TravelStream™ news feed for member jaywehrs on TravelPod's free travel blogs service http://www.travelpod.com/syndication/rss/jaywehrs en-us Copyright ©2009 TravelPod.com Sat, 29 Mar 2008 15:06:20 -0400 http://www.travelpod.com http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/jaywehrs/1/1206644580/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/jaywehrs/1/1206644580/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/jaywehrs/1/1206644580/tpod.html Sat, 29 Mar 2008 15:06:20 -0400 Euro Trip 2008 - Adventures North of the Equator.

Jump to the full
entry & travel map

Helsinki, Finland

I took a cruise to Finland, this was far more luxurious then the cruise from Italy to Greece and a third of the price. With this cruise I got a sleeping compartment compared to the Italian cruise where I slept on a sofa chair in the corner of a lounge. This time I was sure to take some pictures. The main deck there was one very long hall with retail stores, 5 different restaurant options, 2 bars, a casino and a partridge and a pear tree. Within the hall you could see transparent tubes on the walls that elevated people to the various floors and if you look straight up, the room was a large sun roof. The floor below this was the grocery store, more restaurants, the sauna and wellness room, and more restaurants. The floor above the main (8th floor) was the Theater, where at nights are live bands and dance performances. The top of the liner was an enclosed pool and spa, a dance club, a movie theater and a playstation room. My cabin was on the very bottom deck, under the water, in fact - under the car deck. I think the place those who don´t want to pay as much down here, out of sight of everyone else.  I was determined not to spend any money, I am familiar with how these liners work. I get on for discount and they expect me to pay double the net worth of all the products and services on board. I made sandwiches in my cabin and took my book to bar where I read from my book. Just walking all the decks alone and being outside to see beautiful Sweden drift away into the sunset consumers hours alone. For a small period of time I made it to the top floor where the playstation room was, of course there was all children playing at every flat panel and I sat with the parents as they watched their children play video games. As soon as the first controller opened up, I joined the kids and played some dragon game with a kid and a basketball game later with another. I was just a giant kid, and the kids loved it - the parents were all looking at me strange either because this area was intended for children or a look of envy, I didn´t care either way - we all paid the same to enjoy ourselves on this cruise, so damnit I will enjoy myself.  After I was done `playing´ I caught a dance performance, an India themed show of performers who danced with passion. All the other adults watching this show were all sauced as this point from milking off the bar, and on a boat - this is no good combination; A very rude man elbowed me out of his way as he was carrying 3 drinks back to his seat - honestly I wished instant karma would invoke into his life right now - the ferry tilted slightly to the right as the man elbowed another person in his way spilling all of the drinks another mans head who was just enjoying the performance. I know karma isn´t suppose to be at anyone else´s expense, but I hope that dude felt guilty for being such an ass and learned his lesson. I woke up just about as soon as I went back to bed - one of the best sleeps I have had in months. Being in a cabin on the bottom layer of the ship with the comforts of swaying and no windows to peek in the light - I heard a buzzer sound 30 minutes before arrival to the harbor in Finland, I packed my bag and off the ship I went, to be stunned at the site of a blizzard. I couldn´t see even 20 feet out from the ship, I couldn´t even see Finland! As I got off, I asked at the service counter availability for a cruise back the following day, there was availability - but for thirty dollars this time around, it all weighed itself out in the end. Again I pre arranged my hostel before my arrival, apparently this accommodation was inside the 1952 Olympic stadium - or at least that is what the address had indicated. I asked a man at the currency exchange counter the best route to the Olympic stadium and he gave me two tram line options but had indicated that they may be at alternative routes right now due to the blizzard, 3 trams already this morning have derailed. He advised taking a cab, but I could bring myself to do that. I waited in the freezing blizzard for over 30 minutes until the next tram came, not on schedule as I figured as much due to the weather. The tram traveled about 400 meters before stopping, with all the snow on the banks, a car parked on the tracks. Everyone got off the tram but me, I had no where to go. I asked someone who was getting of the tram to translate to me what the conductor said, and apparently the conductor was going to now take an alternative route skipping many of the routine stops. Hoping for the best, I stayed on course. After 40 minutes of squinting out into the snow for any building that could resemble a stadium, I found one. Got out and walked the length of 5 football fields to get to the stadium. Again hoping that this accommodation was actually inside the stadium ( I know, it sounded a bit doubtful to me too.) At the doors of the stadium, the signs were in Finnish, however I did read that in one of the suites was `Stadion Hostel´, what a relief! I walked completely to the back side of the stadium and found the doors to the hostel. I paid my way, made some sandwiches, asked the reception what there is to do in Helsinki and trudged through the snow. I saw snow scrappers, people having snowball fights, and many cars stuck in the roads. I kept walking to the ports and couldn´t see much of anything with the density of snow coming down beside some cool looking buildings and 2 very large cathedrals - one being Russianesque build during the Soviet occupation. To stay warm I found a shopping mall and wandered aimlessly in shops and enjoyed a much too expensive Kebab, I just couldn´t do a sandwich for the 20th consecutive meal any more. According to the guide map that the receptionist circled over of all the tourist hot spots, I went back to the hostel for some hot tea, sandwiches, a hot shower and watched that dvd I bought in Bratislava for 2 dollars. The following day the snow stopped, before my cruise back to Sweden I took a walk around a nearby lake after my morning coffee and toast. The lake is still partially frozen over from the winter. The day felt like spring but winter was still very much on everyone´s faces. Dressed to the 9´s, and determined everyone was out on the town today and carried about their destinations. I boarded the ferry for my return and stood on the deck as the ferry pulled away from Finland and saw Finland clearly for the first time - It was truly beautiful being pulled away from the land, my visit was short and bitter sweet. This cruise appeared to be the exact same design as the ship I took over, again placed in the second deck - I had a bunk mate, Dima - a physicist from Russia - Dima offered some great comradery during our stay together and I got to sample some apple jam his mother made from the apple trees in their backyard in Russia. On this cruise, I caught a movie in the movie theater; Jumper - a really horrible movie. And this time, payed what little pocket change I have been saving for a couple of rounds on an arcade shooting game. I watched another dance show and read while in the corner while the live bands were playing and all the business men on the cruise were getting sauced with their associates after the conference on the 1st class deck. Just up ahead to landing in Sweden is all day trains which will arrive in Hamburg Germany at 10pm to be my final destination before my flight out from Frankfurt.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/jaywehrs/1/1206383820/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/jaywehrs/1/1206383820/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/jaywehrs/1/1206383820/tpod.html Sat, 29 Mar 2008 14:39:34 -0400 Euro Trip 2008 - Adventures North of the Equator.

