TravelStream™ news feed for member ryanandpatti on TravelPod's free travel blogs service http://www.travelpod.com/syndication/rss/ryanandpatti en-us Copyright ©2009 TravelPod.com Sun, 11 Jan 2009 23:36:54 -0500 http://www.travelpod.com http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/ryanandpatti/2/1223415720/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/ryanandpatti/2/1223415720/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/ryanandpatti/2/1223415720/tpod.html Sun, 11 Jan 2009 23:36:54 -0500 110 Days: Homeless in Europe

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Antwerp, Antwerpen, Belgium

Shots and uncomfortable breakfastsCameras? Death by gas leak?Another breathtaking cathedral - sneaky viewingpralines - CHOCOLATEHand cookiesBeautiful city - creepy statue throwing a severed handMusselsWorlds oldest printing pressDelicious waffelsDriving in BrusselsGiving our stuff awayCreepy catsWorlds first mallOld beerhall with 200 kinds of beerMore musselsSitting in the airport for 8 hours
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/ryanandpatti/2/1223500920/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/ryanandpatti/2/1223500920/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/ryanandpatti/2/1223500920/tpod.html Sun, 11 Jan 2009 23:34:08 -0500 110 Days: Homeless in Europe

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Amsterdam, Netherlands

Looking back on our grand European adventure, there is a long list of reasons that it took us 2 months to write our final travelpod entry. An unwillingness to say goodbye to our blissfully nomadic lifestyle is probably at the top of that list, followed closely by the despicable and unforgettable fun we had in Amsterdam. Leaving Europe, we said things like, "our families read this blog", "how do I explain live sex shows to my grandparents?", and "I am way to high to put this experience into words". Now, 2 months after the fact we are going to finally log our indiscretions, because 20 years from now, I want to be able to look back on this entry and laugh at our carefree romp through Amsterdam's drug and sex culture. GRANDPARENTS BEWARE... If you would like to maintain an untainted image of Patti and I, I recommend skipping the rest of this entry, because we certainly didn't act like the well-mannered college students you see at family gatherings.Leaving our slightly creepy, very friendly, and certainly disapproving landlord in Antwerp, we set out for Amsterdam looking for a good time. We spent over 2 hours searching the city for an affordable (and secure) place to leave our car for a few days. The parking garage next to our hostel tried to charge us over 70 euros to park for a day. We ended up dropping off our car in a soccer stadium parking garage outside of the city and trekking back in. After that stressful ordeal, we immediately made our way to The Grasshopper and easily ordered some "Bubble Gum" and a lighter from a helpful salesclerk -- not an experience you'll have anywhere else in the world... After a hazy hour on the Grasshopper's open-air terrace, we were suddenly quite hungry. We crossed a canal and found ourselves at the home of Amsterdam's best french fries. For 5 euros, we were treated to a massive cone of perfectly-fried potatoes slathered in mayonnaise and BBQ sauce. We ate here at least 3 times in our 3 days in the city. Yum. Some of the best fries we've ever had. First, let us describe what 80 euros/night in Amsterdam's red light district buys you. Our hotel had..."personality." We entered our room to find sheet metal flooring, metal sink, tiny (and dirty) steel shower,  fire engine red walls, a queen bed, AND a giant red button mounted above the head of the bed just above a huge sign that read, "DO NOT PRESS BUTTON." Interesting to say the least. We quickly decided to spend most of our time outside of the room. It's funny in concept, but when you're forced to live in a steel trap for 3 days, it gets really old really fast. Luckily, the button was out of order, so we never had to deal with its repercussions.We spent our mornings in coffeeshops (which conveniently offer delicious English breakfasts -- sausage, eggs, tomatoes, beans, toast -- all of which taste better some smoke in the morning). After