Erin: Day 10: Neuschwanstein Castle in Munich, Germany

Today was one of my favorite days thus far over here in Europe (besides my love for Vienna of course).  This morning, we awoke to two wake-up calls (I always request two because I generally sleep through one of them!), quickly showered and ran out the door.  We were heading to Neuschwanstein Castle and I have been looking forward to this since one of my friend’s mentioned it and suggested I go.

We had got great directions the night before from our hotel desk so we were reviewing those when we realized that we had very little time to actually catch the train to Fussen from Munich’s Haupbahnhof (that means main station for those of you who don’t speak German…)  So, in true Amazing Race style, Trina flew to the curb, hailed a cab (it just so happened one was coming down the street) and we told the driver to STEP ON IT and get us to the train station as quickly as he could.  (Side note: he didn’t speak English very well so I’m not really sure he understood but he seemed stressed because he played with the radio, adjusted his hat, put his window up and down a hundred times and didn’t say one word…)

We got to the train station with six minutes to spare (literally) and, still keeping with the Amazing Race style, we RAN to the ticket counter and I threw my pre-printed information at the guy who whipped through the purchase of the tickets like nobody’s business.  He gave me my tickets and we RAN to platform 32.  It was far.  We were winded by the time we got there but we literally just made it…  A few seconds later and we would’ve missed the train and not had another opportunity to take one for an hour.

On our way to Schwangau, Germany.

On our way to Schwangau, Germany.

So, train ride is going fine until we have to switch at Bucherole (I think) and when we stop and get on the next train, the driver comes in and says, “Sorry, this isn’t going anywhere, it’s broken…”  So, we get off and have to take a street bus to Fussen to catch the bus to Schwangau - where the castles are.  All in all, it worked out fine but when we got dropped off at the castle, we had 2 minutes to spare before missing our deadline to pick up our reserved tickets.  (Side note #2: if you plan a trip out here, go online and book your tickets in advance.  You get to skip out on a HUGE line-up!)  Luckily, we made it and were feeling pretty good about our rushed yet super successful morning…

First sight of the castle.

The castle, autumn leaves and mountains… Glorious!

Then… we stepped out into the glorious day and realized we had one of two choices.  Both involved climbing the mountain but it was our choice as to whether it was a 30 minute hike or a 45 minute hike.  We had an hour plus to spare so we opted for the 45 minute one.  WOW.  That’s really how I will sum up the walk up the mountain (I’m not kidding - it’s a mountain… See photos!)  It’s steep and hard work!

Erin Blaskie sitting at the top of the mountain near Neuschwanstein Castle.

Erin Blaskie & Trina Lamarche.

But… when you get to the top, it’s worth every moment.  The castle sits high on this mountain and the views are incredible.  Like nothing I’ve seen thus far.  And, we kicked the 45 minute trails ass and did it in 30 minutes!  (I apologize for the use of the word ass but it’s needed to explain our exuberance!)  So, we stand around and wait and end up having a conversation with some guys who are living in Germany doing some missionary work but are from the US.  They were mini celebrities as people were asking to take photos with them… Didn’t understand it but it was cool nonetheless!

The view of the other castle from Neuschwanstein.

Our tour number finally came up and we stepped inside the castle.  In the tour, you can’t take any photos or videos but I snuck in a couple anyway :)  I couldn’t resist with my handy (and easily hidden) Flip camera!

The castle that inspired Walt Disney.

Neuschwanstein Castle.

The tour takes you through 1/3 of the rooms that were finished.  The King who requested this castle be built actually died during construction and on the day he died, all construction ceased entirely.  So, it’s not all done and they were actually doing work on it while we were there.

Views from the castle.

The throne room and the singer’s court were really neat.  We also got to see the King’s bedroom, living room, secretary’s office and his dressing room.  It is a colorful castle with rich details and magnificent views everywhere.  The coolest part was that it also featured an indoor grotto (kind of reminded me of the Playboy Mansion - maybe this King was wayyy ahead of his time!) and a little outdoor / indoor garden off of his bedroom.  Very cutting edge for a King me thinks.

The castle from afar.

The tour didn’t last long but it was still worth going through.  Outside, we snapped some additional photos of the castle itself and then headed toward Mary’s Bridge.  Mary’s Bridge is suspended between two mountains and offers amazing views of the Castle.  It too is not an easy walk but it’s worth it if you can manage it!

St. Mary’s Bridge.

From Mary’s Bridge, we did a few other photos before starting the long trek down.  The leaves on the trees looked beautiful in all of their colorful splendor so we stopped along a trail to do an impromptu photo shoot.