Jump to the full
entry & travel map

Stockholm, Sweden

The train ride to Stockholm was very boring, besides the young couple that was making out for the entire 6 hours in front of me, I read until my eyes couldn´t make out what I was reading anymore. I was smart and pre reserved my hostels in Stockholm for the best prices I could find, to my surprise the entire city was booked for the days I was there, making last minute accommodation a disappointment if that where the situation. While searching for my hostels my pre requisites have changed, typically I try to find a hostel with free internet, my new pre req. is free coffee - With the outrageous prices here in Scandinavia, and my habitually morning coffee, I was sure to waste at least 6 dollars each morning on coffee alone. Fortunately the first night I booked a hostel with both internet and coffee with an added bonus of free pasta! I arrived at the hostel and they were turning everyone away who was showing up expecting to place a booking. Fortunately I just got to walk past the line of people looking for alternatives in this late evening, told them I had a booking and walked straight on in.  This hostel is one of the best hostels I have stayed in on my whole trip. Mandatory, every attendee must remove their shoes at the door way. This makes everyone feel at home - I was rather worried however, being a backpacker, my feet reek something not ordinary because it isn´t too often that the chance to wash clothes comes around. In an attempt to mask the smell I jump on into flip flops to rid the source and took advantage of the free pasta. I went to the kitchen, boiled the water, added my pasta and presto - I have pasta, with no sauce. Free pasta but no sauce, no stores will be open either because it is Easter. I indulged in my disappointing dull pasta and went for a midnight walk on the town. I could tell by my short walk that this place has much more life and attractions as a city then Oslo or Copenhagen ever could, I know that I wasn´t going to be too disappointed by this city on the upcoming days.  While I was away on my walk, I took advantage of the free net and got the latest Lost episodes I have been missing out on (yea, it is an addiction). The hostel is so great that there is a coffee/tea room, kitchen, sauna, living room, movie room... etc. I resided to the movie room and caught the last couple of weeks of episodes I have been missing out on and went to bed. The next morning I made my toast and FREE COFFEE while catching up on my emails. I had to pack my gear again because today I am to move to another hostel, one that I had pre booked because on this day it offered cheaper rates, with free coffee but no internet. I stored my luggage at this hostel, tossed my shoes back on and wandered out into the city of Stockholm. I passed by all the souvenir shops, taking note of their location and took a walk around the many islands that create the harbors of Stockholm. The weather was horrible, like a blizzard all day, needless to say there wasn´t too many people out walking the city in this weather, but it didn´t take away from the cities beauty in the least. On one of the islands I walked the cost of many fishing freighters and sailboats - where men were working on repairs on their rigging and preparing themselves for their next voyages. In old town Stockholm, I heard drums and trumpets marching closer to my location - I was standing along side the Royal Palace where the guards where. Appears I was at the right place at the right time to catch the changing of the guards, a ceremony that takes place once a week.  The changing of the guards is a ceremony that has been going on in many cities for, what I would assume hundreds of years? Men with rifles and bayonets march in formation with bronze helmets to the beats of the drummers. The flutes and trumpets play sounds that made me want to skip and prance around the courtyard, but I restrained myself. The changing of the guards took close to an hour of marching, music, and repeat. After the guard ceremony I reside back to old town where I was trying to get lost in the beautiful streets, to find what new picturesque alleys lie around the next corner. I located my hostel here in the center of old town and checked in, I was amazed that this hostel was cheap then the prior hostel situated by the train station. Now knowing where to hall my pack when I am ready for the transition of hostels, I wont be aimlessly searching for the street with the strenuous weight on my shoulders. I slowly walked the main streets back to my former hostel where my bag was and hit up all the souvenir shops for useless overpriced knick knacks and the occasional postcard. Back at my previous hostel, I jumped right back into routine took off my shoes and decided to use the free internet and indulge in some free tea while I was here. I wandered with my tea to the movie room where a movie, The Truman Show was playing on the television, so I plopped on the couch and relaxed to the distractions of a movie for the next hour. During the movie I met another girl from Australia, she was doing a three month stint of Europe as well and had just started her adventures, she was looking for any tips I could lend her, and I had many to tell of all the street smarts I have gained on my travels, such as don´t trust the Italian train times, they are always late. The French will forever be bitter if you don´t so much as try to muster a French word and if you ever need the time, almost every cathedral has a clock tower and every watch store will always have the time. I invited her for dinner with me, she asked what and I said, "Free pasta!" We both went out to the local market to pick up some pasta sauce, she was impressed with my Nutella & Lefsa concoction, however being so close to Norway, there was no Lefse to be found. The dinner and the company was great - after mooching as much I could off this hostel it was now 9pm, I should now take my things to my actual hostel for the night. To walk off the pasta, and with the energy from the carbs, I walked several of Kilometers rather then taking the metro across town to the new hostel. This next morning was the morning I decided to go to Finland, I went to one cruise liner to quote me a price and did the same the other side of town, where there was no one working and I had to pay to call and get a price quoted for me, obviously one wanted my business more then the other. I could get there on a cruise liner with a cabin for as little as 8 dollars with my Eurail Train pass, but they were booked for the cruises back. Really wanting to see what the capital of Finland was all about, I took my chances and booked the cruise over to Helsinki, Finland, in hopes that a cabin will open up last minute for my return back so I can catch my flight back to the states on time (only several days away). I had several hours to burn before my 16 hour cruise, so I went a bluff I spotted while walking the ports that offered an amazing view of Old town, and stocked up on bread for the trip.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/jaywehrs/1/1206210780/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/jaywehrs/1/1206210780/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/jaywehrs/1/1206210780/tpod.html Sat, 29 Mar 2008 14:21:37 -0400 Euro Trip 2008 - Adventures North of the Equator.

Jump to the full
entry & travel map

Oslo, Norway

I arrived in Oslo around 6pm. The train ride leading up to this city was extraordinary beautiful. Through the vast pined tree forests of Sweden and the countryside strewn with snow and lakes, it was as if I was up in northern Minnesota again. The first thing I had done at the train station was find the nearest internet connect to check on hostel availability. My book only illustrated on hostel and I wanted to check for more competitive options before setting out to find a hostel. Internet was ridiculously priced. While surfing I found only 2 hostel options in Oslo, typically a city will have up to 30, but Oslo, only two. I found one of the two hostels with availability and the cheapest cost was still outrageously expensive. I found to fear a western European country dependant on their own currency that chooses not to conform to the Euro, the East is much different, those countries that have not converted to the Euro means their economy is still very much in turmoil and not stable enough to adapt the privilege of a unified exchange system. I couldn´t muster the thought of having to pay this kind of fee every time I wanted to use the internet - before heading out into the cold to find my hostel I opened my laptop in the waiting area of the train station - I had the option of connected to 5 other unsecured connections for free, this is one less service I have to pay for.              As I was walking to my hostel, it was freezing out. Snow was everywhere and slush in the streets. Again, every store was closed and all the bars that were open, I dare not go in - I already know I can´t afford a beer here. I marched straight to my hostel, checked in to a room, and found the thought of reading for the rest of the night, as I did the whole day on the trains, to be rather uneasy. I typically have a lot of energy and need to drain this energy daily, still with the holiday weekend, there was nothing I could do beside walk the cold streets of Oslo in my solitude and went full circle back to the train station. A great way to kill time, I utilized the free wireless internet and surfed for a while. Out of curiosity I went to the Burger king nearby inside the train station - not to buy food but to use Burger king as a catalyst in identifying just how overpriced products are here in Norway. The Whopper meal was 15 US dollars.             To truly experience Oslo (or any Scandinavian countries for that matter) it is best to visit during the summer where you can spend your time outdoors, hiking, canoeing, climbing etc. In the winter there is absolutely nothing to do as far as going for a sled ride outside of town being pulled by reindeer of something of the sorts. I took bus just outside of town where there was a Viking Ship museum - I was really hopping this would be open despite the holidays. When I arrived, the bus sped off and I walked to the doors of the museum excitedly to see some Viking ships and the doors were locked. Either way I had to now wait outside of town for another bus to arrive to jet me back to civilization, during my wait I decided to go for a walk. I came across what was the Nordic Folk Museum, which was open. To make my efforts worth something and in hopes to learn more about the Norwegian heritage, if not Vikings then I will settle for a folk museum.              The Norwegian folk museum was an experience to say the least, nothing as I had expected. An `air museum´ as they would call it, the entire museum was outdoors and lasted for blocks. In fact it replicated towns within the walls of this museum. Towns from the 1700´s and up, the structures progressed as you walked through the streets - amazingly you can see the influence of nearby countries on their style of architectures based on what happened to the Norwegian history throughout time. To my surprise, this whole museum reminded me of my father. My dad grew up on a farm, being raised as a farm hand alike with his siblings. To see the farms, school houses, the snow and to have it all progress to the 1970´s of older gas stations, and city streets of Norway. It kind of seemed as if I was progressing through my fathers life of his surroundings - much of this time period was very identical in culture to America, as America has such a powerful influence over the world. Within the city streets of this `Air Museum´ you could walk inside the buildings which completely captured the interior and design of, for several of instances a young male´s apartment in his early 20´s of 1970´s. The transistor radio, was playing Monkeys and the colors were ugly as ever. Unfortunately descriptions of all these replications were in Norwegian, all but the date conception.             The Museum consumed a good 3 hours of my time in Norway, and I really wanted to see the peer of this port city. Nearby was a bay that I walked to find sailboats and freighters harbored in the bay with a backdrop of Oslo. I caught the bus back to town and made some sandwiches back at the hostel. And read a brochure that the Ski jump from the 1992 Olympics was situated here out on a hill just outside of town. I talked to asked the receptionist how I can get out there and took a metro straight up a residential hill that overlooked the whole harbor and Oslo. The view of the stadium was interesting to see, that´s about all I can say about an unused multi million dollar structure. Making the most of the opportunity on the hill, I went on hiking in the woods on cross country skiing trails during sunset in hopes to find a good view of the city. This being done, and the sun set over Oslo, I went back to the station to surf the net some more then resided back to my hostel to make some more sandwiches.  My sandwiches have now transformed from bread to lefse. Lefse is just as good as bread and much cheaper then bread here in Norway. Lefse, Salami and cheese - Lefse, and Nutella - Lefse, and jelly - Lefse PB & J - you get the idea. While making my dinner I met a new dorm mate, she was from Germany and very sweet and shy. I offered here some lefse with Nutella and we became food sharing buddies off the bat. The floors in the hostel were notably heated floors, I now see what I was paying for. It is now Easter and I have had my fix of what Oslo had to offer me, I am now on a train heading east to Stockholm, Sweden.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/jaywehrs/1/1206037920/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/jaywehrs/1/1206037920/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/jaywehrs/1/1206037920/tpod.html Sat, 29 Mar 2008 14:07:54 -0400 Euro Trip 2008 - Adventures North of the Equator.