setting off each day on the right foot, we spent hours roaming the city with no real destination in mind. During our days, we found ourselves at the FOAM photography museum, Madame Toussaud's Wax Museum (where we posed with everyone from JP II to Bob Marley), the floating flower market, and the hundreds of nearly-identical souvenier shops scattered around the red light district. We ate in Amsterdam's delicious array of memorable restaurants. We ateIndonesian dumplings, the best Mexican food we've ever had, and we leftAmsterdam after eating Holland's best sweet and savory pancakes.Looking back at Amsterdam, 3 experiences stand out.1. The Supper Club.This was our 2nd visit to the Supper Club, so at least we knew what to expect. After entering through a discreet door in a tiny alley, we were greeted by a hostess of very ambiguous gender. We made our way to a bar complete with padded black walls adorned with handcuffs and leg chains. After a drink, we were escorted into a massive, all-white room lined with beds. A projector screen lights up the room with trippy videos and accompanying dance/techno music. We were served 5 amazing courses (and 3 amazing bottles of house chardonnay) on our portion of the bed. Words can't do this place justice. If you are ever in Amsterdam, you must eat here. It is well worth the money.2. Sex Show at Casa Rosso Sex PalaceAfter about an hour of debating outside of the entrance, Ryan and I decided that when in Amsterdam...seeing a sex show (at least 1) becomes socially acceptable (and even a must for tourists). We waited in line for an hour alongside grandparents and Japanese businessmen. Then, we found seats in the small theater -- close but not too close to the elevated stage where the "action" literally takes place. We saw 3 live couples who performed nearly-acrobatic feats of sexual prowess. We saw a young Japanese tourist get a dildo strapped to his head by a frightening older dominatrix. We saw a group of unwitting but strangely willing audience members eat a banana out of a woman's nether regions. We saw an under-20-year-old girl smoke an entire cigar with her unmentionables (yes...I suppose it is possible). Would I watch it again? No. But I'm glad I can say I did. After about an hour, we exited the theater at a loss for words and walked through streets lined with red flourescent lights and barely-clothed women in windows. Strangely, they beckoned to both of us. Earlier that day, we had watched a man piss off one of the "ladies," and he had been rewarded with a bucket of "hooker water" being thrown on him  and calls of "Hey Pussy-Man! Pussy-Man! No photos!!!"  I can't imagine how many diseases he contracted in those few seconds. With that scene fresh in our memories, we stayed clear of the red lights and tried not to make eye contact.3. Vondelpark -- a sensory experienceAmsterdam is a beautiful city, but it is definitely a city. Vondelpark offers a bit of an oasis for the weary traveller -- perfect for some day-tripping. We spent 5 hours wandering the park, thoroughly absorbed in everything from the rhythm of grass blowing in the wind to the social patterns of ducks. From the little Italian man with a cart adorned with leis and blasting opera music (and selling cotton candy, toys, etc.) to the poetic sadness of a bee dying in a flower. At one point, we were followed by a chain-smoking little man in an even smaller red car (barely big enough for the little man) through a very wooded, mud path. We sat at the base of a tree (which we named Fluffy) and watched a guy play fetch with his dog for what seemed like hours. Again, our pictures can't really explain the sensory overload we experienced in Vondelpark. It will always hold a special place in our hearts. After 2 quick days in Brussels we were back in Chicago. Europe was the trip of a lifetime - We'll worth being broke and living with our parents for the next 6 months. We will never forget our 110 days of homelessness.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/ryanandpatti/2/1222954380/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/ryanandpatti/2/1222954380/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/ryanandpatti/2/1222954380/tpod.html Thu, 02 Oct 2008 12:14:12 -0400 110 Days: Homeless in Europe

