Midnight in Munich

Getting Lucky

2009-07-29T10:59:00.000-07:00

29.7.09, evening

Two highlights, as I must make the most of my last evening in Ireland. The rest will come.

The Black Head: On our drive through the country yesterday, we were told that the Black Head, a formation of rocks on the side of the cliffs, is the spring from which one must drink the water to have healthy children. The Paddywagon pulled to the side of the windy road, where we climbed out in the rain, and slipping over the rocks, sought healthy children in the future. Of course, I wouldn't take the chance and not participate in this ritual, and I do trust our crazy Irishman Joseph; however, I couldn't help but imagine him chuckling behind his newspaper at the sight of us Americans and Aussies, slipping, sliding and looking like fools - ah those gullible feckers.

Blarney Castle in Cork, where Joe informed us Viagra is made and distributed everywhere in the world but here, as the Irish don't need it: Legend has it that if one kisses the Blarney Stone, one has the gift of eloquence, and is then able to talk oneself into or out of anything. In pursuit of such eloquence, we waited in line for about 30 minutes, and JUST as we got up to the stone, the guys who take your picture and hold you upside down decided they needed a toilet break. It only intensified the anticipation of kissing a rock and possibly contracting herpes or chlamydia. While I can't say it's the most action I have gotten in Ireland, kissing the Blarney stone was quite the unique experience. And, hopefully, am more likely to successfully charm my way back to America.

But if I don't, in the immortal words of the sage Joseph, "No problem at all. Happy days."

More to come; now out to eat Irish stew and drink Guinness.

Ireland . . .

2009-07-27T10:54:00.000-07:00

. . . will be my new home. I l.o.v.e. it here. I think it's the people. Seriously - I love it.

27.7.09, afternoon

Last night Kay and I went out to Temple Bar, where we sang, danced and drank with thousands of other fun people. Unfortunately, I had to cut the night short at 1am, because this morning I left at 8 for a 3 day tour of southern Ireland.

We boarded a huge green coach bus with our eccentric Irish tour guide, Joe. He is hysterical, and makes the drive quite entertaining. Especially how he drives the bus too fast over narrow, potholed Irish backroads. My favorite is how his number one rule is, no complaining or sadness, because you're on holiday and 5 million Irish people love you.

We began with the President of Ireland's house and the large cross with a view of the mountains, where Pope John Paul II said mass to over a million people in the '70s. We then went through a couple of very small towns, and explored monastic ruins from the 600s with Celtic crosses still well preserved. It's amazing how old everything is here.

We stopped for lunch, and then drove to Galway, which is a beautiful town on the coast. We walked along the bay, and went shopping. It is the most beautiful place I have ever been. And I thought everyone was exaggerating. And the people are, seriously, more than nice. It is wonderful. I think maybe I am Irish . . . I can feel it!

Sleep

2009-07-26T05:43:00.000-07:00

26.7.09

Happy Birthday, Fletcher!

So, last night I ate a sandwich and drank a beer in the posh hotel bar where they played U2 concerts on the flatscreen TVs, and then went to bed, where I slept 12 hours. I know I am in another country, and should have been out partying, but . . . what a difference sleep can make!

I was able to walk around by myself today - a welcome treat. I went shopping, and inadvertently ran into the Dublin Castle and Christchurch, and saw the catacombs. Walking back through the Temple Bar, almost every pub had U2 tribute bands playing. I love it! It drizzles here, and the sun comes out, and you never know when it will happen or how long it will last.

I have checked into another hostel, the Paddywagon, which is SO much nicer. Tomorrow I leave on a 3 day tour of the rest of southern Ireland, which should be exciting - especially since I don't have to plan it!

Stuck in a Moment

2009-07-25T11:36:00.000-07:00

25.7.09, evening

So, the last post are thoughts I shared with my brother via text message on the dated evening. Seems I may have spoken too soon? Chronological is best.

At breakfast at The Shining, which certainly lives up to its name, after getting stuck in the room with no door handle, taking an ice water shower in a tiny box, and breakfasting to a documentary on UFOs, I met Kay, who is another solo traveler from Vancouver. She was very nice and talkative, and after some conversation, she invited me to stay with her for the next two nights at the Burlington, a nice hotel "20 minutes" away, since her travel companion (whoever it was) couldn't join her. YES! Things are looking up! We were both also excited at the prospect of exploring the city together, rather than on our own.

