCmxw7ofIMwuLQKluJ7UuLRE2_6NihT/s640/blogger-image--1765059795.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpcJo0F57LQcEUERor8NfTBqgdWER3LLs_QQAGCWVjdZdM55l1C3QZiE9-8nTaHoQL0rOpoTg_carrRIhUVo6GDxubHbjMGJD_48BYaP1HjsNd_OCmxw7ofIMwuLQKluJ7UuLRE2_6NihT/s640/blogger-image--1765059795.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6gQpzq7wwpQEMR9bKLZ8_273xMMBn-WLvmJm1ooUKeKeLoKrPOSgG1xNe0ywIQ5HinHiSO1SORvOGm5M5K3FSzBsUGJBcg8jjYwNEyb6-9eZ5aSbA-cIs5w6q_SMazgxT5W4xqwkN8eh1/s640/blogger-image--156912715.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6gQpzq7wwpQEMR9bKLZ8_273xMMBn-WLvmJm1ooUKeKeLoKrPOSgG1xNe0ywIQ5HinHiSO1SORvOGm5M5K3FSzBsUGJBcg8jjYwNEyb6-9eZ5aSbA-cIs5w6q_SMazgxT5W4xqwkN8eh1/s640/blogger-image--156912715.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiF7DfsWhYWQvTfh6nluvSwufH4dZtxr7LtgTKc4MwvhHusO2bNRUQ4kAkZA7FaTaFMxG1Chh6jN4T1ILld4qRFt-FnumelYvPeq7IJHvAMKrFQapZh9xBbZpPQkwkGxWrUBofqlRwgNAt/s640/blogger-image--684526577.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiF7DfsWhYWQvTfh6nluvSwufH4dZtxr7LtgTKc4MwvhHusO2bNRUQ4kAkZA7FaTaFMxG1Chh6jN4T1ILld4qRFt-FnumelYvPeq7IJHvAMKrFQapZh9xBbZpPQkwkGxWrUBofqlRwgNAt/s640/blogger-image--684526577.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">We headed over to the concert and it was great. I felt very cultured and happy I was rounding out my day with another activity that was 'so Vienna'. Plus, we were in the room where Mozart played for the Hapsburgs when he was just 6 years old. It doesn't get much more special than that. Here is the group that went to the concert:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGmO-lHGkQM8khCBp0RxasrFAdcmOgkJb21NLpJncwF8OI75Bs945oPJy9-VzPrNeya4Jo-j6FCBiVw-ESplKsWvXynupllL36MFrx3835p9D1SbqgQk-hMcpVCwXqcGBOKiOR1kd1xoyT/s640/blogger-image-330754447.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGmO-lHGkQM8khCBp0RxasrFAdcmOgkJb21NLpJncwF8OI75Bs945oPJy9-VzPrNeya4Jo-j6FCBiVw-ESplKsWvXynupllL36MFrx3835p9D1SbqgQk-hMcpVCwXqcGBOKiOR1kd1xoyT/s640/blogger-image-330754447.jpg"></a></div><br></div>After such a cultural activity, it was only fitting that we would go to a club to enjoy the nightlife of the area. We went to this place called the Prater Dome that was unsuspecting when you walked in. We were greeted with champagne and we settled into the lounge, sneaking another couple glasses before we started paying for the 10 euro drinks. The place looked pretty empty, so we started to wonder around. Holy hell, this place wass huge! There was a massive EDM room, a hip hop room, a top hits room, a pizza bar, and, where we settled, the area looking out over the dance floor. This bar gave you a debit card that allows you to just swipe and then pay later. Good idea, except there is no way to argue when the bartender charges you extra drinks that you didn't buy. It's also hard because the more you argue, the more you validate the drinks you are being charged for. Note: just pay your bill. By this point, I was so sick that I completely lost my voice. Trying to order drinks without a voice and not speaking Austrian is quite difficult. However, I managed to order drinks just fine. By the time 3am rolled around and we had enough cigarette smoke, we left the club. The guy at the coat check didn't understand why we were leaving so early. These Europeans can party. Think YouTube technoviking <a href="http://youtu.be/FwsntHcWiy4" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">http://youtu.be/FwsntHcWiy4</a> and that was exactly who we were surrounded by.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">It's hard to believe we were only in Vienna for one night and one day and packed in this much stuff. My favorite thing from Vienna was the concert. I'm not a huge fan of classical music, but the experience was unforgettable. Plus, this night club was filled with so many areas to go, my only regret was how sick I was feeling.<font face="Helvetica Neue Light, HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif"> I wish I would have had one more day to walk around the city more. The hole circle is 4k, so it is definitely doable.</font></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><br></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">Off to our final stop on the tour, Budapest. From all the things I had heard about this city, I was really looking forward to it. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Erin</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div></div><br></div><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><br></div><br></div><br></div><br></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02020731818578029433noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3431528991092771303.post-36221726754987536362013-11-17T08:13:00.001-08:002013-11-17T08:13:49.712-08:00PrahahahPrague is one of the greatest cities. Ever. I had little to no expectations and was blown away. The dollar is actually stronger so my money went a decent way. I pulled out the equivalent of $150 and got a 2000 and 1000 bill. It was like playing with Monopoly money. See, I was clearly feeling like a baller.<div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik3xY7ZIigZryKxYQVIM066F52J_viU-Hixtp0EzSVLnYvlf9pzSJtmTXTWL0hFAgqeNCjLvIzgpbcnKNm_9NZVTwG89ecCgPpctLjlDRfb2kd-VcIyfYLAij6wFu1d7I1EH5B6Mm7bVYk/s640/blogger-image--1048679714.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik3xY7ZIigZryKxYQVIM066F52J_viU-Hixtp0EzSVLnYvlf9pzSJtmTXTWL0hFAgqeNCjLvIzgpbcnKNm_9NZVTwG89ecCgPpctLjlDRfb2kd-VcIyfYLAij6wFu1d7I1EH5B6Mm7bVYk/s640/blogger-image--1048679714.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">We got to Prague and quickly got ready for our traditional Czech meal at the municipal building down in the adorable Old Town Square. When we walked through the square, The Lion King song was playing. So damn magical. The dinner started with some mushroom soup that was the highlight of the meal, followed by skewers of pork, chicken, mushrooms, peppers, and a side of soggy French fries - not kosher at all. Finally, we finished with a honey ginger cake. All of this was paired, of course, with local Czech beer. Seriously, Prague has the best beer and it is so cheap. Here are some pics from our first dinner in Prague.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZo3ZqKpDx3gAM1S8iGV6uP6-5Z4BQmkdI76a0-z6q-GdydFcE3cp69oEHlqw7CNloOxlhpD62C2n4Z0uGcapygod_NRcFiAwWOQIObbD7ikBlwDeulpPIBNetaig0w6uPSKIU14eOSI1w/s640/blogger-image-1819345843.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZo3ZqKpDx3gAM1S8iGV6uP6-5Z4BQmkdI76a0-z6q-GdydFcE3cp69oEHlqw7CNloOxlhpD62C2n4Z0uGcapygod_NRcFiAwWOQIObbD7ikBlwDeulpPIBNetaig0w6uPSKIU14eOSI1w/s640/blogger-image-1819345843.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJWn7ef714fkuo-JPr9vg0kN1nOdJA9QFhKEdOwHPdqaf5DvHyXarTi2bwWrWfEA4IhLp8hO8reN94LuR96nsDNidaX4uvs9HFlyPkhtfbemmmVlWTVnZf6o7Pft9grk2ObYdUTYUKMzRs/s640/blogger-image--133969897.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJWn7ef714fkuo-JPr9vg0kN1nOdJA9QFhKEdOwHPdqaf5DvHyXarTi2bwWrWfEA4IhLp8hO8reN94LuR96nsDNidaX4uvs9HFlyPkhtfbemmmVlWTVnZf6o7Pft9grk2ObYdUTYUKMzRs/s640/blogger-image--133969897.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Contiki offers some optional excursions that most people in the group go on that have been less than stellar. The first night in Prague was no exception and consisted of a Black Light Theater. Kristy and I opted out, but were told it was people in black jumpsuits covered with lights doing interpretive dancing about Africa. Kristy and I decided to partake in some other local culture by heading to a local dive bar in a basement called the Popo cafe where the beers were 29 Czech Krown or about $1.50. You might recall my Instagram post. We enjoyed a couple beers and then met back up with the group to hear about their theater experience.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqLkDxrqQVg0bR3Ov4Na8baBe3mPKOpVmPEtHqRYjkFiIHiRqfUMCvd6hZu3JVkVhxsBcNwMEs7x61v5z8ppjCfh37Ti4CXzvjPw0eT8iGZlriS5iRYTywuvaZ5Ipl9Av0YGyXxl1JELgi/s640/blogger-image-887149152.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqLkDxrqQVg0bR3Ov4Na8baBe3mPKOpVmPEtHqRYjkFiIHiRqfUMCvd6hZu3JVkVhxsBcNwMEs7x61v5z8ppjCfh37Ti4CXzvjPw0eT8iGZlriS5iRYTywuvaZ5Ipl9Av0YGyXxl1JELgi/s640/blogger-image-887149152.jpg"></a></div><br></div><br></div>Kristy had heard from a friend about a pub that has taps at the table where you can race other tables and people within your table. Sounds fantastic. Which pub, you might ask? THE Pub. No really, it's called The Pub. There ended up being a private party that night so you'll hear more about it later on in here. We found another bar / music club in a basement filled with cigarette smoke. I have now learned this is the standard for places to drink in Prague. We called it an early night at about 1am after debating over Australian vs. American sayings. Did you know they call aluminum ALUMINIUM? I actually looked the history of this up and it is in fact Aluminium but Americans refuse to call it that. Typical. </div><div><br></div><div>The next day began with a walking tour from the New Town over to Old Town from our tour guide, Shocka (her real name!). We saw another church, which was very similar to Notre Dame, a replica of the Eiffel Tower, the John Lennon wall (still not sure the meaning), and finished with watching the clock tower play at the top of hour while drinking thick, hot chocolate.</div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUDoLi8p8sahY63vNE73AKZqzlZlQ0s_U2rzIFboRmg-4FjXGtWtTCpDkR3Enq2obN7KDXEBk-VrN73IGtBMbv29KGGZiLyp8i_LLf7jJjhXJoWWvIrAl4JweSeoVn7Vs7emBq2ZBo_MAX/s640/blogger-image--55311983.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUDoLi8p8sahY63vNE73AKZqzlZlQ0s_U2rzIFboRmg-4FjXGtWtTCpDkR3Enq2obN7KDXEBk-VrN73IGtBMbv29KGGZiLyp8i_LLf7jJjhXJoWWvIrAl4JweSeoVn7Vs7emBq2ZBo_MAX/s640/blogger-image--55311983.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid0lfd1LzYRqhNdapjYTMXIyfybj1ucbv7o1XQ6vxk2qkm-Ud58SsjDQtVFtaijrk-usgzjZfZ4YvxZbfONmevd58d4wmjmJ6QLxSprt4lWYBcKgtivUhiRD5EyiTIuN8vzJu0Ngl7gM1p/s640/blogger-image-1376224351.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid0lfd1LzYRqhNdapjYTMXIyfybj1ucbv7o1XQ6vxk2qkm-Ud58SsjDQtVFtaijrk-usgzjZfZ4YvxZbfONmevd58d4wmjmJ6QLxSprt4lWYBcKgtivUhiRD5EyiTIuN8vzJu0Ngl7gM1p/s640/blogger-image-1376224351.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1LUWJOKS2bjt0RKcDLuekZg_zj0Yy1A0FekANzQGklgcrkeBOvqlf37YnnW7GXsvjcxvn9RdU5yP8NZXJ9A3vRyJZcrMxgg3sTmdigd6fgGugumEspxxmi_3TCHNQFCNoG01lcHiA0BSl/s640/blogger-image--767974078.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1LUWJOKS2bjt0RKcDLuekZg_zj0Yy1A0FekANzQGklgcrkeBOvqlf37YnnW7GXsvjcxvn9RdU5yP8NZXJ9A3vRyJZcrMxgg3sTmdigd6fgGugumEspxxmi_3TCHNQFCNoG01lcHiA0BSl/s640/blogger-image--767974078.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTbsaFuzcL-b9rXcEmhSnvX-UmfmsGay3PRFKzAmbDpPTBNN4Uzr4vvYuhcyKe6BivM96bFSuwgthkdgbx4sd762ZBhENWf3Id164zlGJqcBVdB8_PfVCL6OwE9Nn1RG48ZfOim-XE0sMQ/s640/blogger-image--546441568.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTbsaFuzcL-b9rXcEmhSnvX-UmfmsGay3PRFKzAmbDpPTBNN4Uzr4vvYuhcyKe6BivM96bFSuwgthkdgbx4sd762ZBhENWf3Id164zlGJqcBVdB8_PfVCL6OwE9Nn1RG48ZfOim-XE0sMQ/s640/blogger-image--546441568.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNIhW9vzNfvj4BlDCYzMJLw2ULJrjDWJfDTXqr1mdjDt8ebdzvwrqDGoKSA3VSaYW-SYtjowC_cUwO5YlOBNGyXepeQlaIMwPHs2GcRMSCnlT1fb1HJWMNEEygF-T9DqPa2HDt7ddgbC7d/s640/blogger-image--1808081675.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNIhW9vzNfvj4BlDCYzMJLw2ULJrjDWJfDTXqr1mdjDt8ebdzvwrqDGoKSA3VSaYW-SYtjowC_cUwO5YlOBNGyXepeQlaIMwPHs2GcRMSCnlT1fb1HJWMNEEygF-T9DqPa2HDt7ddgbC7d/s640/blogger-image--1808081675.