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Cologne, Germany

Hello from Cologne! Patti is a little under the weather so unfortunately you are stuck with just Ryan. I warn you that spelling and commas are as alien to me as the German language, so bear with me. It has been a busy week since we last checked in... 8 days, 8 hotels, 8 different towns, 8 delicious gravy-soaked German meals, and 8 days of sipping German wine and beer. This traveling thing isn´t half bad...We left our rudely yowling roommate in Nuremberg and continued on to Bamberg, Bavaria. This medieval town somehow managed to avoid being flattened by Allied bombs in WWII and offers an old town center filled with beautiful Renaissance and middle age buildings. The town is also perched on a river, giving Bamberg a Venice-esque feel, with tons of small stone bridges and old German Mansions perched just above the water. Most importantly (in my humble opinion) Bambergers have managed to merge two of the tastiest things known to man: bacon and beer! Thats right, BAC-O-BEER (also known as Raunchier if you want to get technical) tastes like bacon and beer. We spent our night in Bamberg washing delicious gravy soaked pork dishes with this amazingly bacony brew. If you ever make it to Bavaria, Bamberg is worth a stop for its beer alone.Next, we headed off to Wurzburg; a town known for its vineyards. We spent the day hiking around, snapping pictures of cool old Gothic buildings and climbing up to the Wurzburg fortress for a panoramic view of the town. After visiting a local farmers market and the friendly neighborhood winestuben, we entertained ourselves at night by cooking, drinking Wurzburg whites, and playing cards at the local hostel (Amazingly Patti and I actually do have great days completely devoid of perilous adventure, mistranslation, and befuddlement). Next up was Rothenburg, an extremely cutesy medieval walled German town, complete with countless bus loads of 60+ tourists, hell bent on buying Cuckoo clocks and Christmas Ornaments. Rothenburg sports the world´s largest Christmas Shop, and Patti and I waded through mountains of glitter, shiny glass balls, and carved figurines to buy several souvenirs. It was quite an overwhelming experience. After the legions of credit card wielding grandparents boarded their double decker buses and headed off, Rothenburg became an incredibly charming town. This tiny, medieval, pedestrian city has remained completely untouched since the middle ages. As we strolled down back alleys and around the city wall, Patti and I had to constantly remind ourselves that we live in an age of cell phones and automobiles, not carrier pigeons and horses. Our final ´Burg´ was Heidelberg, yet another medieval German town that overlooks a picturesque river and is guarded by an beautiful castle-like Schloss. Heidelberg´s most prominent feature is a massive pedestrian shopping street, but it was Sunday so Patti and I found most everything closed. To be perfectly honest... we don´t have much to say about Heidelberg because we spent most of the afternoon/night sipping Guinness and cider in an Irish pub. We find that with 4 months of traveling, one must take a ``vacation from vacation`` every now and then...The next day, we shook off our hangovers in Heidelberg and headed north to start our Rhine River drive. Despite it being cold and rainy the entire time, the last 4 days have been some of the most scenic of my life. As we drove along the river road, it seemed like an ancient castle and sprawling vineyard was around every corner. Apparently, most German nobleman with some spare cash and a couple of cannons in the middle built castles over the river to ´tax´ the friendly farmers and traders that used the river for transport. Not only did these nobleman get free food from the farmers, they also managed to extort enough money to construct massive vineyards that pump out some of the best wine in the world. It is also the beginning of fall here in Germany, so the scenery is dotted with a hundred different shades of red, orange and yellow. It is absolutely beautiful. Check out our pics. This said, there isn´t THAT much to do in the little German towns that border the Rhine. We spent the last 4 days idly strolling around tiny towns, sipping fine German wine, and eating deliciously heavy German food (unfortunately I believe Germany´s passion for gravy soaked fried goodness has caused me to gain back some of the weight I sweated off in Italy). We stopped in Assmanhausen, Bacharach (as in Bacchus, the god of Wine), Koblenz and now we find ourselves in Cologne at the top of the Rhine River. Cologne has a massive and beautiful old cathedral (it took 700 years to build!) and a bunch of cool little museums. It is our last stop in Germany so we plan on finding a beergarten and giving this country a proper Auf Wiedershen!It is safe to say that Patti and I are Germany-ed out (If I eat another Schnitzel I might explode) and are looking forward to our adventures in Belgium and The Netherlands. Unfortunately, we probably only have 1 travel blog left before we make it back home to reality... but we are missing family and old friends and can´t wait to spend a day or two doing absolutely nothing and not going anywhere. Anyway we are only half way through our gap year and who knows what travels are on the horizon....
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/ryanandpatti/2/1222267800/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/ryanandpatti/2/1222267800/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/ryanandpatti/2/1222267800/tpod.html Thu, 25 Sep 2008 11:11:15 -0400 110 Days: Homeless in Europe