So we set off on our 20 minute walk to the new hotel. 20 minutes later, we were about half way there, and had been stopped by 3 Irishmen, asking if we were lost and needed help. They really are nice here, but seem to underestimate distances by about half. We decided we were tired, so we stopped at a pub on the way and had a Guinness.

We arrived at the hotel, where there was only one bed. Uh . . . ok. Awkward, but she didn't seem to mind, and I wasn't going to complain.

We walked around a bit, and ended up at a restaurant at the Temple Bar area, where we met Padraic, Eugene's Irish friend. I had the Traditional Irish Stew, which Padraic had never had (some Irishman he is!), then he and I headed off to the U2 concert in Croke Park. Good thing he was with me - I would have walked twice as far trying to find it.

One bizarre thing about the venue is that you could buy alcohol, but you couldn't take it to your seat. So we stood there and drank a few Buds. I asked Padraic why, because don't people just chug it and pass out? "We're not American," he replied. Oh. Okay, right.

The concert was un.be.liev.able. There were a good 80,000 people in the stadium, and we had amazing seats. Obviously, since they were playing in their hometown, the crowd was absolutely nuts. They are incredible performers, not to mention they are all incredibly hot, and they had a fabulous set list, minus a few duds, which were perfectly placed for a toilet break.

In the queue for the toilets, the girl in front of me noticed my bling. She gasped and pointed. "Oh, it's not real," I said, "Just keeping the Turks away."

"Ooh, that's certainly not how you find a nice Irishman!" so I switched the bling.

Maybe that was wrong?

Because after the concert, Padraic and I went to his friend's bar, where we drank for free. He went to the bar, and returned with 7 pints of beer, of which I could only stomach about 2. We had a good time at the crowded hotel bar, talking and briefly meeting some new people. Then, we began to finally walk home, I would say around 1am. Except, it took me three hours to get back to the hotel, because Padraic . . . well, told me he likes me . . . in every imaginable place in Dublin. On park benches, against fences, on the bridge, by the river, in front of drunk and/or homeless Dubliners and tourists . . . charming, I know. I suppose it was fun, in a very not-me sort of way . . . .

After turning down offers and pleas to return to his house to sleep, I finally made it back to the hotel at 4am, hoping I wouldn't wake Kay. Good thing I didn't - she was awake, had just gotten back, and dragged me down to the hotel bar, where we met even more people. Needless to say, I was absolutely wiped out, and quite hungover this morning.

We saw Riverdance this afternoon at the Gaiety Theater, which was incredible as well. Obviously very different from the concert last night, but they are very talented dancers and singers, and they make me want to be Irish!

I am SO ready for my own space and my own decisions again . . . so I was happy to attend mass this evening and sit down to use the computer while Kay is at U2.

Not on my own for long. On my way out of mass, an older man began with the weather, and suavely segued into asking me to have a pint with him. I couldn't say no (or I didn't know how?), so I drank at a pub with a classical piano professor at Trinity College, who asked me to go dancing with him tonight. AUGH! I gave him my phone number, and said I wasn't sure what my friends are doing. What I really want to do is go to sleep. I probably won't answer if he calls.

Then there's Padraic, who said last night that my "entertainment for this evening will be taken care of," but I haven't heard from him. And I actually think I am okay with that. Unless he has a washer and dryer . . . mm. Maybe I will call him . . .

Complaints

2009-07-25T11:24:00.000-07:00

23.7.09, evening

I shouldn't, but I must. Just once. I gotta get it out.

I am so exhausted, and a lot more high maintenance than I thought! I am so sick of dirty hostels, 20 year old drunk-off-their-ass kids in said hostels, not sleeping in said hostels due to springy beds or snoring roommates, carrying all my stuff everywhere, asking for a table for 1, not knowing where the hell I am but trying to pretend I do, having to use a map to take a shit, wearing the same dirty clothes. It would just be nice to have someone to share this with, and someone to take half of the burden of navigating and making decisions and keeping track of shit. I can't WAIT to sleep in my own bed, hear, see and eat familiar things, and have my own space when I need it most (sleeping) and have company when I need it most (not sleeping) - it seems to be the other way around.

I am just tired, and this is an amazing experience. Really.