Trina, looking gorgeous with leaves falling on her head…

The beautiful foliage.

After making our way all the way to the bottom, we grabbed the bus, headed back to Fussen and took the train from Fussen to Munich, sleeping nearly the entire two hour train ride.

When we got back into Munich, we decided to see some sights before heading back to the hotel so that we could leave really early for Venice the next morning.  We went to St. Mary’s column and took a few photos in the Mariensplatz square.

Neo-Gothic Neues Rathaus in Munich, Germany

St. Mary’s Column in Munich, Germany.

After doing the touristy thing in Munich, we retired back to our hotel, grabbed a comfy couch in the lobby near the bar, had some dinner and have been chugging Red Bulls ever since.  Yes, I know, not healthy but we’re not sleeping tonight!  Instead, we’re going to save our sleep for the seven hour train ride tomorrow and keep tonight productive… Get ahead on all of the work in our inboxes!

So… the next time you’ll hear from me, I’ll be at the newly opened Hilton on the canal in Venice.  The hotel is only accessible by shuttle boat or gondola and offers amazing views of the city and accessibility to all major sites.  We can hardly wait.

Ciao!

Technorati Tags: Erin Blaskie, Trina Lamarche, Vienna, Austria, Munich, Germany,   Neuschwanstein Castle, Neuschwanstein, castles, European castle, Walt Disney, Red Bull, virtual assistant, virtual assistance

Erin: Day 9: Vienna, Austria

Ahhhhh…. Vienna.  Coming from Prague in the Czech Republic and having such an awful time made coming to Vienna a dream.  These two cities are like night and day.  Like right and wrong.  Like heaven and hell (this one is even slightly literal!)

Where did we leave off last?  Ah yes, the train.  I was day dreaming, Trina was sleeping and we had a guy sharing our little train compartment.  So, after I stopped writing that particular blog entry, Trina woke up as did the guy and we all got talking.  Well actually, I was standing on the train seat trying to figure out how to turn on the overhead light to give Trina more room and couldn’t figure it out so she scooted over toward the window that led into the train’s hallway where there was a bit more light and she was holding her book an inch from her face trying to make out the words…  When he opened his eyes, he offered to turn the light on but Trina, being the sweetheart she is, declined as she didn’t want to cast a bright, white light onto all of us after having been in near darkness for awhile.  I can’t say I was sad, by this time of night I was looking quite ragged and worse for wear.

So, the three of us chatted.  His name was Logan, he is around our age and he is living in Vienna studying German for school.  He is originally from the US but has been over here for about a year (I think) and he taught us how to say the numbers one through three in German before I told him it was a lost cause and we moved on to talking about other things.  Among those things, we talked about accents, Canadian / US stereotypes, our fears (mine of the water) and a plethora of other things.  It made the five hour train ride whip by and it was one of the first English speaking people we had really sat and chatted to since being over here.

After the train ride, Logan offered to show us where the subway was as he was going there anyway so the three of us walked to the subway station, got tickets for a 24-hour period and hopped on board the metro.  The only downfall was that in my haste, I completely forgot to write down the name of the hotel we were staying at.  So, I had an address but no hotel name… Easy enough right?  Well, not quite so.  You see, over here (or at least in Vienna - I am quick to fix any stereotypical phrasing because I don’t know the entire European nation well enough to comment on it!) they put the cross street’s name, the street’s name and then the street number.  For example, Linke Weinkade Ullmanstr. 71  So, when we read this (and when the guy at the metro read it and when Logan read it) we all took it as the street name of Linke Weinkade.  So, we got directions there and found which way the numbers were moving and started walking.  Well… about forty-five minutes later we came to 68, 70… and then the numbers stopped (seriously, right before our number).  So, we crossed the street, checked the next street… nothing.  Keep in mind, this is all at close to midnight so it’s dark and we have no clue where we’re headed.

Our first sight of Vienna after coming out of the metro!

Ok, so here’s what we do… We find a taxi that is occupied, stop it and ask him for directions (he then has to stop the meter and luckily, the woman inside was okay with that!) and after ten minutes of him looking through his maps, hotel guidebooks, etc. he came up empty-handed too… Until he had an ah-ha moment!  He realized that Ullmanstr. was what we needed to be looking for and Linke Weinkade was the cross-street.  Brilliant!  He even gave us directions for the metro.  So, we set off again… our backpacks feeling instantly lighter and an extra bounce now having found its way into our steps.  Shortly thereafter, we found the Renaissance hotel and went in to claim our room.