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Nuremberg, Bavaria, Germany

Fuhrerunich (and our life of luxury with Mrs. Hayes), we made our way to a shady, slightly smelly hostel in Nuremberg. We spent the day getting lost on the tram, guided by a tricky 5th grader who spoke only German and demanded tips. Eventually, we made our way to the Documentation Museum, housed on the former Nazi party rallying grounds. Here, we learned more than one could ever hope to learn about the rise of Hitler and his various parties and groups (SS, SA, NSDA, SD, Hitler Youth, etc.). He succeeded in brainwashing an entire country with his "Führer Myth" (which pretty much makes him a superman/messiah figure), and as you know, the consequences were beyond scary. Most of the buildings of the rally ground only survive in pieces, if at all, but it&nbsp;is chillingnonethelesss. We learned about&nbsp;Hitler's use&nbsp;of not only rhetoric and propaganda, but&nbsp;alsomegalomaniacl architecture, use of lighting, etc.On a lighter note...After our first hostel-cooked meal in quite a while (thanks for that while, Mrs. Hayes!), we crawled into our <i>nearly clean&nbsp;hostel beds for what we thought would be a good night's sleep. Wrong. Around 2 or 3 in the morning, our very hairy, very smelly Scottish roommate kicks the door open, flings off his clothes (all except the tight black underpants and 1 black sock), and <i>screams "I DON'T GIVE A FUUUUUUUCK, YAAAAAHHHHWWWLLLL!!!!". Needless to say, we were startled into consciousness. Our night was punctuated with gargling snores, more sudden yowling, and screams of "GOOD BEEEEER!!!" and "F*** YEEAAHH!" while he tried to hump his pillow to death. Afraid to confront this crazy werewolf-like roommate, we just dealt with all of this. In the morning, however, as he quieted down and embraced an obvious hangover, we got a special kind of joy from crinkling our plastic bags, slamming our locker doors, speaking in loud voices, and intentionally zipping and unzipping every pocket of our bags. He acted like we were inconsiderate...before shuffling out of the room to pee in the shower. Not a good return to hosteling.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/ryanandpatti/2/1222178340/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/ryanandpatti/2/1222178340/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/ryanandpatti/2/1222178340/tpod.html Thu, 25 Sep 2008 10:50:30 -0400 110 Days: Homeless in Europe

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Munich, Bavaria, Germany

We won't bore you with stories of cuckoo clocks, city squares, and sightseeing. Let's get right to the nitty gritty. Oktoberfest was a blast. We stepped off of the subway and were launched into an alternate German universe. Here's the lowdown on what we learned at Oktoberfest 2008.1. It is perfectly OK for men to wear tiny leather shorts and suspenders as long as it is a celebration of your heritage. Similarly, women are encouraged to squeeze themselves into little Fraulein outfits for the sake of tradition. 2. Beer comes in liters at Oktoberfest. There are no exceptions. You just drink. And drink. And drink.3. "Marmonated beef loin" is delicious. We sincerely hope that it does not include the squeezing of little rodents, but even if it does, I don't regret tipsily scarfing it down. 4. Mrs. Hayes will cave to peer pressure and drink more beer than she has since college.5. German carnival games are <i>really hard. Especially after those liters of beer.6. Drunk driving is legal if you're driving a bumper car.7. No matter how stupid those hats look on drunken tourists when you first step into the fairgrounds, you soon find yourself the proud owner of a pink pointy hat complete with pig ears, tail, and snout. 8. Mrs. Hayes is a gay man magnet. One of our drunken friends (Normy) sighted her&nbsp;in the next booth and demanded that she join him and his friends. Wine was drunk, faces were licked, wrists were snapped, and some dignity was lost. All in all, a lot of fun. 9. It is <i>never a good idea to eat a meter-long hot dog covered in mustard, ketchup, and caramelized onions, no matter how much you think you need it.10. I wouldn't want to mess with an Oktoberfest waitress. They can carry more&nbsp; heavy liters of beer than I thought possible, supplying the armies of drunks packed shoulder to shoulder in beer tents.11. Don't be surprised if a German polka band bursts out singing "Country Road" or "Sweet Home Alabama." Just sing along.If you're interested, Mrs. Hayes also has a travel blog from her leg of this trip. The address is: http://www.travelpod.com/members/pshinehayes
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/ryanandpatti/2/1222003680/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/ryanandpatti/2/1222003680/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/ryanandpatti/2/1222003680/tpod.html Thu, 25 Sep 2008 10:34:55 -0400 110 Days: Homeless in Europe

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Prague, Bohemia, Czech Republic