My Italian Lover

2009-07-23T07:26:00.000-07:00

... just kidding.

23.7.09, afternoon

Just as I was becoming disenchanted with Italy, I arrived in Milano. The perfect city to send me whirling into a place even worse than disenchantment, especially a single girl with very little money.

So, my solution: check into a super posh hotel, soak in the tub, and dine at the hotel restaurant. In my last entry, I thanked God for bling; this time, for credit cards. And for a job to return to. The people weren't even that nice. The man who checked me in gave me dirty looks. I understand that my appearance suggested I belonged at a youth hostel, but everything about my high-maintenence self would tell you otherwise. Later, the lady told me to walk around the block to a cute cobblestone foot-traffic-only street, and to go to this amazing restaurant. The restaurant was being remodeled, and the cute street was actually a busy highway with dodgy side streets. So, I entered a nearby church, where I sat and listened to the rosary in Italian, and then went straight back to my hotel room.

Speaking of bling, I'd forgotten to return the gawdy "diamond" to its proper place; which precipitated the following events.

Armed with my book (no, Sarah's book, as my half-read book was a casualty of the Eurail), I went down to the restaurant, where Maitre'd in a 3-piece-suit was just waiting to pounce on my clean but unpolished self, reminding me once again that I am not, in fact, the wife of a dignitary or wealthy businessman.

"May I eat here?" I asked.

"No madame, I am sorry. This is not a restaurant," he replied with a thick accent.

After pausing for effect, and seeing what must have been the most disappointed and dejected face he'd seen all day, he laughed, "Follow me."

"Ah, North Carolina. I love it there. [pause] No, I have never been there." I ordered chicken and a glass of wine, knowing that this meal would cost me more than the last 4 had, but glad to be in a nicer place for a change.

Maitre'd approached me with a mojito on a tray. "Madame," he said with a smile, "we have an extra mojito. Would you like to have it?" Great. More I have to pay for that I don't really want. I gave him a look, and he explained. Apparently, Maitre'd and Hot Bartender were in a light argument about whose mojito was better. He claimed his was the "original," and totally free, jsut for me, and asked me to be honest about how it was. It actually was a great mojito.

"This is the best mojito I have ever had," I said, which was the truth. He summoned the bartender, and made me repeat myself, to which Hot Bartender said in broken English, "This is because you have not had mine." Hot Bartender proceeded to make another mojito, which took a good 10 minutes, and came garnished with red currants.

"And? What do you think?" Two expectant, beautiful Italian men vying for my attention? "Hmm. They are both excellent..."

Maitre'd continued stopping by my table, asking how I was, if I needed anything, and when can we meet later for a bottle of wine when he got off work? "When can I see you?" then, "Hold on," as he attended to another customer. When I declined due to an early flight, he said, "Change it." Was I sure I couldn't change my flight? In short, I drank 2 mojitos and a glass of wine, with Maitre'd and Hot Bartender both vying for my attention and praise.

Maitre'd dropped a slip of paper on my table, presumably the bill. But when I looked, it had his name, phone number and email address; "When you come back to Italy?" accompanied by a pout when I couldn't tell him. Then came the bill, and he'd only charged me 18€ for what should have cost me 60.

Needless to say, it was difficult to get up this morning, after having drank more than I'd intended. I took a cab to the airport, which cost about as much as the room had, and finally made it to the Ryanair flight to Dublin.

I am sitting now in an internet cafe in cool, windy Dublin, where I have checked into a hostel named The Shining. Yes, I should have known by the name. Definitely not the nicest place. Good thing I have some sleeping pills left... hopefully my walk around the city and hopefully something to eat soon will be better than where I am sleeping.

City of Flowers and Thank You JESUS for Bling

2009-07-21T10:49:00.000-07:00

21.7.09 evening

Today I woke up at my very nicely decorated Italian hostel, complete with murals of famous paintings and statues of Atlas and the Discus boy. Had a great breakfast, and departed on a 2 hour walking tour of the city of Firenze. There is so much history here, and so many beautiful things to see; and that is exactly what thousands of other people think too, because the line to buy tickets to the museums and such were hours and hours long. Forget it. As I am only here for one day, I decided, a) not going to waste my time in lines, and b) I must return to Italy.