Jump to the full
entry & travel map

Copenhagen, Denmark

The way to Denmark from Amsterdam was an overnighter. This trip took approximately 13 hours, reservations for seats were mandatory on this overnight train. The wagon is the type not with the airport seating but with the cabin style seating where a row of 3 to 4 bench style seating is facing the alike bench seat, forcing you to have to awkwardly avoid any eye contact with the person directly across from you and when you are stuck with someone not so comforting to be stuck in a cabin with for 13 hours, it´s tuff luck. Typically it is rare people travel these types of distances via train, most if traveling for business or even leisure find it more convenient to travel by plane, leaving cabin compartments to yourself. I found my cabin and situated myself - sprawled across the couchette and went into my slumber.   It was about one hour into my train ride when my cabin door opened, usually this is a controller stopping by to verify tickets however it was a younger women, appears I have a cabin mate for this trip. We exchanged pleasantries and as customary she asked where I was from, upon my reply she said, "well, that´s funny." I asked her what was so funny about being from America. She replied; "America, Iraq, at war, stuck in a cabin together for 13 hours." Oh, no - I can almost foreshadow how this conversation will draw out - to be quite the political conversation about how my country kills and Iraq is the victim - how do I answer to this without becoming defensive, can I just sleep, wake up and everything be right as rain in my secluded little world away from politics?  I welcomed her to the cabin, and resumed to be as relaxed as she found me. She told me not to worry right off the bat, that she `doesn´t hate me´, just my government - what a great way to start our journey together aye? She, unrolled 3 slices of pizza from tin foil and offered me one - I accepted her offering and tried to keep the mood  as light as possible. She obviously wanted to lay it on me what my country is doing to her people and how members of her family have passed in the war. I was utterly speechless, there is nothing I can say here. I changed the topic rather rapidly and asked about her travels, she said she is going to Sweden however in Europe they have very tight border controls for Iraqi citizens and she is restricted to travel across the countries - she was trying to cross several of countries borders without having to show proof of her passport and without having to answer to her nationality at the border control. As each border came and officials do the customary check of passports, she played the dumb girl card, like she doesn´t understand English, she answers that she is a Holland citizen and the only identification she musters up in her apparent loss of linguistic ability is her Holland student Id card. This girl got past 3 countries this way - I really was wrapped up in a situation I wanted nothing to do with. Finally off the train and in Copenhagen, Denmark - I asked the first person I see if they knew where the Tourist info point is located, the signs that were located within the station seemed to pointed out into the street. A woman told me that it was several blocks away and they may not even be open. In Denmark they celebrate Easter on Thursday and the holiday continues all the way through Monday there. The day today was Thursday. I located the tourist info point which directed me to the only affordable hostel in Denmark, which equals out to fifty US dollars a night. Denmark is known for being a very expensive country, in fact all of Scandinavia is known for this little fact. I found my hostel, got myself a room and set out for the city. Sure enough the entire city was closed, from grocery stores to the nearest kebab shop. I walked the entire city to myself  - a rather boring city when there is nothing going on. Copenhagen is not known for their site seeing as there really is none here, however the walk around the canals were beautiful. I found the National Museum which happened to be open and free. I took a gander inside for a couple of hours and after seeing all the town had to offer me, I retreated back to my hostel and read for the duration of the night.  I decided there is no reason at all to stay another night in Copenhagen, I saw all the sights there is to see (yes, the statue of the little mermaid - as the story takes place here). I passed a cinema before I left to check out the prices in this outrageously priced country, one movie with the current exchange rate equals 22 dollars. I hope things get better in Oslo. I took the first available morning train to Oslo.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/jaywehrs/1/1205768460/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/jaywehrs/1/1205768460/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/jaywehrs/1/1205768460/tpod.html Sat, 29 Mar 2008 13:40:20 -0400 Euro Trip 2008 - Adventures North of the Equator.