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div>We then headed out for a lunchtime cruise along the river. The views were amazing, but it was seriously so cold I didn't go up for any pictures. I'm sorry, you'll have to take my word for it, it was very pretty. For lunch, I had my first goulash! It's a very rich, shredded beef gravy served over moist (sorry, I hate that word, too) bread. There were some other items I threw on my plate, but I don't know exactly what they were. I also enjoyed some Czech wine. The Czech Republic will never be the new Napa valley, but it was drinkable. We finished up after a couple hours and then headed to rest up for the big night we had ahead of us. <span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">We were going to do the Prague Pub Crawl that was raved about. 20 euros for an hour of all you can drink beer, wine, absinthe, and vodka shooters, then a shot at the next two bars and then entry into a 5 story night club, plus a shirt! Great deal, right? Well, I don't know if I'd go that far...</span></div><div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><br></span></div><div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">The beer at the first bar made Keystone Ice taste like Great White beer. It seriously tasted like shit. The worst part, was that it was called Budweiser. I'm still not positive if it's the same red, white, and blue we drink in the states. If so, what an embarrassment! I did get this great shot of us girls, so I can't say its a total bust. I managed to power down 4 beers and 2 shots, so I really did try to make the most of it.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><br></span></div><div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhllgim1guqL6-W2QMxe1rov4Rtli9FD1mc-BWjoMSlKu4O2o5wZRH6OLN7WCVZOfeVhb9n8ITNXZqoXCQh2q1yrlFAIm-uhsFCDP6Kb72DK_wmTjups-0nndUrIzXOWAGSlf2xtBBVglsV/s640/blogger-image-1495114140.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhllgim1guqL6-W2QMxe1rov4Rtli9FD1mc-BWjoMSlKu4O2o5wZRH6OLN7WCVZOfeVhb9n8ITNXZqoXCQh2q1yrlFAIm-uhsFCDP6Kb72DK_wmTjups-0nndUrIzXOWAGSlf2xtBBVglsV/s640/blogger-image-1495114140.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSRePNrhrsMEyfjPVIZN5Vy_qErencXbxYya2vJm6CmRmQEjbOKrQsqF5TFoUtiVUCwQ4MvEH4fMrP4s5LKvJ4Dqc0ytTObRBMlqxXjBcYqrUVPYrEowu7iElxa1fxv3blrdqqfKkV5gux/s640/blogger-image--92063988.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSRePNrhrsMEyfjPVIZN5Vy_qErencXbxYya2vJm6CmRmQEjbOKrQsqF5TFoUtiVUCwQ4MvEH4fMrP4s5LKvJ4Dqc0ytTObRBMlqxXjBcYqrUVPYrEowu7iElxa1fxv3blrdqqfKkV5gux/s640/blogger-image--92063988.jpg"></a></div><br></div><br></span></div><div>We walked for what seemed like forever and got to bar #2 where we were handed a vile of a green mixed drink. I still don't know what I was drinking. We had a couple drinks here before walking another long distance to the next bar. I think this is there strategy because every bar, I felt like I had to start fresh with drinking because I was sober again. At bar #3, we were handed a vodka shot. I mean pure, plastic bottle vodka with no chaser. Once in, I ordered a vodka drink and then danced a little bit to get in the mood for the epic 5 story night club! Except, you know those nights where you tell yourself, I'm about to have the most amazing night of my life and then it's shit. I sort of had this feeling by the third bar. In any other situation, the amount of alcohol I had would be more than sufficient to get someone drunk, but I only felt myself getting more full and my waist band getting tighter. Lovely, let's go dance. We walked to the night club and quickly dropped our jackets off at the coat check. We all spread out searching out the bar to see which of the 5 floors would be the best. Naturally, we headed to the basement out of the club because that's how Prague does a bar. It was the R&B floor and was playing good music, but there were only 3 of us there. Onto the next, which was no good either. We got to the third floor and it had the most people, except it was still only the 35 or so of us Contiki people that signed up for the pub crawl. We were told there was an ice bar, but we never found it. Also, only 3 floors were open, but I don't blame them for closing off the other floors to make it seem more crowded. Lisa and I decided we were not drunk enough and took a shot. We headed out to the dance floor, got drinks spilled on us and immediately headed back for another. Still not drunk enough. We did this a couple of times until we decided we weren't getting drunk enough and decided to leave at about 2. It was a Wednesday night, so I can't blame them, but I was definitely disappointed in the night because it was so hyped. And, we didn't even get our pub crawl shirts, so I literally have nothing but these pictures to show for the night.</div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicfp_71grjwxcM2hmvUF1zsMHQQIy9LQl0Rrm2JGD7nqTfE7nWQKIK_UzYw7zHQZbn1_I-oB51Z9XAlSq7mgmgxyVUkissyZhobJxcOFVCDotRpT19x5EyXSZP_RMu0O7nMzHw4M3n_kZw/s640/blogger-image--1950700147.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicfp_71grjwxcM2hmvUF1zsMHQQIy9LQl0Rrm2JGD7nqTfE7nWQKIK_UzYw7zHQZbn1_I-oB51Z9XAlSq7mgmgxyVUkissyZhobJxcOFVCDotRpT19x5EyXSZP_RMu0O7nMzHw4M3n_kZw/s640/blogger-image--1950700147.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqNy5cDrfBt9fGIXu0BPwdy-A7MNDuLGCwJR94FDb5pnSIA20N6O-9L3w-VE71nUvaECEyn51y9L7VE_xCp-o9VsCzb52LC6oWXwRg25WZbxubO6c1l1nS7Lb_-BPwjd0qRyXn-GmN1v2X/s640/blogger-image--352570367.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqNy5cDrfBt9fGIXu0BPwdy-A7MNDuLGCwJR94FDb5pnSIA20N6O-9L3w-VE71nUvaECEyn51y9L7VE_xCp-o9VsCzb52LC6oWXwRg25WZbxubO6c1l1nS7Lb_-BPwjd0qRyXn-GmN1v2X/s640/blogger-image--352570367.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhavx1vtWTCzBiWeRsKRw6fFM-QeW1kllU2Y-yg1jO450PCRWb-3I6wF59YmvKeciI3BWs3i6JAtXD89H5hJFQ6JZBaI5ILLLIzbLEF7D4xC8osujPuIk2tSj7FMc3Yot3ZH5Mib2cuYh8T/s640/blogger-image--546715973.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhavx1vtWTCzBiWeRsKRw6fFM-QeW1kllU2Y-yg1jO450PCRWb-3I6wF59YmvKeciI3BWs3i6JAtXD89H5hJFQ6JZBaI5ILLLIzbLEF7D4xC8osujPuIk2tSj7FMc3Yot3ZH5Mib2cuYh8T/s640/blogger-image--546715973.jpg"></a></div></div><div> </div><div>The next day was a free day so we slept in and headed out around noon to explore the town. Unfortunately, we didn't make it far and got some souvenirs at a market and then had lunch at a Burger King. I know what you're thinking, you're in a foreign country, what on earth are you doing eating at Burger King, but seriously, once you have like 10 sausages, potatoes, goulash, etc. some regular old American food is welcomed. Plus, it was 32 degrees here, so being inside somewhere warm was needed. Kristy and I did get in one touristy thing in bout 10 minutes before we met up with the group. We climbed to the top of the clock tower and saw amazing views of the city.</div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN7X3hsOehTPD1LHZ18Yp74j6Qm0eFrblYdKq0SvNJgL2Efa3dFKs7CG9yBbvZfxDYN5VjstR0oFuRqqmrTB3yRdoueovWODjjObyIs-mVx0byP_Jr8tjMCW4rP55qW3j5EXHqeHarLdxQ/s640/blogger-image-994240271.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN7X3hsOehTPD1LHZ18Yp74j6Qm0eFrblYdKq0SvNJgL2Efa3dFKs7CG9yBbvZfxDYN5VjstR0oFuRqqmrTB3yRdoueovWODjjObyIs-mVx0byP_Jr8tjMCW4rP55qW3j5EXHqeHarLdxQ/s640/blogger-image-994240271.jpg"></a></div><br></div><br></div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3lfxwXbEhVCbcpeYS20p-x-kM7ABEsR-6izM-dNM0ivxlpjw25r35ORe1ia9ZCfCCRd2XwX4ZVn_Zzf346GLVUHxOZf-lE5JV4e4yzLKCdyGldNEAtPdVTCYXrLdqsVE9N4VOpH-NtrhQ/s640/blogger-image--1633415349.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3lfxwXbEhVCbcpeYS20p-x-kM7ABEsR-6izM-dNM0ivxlpjw25r35ORe1ia9ZCfCCRd2XwX4ZVn_Zzf346GLVUHxOZf-lE5JV4e4yzLKCdyGldNEAtPdVTCYXrLdqsVE9N4VOpH-NtrhQ/s640/blogger-image--1633415349.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div>We met back with the group for a Bunker tour (another optional). I'm not sure if words can describe this tour, but I'll try and then I'll finish with some pictures to help convey it better. We got up to this concrete park area where there was some cool street art. A man in a green coat greeted us while holding some sort of big gun and briefly told us the history of the bunker. We got to a long hallway filled with pictures, medals, gas masks and other communist paraphernalia the Czech Republic ever collected. The tour guide was so enthusiastic that he spent 40 minutes going over every gas mask created over the last 70 years or so and then discussed a shit load of pictures on the wall. Thankfully, he only went over one of he walls and we moved along to other areas in the space where we saw a person getting 'decontaminated' and another that showed a family that represented they typical family in a bunker. We ended with some pictures with guns, hats, etc. I'm sad to admit it, but the pictures were the only reason I ended up booking this tour. We were quite happy it was over and ready for dinner. Here are that pictures that show exactly how weird this place was...</div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOM9t4PbANgwwgVbeBTcS4SJVek0IJnL6v-1DCer_zyfQfBwNr38IbzJ2FWa-2rjTdRJu7Anuj-9GEoQeJXyAKuIEk5I9xTf6YSPkJjhyphenhyphenlpATTnhG78yZYnkeovNbwt2lZreeQu71K_M_c/s640/blogger-image-966870278.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOM9t4PbANgwwgVbeBTcS4SJVek0IJnL6v-1DCer_zyfQfBwNr38IbzJ2FWa-2rjTdRJu7Anuj-9GEoQeJXyAKuIEk5I9xTf6YSPkJjhyphenhyphenlpATTnhG78yZYnkeovNbwt2lZreeQu71K_M_c/s640/blogger-image-966870278.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhU9sX_SUiF7fL6lcwPqGM-dc8HlweTwNnwGu0h4hi8fzenOCdik576fRiOj6Z3laeG4z3p9V8k1ae-uFNPUsgVN9FWOaSu6yKnR6FlKCHKl3M0nlv53S6yTNLQ4LWrzEPS91DuV2oWqwo/s640/blogger-image--1142188980.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhU9sX_SUiF7fL6lcwPqGM-dc8HlweTwNnwGu0h4hi8fzenOCdik576fRiOj6Z3laeG4z3p9V8k1ae-uFNPUsgVN9FWOaSu6yKnR6FlKCHKl3M0nlv53S6yTNLQ4LWrzEPS91DuV2oWqwo/s640/blogger-image--1142188980.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD6xK-bgOUCZFs0xFyl9wZeCJR1BZE1CsgYZamtf02kUOl7K4KPYqm2stuw3f6ERCBwcpYW3CxaI32lD37uJXFDniDf1NJinPVFwvi3neHYsvTPRZHQXTjGk9fPem_pKm6v6HuRfPm7fXp/s640/blogger-image-973213162.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD6xK-bgOUCZFs0xFyl9wZeCJR1BZE1CsgYZamtf02kUOl7K4KPYqm2stuw3f6ERCBwcpYW3CxaI32lD37uJXFDniDf1NJinPVFwvi3neHYsvTPRZHQXTjGk9fPem_pKm6v6HuRfPm7fXp/s640/blogger-image-973213162.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7Bi89-qKsdrLhsBkvz1RFprNRtYNM_WLjSZShoVWoDuU0J4ll-Fy1Uje5g92IAGckzFZ2mvn9GM8CURjnPSw3Yu2_iKCwkqsaIklWdw2OhyRYAhlkJkN0E2lFYfe4PvqIK7t_mqtQygQY/s640/blogger-image--1001116187.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7Bi89-qKsdrLhsBkvz1RFprNRtYNM_WLjSZShoVWoDuU0J4ll-Fy1Uje5g92IAGckzFZ2mvn9GM8CURjnPSw3Yu2_iKCwkqsaIklWdw2OhyRYAhlkJkN0E2lFYfe4PvqIK7t_mqtQygQY/s640/blogger-image--1001116187.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Creepy, right? And great gun photo? Told ya. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">So we headed straight to dinner that was another traditional Czech meal, in a basement (duh), with unlimited wine and beer. We were pretty tired from the night before so it was going to be 'a low key night'. You know those nights, 'I'll just have dinner and call it early'. Perfect. So, we began drinking the pitchers of wine on the table and got to know Irish 1 and 2 (two Irish guys that lived in London and were on our tour that someone in the group - no names, sorry - was quite into) a little better. We were served the strangest meal I've ever eaten. It started with a soup that was pretty decent and then they placed a plate full of meat that was almost unrecognizable. There was a patty of something, could have been meat or potatoes, but it was delicious. It was rich, salty, and savory and the only thing that I devoured on the plate. There was a meat that might have been duck or some other fowl animal that was ok, but a little dry. There were two bread like things on the plate; one denser than the other but not with much flavor. They sort of stoked up the juices from the heaps of meat. There was an end of a sausage that did not seem to fit with the meal. Why just the tip? No clue. Finally, underneath all the meat, there were two types of saurkraught that accompanied the meat pretty well. It was a frightening meal that ended up being quite alright. Especially the crepe that they served for desert that was devine. Here is the pic...