What I did see was the baptistry, duomo and tower, Dante's place, the original Rape of the Sabine Women (one of my favorites), a couple of small churches, the Pointe Vecchio, and a replica of the David (which will satisfy me for now). I sat in a restaurant overlooking the river and ate caprese salad, creme brulee and vino, and then shopped in the market with lots of pashmina and leather, outside of which I rubbed the snout of a bronze pig, which is supposed to bring good luck.

As I was walking around getting pictures, I hear, "Ciao, Bella!" from behind me. Amer from Morocco was following me, reminiscent of my Vienna stalker. He followed me for a few metres along the river, where he asked where I was from, how old I was, if I was traveling alone, if I knew where Morocco was, my name, and if I had a boyfriend. He received one or three word answers, no eye contact, and finally a flash of my very large cubic zirconia, obtained for 8 euros in Vienna just hours after the first Turk encounter. He suddenly seemed disinterested, and after a couple more pictures, I said, "Well, nice to meet you," and HE walked away.

Much better this time. Last step toward proficiency: return bling to correct place once bee sting swelling reduces on ring finger.

Venezia

2009-07-20T11:08:00.000-07:00

20.7.09 evening

Laundry list post. Today I . . .

-Left the internet cafe
-Bought cough drops
-Rode in a gondola for a ridiculous sum of money
-Took lots of pictures
-Got lost in tiny side streets
-Bought Venician glass
-Flirted with my waiter
-Ate gellato
-Found my own spot to sit and watch with nectarines and blackberries from the market
-Burned pictures to a CD in case something happens
-Decided I would love to live here
-Drank a (small) bottle of wine
-Found the Florence hostel all by myself

Tickets and Passports and Visas, oh my

2009-07-20T00:48:00.000-07:00

20.7.09

I am sitting in an internet cafe in Venice, where I have just arrived on the overnight train from Budapest.

The Hungarian countryside is gorgeous, and we passed many quaint towns, where there were carnivals, festivals, and lots of people outside enjoying the beautiful weather. It made me want to live there with them!

I shared a 3 person couchette with a set of Finnish twins, who were very sweet. I enjoyed getting to know them. They taught me some Finnish, and were impressed with my accent (ha).

22:30 we arrived at the Croatian border, where our passports were checked twice by two different sets of policemen and women. The Finnish girls' passports were checked and stamped quickly. When the lady took mine, she called on the phone and spelled out my name, and had a long conversation in another language. I was really freaked out. But she handed my passport back, and it seemed everything was fine.

0:30 we were awakened by another abrupt police officer, who checked our passports again, as we passed into Slovenia. Jeez people, let me sleep. I'm not even getting off the train, what could I possibly do? We supposed they are new to the EU, and don't have passport agreements yet. But holy cow.

We got free breakfast, which was a very welcome surprise, so I sat with the twins and their dad, and had a pleasant meal with the rising sun.

Finally we arrived in Venice, which I am LOVING already. Boat taxis wait just off the steps of the train station, and it's more beautiful here than I thought it would be. I will spend the next few hours wandering around Venezia, before I board another train to Florence. Ciao!

Graduation

2009-07-20T00:39:00.001-07:00

18.7.09

We attended a small graduation ceremony in the State Audit office, for 11 global MBA students. We had to go through security, and the speakers talked for a long time, but it was a great ceremony. Afterwards, we did laundry, napped at the hotel, until Sarah and I caught a cab to the English mass, which ended up to be in Hungarian. We booked it back to the hotel where we got ready for the dinner cruise.

Just as we walked out the door, it began raining again - so we entered the dinner boat soaked. Good thing my hair is curly - disaster otherwise. But it was so beautiful. The dinner was great with some Hungarian dishes, and toasts and slideshows honored the graduating class. After dinner, we returned to the Marriott where we continued the party with professors, students, families and friends. We didn't end up home until after 2:30, when Shelton's parents were just getting up for their early flight. While Sarah and Shelton slept, I skyped my family (too much alcohol, but I think we had a good conversation... hah), until they all left in a hurry. Thank goodness Shelton's parents are wonderful, because they checked out but let me stay in the room until 11, when I left, still a little drunk I think.

I took a Mercedes taxi with a very nice Hungarian man to the bus station, where I waited an hour to buy a ticket, then went to the mall to sit and read until my next overnight train.