Jump to the full
entry & travel map

Amsterdam, Netherlands

Amsterdam.... I didn´t take too many photo´s and suffice to say I don´t remember a whole lot of every moment spent in Holland. I am torn right now if I should keep this blog pc or I should cross that boundary and capture the realism, if not for your entertainment but for my own nostalgia in my later years. To save face I think I am just going to use euphemisms and street slang throughout this blog - just try to follow along (this works well if you are or were a former pot head.) Now Amsterdam, as all of you know is known for it´s legalization (or `blind eye´) to marijuana, hallucinogens, Heineken, and with the worlds famous Red Light District - Prostitution. This place isn´t all about site seeing, it is about culture, to take you out of your shell and experience a different way of life. Amsterdam truly is a magical place, I got off the train and headed outside - bright, sunny, gorgeous. I look around to see everyone on bikes, a canal right in front of me and the sound of seagulls flying overhead. The tram was to my right and I wrote down the direction on how to get to my hostel. I hopped on the tram and there is actually a man behind a counter in the front and one in the aft which takes your money on the tram as you get on, no having to pre buy your tickets via machine or merchant. A woman next to me was tapping a beat with her foot to a tune she was listening to on her I pod, Marley, Bono, metal, heck for all I know it could have been the first and last album of Hanson. I couldn´t help to notice about 5 people on the tram were smiling, just in their lone contentment - I was too. People laughing in the streets, again everyone outside riding bikes. I couldn´t help but to think, what is it about this place which makes everything so shiny, everything so gorgeous, and everyone still smiling - Oh wait a second - Most of them are high! I reached my hostel no problem, I wanted to start snapping photos immediately but I have several of days to do that. I just learned that if you see a photographic moment, take it - you may never see it in the same way or the same light later, the conditions will forever change, making that constant object a variable. My main objective is to find a cozy café where I can smoke a J and blog. Immediately I found a plethora of `coffee shops´ to choose from, the question at hand is what kind of atmosphere am I looking for. A lounge theme, a basement theme, an India theme. As I walked into the first one, I go up to the bar and waited for the waiters attention to see the menu, as I waited the young man beside me handed me a token of good fortune, and was is good. After clearing all the salvia from my lungs onto my sleeve, I turned to him to begin a conversation but as suddenly as he came, he was gone - I took the omen and followed my fortune. I was on to find another café. ... I chose arcade theme with a great view out the window to the square in front of me. I ordered a Heineken and sought out the doobie brothers for a 4 pack of pre-rolled White Widows. Mr. Doobie Brother himself had his own counter, you could order from the waiter but if you wanted to see the menu of doobie snacks you had to go to the man. Above this mans counter was a sign that read, "Officer On Duty". I must admit, I felt completely strange as if I mistakenly heard the waiter wrong  when I walked up and asked to see the menu, the man insisted I spit out what kind of menu I wanted to see. This guy was over the hill, and from the old hippy movement, without an accent, he was defiantly raised state-side. I told him I didn´t want to go through the work of rolling so he handed me a four back of my selection, the biggest question was with tobacco lace or without? Pffft... I gave up smoking a year and a half ago - that´ll be without tobacco, thank you. As he pulled out his cash drawer that was not used for cash in the least but rather different compartments of herbal medicines, baggies here and there I scanned the menu - They actually have brownies called space cakes - I believe that was referenced in Cheech & Chong's visit to Amsterdam? I moseyed on back to my table where the Heineken awaits - I barrowed a lighter from the barista and began blogging - I was about one half a paragraph in before I found myself staring out the window and dreaming about a vat of Jell-O or wondering who actually was General Tsao and why do we eat his chicken? Needless to say, no further blogging went on. I finished my beer and graciously went walking throughout the streets of Amsterdam.  On my walk I recall a couple of guys I passed at a kiosk of post cards. As I walked past they were walking behind me, one said to the other, "Those postcards were making me roll", the other replied, "What post cards man?"             "The ones we were just looking at"With a completely delayed response, one where you could have sang the star spangled banner between, he said, "Oh, I was thinking about that hot dog stand." Passing the bridges of the many beautiful canals that connect and make the city of Amsterdam, I stopped in several second hand clothing stores and all of the head shops, in search of cool gift ideas - These shops are unbelievable, refrigerators full of different mushrooms, laminated menus of what seemed hundreds of different kind of herbs, and seeds. Marijuana plants in the windows and so forth. I found my way to a square as the sun was setting where there was a group of guys playing hacky sac in a circle - I was defiantly in the mood to kick a dirt bag around.  Making friends quickly, these were all college graduates on a break for a week of living to see a jam festival here in Amsterdam - I had a great conversation with one, turns out he is a stock broker back home. To celebrate St. Patty´s day we went to a nearby Irish Pub and ordered up rounds of Guinness and shots of Jameson. The bar was complete with live music and a group of loud drunks who play hockey for Amsterdam - we joined their table as they were the most lively in the bunch and causing a ruckus. The guys I kicked the dirt bag with were soon leaving to their festival and had invited me along. I figured having the proper pre game celebrating St. Patty´s and in just an hour I will be 22 years old - sure I will waste loads of money and go to a jam festival.  The festival was great, the only thing I regret is not remembering how I got there. The music would be music for this generation of hippies - old dead heads would still appreciate these kind of jam sessions. Full bands but with added synthesized affects to their instruments to make a real funky and sycadellic show. People were passing around party favors all night as the festival was rolling on until 4 am. To my right I recall a couple of girls taking licks of acid and to my left a group of people on mushrooms. I began to wonder what the group of friends I was with were on - but soon ditched that thought, I was enjoying my own time there. I didn´t stay until 4, rather tired and not hallucinating like everyone else seemed to be, I feebly attempted to ask a few people the way back... wait, the way back where - I don´t even know where to go. I walked outside and began walking in one direction, not remembering which direction I came from earlier when I was drunk. It was only one block and there was the bar we celebrated St. Patty´s day at. I luckily had no problems navigating my way back to my hostel where I was soon to be counting sheep in my slumber. Today the 18th, is my 22nd birthday. I started the day with pancakes at a pancake house that over looked a canal. The days here in Amsterdam are still gorgeous as ever, just a light jacket will do. It rains from time to time, 5 minutes at a time the clears up once again - the most sporadic and unpredictable weather I have ever encountered, a forecaster might as well have tried to forecast it. Again I started the early afternoon familiarizing myself with the city some more. I met a fellow backpacker who came to Amsterdam to celebrate my birthday with me. Alex from Canada, I met him in Romania - he was there when I lost my visa, and again we met in Budapest and hit the spa´s together. I went back to the hostel to pick him up and we started with some tai food and went to an Indian themed coffee shop. Ordered a couple of beers, and hung out on a carpeted floor cross legged around the center piece smoke pipe. The floor was decorated with a bunch of oriental pillows thrown around to lounge on or have a pillow fight - I don´t know. Really though, we were becoming too comfortable and headed to the nearby red light district.  Lighting up another for our walk through the district, I swear I was thrown back as someone had hit a window as I was walking past - hey, what is that hairdresser tapping at me for, she is beautiful, wait, shouldn´t that nurse be working? Oh, she was working alright, there was red lights above their doors, we have entered the abyss. Very thin alleys, wide enough to fit two rows of people going opposite directions, like constant moving traffic or someone window shopping as they walk by a retail store, men just walking up and down these blocks. All you can see is window, next to window, with a red light above each. The ones that are `operating on their patients´ have the curtains closed as each window opens into a single room , a room as big as your dentists office, one actually with that exact chair. We as all the other men, shamelessly passing through and smoking, we hit all of the district there was to see. A canal was hit where there was venue after venue of shows and sex shops. Alex insisted that for my birthday in Amsterdam we check out a show. 25 euros got us 2 Alcoholic drinks and a show. The show started innocently enough and progressed through the performance. At certain intervals they pulled individuals from the audience, I my contentment I was just hoping the ladies on stage wouldn´t select me. Thankfully they didn´t. The show has a surprising end to it, a story of two lovers in the night, doing what two lovers do in the night. I can´t believe I just seen what I did on stage. Alex and I cruised the red light one more time, caught another beer, and went fast asleep as soon as I hit those warm fluffy pillows. The next day we went out to rent some bikes. We signed our life away without hearing much about the terms and conditions - Still a bit drowsy from the herbal medicine, I asked a few questions for clarifications about the logistics of bike performance, the return policy, the prices - The proprietor said, "I don´t think you understand me." Okay, so it turns out I wasn´t listening to a single word he had said before I signed and paid for these bikes. As he began to repeat himself, and as excited I was to ride this bike through Amsterdam, I told him never mind, and it didn´t matter anyway. As we rode away, I had so many questions for Alex who was apparently listening.  We first went to the park to get a feel for the bikes, it was so liberating to be riding those cruisers through Amsterdam, I felt bad ass. We had intended to bike out to the zoo where they have a butterfly emporium, this is where they have dome that you walk in, filled with butterflies flying around. This idea sounded great however when we reached there, the 30 euros didn´t sound too great at all. We biked on a bit out of town to a windmill. I thought about the Keebler elf´s for a brief few moments and Alex and I spent the rest of the time biking the city and stopping at various coffee shops to enjoy in their pleasantries. One shop called the Blues Brothers we had the most amazing milk shakes made for us as we indulged in the fruits. Later returning the bikes, we weren´t charged that much, maybe 3 euros each to my befuddlement. My train was leaving in several of hours at this point to go to Copenhagen. Before I left Alex and I stopped at another coffee shop and enjoyed the last few hours of companionship with each other from the last couple of months. We decided to go to the Van Gogh museum, again costing a lot for being rushed to catch my train wasn´t worth cost. It was here right before I left I realize that I had completely forgotten about visiting Anne Franks house! I even walked passed it several of times. This gives me all the more reason to return.  I think I am going to stay sober for several of weeks now. Next stops - Scandinavia.                          
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/jaywehrs/1/1205682060/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/jaywehrs/1/1205682060/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/jaywehrs/1/1205682060/tpod.html Sat, 29 Mar 2008 13:21:02 -0400 Euro Trip 2008 - Adventures North of the Equator.