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXvHbHUaPfAAAFS3K-_fWNAXaleMbvjpsvvn4UFn89ye9nALuUgL2n6V4zsu4aELQVacdY9cxsDejQ97BeRD6cdeLKTFcKCem48xhQoH6o6gKrZQWlcpu6YuKlds9MHkGKvITqEESpDnFt/s640/blogger-image--305441062.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXvHbHUaPfAAAFS3K-_fWNAXaleMbvjpsvvn4UFn89ye9nALuUgL2n6V4zsu4aELQVacdY9cxsDejQ97BeRD6cdeLKTFcKCem48xhQoH6o6gKrZQWlcpu6YuKlds9MHkGKvITqEESpDnFt/s640/blogger-image--305441062.jpg"></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div></div>Brianna had completed almost an entire pitcher of white wine and Kristy, Lisa, and I finished the red wine and we were all ready to go out. Our tour manager lead us to a bar near the restaurant that ended up being a topless dance bar. They were a group of unimpressive dancers and the four of us obviously became judges as if we were professional dancers ourselves<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">. All girls do this, not just us. Once we had our fill of topless dancers dancing to Grease Lightning, we headed off to a pub. Which pub? THE pub!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt3oDGln8JokQSFEteiZIblNmj9FQg11m9x-9A34-PKP-hEZ3oWjkIFzQD6dKDbiF-X2mKxhIYettn-Sy9Mm5NV5jn85Wmdpn5IeCovhRrjEL5brOOxmzSN_gG5rj_rqot0KqYBDAxbfxl/s640/blogger-image--1952916252.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt3oDGln8JokQSFEteiZIblNmj9FQg11m9x-9A34-PKP-hEZ3oWjkIFzQD6dKDbiF-X2mKxhIYettn-Sy9Mm5NV5jn85Wmdpn5IeCovhRrjEL5brOOxmzSN_gG5rj_rqot0KqYBDAxbfxl/s640/blogger-image--1952916252.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">At the pub, we poured the beers ourselves. Can you tell which beer is that of a person who has not gone to college yet? Damn 18 year olds.</div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn7yK5hbSd9PgSM7d8v2tDSbvunjnGWSQTvHXgEC76V6X6RGOrSn1EqM9ooBD0P3hCTKiKrM_hxQdFkN7mqtrorcTjR_eCYvaJeAmormTDZ58CLqt0KI7Dwag-Ool-osBodWYO1cnuzOVg/s640/blogger-image-2048588655.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn7yK5hbSd9PgSM7d8v2tDSbvunjnGWSQTvHXgEC76V6X6RGOrSn1EqM9ooBD0P3hCTKiKrM_hxQdFkN7mqtrorcTjR_eCYvaJeAmormTDZ58CLqt0KI7Dwag-Ool-osBodWYO1cnuzOVg/s640/blogger-image-2048588655.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW_XdKkTSkQhenVkwbqCWgtQsvrfM_GwOvMCB2DiCWN68r_SW1rX6OdLG1n03cjauxq1UmDAUdCL87AX5yUX0ZJLTuDZafwd_OAYRnozJo2QnbUqTdsX83wphK7O8KWrcIb1ZEMXBIhfLZ/s640/blogger-image--808306607.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW_XdKkTSkQhenVkwbqCWgtQsvrfM_GwOvMCB2DiCWN68r_SW1rX6OdLG1n03cjauxq1UmDAUdCL87AX5yUX0ZJLTuDZafwd_OAYRnozJo2QnbUqTdsX83wphK7O8KWrcIb1ZEMXBIhfLZ/s640/blogger-image--808306607.jpg"></a></div>(Jessinta and Lisa)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilM4gDxp3yRI03ged0MsD2A2umpumJXPUX5JgZ4ejwjA9MxuN7RspKNAgHpPp6Isc1RqPV0hVVG-vGwbsO_Pstx0YZsiBow_HayS9BAZ7t70ETAOb39dP7mRKXi3h0922RqyCboWcAvMgJ/s640/blogger-image-662218959.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilM4gDxp3yRI03ged0MsD2A2umpumJXPUX5JgZ4ejwjA9MxuN7RspKNAgHpPp6Isc1RqPV0hVVG-vGwbsO_Pstx0YZsiBow_HayS9BAZ7t70ETAOb39dP7mRKXi3h0922RqyCboWcAvMgJ/s640/blogger-image-662218959.jpg"></a></div>(Melissa, James, Irish 2, Irish, Kristy, Brianna)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><br></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">By the time we finished beers, I think it was safe to say Kristy won the game. I don't know if I have mentioned it yet, but that lady can drink a beer. Everyone will be a few sips in and she will have her beer downed. I told you we got along well lol. After a bit at the pub, we were ready to dance. Back to the 5 story club we went, and this time we were determined to go to the ice bar after hearing about Brianna's previous night since she actually made it into the ice bar. We got into the club and immediately headed to the ice bar. I think I have the record for the most photos taken in just 15 minutes. I had to condense so I didn't drive you guys crazy with so many pictures.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA2vVyuIr4bvx7MT1dNz101uwGAEzDeCwZ-C0rDPqBkO2wLXNvzqlLicXiZ-bCG6fT9_wt4Hjo4beoDcSfhPUsYcPDw1ZQnw0FZp4V2XvD8yxWxn2Z1TVXWMNPxIKwBTnjxKEd348pAOQB/s640/blogger-image-1636701214.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA2vVyuIr4bvx7MT1dNz101uwGAEzDeCwZ-C0rDPqBkO2wLXNvzqlLicXiZ-bCG6fT9_wt4Hjo4beoDcSfhPUsYcPDw1ZQnw0FZp4V2XvD8yxWxn2Z1TVXWMNPxIKwBTnjxKEd348pAOQB/s640/blogger-image-1636701214.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">After our 15 minutes in the ice bar, we headed out to the dance bar where we met up with the rest of the group. I loved the group we had out this night. It was the usual, Brianna, Lisa, Kristy and me, plus James and Melissa from New York, Ryan from Melbourne (my new gay best friend and protector from creepers on the dance floor), Irish 1 and 2, Jenessa from Canada, Jessinta from Melbourne, and Liam from Scotland / New Zealand. At this point, everyone was sufficiently drunk and dancing; especially Brianna. I have never seen someone move across the dance floor like her. It was a combination of gangam style, Irish dancing (she is a world champion, after all), twerking, and all fabulous. There were tons of peace signs and she kept stealing hats from guys. Before we knew it, it was 4am and time to go home. The next day, I was hurting, but not as bad as others. As I'm getting into the elevator to head to the bus, I see Brianna's roommate leaving her room and ask her if Brianna is still in the room. In her broken English (she is from Japan) she says that Brianna was still sleeping. It was 9:12 and the bus was leaving at 9:15. I ran into the room and quickly woke her up. We packed her bag and ran down to the bus. Holy shit. We nearly left her in Prague. Top fucking night. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha9Xm5JCmC4A3Duw1HuacP65Jjv-9M4iyu1VRQbh-gzrfAwe6PpLkYwWIfTj92i2Ip4j06Z1RlR0xG779VrcER1Qhl5O2IzeDJ8RzBid7sxtAvu018MAuSqcRYYlOJjcnY8rsqCX3TIbUB/s640/blogger-image-1514522168.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha9Xm5JCmC4A3Duw1HuacP65Jjv-9M4iyu1VRQbh-gzrfAwe6PpLkYwWIfTj92i2Ip4j06Z1RlR0xG779VrcER1Qhl5O2IzeDJ8RzBid7sxtAvu018MAuSqcRYYlOJjcnY8rsqCX3TIbUB/s640/blogger-image-1514522168.jpg"></a></div><br></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">I never knew Prague had such epic night life. I guess Wednesday wasn't the best, but Thursday more than made up for it. It is also one of the most beautiful places that I've been to along my journey. My only complaint, which I'm realizing is more European that isolated to Prague, but the indoor smoking is absolutely out of control. My clothes smell awful and I do not have an endless supply. Unfortunately, Lisa left us in Prague, so it was down to just us 3; Kristy, Brianna, and I. Vienna is up next!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><br></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">Erin</span></div></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02020731818578029433noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3431528991092771303.post-91839894450420000692013-11-12T15:59:00.001-08:002013-11-12T15:59:12.917-08:00Hallo Berlin!If I would haves written this blog after my first day in Berlin, I would have said it was unique, which is how I describe things that I don't like, but don't want to offend people. However, now that I'm leaving the city, my opinion completely changed. <div><br></div><div>I landed at the Berlin airport and was completely confused and everyone spoke German and all the signs were in German and it was very intimidating. Plus, as you might remember from my last blog from Rome, my flight was delayed and I was 2 hours late to the city and missed the Contiki check-in. I'm a pretty confident person, but I was having some major FOMO (fear of missing out). What if all the people were already friends and had already left for dinner and then I'd be the weird girl trying to fit in. Luckily, I got there and the group was in the bar so I knew they were my people. I ran up to the room and met my roommate - Kristy. That was the other thing I was worried about. What would she be like? Would she be a neat freak and crazy about the room being spotless? Or quiet and not liking to go out? Or crazier than me? Or what if she was like 18, a total slooty slooty and brining guys back to the room... Luckily, none of those things were here and she has been great! She is from New York, is around the same age, and has not brought any gents back. It's been a perfect pairing. Here we are at the Berlin Wall.<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtEXSv8er1KaFr29elL7oQcWlmitR3t11AT95mpcrnk29DmxalBcz_uSEY1dfkgi3MLST3j2I4Z_bJsYKuF7ToKT61i2rgkrptxaKVtK68P6D2u8BcSRg7xcqN2pg-vd9WnuiX7EWuMByN/s640/blogger-image-791294943.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtEXSv8er1KaFr29elL7oQcWlmitR3t11AT95mpcrnk29DmxalBcz_uSEY1dfkgi3MLST3j2I4Z_bJsYKuF7ToKT61i2rgkrptxaKVtK68P6D2u8BcSRg7xcqN2pg-vd9WnuiX7EWuMByN/s640/blogger-image-791294943.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">So the first night we went out to a German restaurant and had a decent meal of sausages and potatoes and, my favorite part - beer!!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7bpbyk-Rv1tsxFbzhNoIUFXEZk5uw8NzBlB1w9qjTZOcN0p2ZVMREx8HffakxjhJW92JLS8YPFZND4qF1hclb3dEEZx0O-X7bsVJ9xEuqmjIq8UU9Ra-2_FSRlSyZC4e7B6gWA76GuiCU/s640/blogger-image-1174298190.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7bpbyk-Rv1tsxFbzhNoIUFXEZk5uw8NzBlB1w9qjTZOcN0p2ZVMREx8HffakxjhJW92JLS8YPFZND4qF1hclb3dEEZx0O-X7bsVJ9xEuqmjIq8UU9Ra-2_FSRlSyZC4e7B6gWA76GuiCU/s640/blogger-image-1174298190.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"> We went to an Irish bar after and had sticker shock and the prices for alcohol. A Jameson and Ginger ale was 9 euro. Beers were only 5 euro so I quickly made the switch. We split off into a smaller group and got to know each other a little better. In addition to Kristy, there was Brianna from Australia. She is hilarious and has the funniest little sayings like 'tick' when she is about to do something fun. 'Got a beer in Germany, tick'. And she also says 'wink' like 'Sam is leaving the bar with that Swedish guy, wink'. Then there was Sal from New Jersey who is an architect. We haven't hung out with him much since, so I dont have much to say about him. Finally, there was Nick from London and he offered the most drama for our first night. He actually ended his tour after this first night because of some personal issues (laying down on the train tracks threatening to kill himself). It's quite a long story and I have much more to tell so we will leave it at that.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><br></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><font face="Helvetica Neue Light, HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif">Our second day began with a brief tour of a concentration camp. I'm not sure the best way to describe this tour other than underwhelming. It was renovated quite a bit and many of the facilities were torn down so it was really left up to our imagination. In comparison, some people had been to Aushwitz and they said everything is as it was and it is horrifying including nail marks on the walls of the gas chamber. Not that I want to see that sort of thing, but this one didn't have much to it. Here are some pictures to help convey what I'm trying to say.