Morning came quickly and found the two of us still wide awake (we’ve been on a bit of an odd sleep cycle!) so we “napped” and then got up to do some Vienna sightseeing.  It was a gorgeous morning and we were both excited to see what this city had to offer as neither of us had any clue nor did we have expectations like we had for other cities.  Stepping outside greeted us with balmy weather and there are a few weird things that I noticed about Vienna instantly.  (1) There is no wind.  Ok, maybe sometimes… but we didn’t feel ANY.  It was like we were on a movie set and as the day continued, that feeling was stronger due to the beauty of Vienna as a whole.  (2) The roses were still in full bloom.  Right outside our door were these gorgeous flowers and it put an instant perma-smile on my face.  Perfect way to wake up!

Ahh, the first sight of Vienna on day one…  I fell in love instantly.

Grabbing the subway, we headed into the downtown core and stopped at Karlsplatz.  Coming out of this subway station was like walking onto the set of a gorgeous movie set back in some magical and mystical era.  It was breathtaking and I fell in love instantly.  There are few things in this world that do that to me and I’ve learned about myself, long ago, that I don’t impress easily.  Vienna was able to impress me in the matter of moments and I was giddy with joy.  Prague a distant memory, I was focused and giving my full and undivided attention to Vienna.

Coming out of the Karlsplatz metro station into the heart of Vienna, Austria.

Our first stop was to St. Stephansdom Church in the center of Vienna.  This is known to the Vienniese as the “heart of the city” - where all activity is centered.  The neat thing was, we actually wandered in when there was a mass in progress.  So, we got to witness the beauty of the mass, the hymns of the choir and we got to take in the Church in a way we would not have been able to experience.

Due to the mass being in progress, all other areas were off limits so we decided we’d come back, after taking some time to see the rest of what Vienna had to offer.

A mass was taking place at St. Stephansdom in Vienna, Austria.

The Gothic style of St. Stephansdom Church in Vienna, Austria.

One of the many streets in Vienna that are filled with gorgeous statues, amazing architecture and beauty.

Our next stop was to the Hofburg Complex.  This was a fortress and royal palace in Vienna which now houses museums, the Vienna library amongst other things.  You don’t even know where to begin when you get here really.  If you ever go to Vienna or you’ve ever been, you’ll understand what I mean.  It’s overwhelming in the best sense possible. When you first come up to the complex (depending on the path you’ve taken of course… we came straight from St. Stephansdom) you’re greeted with a square of sorts where there are horse and carriages, beautiful statues, fountains and candy for the eye everywhere.  It was magnificent.

The Hofburg Complex

The Hofburg Complex with one of Vienna’s many horse and carriages.

We moved through the square and into the first part of the Hofburg Complex.  It was a domed gate that was still outdoors but featured this beautiful dome and doors into the State Apartments and the Riding School.  We stood there for a moment because there was a tenor singing and in the moment… being in Vienna, surrounded by all of this beauty… we just stood there and I was brought to tears.  I thought to myself, “This must be why such romantic paintings, poetry and sculptures came out of Europe…”

The beautiful dome stepping into the Hofburg Complex.

We went to the library and then to the museums.  Doing so, we walked through more courtyards and past a pretty cafe.  You couldn’t help but stop and stare every once in awhile and you did a lot of looking up and looking around… almost as though it was the sightseer’s way of pinching themselves.  You just gape in hopes of taking it all in.

A typical courtyard at Hofburg Complex.

Stunning architecture…  The State Apartments at Hofburg Complex.

The main gate at Hofburg Complex.

Pretty hanging flags near the library at Hofburg.

One of two museums outside of the Hofburg Complex.

After the museums, we headed back to the Hofburg for some lunch.  We sat on the patio in the courtyard and in the gloriusly warm sun and relaxed.  I had savoury pancakes with ham and cheese with a double hot chocolate and a shot of espresso while Trina had a delicious ham and cheese sandwich with potato chips… Our first sign of “junk food” since being in Europe (we also haven’t been looking very hard!)  She also had the most divine cafe latte which came layered in a tall glass…  Gorgeous!

Sitting outside in the courtyard at the Hofburg Cafe.

Filling our bellies full, we then headed off in search of this building we had only previously seen the roof of.  We figured out that it might be the Rauhaus and decided it was worth checking out.  So, we walked in that direction pausing to take photos along the way.  The hard thing about having a camera in Vienna is you just don’t know where to point the darn thing and you don’t know when to stop taking photos!

The oldest part of Hofburg.

Oh, you know, a typical street in Vienna.