Jump to the full
entry & travel map

Brussels, Belgium

I arrived into Belgium right as the sun was setting. Brussels is only 3 hours away by train from Luxembourg. As I arrived in the train station, I made the sudden decision to check out Antwerp, Belgium rather then Brussels - however while waiting for the train on the platform (about 3 minutes) I lost patience and scooted to the metro to get along and commit myself to a hostel before I make anymore spontaneous decision, I have been meaning to get here for the past week ½ after all and instead made it to Berlin, Cologne and Luxembourg. I traveled by metro to the designated metro stop as illustrated by my bible and walked the neighborhood to what seemed like an hour. I stopped in a café and asked for directions and finally made it, Van Gogh Hostel. From what I heard through other patrons of the hostel, Van Gogh apparently worked in this building, however I am unsure of the validity of that. As I was walking in the correct direction of the hostel, a young couple walked by me and the man was explaining to himself to the girl, "I didn´t know we would have to book weeks or even months ahead of time!" Immediately I was concerned that I would have no accommodation for my stay here in Brussels - I have been starting to notice, nearing the end of March, all hostels in the west are completely booked unless booked prior to your visit (a luxury to be of no concern while traveling during down season). The lobby was full of customers with bags. People being sent away left and right or quoted with the only pricy rooms left available. To my amazement being a solo traveler, I got squeezed into a dorm that had one bed left for cheap. I am sure I walked away with a chip on my shoulder.  Exhausted from the sightseeing in Luxembourg and finding the hostel, I headed down to the adjoining bar to the hostel to try my first of many Belgium beer. *Note; I am not intending to get drunk everywhere I go - there are just so many countries here that are known for their various assortments of beer, Belgium being one of the proudest of countries with a wide varieties of class beer. I recall passing the bar on my way to my room and heard the band Talking Heads on the speakers, just wanting to listen to that album alone was worth my time. At the bar I met a fellow traveler from California where as we shortly left for Kebabs at the local street venue, I am writing this so I don´t forget - This was the BEST kebab I have had all Europe. Shortly after the Kebab I parted ways in search to find affordable internet on the streets, hostels like to charge up to $1.50 per 15 minutes, I am partial to $1.50 per hour. Besides my kebab friend was headed out to get smashed at an absinth bar - I was just too wiped out from the day.  Back to the hostel after finding internet, I make it back to the bar to try a different beer this time, this time I met another American from Ohio. Through the night we challenged others to pool, laying it down to several of Germans in suits and top hats then with all our cockiness had to leave our dignity at the table after being beat by a Finnish guy and gal. Life is hard.  The next morning while trying to shove my house into a locker - to no surprise, no locker can fit, I met several of girls who asked if I needed help as I am doing everything I can to shove this bag into a locker that should accommodate bags of varying sizes. During the conversation that arose with these two ladies I had managed to now bust 2 of my 3 locks on these lockers and squeezed the bag back out. They asked what I was up to today and I said it was my first day touring Brussels and I was considering traveling to Antwerp by the end of the night (I heard Brussels is a quick stop). The asked if I would be interested touring the city with them. By this time I grabbed my bag and exchanged some witty banter to the receptionist about breaking those two locks. Considering I was going to be touring Brussels with two others, I had a feeling I wasn´t going to be flying through the sites as I would solo and asked if there was any availability for this nights stay as well. The receptionist said there was availability and I got a 33.3(repeating)%  discount on my stay! The two wonderful girls, Tiffany & Tova from Stanford are currently studying in Budapest and were in the area for Easter break. We first headed out to the botanical gardens which offered a wonderful view of the contrast of the gardens with a skyscraper backdrop. What I think makes the contrast much more wonderful is that Brussels is the headquarters for the European Union! Tova placed a flower in a statues pocket. Next we strolled out to some very weird empty and gloomy cement Terrace which overlooked part of downtown Brussels, took our time and snapped several of photos. I recall a conversation I was having with them as we continued walking, I told them I imagined Belgium to be sunny, with flowers, and rolling hills and all I have found so far is what appears to be the foundations for Gotham city. We came up next to a giant cathedral that looked very similar to the Notre Dame in Paris and in front is a garden of Tulips.  I found Belgium.   We headed onward to downtown, and I still haven´t had any breakfast or my morning coffee. We stopped at a café where I ordered an omelet and my first Belgium waffle. The waffle was great, however plain. Tiffany ordered a Bri sandwich for me to try because I never heard of Bri before, turns out that Bri was the same cheese that I had no clue how to handle while making sandwiches in Marseille, France. Good cheese. After our bellies full, we walked slowly around the markets that were selling the typical touristy stuff. For a while we walked aimlessly in old town. We were drawn to this spire towering over us from a nearby plaza and walked in that direction. The plaza opened up to the heart of Brussels with beautiful architecture with intricate and delicate carvings and designs on these buildings and capped with gold edges to boot. After breaking our necks constantly looking up we continued onward to a Swiss chocolate store, we tried the various samples, I am going to go ahead and say that Belgium chocolate truffles beats Switzerland´s Linder milk chocolate. We continued to walk to another mess of streets and there oddly was an out of place buildings with a pillared entrance, I was to find out that this was the stock exchange. Just imagine these day traders when they want a quick break they can walk a block down to the best chocolate in the world or a block up for the best beer in the world - I wonder if their morning mocha´s are laced with Belgium chocolate? We all had to jump online for one reason or another, actually we were all looking for accommodation in Amsterdam. I found a hostel, what seemed to be the last with availability in Amsterdam for my visit and the ladies decided on couch surfing. While they were still using the net I went for a walk, I was on a mission to find the real Belgium waffles. After turning left here, right there, not knowing how I am going to make my way back, I followed the horde of people. Sure enough in the most touristy of streets was a window shop of Belgium Waffles! My was a waffle with strawberry ice cream, real strawberries underneath a thick layer of whip cream and chocolate icing. I think I may have de-sensitized myself to any other treat I will ever come across, I don´t believe anything else compares to the thrill my taste buds were going through. In excitement I hurried back to tell the girls of my discover like Christopher Columbus finding new land and we were set on returning but first we had to catch a film. We noticed this small advert on our street map that stated at the film museum on Sunday nights there was a silent film with live piano being orchestrated - we were all about it, especially Tiffany being a film major. But first we wanted to walk by a fountain where the stream comes out of the child´s twig and berries it is the most advertised monument of Brussels. There are bells and paper weights made of this naked child and postcards too, silly. When we went to the corner where this fountain was, there were many people surrounding it snapping photos - anticipating some BIG masterpiece, we find out it is a fountain the size of my foot and well, I expected it to be bigger. The fountain of youth if you will.  The film was black and white and was shot in 1935 I believe and called The Wind. Great acting and the piano to the screen performance was amazing. As the film ended an hour and a half later I watched the pianist, he bowed then grabbed his jacket and umbrella and walked out the front door. I guess his job was done. Tova, Tiffany and I headed back for those waffles but first we took a stroll through the palace gardens and through the part of town Gotham city was based on. Hungry, I mixed up my waffle order with some other fruit and we all had our photo´s taken with men we idolized for making our childhood dreams come true with these waffles they created for us. Following the waffle I found some dessert cigars I had stashed away for moments that just call for a cigar, after a waffle as good as this, it was one of those moments.  The ladies and I had grand plans, we had each picked out a bar we wanted to hit throughout the night, I picked a Dali themed bar. We started at the first bar and was going to progress on our way back to our hostel, lastly hitting the church that has public urinals built into the sides to keep people from pissing on the church. The first bar was a French jazz theme. Awesome, comfortable, quant, the bar had amazing aesthetics with couches and candles to accompany the old French jazz - actually there were couples making out everywhere, we just continued making our jokes. We had a full day and we ended up ditching the whole bar hopping idea, Tova fell asleep, Tiffany wanted to take a nap and we had a long walk ahead of us. After building up the strength to continue onward we walked back the way we got into old town this morning, we reached the cathedral at which thick white fog was pouring out of the side vent, us and two others in the distance ahead of us were going right for the mysterious fog - We reached the side of the Cathedral right as the fog stopped, we turned the corner to the vents and to our merriment found the couple repetitiously bowing and chanting in Flemish to the vent on the side of the church to produce more mysterious fog. It was right here at this church when Tiffany realized she lost her passport and hundreds of dollars in cash. We retraced all of our steps asked everyone to and from the bar if they seen the wallet and I took the duty of peering into the trashes, if someone found it, they would most certainly take the cash and ditch the passport and wallet, it´s only evidence. To no avail we, and much to my amazement we all kept our spirits high - and joked around the whole walk back to the hostel. I headed to bed as did Tova, Tiffany was up several more hours that night to go through the motions of filing a police report and contacting the states. The next morning is St. Patrick´s day, the eve of my birthday, AND the journey to Amsterdam.  
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/jaywehrs/1/1205509140/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/jaywehrs/1/1205509140/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/jaywehrs/1/1205509140/tpod.html Sun, 23 Mar 2008 06:58:13 -0400 Euro Trip 2008 - Adventures North of the Equator.