Despite the rain and blustery winds, we are happy to say that Prague is one of our favorite cities of this trip! The city is always full of life, and as we walked the streets, breathtakingly beautiful buildings materialized around every corner. We saw Prague Castle (Prahsky Hrad), including the cathedral which contains many years of&nbsp;(somewhat violent) history and some truly magnificent art and stained glass. Just a fun fact we learned there -- Prague's soldiers used to roast bread shaped like babies outside their enemies' gates. Enemies were so terrified by this savageness that they didn't put up too much of a fight. Probably would have worked on me. As usual, the cathedral was full of holy, mummified saint pieces which is always grotesquely interesting. After seeing the castle, we made our way to the Church of the Nativity of our Lord, which housed many wonders, including 2 skeletons all dressed up, posed, and wearing very creepy wax masks, a crucified bearded lady (St. Starosta...strange...look it up), and unsettling little baby angels (puttos). Catholics can be weird. And rich. The treasury held more diamonds, silver, gold, and jewel-encrusted monstrances, hats, robes, etc. than one could count. And oddly, there was a collection box right outside of this armored room of riches. Maybe our pics can begin to do this strange and beautiful place some justice.On our last day in Prague, we walked the Charles Bridge, a very crowded and famous bridge. Across the river, we&nbsp;found our way to the Lennon wall, a wall covered in pacifist graffiti and peaceful Beatles lyrics that stayed full of color despite communist repression and repeated secret police white-washings&nbsp;years ago. People are still adding to the wall today.&nbsp;Also, noteworthy, we saw the Cathedral of St. Nicholas nd the church of the Infanta (home to a strange little Jesus doll that has over&nbsp;400 lavishly bejeweled&nbsp;little outfits. People apparently love to take pictures of it. And finally,&nbsp;Mrs. Hayes and I got to do some shopping in the many, <i>many Bohemian souvenir shops around the city. We ended our night with a delicious dinner at "Red, White, and Blues," a down-home Cajun-ish restaurant complete with live blues. The musical duo included a seriously gifted Czech piano player with a taste for the blues and a huge, deep-voiced, Jack-drinking, slightly insane "blues man." The music, paired with delicious Long Island Iced Teas and 2-for-1 margaritas made our night a great one, although&nbsp;at the end of the evening,&nbsp;we almost expected to find ourselves on Bourbon Street. Prague was amazing, and I hope to return&nbsp;someday to see more of it. I recommend you do the same.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/ryanandpatti/2/1221673020/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/ryanandpatti/2/1221673020/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/ryanandpatti/2/1221673020/tpod.html Thu, 18 Sep 2008 14:19:35 -0400 110 Days: Homeless in Europe

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Bratislava, Bratislava, Slovakia