I didn't get to see all of Budapest, with all the graduation activites, but I am actually okay with that. It was a lot of fun, and I like Hungary a lot. The people are very nice - so this just means I will have to go back.

Hungarian Hospitality and Night Trains

2009-07-20T00:11:00.000-07:00

17.7.09

Everyone told me that night trains are the best - you go to sleep in Krakow, for instance, and wake up in Budapest! Well, I did that, but I also woke up in Zakopane, Slovakia, Estergom... my first overnight train was nerve wracking. I stayed in a six bunk room the size of my closet. Oddly and somewhat inappropriately, I was reminded of Auschwitz. Three Austrian occupants left at 3 am. Despite that, it was an interesting experience, and the hot Argentinian law student and I talked ourselves to sleep. Plus, I saved money on a bed elsewhere!

I arrived in Budapest at 9:30, with only what I thought was the name (sans address, ) of the hotel where I was going to meet Sarah and Shelton. I was filled with confidence and hope as the first "Accommodation? Hotel?" approached me; but after the fifth one who hadn't heard of the Marriott, the hope faded. I was finally given unsure directions and a map, and charged with a "15-20 minute" walk.

15 minutes and half way according to the map, I was hot, sweaty, and worried I'd been given the wrong directions. I stopped at a Burger King (way to go, America...) for a Coca Cola Light, and continued walking. A woman stopped me in the street.

-Hello, where are you from?
-The states - North Carolina.
-Ah, welcome! How do you like Hungary so far?
(Um, I am disgusting, tired, and I don't know where I am going?)
-It's beautiful so far, but I've only been here for 30 minutes.

The lady confirmed my path, and told me to have a good time. This was very nice - Hungarian hospitality is living up to its name so far....

I finally arrived at the "only" Marriott in the city about 20 minutes later. Here, Sarah finally called my phone, and informed me there were two Marriotts. With help from the bellhop, I found the correct place, and ran into Shelton's family and friends. Never had I been so happy to see strangers who guessed who I was! This hotel is DECADENT compared to the hostels I've gotten used to.

After my record length shower, which was more than needed, the 7 of us, Sarah, Shelton, his parents and 2 family friends, went walking around the city. We saw a big, beautiful church, which has a relic on display: a very old hand in a glass box. The church was also very controversial, as the statue of the first king of Hungary is the main altarpiece, overshadowing the crucifix.

We ate a late lunch at a small café on a cobblestone street, where the waitress was just nasty to us. So much for the hospitality... and ran back to the hotel to change for the coctail party that was held at the American Ambassador to Hungary's back patio. The house and location was gorgeous, and we enjoyed hors'd'ourves and champagne in honor of the graduates, and met many important dignitaries. One of whom was Bert Walker, cousin of George Bush Sr., who grew up in St. Louis, MO, was the former Ambassador to Hungary, and is a large benefactor for the Webster global MBA program. I talked with him about Mexico, MO, where my family is from, and he knows my great uncle-cousin, Kit Bond, the republican senator of Missouri.

Afterwards, we sat in the lobby of the Marriott and drank with the graduates and their families and professors, where I met Kevin's family who also know the Bonds and Mexico.

The Sun Sets on Auschwitz

2009-07-15T07:22:00.001-07:00

15.07.09, afternoon

I successfully found the hostel in Krakow and settled in two nights ago. My strategy, since I am now officially an old lady and doing vodka shots just doesn't sound appealing most nights, is to go to sleep before all the drunk people come in - that way, maybe I can sleep through their attempts to stumble around quietly, when actually they end up being louder than the dining hall at camp. Plan failed: 4 am I am awakened by... a train? No. A dying cow? No. A sleeping person, believe it or not. 4 am is also nicely glowing with the rising sun in Poland; great.

I was able to sleep a little more after the girl left the room in the morning, then I stumbled down to breakfast, where I met Graeme (Graham), Laura and Angie from Scotland. I walked around the outskirts of old town, and found a beautiful church, where I sat for a while. Then, I met the Scots at the statue; we'd booked the same air-conditioned, 2 hour bus ride to Hell.

This experience is a difficult thing to even comprehend, and I am still processing, but I will do my best to explain it.