Jump to the full
entry & travel map

Luxembourg City, Luxembourg

I was on my way to Belgium, or so I thought. On my train ride halfway in route there was mechanical problems that arose and left our train at a halt at some train station in the middle of Germany. The train was suppose to take me 2 stations further west to Cologne, Germany to transfer to Belgium. I took matters into my own hands, left my seat and walked out the train, everyone looked at me puzzled as I ditched the train - I went out to find the next alternative train running through the station that headed for Cologne, in some hopes that I could still catch my transfer. Things were looking great, as soon as I got off the train, a new train headed for Cologne just arrived - I jumped on and scurried toward my transfer. I arrive to Cologne 30minutes after my transfer had left me - it was either wait another 45 minutes for the next train to Brussels, Belgium or I can hop on a train in 30 and poke around Luxembourg for a while. I chose the latter.  Thirty minutes at the transfer station was spectacular, not only did I buy a coffee and croissant for 1 euro, with my delights I headed outside to check out the weather in western Germany. Sun was shinning in my eyes as I step outside, as I fixate my vision I find a massive cathedral in front of me, right outside of the station! Apparently, this is why people come to Cologne. This Cathedral is the largest in Europe, I couldn't even fit it all into focus with my camera with all the adjacent buildings obstructing my vision. In those thirty minutes, I feel as if I was apart of cologne, I know we hadn't had enough time together to become acquainted, but it was as if we already knew each other. I hopped on my train towards Luxembourg with a hot chocolate in hand and a grin on my face. I arrived in Luxembourg fairly late, about 9pm. I didn't have a hostel reserved or picked out but my trusty book had an address and map of the only hostel in Luxembourg. Tourist info was closed and the informants at the train station had limited knowledge of the bus services to get me where I needed to be. I tossed my pack on my shoulders and headed for the local bus depot. As I was checking out a billboard size map of the routes, a nice drunk man, who spoke little to no English insisted on helping get where I needed to be. This mans intentions were good - but drunk and cannot speak English is really not worth my time right now. This Brazilian girl caught me off guard and asked for help finding her hostel, seeing that there was only one hostel in town, we were both destined for the same place. I introduced myself, and she asked who my friend was - he attempted to introduce himself, but like a leach as we opened the conversation to him - he just wouldn't stop repeating himself trying to get us to a point on the map. Julia and I both just turned our back and decided to hike across town to find our hostel. With a map in my hands, I figured out the most logical way to reach our destination by a combination of roads. It was very unfortunate that the topographical map didn't illustrate terrain. Luxembourg apparently is within a series of valleys. I drug us and my 50 odd pound bag down steep icy hills and right back up steep inclines. We passed creeks, crossed bridges and I was sweating profusely from all the weight I was carrying. We finally made it to the hostel where we both got our own rooms, we showered and met up again to head out to city center and see what all was going on in Luxembourg on a Friday night. I had a bit of time during this period to read up on Luxembourg quick. Luxembourg is known as a fairytale city, with castles, fortresses and walls - walking through the city the duration of my trip seemed as though we were in a series of short stories by the Brothers Grim.  We Headed out for the evening with no help from the reception, when asking for suggestions for food, they intimately suggested their own cafeteria and offered no alternatives. The walk to the center of old town was just this, a fairytale, an unbelievable city. We saw nobody walking the streets besides a few drunk kids here and there. When Julia and I reached the city center we found where the missing populous went. A gigantic tent in the town square we hosting a weekend St. Patrick's day festival. Julia and I capitalizing on this opportunity got some grub grilled in the tent and a Guinness each. The band was an '80's tribute band, and with the influence of America's rock scene (and a bit of help from MTV), every song was a blast from the past, such songs deriving from the Breakfast club and what not. It seemed as though every traveler from Luxembourg was there, Chinese couples to the right, Italian mob to the left, and all the Irish piss drunk at the front of the stage. After rocking out to the 80's we headed back to our slumber at the hostel.  Julia and decided to meet for breakfast and tour the city together. The breakfast was simple, but it was more then just a bun such as former hostels so I was happy. Julia and I headed once again for the city center and marveling at Luxembourg's revealing beauty. I remember the first things I took note of was the crows hovering in the trees above, a smell like the first day of spring, and moss covering almost everything from tree limb to stone. Right before we got to the heart of the city center once again, an elderly lady stopped us in our path and insisted we followed her. She spoke English to say she was born and raised here and is still living here today. She wanted us to see the beauty she saw in her home town that she sees strolling through from the market to buy fruit every day. She brought us to a ledge of the city center that over looked old castle walls, fortified gates, lookout towers and ancient bridges all nestled in a series of gorgeous valleys. Houses were clustered here and there with cobble stone roads in these valleys, familiar, these were the same cobbled stone roads we walked trying to find our hostel - I cannot believe we walked up and down these valleys the night before.  Once the kind woman departed and told us which direction to walk to get back to the city center we headed onwards. The old city is very similar to every other old city in a way, beautiful old buildings together with winding roads and quant little shops and the occasional kebab window shop. Things started getting exciting as we headed to the valleys towards these bridges and strongholds. We discovered a place called the Casemates which took us inside the walls of these valleys where in mid evil times were used as defense barracks against intruders. The walls were really many corridors and stairs running through the sides of these cliffs - being inside made me feel as if I was in a true mid evil experience, this was exactly what I had been looking for in all the previous castles I have toured, but none of them gave me the sense I was actually in the same footsteps that a night once walked. We walked for hours and hours discover so many gorgeous mid evil sights throughout the small capital city. It was 3pm and we had completely walked the whole town and saw what there was to saw.  Julia decided to catch a bus to a nearby town to snap some photos and I was set on getting to Brussels still before my appointment with Amsterdam on my birthday in just a couple of days from here. I refused to spend another night in the hostel in Luxembourg, because they are the only hostel in town, there rates are not competitive and their charges where outrageous. I walked Julia to the bus station and headed back to the hostel to grab my gear and go. By 4pm I was off to Brussels.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/jaywehrs/1/1205249940/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/jaywehrs/1/1205249940/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/jaywehrs/1/1205249940/tpod.html Fri, 21 Mar 2008 15:56:28 -0400 Euro Trip 2008 - Adventures North of the Equator.