</font></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeT1qX36JmmSATEXHl6POHIvYFyAHORuMm34xlmV_l8jNB39xNsRdC2D_8SSTgSe6fgGah4diI5EEy25K-luQ3jjk9SuuBMd0PSz0wVuWRvkob0x0G764zS2FNIYjuhI5js9ZIZR9A08ee/s640/blogger-image--1072033064.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeT1qX36JmmSATEXHl6POHIvYFyAHORuMm34xlmV_l8jNB39xNsRdC2D_8SSTgSe6fgGah4diI5EEy25K-luQ3jjk9SuuBMd0PSz0wVuWRvkob0x0G764zS2FNIYjuhI5js9ZIZR9A08ee/s640/blogger-image--1072033064.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzj0cQ7Zt73TF9cu9PqbYcafas-nSixjh-pAST0NJGI-87yfTu2-H875vJn8pEI-iHOFnMu0nVF_VoMJgJ1M0lYYF0Fc6-zsODglrIZdamrTTymKQxviKOj1M3CWp0kj0fOv2WcO5yGmYn/s640/blogger-image-1830867133.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzj0cQ7Zt73TF9cu9PqbYcafas-nSixjh-pAST0NJGI-87yfTu2-H875vJn8pEI-iHOFnMu0nVF_VoMJgJ1M0lYYF0Fc6-zsODglrIZdamrTTymKQxviKOj1M3CWp0kj0fOv2WcO5yGmYn/s640/blogger-image-1830867133.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">After the concentration camp, we wandered around the city and didn't really find much. It was very disappointing and reminded me of every other city. Sure, there were pretty buildings, but nothing special. Oh here is another old baroque building, let's take a picture. By the way, the girl in the middle of the pic is Lisa. She is from Texas and is a litigation consultant. Her, Brianna, Kristy, and I have sort of stuck together along the way, but she leaves us in Prague.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdWCgthcf5gVuKoqOGCo0vi55ZnDK36Vv9I1p64jmUfIywNHnc8V5P_k_IoFoHopvoXLbZL4TlGGEEU-dZ0yYDFJ9G8lchbK2m7g3naRLErzzUTqTNxJBKKDQs-3d2o2SU_Uh8slz16NLg/s640/blogger-image--1388375299.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdWCgthcf5gVuKoqOGCo0vi55ZnDK36Vv9I1p64jmUfIywNHnc8V5P_k_IoFoHopvoXLbZL4TlGGEEU-dZ0yYDFJ9G8lchbK2m7g3naRLErzzUTqTNxJBKKDQs-3d2o2SU_Uh8slz16NLg/s640/blogger-image--1388375299.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">We walked to the Reichstag, German's parliament building and one of the most beautiful buildings with a combination of old world and modern technology. Unfortunately, we weren't able to tour, but made reservations for the following day. We got some mulled wine along the way and that was my favorite part of the day. You can drink alcohol on the street which is definitely a top pastime of mine. Walking to the train station we found the most adorable Christmas market and decided we would go back the next day.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">That night, we went to a Hofbraugh house for a very traditional German mean and stein of beer. It was awesome and reminded me of Octoberfest by the bay a few years ago with Morgan, Sami, Colin, and Matt so I got a bit homesick. As with most sicknesses, a liter of beer will cure anything :). I got some veal schnitzel with a potato salad and it was awesome. Here are some photos from the night.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVMUemzllJrSCgQykQ3tQfOH5BEFqasxQwKdOusGDe0BrGrsipR9XLZ_DYhZ1tMa4s_GwiZRXgoMb8EeHsnYFqt64OzTn47ImLCekoVvEdudR6yyYUoVilVvOW1plPI6deA-hHlg1FOJ9h/s640/blogger-image--98667690.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVMUemzllJrSCgQykQ3tQfOH5BEFqasxQwKdOusGDe0BrGrsipR9XLZ_DYhZ1tMa4s_GwiZRXgoMb8EeHsnYFqt64OzTn47ImLCekoVvEdudR6yyYUoVilVvOW1plPI6deA-hHlg1FOJ9h/s640/blogger-image--98667690.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg63WR4hx6RdOwjv-DDWk6eFeEBd_1iTzhMb95t0Qpdhz3e2r9MoCfOAB_dk0LxjhficHxcey2wsxJ45RM8Z9YHNDl6XJV5Jhh4_iO8Q5oDOoQULKxaiiGf_-Z0jCAkz5q5w7bUQAJWBF7v/s640/blogger-image--1404002423.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg63WR4hx6RdOwjv-DDWk6eFeEBd_1iTzhMb95t0Qpdhz3e2r9MoCfOAB_dk0LxjhficHxcey2wsxJ45RM8Z9YHNDl6XJV5Jhh4_iO8Q5oDOoQULKxaiiGf_-Z0jCAkz5q5w7bUQAJWBF7v/s640/blogger-image--1404002423.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtKbyeqV2spCOpqUa0f9GMLcHvx2J9pJ-T_cnBSbTMOD9MRh-AjEP9ayEaB8208t1RJAugwYsqLyqdz-XPDf4OYPflYu17UuqKRb3i6Bjad15H9xTba33bkIwXLKsxWG2YxOPZviLUKXet/s640/blogger-image-1129538235.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtKbyeqV2spCOpqUa0f9GMLcHvx2J9pJ-T_cnBSbTMOD9MRh-AjEP9ayEaB8208t1RJAugwYsqLyqdz-XPDf4OYPflYu17UuqKRb3i6Bjad15H9xTba33bkIwXLKsxWG2YxOPZviLUKXet/s640/blogger-image-1129538235.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwxFcFgWkzEOyffhmbUqYk0DRxcK6gahyphenhyphencFGL6JULuEcfZoAMp778NfR3Cr-clmV5srUtm0yRcsbHj2i4FYXcPBixR1xLbvoddN8xdV7jjzG_hBOgbz1DKLudVlgIJU45PjGw5KFsvgVaS/s640/blogger-image--918976829.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwxFcFgWkzEOyffhmbUqYk0DRxcK6gahyphenhyphencFGL6JULuEcfZoAMp778NfR3Cr-clmV5srUtm0yRcsbHj2i4FYXcPBixR1xLbvoddN8xdV7jjzG_hBOgbz1DKLudVlgIJU45PjGw5KFsvgVaS/s640/blogger-image--918976829.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">After dinner we went on an I Spy tour where we learned about some escape attempts along the Berlin Wall. The whole Berlin Wall thing blows my mind. These people built a wall overnight and then shot people who tried to cross. WTF? It was brought down in the early 90s so it wasn't even long ago that people were going through this. Part of the tour included a couple of stops at bars and then to a night club. Brianna ended up finding 1,70 euro shots of tequila so I could tell how our night was going to go. We got to the club and they played some great music and we all danced. If there was ever a time I wish I could have had my bestie with me, it was here. Before we knew it, it was 5 in the morning and we had a 9am walking tour. Holy hell. I headed home and immediately passed out concerned how I would even make the tour that I paid for. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZl5wusGAh_gOFjCTXKvIzFbxracU_3AqdoXqg0Q5-fNed3vKAg7FLJwIGWtwmmoA21siWPYxTilD7GrRw6L3WSVEjxo7Ttaz87TO9xUdFEKsGP7Wk3C2o2a26Qj_FxC_IOgj7FPbXC7-w/s640/blogger-image-1688763050.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZl5wusGAh_gOFjCTXKvIzFbxracU_3AqdoXqg0Q5-fNed3vKAg7FLJwIGWtwmmoA21siWPYxTilD7GrRw6L3WSVEjxo7Ttaz87TO9xUdFEKsGP7Wk3C2o2a26Qj_FxC_IOgj7FPbXC7-w/s640/blogger-image-1688763050.jpg"></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwE8M6QEVcj1YP1IB1LyiqpgCa0G9KrV8z7HLfch9di6HsMp3hot5Pt9u1tR9_eI9Zce9v5juEr-v-QaNEjJPWGR3Xk5qyJcSBFtRBXqBAoKoNe_PNIhjyHbixe7cOI_Fe8luouxzIjBsv/s640/blogger-image--697044887.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwE8M6QEVcj1YP1IB1LyiqpgCa0G9KrV8z7HLfch9di6HsMp3hot5Pt9u1tR9_eI9Zce9v5juEr-v-QaNEjJPWGR3Xk5qyJcSBFtRBXqBAoKoNe_PNIhjyHbixe7cOI_Fe8luouxzIjBsv/s640/blogger-image--697044887.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Needless to say, I missed the walking tour. I think drunkenly Kristy and I decided to shut off our alarms because we had two set. I was hurting and struggled to get ready, but didn't want to waste a day. We finally left around 12:30 and picked up some 3 euro pizza that was near the hotel. Feeling only slightly better, we headed out to the East Side Gallery which is the only part of the Berlin Wall that still remains. This was truly impressive and the art work was absolutely gorgeous. Check it out.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuLNYD7rYqYAJB7XfZlE2D4opu-NE2AnFFNQgRBzaRhOLgBiUKoSz-KEw8UlReJy3YhrXhQLZ8tDW-0KOjUOVMs45biejRJYRthUbWjctwDDzyMWN2BdvFtn6mgEfnIXgQ6S8ekSJvvnFt/s640/blogger-image--779047543.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuLNYD7rYqYAJB7XfZlE2D4opu-NE2AnFFNQgRBzaRhOLgBiUKoSz-KEw8UlReJy3YhrXhQLZ8tDW-0KOjUOVMs45biejRJYRthUbWjctwDDzyMWN2BdvFtn6mgEfnIXgQ6S8ekSJvvnFt/s640/blogger-image--779047543.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5TIDazijmbHvTQPsE2vBBrhSiQay3h-ngfjpGcnkKHNXiCufDBQXvv-41E04Sa2l9kf7oeqqyJBftoQWKLIfUP7KH1a3oV0ad_8GR0d8pjmuWDM2iU_kpeEcEfC5jNSIr1MGlMeSj9cUg/s640/blogger-image-1962852602.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5TIDazijmbHvTQPsE2vBBrhSiQay3h-ngfjpGcnkKHNXiCufDBQXvv-41E04Sa2l9kf7oeqqyJBftoQWKLIfUP7KH1a3oV0ad_8GR0d8pjmuWDM2iU_kpeEcEfC5jNSIr1MGlMeSj9cUg/s640/blogger-image-1962852602.jpg"></a></div><br></div></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbAavfnn65rcvIYcY2BqXqfch6oCJ0SZ8fYnTinRcEaQbZjqLhQ2FIcWRwgoV8E0KVxs-5gGEG1ymVTvMm36-xtWm2BbZcueYmIEuF-jXzIm4wuH5lxHCHdNXQ4k6_RKJqVaDrmUtTQ6S0/s640/blogger-image-1002982886.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbAavfnn65rcvIYcY2BqXqfch6oCJ0SZ8fYnTinRcEaQbZjqLhQ2FIcWRwgoV8E0KVxs-5gGEG1ymVTvMm36-xtWm2BbZcueYmIEuF-jXzIm4wuH5lxHCHdNXQ4k6_RKJqVaDrmUtTQ6S0/s640/blogger-image-1002982886.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgH6nBrUk7pEwlvvtpwYjk5sCtZIWo_clNKrIhySi2yC0wtkhw6oHXp-H3Vz2s_Ov92MytFR6Jo5Meq_Xz0PwpYPE-r0pF1Co1190WmDos73mXcQGMV3_cDaxmqxPjjCtbjE3Fqs3QuF-k/s640/blogger-image-1378061707.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgH6nBrUk7pEwlvvtpwYjk5sCtZIWo_clNKrIhySi2yC0wtkhw6oHXp-H3Vz2s_Ov92MytFR6Jo5Meq_Xz0PwpYPE-r0pF1Co1190WmDos73mXcQGMV3_cDaxmqxPjjCtbjE3Fqs3QuF-k/s640/blogger-image-1378061707.jpg"></a></div><br></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTUDAJPLYN8q1oXKrvgdQW-I_CwTKVTZBqCYzJf9rG91mRrDS8afUtz0UYu6cM7t1Ck6vBAZzxpr-FfBqvbXY6f0kk93Tf7AR9lkf7nKs0ZOvjJCaogWW4pSPwKduKwu_PMzlGA96GuwDY/s640/blogger-image--1377287853.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTUDAJPLYN8q1oXKrvgdQW-I_CwTKVTZBqCYzJf9rG91mRrDS8afUtz0UYu6cM7t1Ck6vBAZzxpr-FfBqvbXY6f0kk93Tf7AR9lkf7nKs0ZOvjJCaogWW4pSPwKduKwu_PMzlGA96GuwDY/s640/blogger-image--1377287853.jpg"></a></div><br></div>We caught the train when were done with the wall and then headed to the Reichstag for our tour. After Hitler's ruling they decided to build their parliament building with a glass dome to symbolize that their congress is transparent and the people can and will know what is going on at the top levels. It's a free tour and definitely a recommended stop in Berlin. Here are some shots...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTTJqt-MzasbXHxA2tLLp3CvfJMRRHH7JVTBlEE5G8L3ozN1AcSs-ZeCDYvjgZWgWoMjAOqoxHwlUf1I2NAvZHliWj60jnSfE7uPk2pYCqAg_HXPK1OsUyc2n2ssoiYFSIqlr0YdQGezDj/s640/blogger-image-57618693.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTTJqt-MzasbXHxA2tLLp3CvfJMRRHH7JVTBlEE5G8L3ozN1AcSs-ZeCDYvjgZWgWoMjAOqoxHwlUf1I2NAvZHliWj60jnSfE7uPk2pYCqAg_HXPK1OsUyc2n2ssoiYFSIqlr0YdQGezDj/s640/blogger-image-57618693.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8Oj28IeptgKN7DU_dp4tBfa0Gd-dvy8_3qzlqNYhBpzzrxY4ToYmrQNAAKQBPFeLnyeiyUBF8nK0DDvHnZalxgd1KAKyVECm7NZZW7jfZH0rJfXujUXJpetzq8ghNW_8mM2co3n1Y1b3g/s640/blogger-image-2121034535.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8Oj28IeptgKN7DU_dp4tBfa0Gd-dvy8_3qzlqNYhBpzzrxY4ToYmrQNAAKQBPFeLnyeiyUBF8nK0DDvHnZalxgd1KAKyVECm7NZZW7jfZH0rJfXujUXJpetzq8ghNW_8mM2co3n1Y1b3g/s640/blogger-image-2121034535.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFC3HSWvrNIzPC2qlkxR_QTjcq9Cmo24PF3mOwdl2nghW2VDcI2MGWXfFodnMKTGHBZTSpUX_rlLtMCsJ9JyIfrWIruHNLIKrwC7BmM3yOivEWZPsNLyPzw8h1JrAQg4bAYmBDvZbz_7IA/s640/blogger-image--1429564224.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFC3HSWvrNIzPC2qlkxR_QTjcq9Cmo24PF3mOwdl2nghW2VDcI2MGWXfFodnMKTGHBZTSpUX_rlLtMCsJ9JyIfrWIruHNLIKrwC7BmM3yOivEWZPsNLyPzw8h1JrAQg4bAYmBDvZbz_7IA/s640/blogger-image--1429564224.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvPdtjde_YJkOmke5YyMDg2-Nh0x6eyJunGHA2z1DaLSFKM8XygOhsrtjR8lg2_FGaO4j0CfBA0jUPZGIdz3rTynpO0cpfEGBDWjdY-gco_kAjYjfbWUqMMJzPf9h1jclQondXVXrCjz7h/s640/blogger-image-1875276590.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvPdtjde_YJkOmke5YyMDg2-Nh0x6eyJunGHA2z1DaLSFKM8XygOhsrtjR8lg2_FGaO4j0CfBA0jUPZGIdz3rTynpO0cpfEGBDWjdY-gco_kAjYjfbWUqMMJzPf9h1jclQondXVXrCjz7h/s640/blogger-image-1875276590.jpg"></a></div><br></div></div>On our way to the Christmas market, we saw the Holocaust memorial. I wish I had more information for the meaning, but, I missed the walking tour. Sorry about that.