Budapest, Hungary was our first venture into the much-feared Eastern Europe. More like Central Europe, but still. Our first experiences could have been better. Our first experiences went something like this:1. We were grunted at by a large, buzz-cut man probably named Vlad when we tried to buy a toll road vignette at a Hungarian gas station.2. We were nearly killed by crazy Hungarian drivers hurdling down streets packed with cars on all sides (not to mention the trams).3. We found a parking spot, and apparently disturbed a crazy-looking Hungarian bum from his "bum nest" (Ryan's word, not mine).4. We did NOT find our hotel. Instead, we wandered around an eerily deserted shopping mall that bore the address for the hotel. We walked up, down, and all around while passersby watched us suspiciously. This continued for about 20 minutes. 5. We walked right outside of the mall (to the street where we had been originally), looked left, and were practically slapped in the face by a huge Marriott sign. Oops.6. We checked in and told the desk clerk that we had had a hard time finding the hotel. He looked at us quizzically and said in his thick Hungarian accent: "Hm...But we have ze beeg red carpet outside ze door..." Sure enough, a giant red Marriot carpet was plastered on the sidewalk outside the door. We have all felt smarter in our lives than we did at that moment.7. While Mrs. Hayes and Ryan settled into the room, I went to look for the laundry room, took a very wrong turn somewhere, ended up locked in a staircase on the 11th floor, walked 11 flights of stairs, ended up back in the friggin shopping mall, and had to go by the desk clerk again, with no coat and obviously a little lost. The laundry room was right next door, and you guessed it, had a big sign on the door that said "Laundry Room." BUT, we didn't let those mishaps (or the very cold and rainy weather) keep us down. We had a wonderful dinner with real Hungarian food and great Hungarian wine, and slept wonderfully in our huge Marriott apartment (complete with HBO!! Ryan and I watched movies in ENGLISH!). The next day brought more rain and clouds. To warm up, we went to Budapest's famous thermal baths -- a completely new and very bizzarre experience. After milling around the lobby and trying unsuccessfully to read Hungarian (a completely indecipherable and unpronounceable language), we entered Europe's largest bath house. I don't know about you, but I don't frequent bath houses. I prefer to bathe alone, but apparently, half of Budapest feels differently. Actually, everyone kept their suits on (thankfully). Ryan, Mrs. Hayes, and I milled around in many different pools of different temperatures, with various degrees of minerals and healing properties. We saw swirling pools, hot pools, cold pools, outdoor pools (surprisingly warm, despite the rain and chilly air), saunas as hot as one could stand, etc. We weren't quite surrounded by bronzed bathing beauties, but it was fun (and definitely a one-of-a-kind experience). Later that day, we explored St. Istvan's Basilica (another very pretty church complete with a mummified, bejeweled saint's fist). We had a relaxing dinner of pizza and pasta, and enjoyed our last night in Hungary.The next day, we headed to Bratislava, Slovakia. Just the mention of this place conjures images from the movie <i>Eurotrip. If you haven't seen it, it is a hilarious movie and you should rent it. Basically, here is the scene set by the movie: concrete Soviet-era apartments, dog with severed hand in its mouth, man bathing in his front lawn, etc. When one of the characters asks a local if a train is&nbsp; coming soon, he answers, "Oh yes. Very soon. They are building it now!" This is not <i>too far off the mark. Our first sight of Bratislava from the highway was... rows upon rows of depressingly gray and uniform "apartment buildings," though they looked more like jails or barracks. The freezing, rainy weather did not help, I'm sure. The center of the city does, thankfully, have a few pretty, old buildings, but a gray, Soviet-era cloud lingers over the area.&nbsp; We spent one day driving around tiny villages with Mrs. Hayes as she successfully tracked down her Slovak roots (in the form of a stocky, adorable, only Slovak-speaking babka named Ludmilla who gave Mrs. Hayes hugs and kisses and gave us homemade pastries and a huge bag of apples from her back yard).&nbsp; The most notable things about Bratislava were the delicious authentic Slovak meals that we enjoyed there. Of course, we saw a couple (surprise! haha) churches while we were there, but the food was definitely the highlight of our stint in Bratislava. Yum. Now, we are in Prague, which is architecturally gorgeous and very vibrant, but we will wait until we have experienced more of the city before we write about it. More soon! I cannot even begin to say goodbye in Hungarian, Slovak, or Czech, so I'll just stick with plain old BYE for now!
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/ryanandpatti/2/1221324240/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/ryanandpatti/2/1221324240/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/ryanandpatti/2/1221324240/tpod.html Thu, 18 Sep 2008 13:36:17 -0400 110 Days: Homeless in Europe