Jump to the full
entry & travel map

Berlin, Germany

I first took the train to Brussels, but I decided while on the train in the middle of Germany that I would turn and go back up to Berlin - I knew there was a strike going on and I was going to avoid it until that cleared, but I figured I would try my luck. I got off of at a station and checked the next train time to Berlin. On the train ride to Berlin I could tell I was officially back into the Western countries now. The train was very comfortable, modern complete with an electric flusher in the john and electric shades for the windows. The seats are no longer in compartments facing each other and more personal with 'airport seating'. The seating is so efficient in Germany on their trains, for a man who doesn't pay to reserve seats, at any stop a reservation could be made in the very seat you are sitting in, this first happened on the way to Berlin. As I awoke from a man who pointed out that I was deliberately sleeping in HIS seat, and was expressing his anger through words, Germanic words, there is nothing more frightening. Apparently the young traveler in front of me was getting an identical lecture and didn't understand what to do, I helped out by letting him know that his seat was reserved and we must relocate. He asked me how I learned to understand German so good, I told him I didn't understand, I just didn't want to be shot... Okay, I kid, I kid. The Germans are wonderful people. Getting off of the train, I noticed the guy I helped on the train was heading to the tourist information as I was. We introduced ourselves and it was apparent that we were both looking for an affordable hostel. The most affordable hostel was on the East side of Berlin, go figure. The problem: Berlin transit on strike. We thought as if we were stopped dead in our tracks, I was prepared to rent a bike and bike to the hostel with my giant house on my back. Turns out that transit strikes in Berlin are well organized, the busses, metro's and U-bahn was all on strike - leaving only the S-Bahn accessible which will take you anywhere in town you need to be. We arrived to the hostel no problem and busted into our hostel and threw our luggage off of our shoulders. I told the hostel that I was looking for something a bit cheaper and had others in mind - I ensured them that I would surely be spending a significant amount of funds on their concessions available at the hostel (many hostels use internet, beer, and food as a source of income rather then an incentive). Understanding how they make business, she asked me how much I wanted to pay, and told here that we would each pay 12 euro each and have the stay for two nights. Sure enough she said that is a price we could negotiate on. It was still breakfast time for those who stayed the previous night in the hostel, and the girls we just rudely woke up as we came in yelling, "It's time to wake up - breakfast is almost over, and the sun doesn't shine for too long over Berlin." We headed down into the cafeteria of the hostel and snagged a free breakfast with our two other female roommates from Denmark.  After breakfast Santiago and I attended the 'New Berlin Tour', these tours are in several select cities such as Paris, Amsterdam and Barcelona and have a reputation for great laid back tours for free from tour guides that are college students that know their stuff about the town. The tour was amazing to hit all the main sights of Berlin. The tour guide was extremely knowledgeable and very funny. On our tour we started at the hotel that Michael Jackson hung his baby outside the window from. Moved onto the former East and West Berlin divide, as now indicated by brick inlays throughout the city, even in roads. Next the tour headed out to the Holocaust monument, which is not a statue or an oblique, the architect obviously didn't want a wall of millions of names of casualties, then everyone would just be a name, the idea is lost and loses it's significance. Alternatively the architect decided on many of grave looking stone blocks covering a complete square city block. Each of these single block were of varying sizes and easy to get lost into. This captures the unforgettable idea which was the holocaust as a whole and commemorates everyone affected by the holocaust. The stones are coated with a chemical which makes any graffiti easy enough to rub off. Guess who designed this chemical project just for the monuments... a company who had very close ties with the same company who supplied the Nazi's with silicone B ( the gases used to kill Jews in gas chambers). However it was the best offer on the market for Germany with how much funds they put aside for this monument.  After the Monument we went out to this parking lot. What is the significance of a parking lot? That is exactly the point that this site is a parking lot right now, to loose it's significance. We were standing right on top of Hitler's bunker, the same bunker he killed himself, his newly wed and 3 children. The bunker was attempted to be destroyed twice before, being a bunker it held up to it's duty and was apparent that it was indestructible - alternatively, Germany filled the underground bunker with rubble and water and turned that baby into a parking lot with no signs as not to make it an attraction. Next was the existing portion of the Wall, the only Nazi building left standing (still hated to this day as it facilitates the tax collection agency), and check point Charlie (the capitalist, or 'American' side of the wall divide - West side).  Side note: East Socialist Berlin was completely surprised that the West, 'American' side of Germany survived so well. The Soviets with the complete Eastern control of all the countries had a sufficient supply for a well economic Berlin. The West Berlin had nothing because America is so far away leaving the West like an island, and as an economic island would be isolated, the result would be the inability to sustain itself as a working economy. Stalin, in hopes of sinking a capitalist island surrounded by a sea of communism, time was only an issue before all of Germany was under the new Soviet movements. America, with what could be the most strategic air force mission to this day, deployed plane after plane of water, food, construction goods and built up a new Berlin very quick - much to Stalin's surprise, people were leaving the East for the opportunities of skilled labor in a capitalist society of the West - Thus the red army put up 'the iron gate' and the Berlin wall was constructed. Okay, back to the tour - we stopped for lunch as a group and I got hot chocolate, the weather was very intemperate and often raining the whole time in Berlin. We continued to The University that Einstein taught at, the same University that the students, as instructed by the SS, carried out hundreds of novels to the courtyard outside to burn. Lastly we made it to the Museum Island. There are many canals because Berlin is actually built on a swamp, they must pump water out of the ground before laying concrete. Museum Island is surrounded by canals and has 5 museums on this portion of land.  Santiago and I headed back to the hostel after the tour to tap on happy hour at the bar. We come to the first night at our hostel to much amazement, that everyone else in this whole hostel (besides our dorm mates) are all Germans who look as if they are 16. Legal to drink at a young age in Germany, kids use this to get out of their families house and party. This made for a really bad atmosphere at the hostel, Santiago and I later walked down to a bar on the corner where beer was 50% cheaper at best.  Another morning in Berlin, Santiago and I went out to a concentration camp just north of Berlin, this is the Model camp that they designed all other camps from, trained SS camp guards here and concluded scientific experiments on selected Jews from all other camps from all around Europe to bring here. Let me digress, I forgot to mention that Santiago has a very interesting and intense personality to him - based of pure male instincts, he holds nothing back, much like Dean from the book On the Road. We get into the main gates of the  camp which reads 'Work makes you free' and he sets his eyes on two passing girls. He says, hey girls - I am lost can you help me and my friend find our way? Okay, we just walked in the front door, and these girls are already considering his confrontation at a concentration camp rather awkward - I refused to play wingman and walked away. After touring the camp for some time which was not as intriguing as Auschwitz, we went inside a library inside one of the old barracks, this library is meant for archives for people who are tracing family members to those doing historical research on the camp. My friends bursts through the door, goes right up to the first person and asks if they think he can surf the net on the computers... Again, I walked away. The last I heard as I waited outside was his plea to the librarian as he was saying he just wanted to check his email for 2 minutes. I couldn't believe this guy. After the camp we went to the museum island, I heard one museum had the gates of Babylon in them. That night for museum island was free night for Berlin! Sure enough I saw in astonishment the actually gates to Babylon. While walking and talking, I found out that Santiago too was a big Lost fan, seeing how it is I have all the episodes on my PC, we got kebabs and I caught him up on the episodes he missed out the last couple weeks of travel - I should start charging for this service, it is becoming a hot commodity in this community of travelers. I had some great sleep in Berlin and I was well rested for my train ride to... I think I will go to Belgium.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/jaywehrs/1/1205103300/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/jaywehrs/1/1205103300/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/jaywehrs/1/1205103300/tpod.html Fri, 21 Mar 2008 15:16:01 -0400 Euro Trip 2008 - Adventures North of the Equator.