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp-P9TF_fOpNWnQtTQORtl5Lisn-HAN9V_wftxUM0_-uWuhIf41VQgqedpHB60CPiW03YgwaOloU2Z4pSaEZGflMNJ0RamgNCYVmi6Uv2Zs6OSHNeQFgbY9fnP4oeOSp8EAcYTbFf4F96Q/s640/blogger-image-1192868187.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp-P9TF_fOpNWnQtTQORtl5Lisn-HAN9V_wftxUM0_-uWuhIf41VQgqedpHB60CPiW03YgwaOloU2Z4pSaEZGflMNJ0RamgNCYVmi6Uv2Zs6OSHNeQFgbY9fnP4oeOSp8EAcYTbFf4F96Q/s640/blogger-image-1192868187.jpg"></a></div><br></div></div>I absolutely loved the Christmas market. There were little stations with sausages, pretzels, candy, cookies, mulled wine, beer, etc. It also where I have the most shots of food in or around my mouth, more than anyone should ever have. I didn't include the one with the chocolate covered banana because there were too many falic shaped items in my pictures. I've really hit my stride with food here in Germany. We had a couple of girls from the group join us at the Christmas market - Caroline and Jess. Caroline is a Contiki tour manager in Greece and is originally from New Zealand. Jess if another one from Australie and she is quite soft spoken, but very sweet. She is staying at the end in Budapest and then going to Germany so I might hang around with her. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><br></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0bvdbGklwzjn7tVvZg62vAdhSIjaSinMv1e2aW3Pd3QTw_iZGk8-xrffwZsVFsgurmP9cswH_Z-M_m7nz4DepUIxwYU0r6b8Q3EMnMGAKGhqOpfdGauZVidNreX98aUiMmgBJu56eDcEw/s640/blogger-image--618018451.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0bvdbGklwzjn7tVvZg62vAdhSIjaSinMv1e2aW3Pd3QTw_iZGk8-xrffwZsVFsgurmP9cswH_Z-M_m7nz4DepUIxwYU0r6b8Q3EMnMGAKGhqOpfdGauZVidNreX98aUiMmgBJu56eDcEw/s640/blogger-image--618018451.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5HqBP26vdgiXvhN0Uc8QIqyL5BzP-LPEyW5GAxlQhWOTX18x2KcjWnCpT5LkfhezW_taiylvqrFojJz1xTVvWI_c9MN5kfhDOcFUPSy8LnWMbrChc6YODrrx4xs1ZJ2mHpcYxh4f3wtq5/s640/blogger-image-125096208.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5HqBP26vdgiXvhN0Uc8QIqyL5BzP-LPEyW5GAxlQhWOTX18x2KcjWnCpT5LkfhezW_taiylvqrFojJz1xTVvWI_c9MN5kfhDOcFUPSy8LnWMbrChc6YODrrx4xs1ZJ2mHpcYxh4f3wtq5/s640/blogger-image-125096208.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAIaKIBdcc89xevqyZd2gG_xtJ2bI-MrTc7uD2Ik2KN61Qmf00cbbRlfiVFMlbkEUlqxqh40mjF_jKGEkhV6delwiU_Em_Mw3hWZAFFpE_VwJt0L-h0ruPCGHbLdhyb8iEWcTU-iikJ7-y/s640/blogger-image-1651989578.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAIaKIBdcc89xevqyZd2gG_xtJ2bI-MrTc7uD2Ik2KN61Qmf00cbbRlfiVFMlbkEUlqxqh40mjF_jKGEkhV6delwiU_Em_Mw3hWZAFFpE_VwJt0L-h0ruPCGHbLdhyb8iEWcTU-iikJ7-y/s640/blogger-image-1651989578.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmfIGp8kZv_VpSgOK6wkrzNY0YEE-8ytng9N1rLlYnWBZoadM108Io6MG-CuCMiPl3UUcdsCWCtkjlPhyphenhyphenQc1g8Hgwz8Z4I8PL6kKcJ0Sg6K1_qdAqSAQomdEofGUM5K01AfDjqQAqtsg-a/s640/blogger-image--903104760.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmfIGp8kZv_VpSgOK6wkrzNY0YEE-8ytng9N1rLlYnWBZoadM108Io6MG-CuCMiPl3UUcdsCWCtkjlPhyphenhyphenQc1g8Hgwz8Z4I8PL6kKcJ0Sg6K1_qdAqSAQomdEofGUM5K01AfDjqQAqtsg-a/s640/blogger-image--903104760.jpg"></a></div><br></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">Now that I'm heading to Prague, I can say that I really did enjoy Berlin. The top things are the East Side Gallery, the Reichstag, and the Christmas Market. The food was consistently good here, which was a plus. The people I have met are so fun and I'm looking forward to our next stop.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><br></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">Auf Weidershen!</span></div></div></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02020731818578029433noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3431528991092771303.post-47043300912428520672013-11-10T08:18:00.001-08:002013-11-10T08:18:29.393-08:00When in RomeI mean, I had to with the title. I was waiting all trip to say when in Rome. For example, I was just at the airport waiting for my flight so I ordered a cheese and meat plate with wine on the side. It was the perfect 'when in Rome' experience. I mean, check it out.<div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVRVBbhp3WO658aTnKibFqVmO_TYAeGfwY0T420NTio5iIY9YIK0Cf_s37ZBGxIl6eiq5WG_v5OGLPjQmxmw3GjjTue9Xp0zg9B_rSnDFfQxUeo2i9gg9MX0xyDuD2xzooToFF6LmnJyv6/s640/blogger-image--174211960.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVRVBbhp3WO658aTnKibFqVmO_TYAeGfwY0T420NTio5iIY9YIK0Cf_s37ZBGxIl6eiq5WG_v5OGLPjQmxmw3GjjTue9Xp0zg9B_rSnDFfQxUeo2i9gg9MX0xyDuD2xzooToFF6LmnJyv6/s640/blogger-image--174211960.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">I'm typing this as we sit on the Tarmac because something is wrong with the plane. I'd love more information, but I'm surrounded by Germans which is by far the hardest language to understand so I only got 'defective' and then they all laughed<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">. Plus, when they do speak English, they sound like the guy on the video 'Jennifer is a party pooper' and I want to start laughing. Seriously, go google that video and try to not laugh. I'm trying to find comedy in this unfortunate turn of events. I will now be late to the first meet up on Contiki and it's making me quite anxious. Now I'm that girl. </span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">Alright, enough ranting about this delay. How do you say beer in German?</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">So Rome...we stayed at the best hotel here. We walked in and were greeted by a very kind soft spoken Italian man who was ready to give us all the highlights of Rome. When he spoke about food, I felt that we shared some of the same philosophies. He even said, 'you first enjoy a meal with the eyes, then through the soul, and finally through the mouth'. Damn Mario, that was beautiful. We settled into our fancy room with motorized shades, a bidet (I have still never used one of these), comfy beds, and tapestry walls and then we were definitely ready for dinner. We walked less than a block away to little restaurant with twinkly lights that the concierge recommended. It was our first Italian meal and it was delicious. Mine wasn't the best thing I've ever eaten, but when paired with the wine (a chianti from the area) it made it much better. My mom had a lasagna that was everything we had hoped for. It had a delicious meat sauce on it that had clearly been cooking all day. We finished our meal with some chocolate panna cotta with strawberries.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7VCNwIR9ALzA-T4dAuelXVy4WrCzHsDvqb2TNqjCLrW0O0mA6m0lkACVVJS5d36QNWkHXVKQUiivBnxRb9398vWpX9zUaUeI9EvYUjvfELLaCd-h0d7oirTsjnisOYbdmQnin0u5_L3DI/s640/blogger-image-1887693702.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7VCNwIR9ALzA-T4dAuelXVy4WrCzHsDvqb2TNqjCLrW0O0mA6m0lkACVVJS5d36QNWkHXVKQUiivBnxRb9398vWpX9zUaUeI9EvYUjvfELLaCd-h0d7oirTsjnisOYbdmQnin0u5_L3DI/s640/blogger-image-1887693702.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyU8qI9nfKIFs7gX8rNvZIp_dgAaLeROZ4A6ha3kF62KHEHADX0x_kPYWTGUPOZaWG6KfNbtzOW6wzQz6p0wrlSSZpJHHfgUeS_skHevVSzTOo9hfHFYAMfj79Zem4Z8TN5tr5ysMg7lqU/s640/blogger-image--1144715826.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyU8qI9nfKIFs7gX8rNvZIp_dgAaLeROZ4A6ha3kF62KHEHADX0x_kPYWTGUPOZaWG6KfNbtzOW6wzQz6p0wrlSSZpJHHfgUeS_skHevVSzTOo9hfHFYAMfj79Zem4Z8TN5tr5ysMg7lqU/s640/blogger-image--1144715826.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">The next day we started off bright and early to the Vatican. I'm not Catholic, but I can see if someone was, how important it would be. I mean, they found St. Peter's body barrier below St. Peter's basilica and Jesus made him the rock of the church. It was pretty moving even for me. Our tour guide must have had a masters in Roman history. Her detailed knowledge of every fresco in there was quite impressive, but also very tiring. We were on our feet from 10-1pm and my mom and I were ready for a break. Before I talk about lunch, here are some of my favorite pics.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLf59eKXikrt2HzxwqvLiBHG4jk4csSfjWU17mnOf_jdaLO1TC3NbURPKrV1fwpmOCPZ3dKLAc2Jn1d2ZHfUNq0zUcdz_1_pFk0Rg5rOozzQ4xC0rIMf__6YWIsJfq3oCtsyny0PyD7bb9/s640/blogger-image-697560767.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLf59eKXikrt2HzxwqvLiBHG4jk4csSfjWU17mnOf_jdaLO1TC3NbURPKrV1fwpmOCPZ3dKLAc2Jn1d2ZHfUNq0zUcdz_1_pFk0Rg5rOozzQ4xC0rIMf__6YWIsJfq3oCtsyny0PyD7bb9/s640/blogger-image-697560767.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwBQoOXDTpfK9qEL71tFMZlDlCZJCVd0m-w6R2noWwqsU-itfEHkIvS8Vyc3wxLjgGzKfYJ0vjkBd9e1Pc0wpRsDrqtPB74lbK3OfWaZeSNu_wNQpx_MbeYZv7O-NrlY_uQlwb8fPpwVU0/s640/blogger-image--167993506.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwBQoOXDTpfK9qEL71tFMZlDlCZJCVd0m-w6R2noWwqsU-itfEHkIvS8Vyc3wxLjgGzKfYJ0vjkBd9e1Pc0wpRsDrqtPB74lbK3OfWaZeSNu_wNQpx_MbeYZv7O-NrlY_uQlwb8fPpwVU0/s640/blogger-image--167993506.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6YHGrNxNSWRZN_87iwjur4Q10UUGotpjutVzcTU5_UJ91ruckKimUJ1oTFhWST8t814dTZl9kvevhFVSp5zUlBpxiVRCfKpeWjlaoGChYgKTfh0QSf9w6aoGotT1-NlSOC_Ihs6k5Ctm5/s640/blogger-image-2052325779.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6YHGrNxNSWRZN_87iwjur4Q10UUGotpjutVzcTU5_UJ91ruckKimUJ1oTFhWST8t814dTZl9kvevhFVSp5zUlBpxiVRCfKpeWjlaoGChYgKTfh0QSf9w6aoGotT1-NlSOC_Ihs6k5Ctm5/s640/blogger-image-2052325779.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmVRaFQZMZ2Xm2tLGjSJJ2ApMA2ysFyzddc4ZvbAQOjr3vpdUHSqStTnA_wO-5FPm4nsHtzMsJmKS0iugJxktcUY6Gpzd51JKw_jjc7U3LPftzqvaKLfCBM9yjGK1XTIaGkkBkbW0P7z-P/s640/blogger-image--786061005.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmVRaFQZMZ2Xm2tLGjSJJ2ApMA2ysFyzddc4ZvbAQOjr3vpdUHSqStTnA_wO-5FPm4nsHtzMsJmKS0iugJxktcUY6Gpzd51JKw_jjc7U3LPftzqvaKLfCBM9yjGK1XTIaGkkBkbW0P7z-P/s640/blogger-image--786061005.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">So, we were pretty tired from the tour, but the guide said food nearby was mediocre at best and suggested we go to a different area that was a short walk away. We ended up setting in at a place that was down an alley and had amazing wood fire pizzas. We got a mushroom and sausage pizza on the freshest crust <span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">that was so damn good. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2tFGaCSv1MbAtvO2PBKzDzU60qII43VLZVBFk6KdawUxJrsNG9VDtJoIMeFBDoN8SPcWbnvMf-Y3aIPHdBhp8pGhRoWzHbwJnWN0OsWQUaaRcuxQ_VDVn9QjKcpyFm_CQB2IH-qw3NvrY/s640/blogger-image--63073157.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2tFGaCSv1MbAtvO2PBKzDzU60qII43VLZVBFk6KdawUxJrsNG9VDtJoIMeFBDoN8SPcWbnvMf-Y3aIPHdBhp8pGhRoWzHbwJnWN0OsWQUaaRcuxQ_VDVn9QjKcpyFm_CQB2IH-qw3NvrY/s640/blogger-image--63073157.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSyPqF5sf53IpdCXRDembdXy8FSReMG2i1agnqZ0gAds_euDG0X47G58Bnh51lBmRKpYN0D8V8TA4pElC4puI2gTKtVlsyg8LWY4Zw_5zVvcLlOiKgrzVImHq7e1OTPu6SSMc_LA6QR86q/s640/blogger-image--2117568756.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSyPqF5sf53IpdCXRDembdXy8FSReMG2i1agnqZ0gAds_euDG0X47G58Bnh51lBmRKpYN0D8V8TA4pElC4puI2gTKtVlsyg8LWY4Zw_5zVvcLlOiKgrzVImHq7e1OTPu6SSMc_LA6QR86q/s640/blogger-image--2117568756.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">We continued to walk through Rome discovering the ancient area. Colin told me to take a tour, but my mom was toured out so we just have pictures of the area. I figure the is something my dad and I will enjoy when he comes later this month. Until then, you will have the same knowledge as me.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5jDV4sMSWihAXuZzVH-zHB3HljUBoWBWaQi2vCpMF9Qrkb4o9pFQw3k_iUZ0vxpi5cn-wvxzk_gpi47FCPTZzWpiHJH2lidaCVmvpuRLcCT-V8wZEkgQjnPvvrB7umr8m-vjD25HzJcX5/s640/blogger-image--485436003.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5jDV4sMSWihAXuZzVH-zHB3HljUBoWBWaQi2vCpMF9Qrkb4o9pFQw3k_iUZ0vxpi5cn-wvxzk_gpi47FCPTZzWpiHJH2lidaCVmvpuRLcCT-V8wZEkgQjnPvvrB7umr8m-vjD25HzJcX5/s640/blogger-image--485436003.