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Vienna, Vienna, Austria

Hello from Prague! Because we haven't written in so long, I guess we should start all the way back in Salzburg, Austria, around September 10 and 11. We drove from Innsbruck to Salzburg the <i>long way. Ryan talked me into taking a 6 hour drive instead of a 1.5 hour drive so that we could drive through a national park. I was not happy about this extended schedule, but (not for the <i>very first time) I was wrong. Austria's Hohe National Park is stunning to say the least. Let's just say that it was raining for most of the time we were driving through the park, we had already been driving for 4 hours, it cost 28 euros to enter, and we <i>still loved it. We saw mountains galore (even the highest one in the eastern Alps), alpine glaciers, kilometer-long waterfalls, the works. Check out our pics. On a stranger note...Alpine Austrians seem to have a nearly-unhealthy obsession with their mountain marmots. Yes, marmots. Giant beady-eyed gophers. At least that's what they looked like to our untrained eyes. In the Hohe Park (and all over Austria), one can buy all varieties of marmot products, from "healing" marmot salve to "Achtung!(Careful!) Marmot Crossing" signs, to your very own stuffed marmot (plush or once-living). It must be a large Austrian industry. At the end of the day, we finally made it to Salzburg, and enjoyed wiener schnitzel and Austrian beer for dinner at our hostel. We ventured out and found a really cool beer garden. It was a bit intimidating to find (it is located in the heart of a creepy Augustinian monastery), but we were rewarded with amazing beer straight out of a huge wooden barrel. See video of Ryan sneezing from his "grain allergy." The next day, we explored an old fortress atop the city, wandered through some beautiful (and very expensive) Christmas ornament stores (Ryan had to keep his hands to himself and head down the whole time), and took a very lame, very bee-filled hike around a city park. We finished up the day with another delicious hostel dinner of fried mushrooms and some Austrian potato dish. Over dinner, we met some Australian and Scottish friends and shared a few beers and a few stories. It was fun, but we had to head to bed early to get some sleep for the next day.We picked up Mrs. Hayes in Munich. She had been on 3 flights, and Ryan and I hadn't showered in 3 days, so we made a scraggly trio, but it was great to have a friendly face along for the adventure. We managed to pile all of our luggage and ourselves into our slightly beat-up station wagon, and we made our way to another of King Ludwig II's castles. This one was called Herremchiemsee. The extravagent king modeled the palace after Versailles, and he did quite a good job -- until he ran out of money (so only the main hall is finished and neither of the wings) and was found floating in the lake that surrounds the island. At least the one finished wing is gorgeous and oh so extravagent, so it made for a beautiful tour. After seeing the castle and grounds, the three of us headed to Vienna.Vienna is beautiful! And so was the Marriott we stayed in (especially to our backpacker-eyes!). At first, Ryan and I forgot that we ever used to stay in hotels so nice, but soon our shock turned into excitement as we found the robe and slippers in the room, felt the down pillows, and looked in the mini-bar. The room even had free little soaps and shampoos lined up in the bathroom (We promptly shoved them into our luggage...Hey! We are still backpackers after all). The next day, we explored the massive Schloss Shonnbraun -- a huge (1400 rooms!) Hapsburg summer palace that housed all those famous Hapsburgs, from Maria Teresa to Franz Josef to Marie Antoinette to Sisi (Empress Elizabeth). We took a tour of the state rooms and wandered the gardens and hedge-labyrinths surrounding the enormous palace. Later that day, we saw a church (don't ask me the name...churches have begun to blend together after nearly 4 months of looking at them), ate a wonderful Marriott dinner, and saw a wonderful concert of Mozart's music in a beautiful Viennese music hall. We heard most of his most famous works, and it was all performed by a talented group of musicians dressed in period clothing. A little cheesy, but a lot of fun. Sadly, that was our only real day in Vienna, and we headed off to Budapest the next day.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/ryanandpatti/2/1220969460/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/ryanandpatti/2/1220969460/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/ryanandpatti/2/1220969460/tpod.html Tue, 09 Sep 2008 04:39:29 -0400 110 Days: Homeless in Europe

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Innsbruck, Austrian Alps, Austria

From the Black Forest, we made our way to the tiny country of Liechtenstein. After all, how many people can say they have been there? Unfortunately, we learned upon arrival that Germany and Liechtenstein were set to play a football game that evening, and every backpackers' hotel was full. We had no option but to camp. But first, we decided to check out a beer tent and have a couple of brats for lunch. As we sat down to our meal, we heard a twangy country song come on the loudspeakers. Strange, yes. It got weirder. Suddenly, two dozen women in matching shirts embroidered with "Desperadas Line Dancers" (or something like that) took the stage and entertained us with a half hour of line dancing. Let me emphasize the strangeness. Liechtensteinian Country Line Dancers? After that experience, we had to find a place for our tent.&nbsp;We found a campsite outside of the city of Vaduz, and were greeted with a trio of Alpenhorn players (you know, the ones from the old Riccola commercials...). Another strange welcome from Liechtenstein, but the day was nice, so we cheerfully set up our tent in the cool, sunny apple orchard&nbsp; of the campground. Then, we were off on a drive/hike with great views in the Liechtenstein Alps. It was beautiful, and we even found a HERD of DONKEYS (my very favorite animal)!!! Complete with fuzzy babies and everything. It was exciting, and I probably made Ryan spend waay too much time taking pictures of me and the donkeys...As we made our way back to our car, our view allowed us to watch as dark, ominous clouds rolled in. As we ate dinner at the campground's restaurant, it started to pour. And it didn't stop until 30 hours later. Now, Ryan's tent is "waterproof", but not when it comes to endless downpours. Soon, water was bubbling up from the floor of the tent, and dripping slowly from the roof. Bugs were fighting to share in our "shelter." It was awful, and everything was soon soaked. I decided to sleep curled in the back seat of our car, while Ryan stubbornly stuck it out in the tent, claiming, "It's actually pretty dry. This tent is waterproof!" He had a very soggy night, and I awoke at 7:30 to him shivering, drenched, and knocking on the window to let him in the car. We were both grumpy and sleep-deprived, but we had to make the drive to Innsbruck (in the rain, of course). We spent our first day in Innsbruck in our hotel room (dry and comfortable),&nbsp;napping, reading, cooking dinner, and playing board games. Yesterday was slightly more eventful. We drove into Germany to see the famous Neuschwanstein Castle (the one that inspired the Disney castle). This castle is gorgeous, but sadly unfinished because the king's taste in architecture was so expensive that the Bavarians plotted and declared him insane. After all, he was threatening to bankrupt the country...Nevertheless, he probably wasn't really insane. But, as these things go, he was "mysteriously" found dead in a lake soon after. Check out the few pictures we sneakily obtained from our tour. Today, we plan to see the Swarovski Crystal Museum, take a gondola to the top of one of Innsbruck's highest Alps, and possibly take a swim in a mountain lake. More soon!
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/ryanandpatti/2/1220618220/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/ryanandpatti/2/1220618220/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/ryanandpatti/2/1220618220/tpod.html Fri, 05 Sep 2008 09:16:17 -0400 110 Days: Homeless in Europe