Jump to the full
entry & travel map

Prague, Czech Republic

The train ride here was just as I expected it to be - horrible. Little naps here and there through the 5 transfers that I took, just because I didn't want to wait another day to ride the direct to Prague. The very last train, with little sleep, 1 hour outside of Prague a controller on the train asked for my ticket. Complying to this man's request he insisted that I pay 10 euro for a reservation for my seat which apparently was compulsory. I told him my situation that no one had indicated this supplement to me in which my lack of knowledge should thereby hold me exempt from such charges as apparently someone made a mistake. I didn't think this would fly with him as it didn't - I had absolutely no cash on me of any currency, as he indicated I must get off at the next stop to use the atm and wait for the next train an hour and a half from now. I held nothing back and acted as exasperated as I felt - as he waited for me, knowing I had no cash, I emptied my bag right in the hall of the train one item at a time. I searched every pants pocket, every bag pocket and thus far had found 20 cents in euro before he told me not to worry about the whole reservation thing. As I figured, the whole train was watching me do this as he waits for me, but I was NOT getting off that train. I slipped right back into my slumber until the train arrived. Prague is a very magical place, they say that this location is the new 'must see' cities for tourists coming to Europe, with the density of tourist surpassing any other city I have been to thus far - I find that to be true, I cant imagine what this place would be like in the summer months. The weather here was gorgeous I set off wearing my jacking and only 30 min into the day, the weather breaks into 50's and sunny - everyday of my visit. The train ride here from Lodz, Poland was rather long and excruciating I went over night and had 5 transfers - which makes to be about 4 little naps together to make me a full 7 hours. In the station I head to the nearest internet point down the block that I could find and fount myself the nearest most affordable hostel. I planned to stay here at Prague for about two days, however with how beautiful and the density of activities to do I stayed 3 days.  After unloading my 'house' onto my bunk bed I packed for the day and set out for the city - my first destination this evening was the Kafka museum - I read some of Kafka's works and know his style, his writings can be rather hard to follow however his mallow dramatic tones in his writing is what he was known for, I was rather curious on how this writer had lived and what influenced this dramatic writing style. The Kafka museum did just that, a complete look into his life, his relationships between family and lovers, and his divided life, the museum got to be a bit twisted toward the end while really playing on one of his books describing torture.  After the museum, I crossed the infamous Charles bridge into the Old town square which there were many markets and performances of folk Czech dancing. Here in the square I gave a Budweiser a try - the original Budweiser from Czech and honestly, it was an amazing beer. The night was getting rather chilly, I ordered a glass of hot wine to warm up and a pastry bread with ketchup and parmesan cheese sprinkled on top - I am just glad I had that wine to wash away the awful over abundance Ketchup flavor that was just over powering the whole novel idea. I noticed a building in the square had a Dali exhibition at the moment and found a must do for tomorrow. Back at the hostel, I went to the hostel bar and ordered another one of those magnificent Budweiser's and wrote for a bit while gathering the latest episode of Lost to enjoy for the rest of the evening.  Breakfast at this hostel was amazing - many cereals to choose from, toasts, croissants, coffee's tea's - a little bit of money here in Czech will go along ways, for now anyway - with as much tourism is attracting, the next couple of years and prices will reflect that of the Euro's attention. Today was Castle and Old town day. I first headed out to the Castle on Castle hill, the walk up was not as bad of an incline as it looked, but the steps were long to compensate for this, these were the old historic stairs used to approach the castle back in it's hay day. The whole castle hill was many ornate buildings with streets, squares and ally's surrounding a Cathedral - this had not seemed like a castle at all but rather a whole village perhaps once lived up here if so. The walks were beautiful because this whole hill that the 'castle' sits on over looks all of Prague and it's infinite beauty spreading across the landscape.  Making my way once again over the Charles Bridge, there are always different street performances here at different intervals I seen anything from puppet masters to blue grass bands, although the man making the most amazing symphonic pieces using glass rims takes the cake. As I crossed to the other side of the bridge into old town I made my way down an intriguing looking ally and found a narrow doorway and stairs that spiraled up, next to the door was a sign that said, "Torture Museum". I honestly didn't want to by the money to do this but I really couldn't live with myself always wondering what would have been of that museum. I forked up the money to get in, which no pictures could be taken to boot, after every turning eye I was snapping a new photo, this made me feel a bit better about my monetary losses. The museum didn't have that creepy chill to the décor that one would imagine, yet there were many of torture tools with stories of who, what, when, and where for every method used! On with the Old Town. The gates are amazingly gothic and the streets curve in so many obscure ways that my nature for intuitive direction was completely gone in this city. In the center of the square, the same with the market and nightly performances, is a cathedral which is center of attention for its unique design. What is so unique is the clock on the clock tower is very astronomical(?) the picture describes best its style. Of course while situated in the square I popped right into the Dali Exhibition. Those who aren't familiar with Dali, go ahead and type 'Dali' in Google or Wikipedia and search for pictures, you will know who I speak of. This was the museum of all museums, so many amazing works from this artist, it took several of hours to walk through. After the museum it was night fall, I chose my food more carefully in the square this time around and stayed around for another show before retreating back to the hostel.  Another morning in Prague, this time when I awoke I hear movement on the bunk bed adjacent to me - I wasn't the only one awaking at this time. I look over to see two gorgeous eyes peering at me through the wooden cross bars of the top bunk. As I go back to minding my packing, the two eyes revealed themselves to a matching face. She is a Polish non profit lawyer here on business and she wants to barrow my shampoo. I must admit I strategically took my time until she was back from the shower to ... return my economy size shampoo? We both enjoyed each other's company over a long breakfast before she headed to a meeting and I... out to the Communist museum. The communist museum was great, I wanted a brief synopsis of Czechoslovakia's stance during the whole WWII and post socialist occupation of the East. The museum was rather intimidating though, when there is a plethora of great information it forces the consumers in the museum to brush over so much because there is just too much content to follow that they get exasperated. I didn't brush over a thing and left completely mind numbed and forget everything anyway with the overload of information.  Nearby is the plaza where two students during the communist occupation set themselves on fire as a demonstration to be heard against the oppression, the second student followed only months after the first demonstration. After having my itinerary for the day complete I roamed aimlessly in Prague for the rest of the evening before meeting back up with Julia for dinner before we both train out of each others lives. When Julia and I met up again, she insisted that I ate a big meal to hold me over on my train ride, we lost time in conversation that we had only 15minutes to eat our meal before having to catch our night trains together - eating half of the meal and still drinking our beer as we are grasping for our last sips before we walk out that door, we had to ensure we didn't miss our trains.  The trip to the train station was a rush, Julia's eternal optimism kept me from being too skittish, and out from the train we walked up to the station - these precious moments I would be running. My train left 30 minutes before hers and she walked me all the way down to my terminal where we said our last good byes with what little seconds I had left to hop on my train. As I went in for the accustomed Europa cheek kisses, our lips locked and swooped into a giant hug. I whispered into her ear what little Polish I learned on my travels and expressed in Polish how beautiful she was this evening. The comment left her speechless as she was caught off guard by my superior linguistic ability, as I turned around one last time she said good luck, and I said just that only in Polish and vanished up the stairs forever to my terminal. The train leaving any second now, I noticed as I vanished to my terminal stairs that I went the wrong terminal stairs, but I could ruin the perfect goodbye we had so I hesitantly waited for 10 seconds before running back across to the other side of the hallway. Thankfully I caught the train enough to open the door and jump on it as it was leaving the terminal - seriously! Good bye Prague.  
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/jaywehrs/1/1204820700/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/jaywehrs/1/1204820700/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/jaywehrs/1/1204820700/tpod.html Fri, 21 Mar 2008 15:03:45 -0400 Euro Trip 2008 - Adventures North of the Equator.

Jump to the full
entry & travel map

Lodz, Poland

I arrived at Lodz in a heartbeat, heading to meet up with my friends I met in Turkey who all are studying in Poland. 2 of them were waiting for me as my train arrived at the Lodz train station. To get back to their dormitory the bus rides seemed to have taken us to the other side of town - the town of 400,000 population. The dorms were bare, and well, efficient. With up to 4 bunked in a room the sleeping arrangement for my stay will be sacking on the floor - no, problem. It was great seeing familiar faces again, slowly the rest of the evening everyone was popping in to greet me. Soccer was playing that evening and everyone (most of the Erasmus dorm) was going out to watch the Italy vs. Spain game. Over beers the game was enjoyable and it was great to have an Italian guy to my right and a Spanish guy to my left cheering for their own countries team. Italy beat Spain, for the record. After the game I went with the crew to find a disco nearby, Thursday nights is party night in Poland. Finding and attending the disco was enjoyable, as previously noted, all Polish girls are beautiful. After the disco we marched right out for Kebabs in the local street Kebab service counter - Finally making it home late into the morning we took the buses back to the dorms where everyone was willing to throw me into a bed of a student who was on vacation that weekend, which insured I got a bed every night.                                                                                             I woke up before everyone who slept until 4 in the afternoon - I have been accustomed to a different sleeping cycle then they and typically waking up at 8-9am. With the extra time that had allowed me, I found the movie The Pianist and watched the movie, I have never seen it and found it rather appropriate for my time and place here in Poland. By the time everyone had awoke, the few of us went to the local grocer to shop for our monster feast we were getting ready to prepare. After loads of shopping we became preparing Chicken, potatoes, vegetables, and rice. That night we continued out for more disco's, as this had been their idea of showing me a good time - and indeed it all had been.  Again, return very late, and subsequently sleeping in late, the boys I am staying with organized a whole pizza party for their whole floor. What has been great about this whole experience is that everyone of these students are from a different country, and we are all coming together here in these dorms to socialize and gather together. After the pizza came the loads of booze. Shortly their after there was dancing, limbo (see Limbo picture), and a student jamming on his sax all in the hall. After the 'pre-game' we kicked off the last night at the most popular club in Lodz - Heaven. The following day, I received faulty train information and missed my ticket to Berlin, so I figured I will begin my train destination toward the south to Prague in the Czech Republic. There hadn't been many photo's taken during my stay here in Lodz, I decided to give the whole touristy picture moments a break for a few days, so here is what I have.
]]>