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW-bFnVhTpf1siYCrDyhK9YtTO5Y-U1y32Wj3Q92b1OI830gF_awdMquDYtq6ILc5_zOvkUl6L-e_iPtKQhr_KGwVXD0F99rSH4mavVyWzixe6loQsM3i0qESl53d0FYaFaa4RqZVc8saI/s640/blogger-image-669325567.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW-bFnVhTpf1siYCrDyhK9YtTO5Y-U1y32Wj3Q92b1OI830gF_awdMquDYtq6ILc5_zOvkUl6L-e_iPtKQhr_KGwVXD0F99rSH4mavVyWzixe6loQsM3i0qESl53d0FYaFaa4RqZVc8saI/s640/blogger-image-669325567.jpg"></a></div><br></div><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">We finally caught our hop on hop off bus which was a total waste of money. When we first got into Rome it seemed so big and we thought we would need the bus to get around. We only used it 2 times over our 2 days in Rome, so it was a bit frustrating that we spent that money and didn't even use it. Not to future travelers, as long as you are ok to walk 5+ miles, you absolutely don't need the tour bus. Let our 50 euro mistake be your lesson learned. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">We got back to our hotel and stopped to pick up some wine to drink on the gorgeous roof terrace that was at our hotel. It was by far my favorite thing about the hotel and the weather was so much better than it was in Paris and London. I'd even go as far to say it was hot in Rome (for San Francisco standards - maybe 72 degrees). We enjoyed some Risotto on the terrace and had a pleasant evening chatting about how much we miss our hubby and fiancé. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">With Friday being my moms last day, we knew we had to make the most of it. We started at the Spanish steps since they were walking distance from our hotel and then made our way to The Trevi Fountain stopping at all the little shops along the way. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX8CbObDcgsN8kJTIwWfI9Zi6AYjnQ_8enWmrk9x2mR5z9WAIRg-FKB7LJUhoj31hyphenhyphenlJe0Dy8AYHSrGlXDcF07UFrAhSHbA0UNY_AjentekWsLHKF-d8MQiu1L7ondWpCioCVD4txjXUGS/s640/blogger-image--1599074570.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX8CbObDcgsN8kJTIwWfI9Zi6AYjnQ_8enWmrk9x2mR5z9WAIRg-FKB7LJUhoj31hyphenhyphenlJe0Dy8AYHSrGlXDcF07UFrAhSHbA0UNY_AjentekWsLHKF-d8MQiu1L7ondWpCioCVD4txjXUGS/s640/blogger-image--1599074570.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQJIw7ew4Y-Wb0J8xtf0qRkXXVN8W_PuLpHWz7d512NRO-m-77B5VFw6gq_cAkV9eZ6wR7MFRi0iQWMZbwIc0cjjleGooNwb_9GfgvoQXREAwmmJkYk3UBX6ntw52yBgXpnl22gXJVWRTN/s640/blogger-image-1604788513.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQJIw7ew4Y-Wb0J8xtf0qRkXXVN8W_PuLpHWz7d512NRO-m-77B5VFw6gq_cAkV9eZ6wR7MFRi0iQWMZbwIc0cjjleGooNwb_9GfgvoQXREAwmmJkYk3UBX6ntw52yBgXpnl22gXJVWRTN/s640/blogger-image-1604788513.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfc5uBRgLJGOHpAOSeII97e2OeqCmzVYK8BAcsyxvcuJQ9fUjkIArccBea1HzDxJL6sI2FCsRXhAJu9xKh7ioJyzUNC28VauTCKcfyzccJ5WIWjSZx_C48lV50zD5MVkz5xnuditRLmvgY/s640/blogger-image--223810720.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfc5uBRgLJGOHpAOSeII97e2OeqCmzVYK8BAcsyxvcuJQ9fUjkIArccBea1HzDxJL6sI2FCsRXhAJu9xKh7ioJyzUNC28VauTCKcfyzccJ5WIWjSZx_C48lV50zD5MVkz5xnuditRLmvgY/s640/blogger-image--223810720.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">We caught our bus and made our way back to the colosseum. That area is so amazing because of its rich history which dates back to 2-3 BC. After briefly stopping for photos, it was already time for lunch so we split another mushroom and sausage pizza. The first one we had was better, but this was still better than the average piece of pizza, so I was happy.</div></div><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPWS2ifTzfkpEFc2ngw2JE_tzo18-r3mvFzY340vcO3CWSeoePVK5wGdGakR0Au9ZPSwVBVriI2kqh-UVgZ9ioS1deeUg5cgrtTuyr2J6YB1LZMjM1x-FwM-SxaaFqK3gyV8wZlAkXijst/s640/blogger-image-1435086750.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPWS2ifTzfkpEFc2ngw2JE_tzo18-r3mvFzY340vcO3CWSeoePVK5wGdGakR0Au9ZPSwVBVriI2kqh-UVgZ9ioS1deeUg5cgrtTuyr2J6YB1LZMjM1x-FwM-SxaaFqK3gyV8wZlAkXijst/s640/blogger-image-1435086750.jpg"></a></div><br></div></div><br></div>Our final meal was a bit disappointing. Our concierge recommended a place and he absolutely raved about it. We walked to the adorable restaurant and really had high hopes. I asked the waiter for his suggestion and it was exactly what I had been hoping for - gnocchi and seafood. My mom decided to order the pasta carbonara and he brought her some wines to try and she ended up getting a very strong margarita. He helped me select a wine that would go well and brought us bread while we waited. My dinner was placed in front of me and I was a bit turned off by the very large prawns that still had bodies, heads, and that gross poopy vein. The waiter saw me struggling so he helped my deconstruct the shrimp into something edible. In the meantime I tried the gnocchi which were smaller than I'm used to. They were definitely frozen or pre-packaged gnocchi and were not good. Plus, there was maybe only like 12 Jordan almond sized gnocchis so I was getting worried I wouldn't have enough (typical American worried about portion sizes...). I finished my meal, quite bummed that it wasn't what I had hoped for, but excited that I still get another week in Italy at the end of my trip.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">I really enjoyed our time in Rome with most of our meals being positive and being able to walk most of the city. When all was said and done, we only had two full days in Rome which is not enough at all. I am so thankful that I have the time at the end of my trip to continue to enjoy Italy. It's a great city with extremely friendly people. My final thoughts: don't do the hop on hop off tour, find a restaurant with truly homemade pizza, don't do a full tour of the Vatican - go on your own, and buy leather :)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><br></div><br></div><br></div><br></div><br></div></div><br></div><br></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02020731818578029433noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3431528991092771303.post-37925553179709018822013-11-10T07:43:00.001-08:002013-11-10T08:37:49.534-08:00Oui Oui PariMy mom and I had just a day and a half left in Paris and decided to make the most of it. We started with the usual croissant for breakfast and then headed out to see the Notre Dame. It is a very beautiful church and is so impressive construction-wise.<div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvtNQFnSh4ONwJhSy_tSMq-jN07nGjxJ4EBRMKkxhvI9AUdjf1RvoL0kf4mfYNIcPMc-IHnvB6M-3wzCxB-d04GlwkKDxtY6KsBzlDunPdQ4Ovhwiq8shKXxdAXdswaU7RyCvmJUqLt7dq/s640/blogger-image--490501554.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvtNQFnSh4ONwJhSy_tSMq-jN07nGjxJ4EBRMKkxhvI9AUdjf1RvoL0kf4mfYNIcPMc-IHnvB6M-3wzCxB-d04GlwkKDxtY6KsBzlDunPdQ4Ovhwiq8shKXxdAXdswaU7RyCvmJUqLt7dq/s640/blogger-image--490501554.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivtYVR-i1UL6CF9xeaRsESm6h0EWJ7ttgk3n00N6zg3-6gYgHXcKfuhdOAEgqWOdLdzr-2Z9viPM-VbteZROQoPZmNziXV9MylX1vbtN-zlFNmbRoUdsmZLhuDh3WBL_q2ODNiwqppLt0q/s640/blogger-image--148023324.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivtYVR-i1UL6CF9xeaRsESm6h0EWJ7ttgk3n00N6zg3-6gYgHXcKfuhdOAEgqWOdLdzr-2Z9viPM-VbteZROQoPZmNziXV9MylX1vbtN-zlFNmbRoUdsmZLhuDh3WBL_q2ODNiwqppLt0q/s640/blogger-image--148023324.jpg"></a></div><br></div><br></div>After the quick tour, we headed out for the Champs Élysées - the high fashion street. We walked through the stores that we can't afford and browsed around. A keychain at the flagship Louis Vitton is a whopping 200 euros. Insane. Good thing we found something we could afford...macarons. My friend Sabrina recommended Laradee and when we saw it, we had to go in. Look at these gems. My mom got a caramel and I got a chocolate and they were absolutely perfect.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD7KdpFyu6_0Jqk2mnJPfTdyKrVz1vz9FNQ65V17kRA6-suIO7Ls5GNcq2Cd022drxPPraRwBzkxGadZ36mvvQlQsBwVaD3wUSvDMTC_c56MKKTrdhSfGR7mhK6NPRyARcYWATsquh8fAi/s640/blogger-image-567428310.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD7KdpFyu6_0Jqk2mnJPfTdyKrVz1vz9FNQ65V17kRA6-suIO7Ls5GNcq2Cd022drxPPraRwBzkxGadZ36mvvQlQsBwVaD3wUSvDMTC_c56MKKTrdhSfGR7mhK6NPRyARcYWATsquh8fAi/s640/blogger-image-567428310.jpg"></a></div><br></div>It was raining pretty bad so we decided to brave the subway system and explore Montmartre. This is an artsy part of Paris that is up on a hill and offers a view of the city. There is a church on the hill that was pretty spectacular and the view was amazing.</div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigXHEmByk3y-S9ItWnD856vNj9hh1k6enxwsBmDbnFM2k6oA-Gx0APnX3s9fhT3vtSVip5j2SD21r6lT39K4NqyHQTjlLBtz3myubrkE0mKvMPPTr0lAVVEuA2cvHd4jyr83V5uBzQfnd0/s640/blogger-image--1265474821.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigXHEmByk3y-S9ItWnD856vNj9hh1k6enxwsBmDbnFM2k6oA-Gx0APnX3s9fhT3vtSVip5j2SD21r6lT39K4NqyHQTjlLBtz3myubrkE0mKvMPPTr0lAVVEuA2cvHd4jyr83V5uBzQfnd0/s640/blogger-image--1265474821.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRn-D2Amfor2Ja9TS3G8fqRp0ujqOb6-mPah7CU5l_bgszTQOU1JpiBW5OeV_fUEns5K3s9erM28wQOLliE6Hb8MCT9gGp3A9xSHBb15jw-s91fQT6NhvqPYc3H-ui5w1Izo0hRO6w51vF/s640/blogger-image--942335516.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRn-D2Amfor2Ja9TS3G8fqRp0ujqOb6-mPah7CU5l_bgszTQOU1JpiBW5OeV_fUEns5K3s9erM28wQOLliE6Hb8MCT9gGp3A9xSHBb15jw-s91fQT6NhvqPYc3H-ui5w1Izo0hRO6w51vF/s640/blogger-image--942335516.jpg"></a></div><br></div><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDqH4w-l98b2KtxmdgSu9Cch4y6Izq9PwEHzHO5tUtBqudOV56_Qga9vi2RRX8eemw4csnxz68YtH93GkdGvEqI46IjezeAbpaS4xpuAhg-Qn5Ng1kGhrgmutc2ra6npyTIaUBdF6DhieO/s640/blogger-image-1249576177.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDqH4w-l98b2KtxmdgSu9Cch4y6Izq9PwEHzHO5tUtBqudOV56_Qga9vi2RRX8eemw4csnxz68YtH93GkdGvEqI46IjezeAbpaS4xpuAhg-Qn5Ng1kGhrgmutc2ra6npyTIaUBdF6DhieO/s640/blogger-image-1249576177.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">After Montmartre, we headed back to the city and it was just getting dark. There is a bridge along the Seine river that lovers attach to signify love lasting forever. My mom and I obviously had to partake so wandered around the souvenir shops to find the perfect locks and markers (mine ended up looking like a 3 year old did it...typical). Now, it's official, Colin and I and my mom and dad will now be together forever! Yay!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"> <div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvGUG1wYYZBUG9PhYi2bWSLBuVK_eZ-cwPdirNtCssYY7_oekEild7tWWCzQIAEnU3aMQ4brRAF0L9TrV_qWpgmInNa7nNQQbnapi4EGuT7QUIeU1iOZIWpaXQwVIol3MegXNO_D5er6wJ/s640/blogger-image--2053811438.