A little interactivity for you: Visiting Auschwitz-Birkenau, the world's largest cemetary, is a(n) _________ experience, and I am __________ to have had the opportunity.

a. wonderful, lucky
b. morbid, ashamed
c. twisted, insane
d. incomprehensible, confused
e. disgusting, sick

Answer: All of the above.

A few things that made a lasting impression on me:

1) In the barracks-turned-museums, they had exhibits (which were actually rooms, with the glass 4th wall so you could see) full of prisoners' hair (some of which had been packaged and sent to Germany to make textiles), empty suitcases, clothing, pots and pans, tooth and hair brushes, and shoes. The shoe exhibit was most thought provoking to me. I realize that I am a materialistic, American southern girl who loves her shoes, but I mean, these faded red and white shoes were someone's favorite. Those disgusting blue and brown were her husband's most comfortable. And they are all just piled here, with no significance, among hundreds of thousands of other shoes. They're just shoes. But they're not.

2) There was a wall of labeled portraits taken of many of the men and women killed during their time in the camp. This was the system of keeping track of them, before they began tattooing numbers to their arms and legs. These men and women were teachers, lawyers, doctors, priests, bankers... and you can see everything in their eyes. Some seemed frightened; but most seem resigned, hopeless.

3) I stood in a "shower" where hundreds of people at a time were gassed.

4) Just outside the gates of Auschwitz is a pizzaria, bank, bus stop... at first it seems utterly inappropriate. However, this had been a town just like any other, and Poles had been kicked out of their houses to make way for this camp. Their lives must go on, and returning to normalcy is important.

I just don't understand how there can be so much hatred in someone's heart to have done such an atrocious thing to millions of people. Standing there, in the camps, with the barbed wire and the gallows and the gas chambers and the rows and rows of barracks... it didn't seem real. But it was. And there are no words for it.

.....

Going through Hell together is quite the bonding experience. So, after we returned to beautiful, Medieval Krakow, my Scots and I went to a local Polish diner, where I met a few Canadians (note to self: not everyone who has what sounds like an "American accent" is American. Canadians HATE being called American...), and had some wonderful Polish food. We walked around the square, where there was dancing, flame-throwing, and music. We sat at a cafe and had drinks and icecream... it was so beautiful (a definite contrast to the earlier square we'd walked). I think Krakow is my favorite place I have visited so far.

This morning, I met my Scots for breakfast. Then we went to the open-air market, grabbed some bread and fruit, and walked to the river where we picnic-ed, then walked the river and the Jewish quarter. I am about to go out again, have some coffee, possibly attend a mass, and return again to the Polish restaurant with my Scots, who love to immitate my accent and discuss American music and television with their American friend.

Poland

2009-07-13T10:29:00.000-07:00

Prague is a fun city with a lot to see - if you know how to read a map. For some reason, I continued getting lost and not knowing where I was the first day there. So, the solution: find the closest H&M. Great, Amanda. Now I have to haul even MORE stuff around with me! Oh well, at least I will look (or feel) cute and European.

The next day I got directions from the desk to where I should go, which helped a lot. I saw the big castle and church in the middle of it; I sat in a cafe by the castle overlooking the whole city; I walked up and down the Charles Bridge, where there were artists and musicians set up like in the New Orelans French Quarter. So much better the second day.

14 person hostel dorms are not "fun." But the people you meet in them are! Last night I met a Danish couple who had been disappointed with their first day in Prague, so they asked for advice from an expert traveler. Me. What? I also met a Canadian, Californian and an Australian who were all very personable. Those three were all solo travelers themselves - I didn't realize there were so many of us out there!

Today I arrived by train in Krakow. Thank goodness I met a small family from Minnesota - otherwise I would still be lost in the middle of B.F.P. (the P standing for Poland...) I also met a small group of missionaries from the states, one of whom grilled me about Catholicism - but I suppose it was a welcome break from the 8 hour train ride.

This hostel is even nicer than the last. We are in apartments, with flat screen TVs, computers, a washer (free!!), and a kitchen on every floor. It is a 4 person room, and the locker is smaller (here's to hoping my underwear doesn't get stolen...), and about 10 people share one bathroom. Yikes.

Praha

2009-07-11T03:38:00.000-07:00

I am in Prague, at an internet café, trying to figure out this keyboard before I pay too many crowns for this.