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Titisee-Neustadt, Baden-Württemberg, Germany

Hello from the Black Forest in southern Germany! After we left the extreme outdoor city of Interlaken, we headed to the capitol of Switzerland, Bern. Bern is a fairly big city with a charming little-city feel. It is a UNESCO World Heritage site, and it is quaint, despite being the country's capitol. In Bern, we mainly spent our time wandering the city. Life-sized chess boards and chess pieces are set up on sidewalks all around the city, and we spent a lot of time playing each other in chess. Dorky, I know, but it was free and it took up a lot of our time. Switzerland is soooo expensive! We couldn't afford good meals and sightseeing, so we ate hostel meals and spent one especially memorable (and sickening) meal scarfing down a can of pringles and a Swiss chocolate bar in Bern's Rosengarten (it was still about 11 bucks). One evening, we decided to check out the local waterholes around town. Lonely Planet recommended an "alternative culture" bar. We imagined reggae? hippies? maybe some people dressed in all black. We were wrong. Apparently "alternative culture meant little groups of scary-looking people huddled outside the bar smoking something that involved butane lighters and metal spoons. We didn't care to investigate further, and hightailed it out of there, being followed briefly by a Swiss crack whore. A word of advice: don't cross under the railroad tracks if you ever go to Bern...From Bern, we went to the big city of Zurich. We relaxed and just soaked up the city during our stay there. We took and scenic boat ride around Lake Zurich, enjoyed the best hot chocolate in the world in the world's largest chocolate shop, and even found pints of cider in a local pub. We ate surprisingly cheaply in Zurich, as the street we stayed on was literally lined with kebab stands (and Swiss "Night Clubs," which are actually video peep shows and cabarets). And from Zurich, we crossed the border into Germany! After a few stern questions from German passport control, we made our way to the Black Forest town of Titisee. It rained all day yesterday, and I have to say that I dearly miss my raincoat. At one point, the downpour became a light drizzle, and Ryan and I decided to check out Germany's largest waterfall (in Triberg). We enjoyed a brief stint of sunlight that prompted me to leave my newly-purchased umbrella in the car (along with the signs that said, " Wasserfalle 2 min away). Unfortunately, only the very bottom of the waterfall and only the very beginning of the trails were 2 minutes away. We paid our entrance fee, and started up the dirt paths, not expecting much trouble in our flip-flops and one jacket between us. Again, we were wrong. After buying a bag of peanuts to feed the squirrels (Germans seem very excited about and proud of their furry little wood varmints) and hiking about 1 kilometer into the park (straight uphill almost), clouds rushed in and it started pouring. So...we were left in the downpour fighting about who didn't need the rain jacket more. Chivalry eventually won, and you can see me 1/2way dry in the pictures while Ryan looks like he took a bath in the waterfall. On our way out, we tried to feed a squirrel who was braving the torrent of rain, but it was too skittish -- a far cry from Milwaukee's garbage-feasting attack-squirrels that we are used to. For our time in Titisee, we are staying in a guest house on a farm nearby the city. We have a huge room, but things are a little weird with the barely English-speaking farm family and their cows and all. Nevertheless, we are enjoying the area. Last night, we had schnitzel and bratwurst, sauerkraut and potatoes (and beer). Today, we paddle boated around Titisee's lake and had a lunch of greasy potatoes and sausage. I bet Ryan will continue to astound me and lose more weight while I continue to look more and more like a real German farm woman. Haha. We will post pictures in a couple of days. More soon. Auf Wiedesan?
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