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvGUG1wYYZBUG9PhYi2bWSLBuVK_eZ-cwPdirNtCssYY7_oekEild7tWWCzQIAEnU3aMQ4brRAF0L9TrV_qWpgmInNa7nNQQbnapi4EGuT7QUIeU1iOZIWpaXQwVIol3MegXNO_D5er6wJ/s640/blogger-image--2053811438.jpg"></a></div></div><br></div><div>With this being our last night in Paris, we decided we would splurge and try out a nicer we found on tripadviser. I'd like to note that as an avid yelp user, trip adviser has been amazing at finding small, unique, and delicious restaurants - thanks trip adviser! </div><div><br></div><div>I read about a place on TA and decided it was our restaurant. We had a bit of trouble finding this place, Le Petit Casimir, and the when we got there, the door was locked. Luckily, a very friendly Parisian man greeted us and asked if we had reservations. Of course not. However, he accommodated us and sat us next to two young, good looking French men that would soon be our new friends. The entire menu was written in French and I could see the fear in my moms eyes. Gerard, the friendly owner that let us in, explained everything in English for us and it was perfect. The starters we chose were squid for me and pumpkin soup for my mom. I wish I had a picture of my beautiful, tender and perfectly seasoned squid because they were my favorite thing I have eaten so far (and I'm writing this in the Rome airport). I used almost an entire bread bowl to 'spaccapiata' or clean my plate as my dad would say. Gerard offered us an appertif to begin with that was like a champagne flavored with currants. It was quite tasty. For our main courses, I ordered a grilled swordfish at the suggestion of the chef and my mom ordered roasted beef with potatoes and carrots. Gerard helped us pick wine to pair and it was delicious - I got a Pinot and my mom ordered some sort of sweet red wine. The French guys next to us, Pierre and Sebastian (do they get any more French) were so fun. They chatted with us about our trip and even took notes about things to do in San Francisco, if they ever visit. Our meal ended with the original creme brûlée - using a hot metal plate to burn the sugar. We met a German man who bought us a glass of this stuff that translates to old prunes and it is quite interesting. <span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">This was my favorite meal in Paris because of the atmosphere. My mom didn't love the food, but I think she can agree that we were made to feel like family and enjoyed some new things that were locally sourced and made with love. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><br></span></div><div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrDB0_QhQfG8oaxV5e_UOQnkt9EISk2p-BbVc9EAHxE1DaPhjXsy9cpcWG4M0FDdfyyxtTwN_vUk6miU8kM_dAfdyjcJN-hIEmLJtYQrxUPb02Vn9GNQdz7FkUfozC77h4jQaw5uE0HFsV/s640/blogger-image--698741053.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrDB0_QhQfG8oaxV5e_UOQnkt9EISk2p-BbVc9EAHxE1DaPhjXsy9cpcWG4M0FDdfyyxtTwN_vUk6miU8kM_dAfdyjcJN-hIEmLJtYQrxUPb02Vn9GNQdz7FkUfozC77h4jQaw5uE0HFsV/s640/blogger-image--698741053.jpg"></a></div><br></span></div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTjOcpbFt7ncYxulpNl4Kt2RLUFidIINsABimgDTub8S9A9t8BzK711QJToE_PkhTFT38nO7V2RLNqGu3TAaZ6ej7q9V4f0YacedOAAK1ZDGxxe1dgm0osft2hvJk6k5gxlKS7YY1Zq53r/s640/blogger-image--876975851.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTjOcpbFt7ncYxulpNl4Kt2RLUFidIINsABimgDTub8S9A9t8BzK711QJToE_PkhTFT38nO7V2RLNqGu3TAaZ6ej7q9V4f0YacedOAAK1ZDGxxe1dgm0osft2hvJk6k5gxlKS7YY1Zq53r/s640/blogger-image--876975851.jpg"></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhy8ZkgcMKN5ysxDAjFSGVHhoB3TVj2u3kyMZgIS7z2dLJEhF4EztDTfQsIfFMrPlJLXLtyt9Jmy4gfrZxzEeFJ3jte3LaH9l3erxDHyuq5AG2dKzGIsBlPp5GLfIxX5hUA8MtnuDZ2RLf/s640/blogger-image--1267191419.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhy8ZkgcMKN5ysxDAjFSGVHhoB3TVj2u3kyMZgIS7z2dLJEhF4EztDTfQsIfFMrPlJLXLtyt9Jmy4gfrZxzEeFJ3jte3LaH9l3erxDHyuq5AG2dKzGIsBlPp5GLfIxX5hUA8MtnuDZ2RLf/s640/blogger-image--1267191419.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiP4MSOAQE6_ZqNJ-BWq0ViJ3BaNlzHFS0K2H-w53ZoHzK3aKK0UdogsA7B40eitRpCVRaAzA3xnLQI4M1Qvf6SaPVJIMmr2jNvWqHM-RDP0KD-QG74nVAWmQc1ZJzINVZ5cPQt36MzHA1/s640/blogger-image-1154969614.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiP4MSOAQE6_ZqNJ-BWq0ViJ3BaNlzHFS0K2H-w53ZoHzK3aKK0UdogsA7B40eitRpCVRaAzA3xnLQI4M1Qvf6SaPVJIMmr2jNvWqHM-RDP0KD-QG74nVAWmQc1ZJzINVZ5cPQt36MzHA1/s640/blogger-image-1154969614.jpg"></a></div><br></div><br></div></div></div><div><br></div><div>Our final day in Paris we took the train to Versailles and saw the chateau there. It was from a distance because we had to catch the train to the airport. This was quite an adventure. Before I left for Europe I went to this new store in SF called Uniqlo. It's a little Asian store that has all this light weight heat clothing that is supposed to keep you warm. In an average situation, I'm just fine - not too hot, not too cold. However, when I am in any situation where I begin to sweat, the Japan heat technology clothing transforms your sweat into balls of fire. On this particular day, we were attempting to catch the train to the airport, seemed simple. There is one train change and that was it. We go down to the platform and look at the monitor for our train. It was a B train and only C trains were listed. I run back up to the gates where more information is listed and the same trains I was just looking at now had Bs listed. WTF. I come back down and my mom knew we weren't on the correct platform either, but couldn't really offer any suggestions. Slowly, I begin to sweat and balls of fire start forming under my sweater and I nearly lose it. All the signs are in French and no one is offering help. Finally, I see a sign that directs us to our train and we make it just fine. And, <span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">looking back we had allowed plenty of time to get on the flight, but in that moment, with the combination of panic and Japan technology sweat fire balls, I wanted to strip down to my underwear so I could think straight. Please be warned. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><br></span></div><div><font face="Helvetica Neue Light, HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif">Au revior</font></div><div> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW7N8uGcX2fONWNwO3oetZhfa7dWhfHZDzve0yuAkyl_7AQuRTusuxRT1B4laNFc5C8_Rx335hCltyhlNKbbbDa6jpLkdILHBVQ3M973bQGRzmu37x9Lq1AsSYMEohdc9RcHbsFd_saaZh/s640/blogger-image-482026227.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW7N8uGcX2fONWNwO3oetZhfa7dWhfHZDzve0yuAkyl_7AQuRTusuxRT1B4laNFc5C8_Rx335hCltyhlNKbbbDa6jpLkdILHBVQ3M973bQGRzmu37x9Lq1AsSYMEohdc9RcHbsFd_saaZh/s640/blogger-image-482026227.jpg"></a></div><br></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02020731818578029433noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3431528991092771303.post-65941860369204621332013-11-05T14:29:00.001-08:002013-11-05T14:29:06.866-08:00Bon jourII am so sad to leave Paris tomorrow. I feel like my mom and I just got the hang of things and we are already leaving. Plus, the meal I just finished and the people I just met absolutely made this trip. <div><br></div><div><b>Paris</b><br><div><br></div><div>We took the Chunnel from London to Paris and it was the perfect travel vessel. My mom and I weren't sitting together on the train; she was with three peace sign flashing tourists from Tokyo and I was next to a crying baby, a singing child and their two parents. I was a bit nervous that this family would be awful to sit with. Everything I heard about Parisians was that they were rude, pretentious, and not enjoyable people to be traveling on a train for a couple hours. Well, this family was quite the opposite. Their daughter Alice sang French nursery rhymes to me as we played with her stickers and their parents shared all the details about what to do in Paris and how to get around. We said our goodbyes and hailed a cab. I specifically told my mom, 'begin by saying Bon jour or else they will be rude to us'. What does she say to our cabbie, but good old, 'hello'. Way to go mom. He ended up being just fine, but that was the beginning of learning my mom is stuck in her American ways (you know I love you mom).</div><div><br></div><div>We were starving and decided to go to a brasserie near our hotel. I tried to convince my mom that we should just get a sandwich that all the boulangers sell, but she insisted we sit down at a restaurant. This time, she said Bon jour. we ordered two bowls of French onion soup and shared a quiche Lorraine. We couldn't have got anymore of a stereotypical French meal. Oh wait, but then I ordered champagne, so I guess we could have. This meal was so disappointing, until we ordered our next meal, then it would have been considered gourmet. We walked all around Paris and saw some of the major sites and planned our course for the next day which was going to be a busy one. For dinner, we weren't starving, but wanted to try something new. Paris has nearly 25,000 restaurants and only 1/5th of them are good. We stumbled on the bottom 1/5th and ate what was possibly the worst meal of my life. We thought it would be fun if we got wine, cheese, and meat (Vin, fromage, et charcuterie - yep, I'm learning French). We walked into the restaurant and it had a rather distinct smell to it, but we didn't let that scare us. When our server brought us the food, my mom and I looked at each other, out at the Notre Dame (never eat by tourist sites) and down at the food and decided to dig in. There was some ground meat product that I cannot even begin to describe other than car vomit so we did our best to avoid it. We spread Camembert cheese on stale bread and realized what the smell was in the restaurant. It tasted as if I licked a sweaty fat mans armpit. Absolutely awful. I tried to chase it with my wine, but it was obviously from a bottle that had been open for a couple of weeks. We ate what we could and then threw in the towel. When we got the bill, it was even worse! That disgusting meal cost us nearly $50 euro! We were glad that day was over and ready to begin the next day. I have a picture of this charcuterie plate on my camera and will have to share later.</div><div><br></div><div>The next day we started our day with chocolate croissants. Much better. We walked to the Louve and toured there for hours. We were later told that if you spent just 30 seconds at each piece of art, you'd spend 9 months there. Here are some of the highlights:</div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk3cxRc2A98y8kMABio8BsIUyXetMkdSlGZBW1eg45XVZOsfpqPlGj3pmIDXcRb9P_j7yjAdCNy9hw-oVEuvGMDn6UXZDKUUy-pAsH7IvPT7vaMOx9bv3COuwW3F9gYsluUgIHwW7n0iU4/s640/blogger-image--1489017187.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk3cxRc2A98y8kMABio8BsIUyXetMkdSlGZBW1eg45XVZOsfpqPlGj3pmIDXcRb9P_j7yjAdCNy9hw-oVEuvGMDn6UXZDKUUy-pAsH7IvPT7vaMOx9bv3COuwW3F9gYsluUgIHwW7n0iU4/s640/blogger-image--1489017187.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZGS2Gd5Ke7C8uVjsGxtdBGq0VKh-xxtSo0O-6dzVaN-1_6KXhbMxZ5zYGHFKqda98feaBjF9aajZV_BQ9ndb57-WHxvo-WEaMRvE_SvtpBnvgL_evzvl9YDGZdIanJ2fcFZeZ3ADCW6Yc/s640/blogger-image--281800241.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZGS2Gd5Ke7C8uVjsGxtdBGq0VKh-xxtSo0O-6dzVaN-1_6KXhbMxZ5zYGHFKqda98feaBjF9aajZV_BQ9ndb57-WHxvo-WEaMRvE_SvtpBnvgL_evzvl9YDGZdIanJ2fcFZeZ3ADCW6Yc/s640/blogger-image--281800241.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic_KidskXymamFNxd1l-bCl_m1RnOWQuBcwyLaaLhBmkBm80wc4RppdINIAz_JiikJm_cJvLucFGr9Rdum3blemuE7H3XWZwsM8JtLl-e0g2rxz7uBEDKDuAv97rXMskc1uhDOKOcsz2YL/s640/blogger-image-1130103275.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic_KidskXymamFNxd1l-bCl_m1RnOWQuBcwyLaaLhBmkBm80wc4RppdINIAz_JiikJm_cJvLucFGr9Rdum3blemuE7H3XWZwsM8JtLl-e0g2rxz7uBEDKDuAv97rXMskc1uhDOKOcsz2YL/s640/blogger-image-1130103275.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkymqOVzw0tmVIWIuhOaSb6aPzdM6XE-U2h4EKv0a-GjDAvaSwq2mAtFWMbNNJFZutxpIooHTSRzwqHHS8qHr3I5guS6-jAN958Z4WPZ1G-fj3MbFYOqXU0mrVSp_svcxinc2gq6ULOQXj/s640/blogger-image-662413194.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkymqOVzw0tmVIWIuhOaSb6aPzdM6XE-U2h4EKv0a-GjDAvaSwq2mAtFWMbNNJFZutxpIooHTSRzwqHHS8qHr3I5guS6-jAN958Z4WPZ1G-fj3MbFYOqXU0mrVSp_svcxinc2gq6ULOQXj/s640/blogger-image-662413194.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_IC-pKMSeP48u2zqMTRFUQWB_s7dXXDY8Z20e_YpkxIF5EtRqT_8_8x9qD9V3kOx1xwcKCEGLDLv6RTmVAQsBORprY2ar7w0-kl8_Cg-SHRlNIH9CZzxHwiHcRv_H9Xq6eTZ_ZO-ej3ns/s640/blogger-image-1368839492.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_IC-pKMSeP48u2zqMTRFUQWB_s7dXXDY8Z20e_YpkxIF5EtRqT_8_8x9qD9V3kOx1xwcKCEGLDLv6RTmVAQsBORprY2ar7w0-kl8_Cg-SHRlNIH9CZzxHwiHcRv_H9Xq6eTZ_ZO-ej3ns/s640/blogger-image-1368839492.