After saying goodbye in Vienna, last night I arrived at my first European hostel, had dinner down the street, and went to sleep early (and slept well.. weird) in my 14 person dorm room. I will leisurely explore the city today, and I might take a river tour tomorrow.

My Turkish Boyfriend

2009-07-09T02:17:00.000-07:00

09.07.09, late morning

This will probably be the last post for a little while, especially with pictures. I am leaving Vienna tomorrow, and heading for Prague, then Krakow, then Budapest.

Yesterday, while Sarah and Shelton were taking a final exam, I ventured out to the Shoenbrunn Palace. I spent a long time in the beautiful gardens in the back, people watching, reading a book, and taking photos.
So, on to the title of the post. I have decided that I really enjoy and appreciate American boys a lot more than foreign ones.

As I was walking around taking pictures and admiring the beauty of the palace gardens, I was approached by a guy in workout clothes with a very nicely chiseled body. He began speaking to me in German, but obviously I didn't understand what he was saying. We "talked" for a few minutes, then he insisted that we walk around together. Through our "conversation," which included drawing numbers in the sand, and similar words like "Mike Tyson," I learned that this 25 year old Turk finished University, moved to Austria 3 years ago, and likes to run, swim, and box, but only as a workout and never to hurt people. We walked around the gardens, enjoying the beauty, taking pictures and trying to communicate. It was fun to have someone to (try to) talk to. Until his motives became infinitely clear when his hand felt its way into the back pocket of my jeans, and he asked to kiss me "on the cheek." Um, no? After a while of batting his hands and face away, he decided it was time to go home. Darn.

Every American girl dreams of going abroad and finding the thickly accented, hot European boyfriend. Apparently, every foreign man knows this, and is able to exploit that dream, and obviously, I fell for the trap he set. Will never happen again.

Vienna Waits For You

2009-07-07T10:29:00.000-07:00

07.07.09, early evening

Last night, a group of us Americans went to the Rathausplatz in downtown Vienna, where during the summer, they perform or play operas at night. Admission was free, and there were food stands from every country there. We ate, drank, and listened to opera in the beautiful Viennese weather.

Today, I went to Stephansplatz, the St. Stephan's cathedral, where I attended a noon German mass. Then I wandered around the big, beautiful buildings, explored the Kaisergruft - catacombs where most of the Habsburg royal family are buried, and the church that is attached - the Kapuzinerkirche (Church of the Capuchin Friars). Then, after some more wandering around the old beautiful buildings of the Hofburg Palace, and the statues and monument, including the Monument to Archduke Karl,I found the National Library and I spent a couple hours in the Kunsthistorisches Museum (Museum of Art History), where there are Ancient Egyptian, Roman and Greek artifacts, and many famous paintings. After a long day of walking around and seeing some of the sights, I sat down and had a Chianti, went shopping, and relaxed on the grass with some gellato.

Sarah says, good, now you know how to do all the European nouns: Museums, Gellato, Churches, Wine, Clothes.

Climb Every Mountain

2009-07-06T09:16:00.000-07:00

06.07.09, afternoon

The countryside is so beautiful, and GREEN! What a huge contrast from New Mexico. I will spare you the introspection for now, but though I have been in Europe for less than a week, I am already learning a lot, both about myself, and about the world.

Finally, I arrived in Salzburg, where I met up with Sarah and her friend Theresa. We stored my bags at the station and then RAN to board a charter bus with about 60 Americans (English!!), for a 4 hour Sound of Music tour. Cliche, I know, but seriously, I think it's the best movie ever made, and I enjoyed every minute of the tour. We even headed out to the lake district, about 45 minutes out of the city. We were disappointed to learn a few things; for instance, in the movie, the back of the house was filmed in one location, and the front at another. We saw the gazebo ("I am 16, going on 17..."), but it had been moved to another mansion's garden. But overall, though Theresa's "dreams were shattered," the tour was amazing!

After the tour, we walked around the city - we saw the Nonnberg Abbey, the beautiful rose gardens and fountains, hiked up to the fortress, observed a limestone statue contest, and people watched from a balcony coffee shop.

While I have only seen two cities so far, I am in LOVE with Salzburg and could absolutely live there! I would definitely need to learn German - but that's a small task.