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">After the time at the museum, we had definitely worked up an appetite. My mom finally let me choose our lunch and we settled at a patisserie and shared a prosciutto sandwich with a side salad. With drinks and tip or was less than 10 euro. Much better. We had a 5:30 tour of the Eiffel Tower and had a couple hours to spend so we walked down one of the famous shopping streets with Chanel, tiffany&co, Prada, etc. It's really fun to window shop and admire the rich people wearing fur coats that can afford these things. We made our way to the Eiffel Tower and I've never been so amazed at such a beautiful structure. Here it is all lit up and twinkling on the top of the hour. Absolutely breathtaking. We went to the top and had high plans to sip champagne while looking out over the city, but the champagne was like 20 euro a glass and it was about 40 degrees with 30+ mph winds. Not ideal sipping conditions. I always crack up when I imaging something one way and then it is entirely different than what I imagined. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsggLPzAX2v-mj8bcuPeiRsFfH_PwvVJ2bIK3Wyk5Rqbf8fOXHe56Z-s-8ox9g8xj6maAFIo0iSwzlKnWDEw9mmp7oyJr5MPm7hpTImRmfShikial8pqor_g4GQ4qhUv-SbI9prCb10aKU/s640/blogger-image--295941691.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsggLPzAX2v-mj8bcuPeiRsFfH_PwvVJ2bIK3Wyk5Rqbf8fOXHe56Z-s-8ox9g8xj6maAFIo0iSwzlKnWDEw9mmp7oyJr5MPm7hpTImRmfShikial8pqor_g4GQ4qhUv-SbI9prCb10aKU/s640/blogger-image--295941691.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">After the tour, we stopped at a restaurant our guide recommended and it was a real glimmer of hope that there are good restaurants in Paris. We ordered an arugula, sun dried tomato, and shaved Parmesan salad, a mushroom and ham pizza, and wine per the suggestion of the waiter. It was a delightful meal and I couldn't have been happier. Pizza is my favorite food, so I shouldn't be suprised that I enjoyed it, but the entire experience was great. We left completely stuffed and took a train that smelled like roses back to our hotel. My mom didn't trust my navigation skills on public transportation so that led to quite an entertaining event. I must say, I'm so happy I take after my dad because it is frightening seeing how her brain works in these situations. She gets turned around walking from the bathroom to the table we have been sitting at for over an hour. Oh well, it's added an element of fun to the trip.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Looking at how long this has become, I think I'll share the rest tomorrow. Today was really amazing and could go on for awhile. Stay tuned!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Au revior!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Erin</div></div><br></div></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02020731818578029433noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3431528991092771303.post-88268970858249307502013-11-04T15:27:00.001-08:002013-11-04T15:27:54.112-08:00Let the journey begin<div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">Alright, I know, the journey has begun, so it's not the best title...oh well. I realized when I forgot what I ate for dinner in London, I'd better not let too much time pass in between these so I can capture all the details. Sorry if this is a long post, but I'll be getting you caught up on all of London.</span></div><div><div><br></div><div><b>London</b></div><div><br></div><div>I flew to Ireland a few years ago and do not remember being as tired as I was when we arrived in London. This could have something to do with the whirlwind leading up to my departure. I got engaged on Saturday (this is still so damn exciting), flew to NY on Sunday for meetings all day Monday and Tuesday, and then flew back late Tuesday night only to get on a plane the following morning. So we landed Thursday and got in a cab to our hotel. Our cabbie dropped us off at another hotel with a similar name and sped off before we realized it was the wrong hotel. After a trek with our luggage to the correct hotel, we were told our room wasn't ready and wouldn't be for another few hours. So we strolled to the nearest street with restaurants and settled into a little Italian place and had a breakfast pizza and pancakes. This is when we first realized we needed to split food because our waistlines and wallets couldn't handle eating like this. </div></div><div><br></div><div>After brunch, we walked to nearby Hyde Park where we found a beautiful little pond and a gorgeous castle. Later we found out Kate, William, and baby George live there. Umm, wish I would have known that bit if info! Here is the castle below along with the nearby gardens</div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvJuzrDoA5vKRQh87Irx0Brm7Nzsg4XyV3FqUAYvIocxiKLSAxFHBPNIdLXxZ2gITmO0zviO6KGFirPgGrZ6H_MkXdP0TxfYS7kMxReXE3_QZFxYw1cnKk6CBaN0i__QN4yC1sxJjQfAeo/s640/blogger-image-145258041.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvJuzrDoA5vKRQh87Irx0Brm7Nzsg4XyV3FqUAYvIocxiKLSAxFHBPNIdLXxZ2gITmO0zviO6KGFirPgGrZ6H_MkXdP0TxfYS7kMxReXE3_QZFxYw1cnKk6CBaN0i__QN4yC1sxJjQfAeo/s640/blogger-image-145258041.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRaVzmiUS1grG1I8pKE0g3_fTlpvee4-fUgo5HCJiTEmaPjcALQ6Hu777yByTXh93J3Ax2wU5vLMfm9lKfX4ih1g4LVnELKu6_OV-V2djd3YFgLmaNzGPKBiinkoszkx2SRPsPHaHNFhMC/s640/blogger-image--794798966.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRaVzmiUS1grG1I8pKE0g3_fTlpvee4-fUgo5HCJiTEmaPjcALQ6Hu777yByTXh93J3Ax2wU5vLMfm9lKfX4ih1g4LVnELKu6_OV-V2djd3YFgLmaNzGPKBiinkoszkx2SRPsPHaHNFhMC/s640/blogger-image--794798966.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div>After saying hello to the newest royal family member we took a much needed nap at the hotel and then set out for the worst batch of fish and chips ever served. However, we did have the meal accompanied with a Guinness, so I guess it wasn't that bad. Plus, we found a little gelato place and ate this monstrosity...</div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFpkvqCFUL0CjCGx_hpXywKtlAVtqRlMjFUPkxCz6KyppM5uT8px1Tr-fsD1eCNpbCnZ9sCNeMKvOL8s8sEbn5DG30JiHjPDSks60ttBWlXRylCW9Ina-ht2N14azdeW4OPUxQf0fA1Vfg/s640/blogger-image-1964643094.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFpkvqCFUL0CjCGx_hpXywKtlAVtqRlMjFUPkxCz6KyppM5uT8px1Tr-fsD1eCNpbCnZ9sCNeMKvOL8s8sEbn5DG30JiHjPDSks60ttBWlXRylCW9Ina-ht2N14azdeW4OPUxQf0fA1Vfg/s640/blogger-image-1964643094.jpg"></a></div> </div><div>Day 2 we were determined to have a more productive day and boy did we. We were up bright and early and went out on the hop on hop off tour. Definitely touristy, but quite a good deal. We got to see all of London (which is really on 1 square mile) and all of the surrounding areas. We saw Big Ben, the London Eye, the Tower Bridge, the Tower of London, the Crown Jewels, took a boat ride on the Thames, and then finished with a ride on the London Eye.</div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyFIOHtnmNtT1cuy3UDVIclIDhDA2AxTkPDJbSdGF6tuEYigkwQkfwg6A__-lhEbzi6WANBX0Yl1tycVD3K9nrfhJpmvU4cKouYjHh_g3QavmX2GrCtDX4_QSVRTBCAKD24o-DF3J1rHcL/s640/blogger-image-1716952990.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyFIOHtnmNtT1cuy3UDVIclIDhDA2AxTkPDJbSdGF6tuEYigkwQkfwg6A__-lhEbzi6WANBX0Yl1tycVD3K9nrfhJpmvU4cKouYjHh_g3QavmX2GrCtDX4_QSVRTBCAKD24o-DF3J1rHcL/s640/blogger-image-1716952990.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghmCQ9VOJZIrpcrEgJQg2icIjB-zIL-lU_Ww98I_mKzCSPItPsE4R-06nj12MyW8M6kOJvcyELh2Ux6r6NHGYmQZqyJhEhnHJV_gGZnW9l04N_ktSh6bnUc2bic7xrSkOB5drbMTaRfcY1/s640/blogger-image--592043029.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghmCQ9VOJZIrpcrEgJQg2icIjB-zIL-lU_Ww98I_mKzCSPItPsE4R-06nj12MyW8M6kOJvcyELh2Ux6r6NHGYmQZqyJhEhnHJV_gGZnW9l04N_ktSh6bnUc2bic7xrSkOB5drbMTaRfcY1/s640/blogger-image--592043029.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwem7Vhgl5knATeLvZFvXYGW8t8C_UQ5hACC1d9PWHpLg5Xdp_P5oUl4JlMjO5icuSlyeOGOWDLslBSWbBQWU-MWWmXywa-fUIkFubsl2sWPr_9vM_eNhH9JI-OpbwcVRSacOiQROe3pIK/s640/blogger-image--1744054579.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwem7Vhgl5knATeLvZFvXYGW8t8C_UQ5hACC1d9PWHpLg5Xdp_P5oUl4JlMjO5icuSlyeOGOWDLslBSWbBQWU-MWWmXywa-fUIkFubsl2sWPr_9vM_eNhH9JI-OpbwcVRSacOiQROe3pIK/s640/blogger-image--1744054579.jpg"></a></div><div><br></div>It started raining so I obviously looked delightful. We sought refuge at a little restaurant called All Bar One that is right by the London Eye. Mmm. We were starving so we got a cheese plate, a trio of sliders, rosemary and Parmesan cheese French fries, and then washed it all down with some wine. After a day of touring, this was the perfect meal.</div><div><br></div><div>The next day we took a walking tour to see the changing of the guards. It ended at the Buckingham Palace which was very impressive. After that, we were determined to see the miles and miles of shops along Regency Street and Oxford Street. Holy hell are there a lot of stores. Unfortunately, they charge American prices, but in pounds so they are much more expensive..like 1.67 times as expensive. Needless to say, I'm not rocking new European fashion. </div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjATAM78kt_pd_jsZR8Zb9tuOn6BLO9-JhV9P6C410UovnLDA1lurLcys3I4uOyo5LwXndvevaZyQwELEcwQVqWYJcxUBGdO6xA-VGtUQeqmrxFtS_qUNPGugXZmLQsZF7tSBOmWEIUecgx/s640/blogger-image-1803548253.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjATAM78kt_pd_jsZR8Zb9tuOn6BLO9-JhV9P6C410UovnLDA1lurLcys3I4uOyo5LwXndvevaZyQwELEcwQVqWYJcxUBGdO6xA-VGtUQeqmrxFtS_qUNPGugXZmLQsZF7tSBOmWEIUecgx/s640/blogger-image-1803548253.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div>That night I convinced my mom to be 'adventurous' and try Spanish tapas because every time we walked by this restaurant, it was jam packed and it had a bunch of stickers on the window with high accolades. It was delicious. We ordered a jug of sangria because we deserved it after our day of walking. My mom agreed to ordering the bread with ham and tomato spread, croquettes, scallops, patatas bravas, and asparagus. Super adventurous, right? Lol my mom is still adapting to 'other cultures'. This was my favorite meal in London. The service was great and it wasn't soggy fish and chips.</div><div><br></div><div>I almost forgot to mention Harrods. I don't know how because it was the best store I've ever been to. We walked in and were greeted by light mists of the highest end perfumes in the world. As we were walking through the store, we ended up in every foodies heaven. Counters upon counters of food. Breads, cheeses, meats, chocolates. You name it, they had it. We went to go to the bathroom and walked through the worlds finest selection of wines and champagne (how funny, my iPad wanted to replace champagne with champs...get it heather dubrois).. We walked up the stairs and decided to have tea and crumpets. Yea, our pinkies were up. When were trying to exit we found the luxury jewelry department. Harry Winston, Cartier, DeBeers, etc. and seeing all these diamonds sure did make me miss my ring.</div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1gNd_g3y-QpbJFuLLwwJ0UhuFAUwjKD8xERqA4DZQWhUTVSPtFDWrBMaRWhIbdZPt-7CnCrcuzpzv5f0It3qy6qyekc09NTVM_pA0esT2Nj2UoyfGLmYREwJZMoynT_aH7qzbnJT23Gyf/s640/blogger-image-81419452.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1gNd_g3y-QpbJFuLLwwJ0UhuFAUwjKD8xERqA4DZQWhUTVSPtFDWrBMaRWhIbdZPt-7CnCrcuzpzv5f0It3qy6qyekc09NTVM_pA0esT2Nj2UoyfGLmYREwJZMoynT_aH7qzbnJT23Gyf/s640/blogger-image-81419452.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div><br></div><div>This concludes our London leg of the trip. My highlights were the boat ride along the Thames, the Crown Jewels, and Harrods. <span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">I'll pick back up tomorrow with Paris since we have some more to see tomorrow. </span></div><div><br></div><div><br></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02020731818578029433noreply@blogger.com1