I can't give away any more pictures; plus, I am lucky I can add them right now. So, you'll just have to wait for them. Because, as you can probably guess, Vienna waits for me :)

Mid-night in Munich

2009-07-06T08:55:00.000-07:00

05.07.09, morning

Yesterday afternoon I met Jenny, and we walked to the beautiful park in the city and had a picnic in honor of the 4th of July. It poured rain for about ten minutes in the middle of our walk there, but then the sun came out, and our picnic was beautiful!Then, Jenny helped me get to the station, where I took a train from Leipzig to Munich. The problem with the tickets, which I didn't realize until after they were non-refundably bought, was this: I was scheduled to arrive in Munich at 1am, and scheduled to depart for Salzburg at 6:30am. Hmm. I decided to just take it in stride, and worry about it when I got there.

So. I arrived at 1:15 am in Munich, which was a happenin' city so late at night! I bought an apfelstrudel and a Becks, then found a bench in the waiting room to make home for the next few hours. There are some unique characters in a Haupbahnhof in the middle of the night; one that caught my interest immediately was a grungy, older, homeless-looking man. He slept and occasionally grunted on the bench across from me. Every now and then, his leathery face would move and his eyelids would flutter open, just enough so I could see his beautiful, glassy blue eyes. He slept until 3 am, when a pair of blue-uniformed officers came in. I do not understand much German, but from what I could tell, they woke him and asked him to leave. He asked for ten more minutes, and the blue people left. Three minutes later, two short but built men came in and, in a thug-type way, sort of ordered him out of the room. The man resisted, then reluctantly (and loudly) got up. In the process of standing up, he dropped a half-full (or half-empty?) glass of bier on the tiled floor. In an effort to stall, he began picking up the shards of brown glass. But, the man was drunk and apparently cut himself doing so; thus, the long explanation for the puddle of bier, glass, and blood on the floor in front of me. Rather than explain it to others who entered the room, I closed my eyes and pretended to sleep.
Finally, morning came, and I happily boarded the train to Salzburg.

Leipzig

2009-07-06T08:27:00.000-07:00

03.07.09, evening

Once we got in to town, we went straight to Eugene's place. He has a fantastic studio-flat, very close to the middle of everything in Leipzig. His friends Jenny and Marcus came over for a bit, then we went to bed.

I woke up very late the next day, a long time after Eugene left for work. I decided to walk around the "block" - but there really are no blocks there. So, I just got myself lost for a while, in the neighborhoods and cobblestone streets. Later, after work, he and I walked around town, he showed me some of the sights, and then we met his friend Marek for dinner and drinks.

Leipzig is where Bach is buried, so I got to see Thomaskirche, the church in which he ran the choir, and where his grave is. St. Nicholai is another beautiful church in the city. All the architecture here is fantastic - the opera house, the narrow streets, the old apartment buildings. This afternoon, I met Eugene for lunch, where we had Bratwurst and saurkraut and bier, and then I went to see his work. His window overlooks the beautiful square, where vendors sell their fruits and vegetables. I walked around the city for a few hours, then returned to the flat as it got dark. Eugene has left for Italy, so I will be alone in the city until tomorrow night when I take the train to Salzburg to meet Sarah.

CDG and Hauptbahnhof

2009-07-06T08:19:00.000-07:00

01.07.09, 19:35

I am sitting in the Hauptbahnhof in Berlin. I can't believe I made it here! After navigating the huge airport in Paris, I finally made it to Germany.

From Atlanta to Paris, I sat next to a guy about my age. He wasn't very talkative, but I managed to find out that he grew up in England, went to Duke, and currently attends Washington and Lee law school. He too was headed for Berlin for a conference, so I ran into him in Berlin again. It was nice to see a somewhat familiar face at my near-destination.

I found the bus to the train station, or Hauptbahnhof, bought a ticket ot Leipzig, and I am sitting here now waiting for the train.

I have been practicing taking one step at a time, rather than worrying about everything at once. It is difficult, but I am sure I will get the hang of it. I am EXCITED and NERVOUS that I haven't planned much of my trip - an exercise in spontaneity and trust. Whee!

Willkommen!

2009-07-06T08:02:00.000-07:00

Welcome to my month-in-Europe blog! Many people have asked for updates - this seemed the easiest way to do it, so I will do my best to post all about my summer travels when I get a chance! I am starting a few days in, so I will do a few consecutive posts today to catch up.