After walking a bit, we found Vienna’s Parliament building and the Rauhaus where there was some sort of outdoor event happening (we decided not to check it out as it looked like a circus or a fair and we really didn’t want to break the light, airy feel of our Vienna tour for a touristy, crowded area) and we continued to wander.

Parliament building in Vienna, Austria.

I realized something in Vienna.  It’s a city that makes you want to just wander around… pull out a book, collapse on the grass somewhere or nap in the sun.  It’s a city that makes you forget about responsibility, stress, worry, etc. and just enjoy the beauty that is Vienna.  It’s a city for me that brought great peace.  If only Vienna could figure out how to bottle that and sell it to the masses… we’d all be a happier group of people!

Heading back to the Church, we were able to sneak inside and check it out fully.  We were not at all disappointed.  This Church is amazing in its architecture taking inspiration from the Gothic period.  It’s dark yet beautiful and the detail is mind-blowing.

The other really, really cool thing is that the catacombs were also open and there was a tour starting not long after we were there.  So, we took a seat on the Church floor near the catacombs to wait it out and just felt what it was like to be there in that moment.  The tour started not long after and we headed down into the deep, dark catacombs.  Now… photos were not allowed down there but I was able to sneak some video in (shhh).  I’ll post those for your viewing enjoyment!  Some are short and some are dark but I did my best!

After the catacombs, we headed back to the hotel to grab our bags and head to Munich, Germany on the train.  We were able to fit in all of the above before 4:30pm so we were still looking good for the four hour train ride to Munich.  The rest is uneventful but I must tell you… Vienna has captured a piece of my heart and I’m so glad it did.  Out of all of the cities on this journey, Vienna is my most favorite and captured the EXACT essence that I was searching for in Europe and for this trip.

Me, on the train… backpack at my side.  Looking content and happy.

Thank you Vienna, thank you.

Technorati Tags: Erin Blaskie, Trina Lamarche, Vienna, Austria, St. Stephansdom, Hofburg, Hofburg Complex, Munich, Germany, virtual assistant, virtual assistance, mobile lifestyle, four hour work week, four-hour work week

Erin: Day 8: Prague, Czech Republic

The plan was to wake up nice and early and head to the Prague Castle but that didn’t quite happen…  Instead, we slept until around 11am and when we finally got up, had only an hour before having to check out of the hotel room.  So, we showered, packed up and checked out of the hotel room.  Leaving our bags with the concierge, we headed into the beautiful, 18 degree weather (Celsius for those wondering!) and to the Amstel metro station.

It was a short metro ride to Mustek where we switched trains and headed toward Hrandajic station.  We got out and made our way to the Prague Castle entrance.  It`s not easy navigating maps when you’re in a country like the Czech Republic.  The reason is because the signs here are not in English at all – and I don`t just mean the street signs.  There are touristy signs that point you in the right direction of the touristy spots and in most other cities, they are English.  Here, they are written solely in Czech which makes it very difficult to follow them.

In any case, we found the Prague Castle entrance and looking up, realized it was a bit of a hike to the top…  So, we put our head down and started walking up the hill (mountain?)  Along the way, we realized something of great importance…  To our left-hand side was an amazing view of the Prague skyline.  Up until this point, if I’m being honest, other than the one beautiful spot in Prague, I didn’t find myself too impressed…  In fact, I couldn’t wait to get out of the city.  Now, seeing the panoramic view of the city and seeing it’s grandeur was totally impressive and I realized why it made its way onto our travel map.

View from the Prague Castle.

View from the Prague Castle.

Once we got to the top, we stopped in at a cafe to have a quick coffee and rest our weary legs.  It’s hard work being both a backpacker and now a mountain (hill?) climber!  We headed back out into the beautiful Prague sunshine and wandered around the Prague Castle grounds.  Now, let me tell you about the Prague Castle…  It’s not your typical castle.  This isn’t just one building with some gardens, etc. this is an entire village.  It has your typical castle like walls but it houses a palace, two churches, gardens and many other buildings.  I’ll link to the history of the Prague Castle so you can read more but it’s simply stunning.

Prague Castle interior.

Our first stop after buying a ticket was to St. George’s Basilica.  This is a smaller church on the grounds that has amazing ceilings painted in the 16th century.  The church itself is smaller than I expected inside but it still holds such beauty and depth.  The Gothic age that was present when the Prague Castle was built is definitely present here.  The detail and richness is present while there is still an overall feeling of masculinity and strength.

St. George’s Basilica

Our second stop was to the Royal Palace and it was beautiful.  The first room you walk into is this gorgeous banquet hall.  The ceilings and walls were my favourite part.  The stone is carved into these curvy lines and they interweave one another like nothing I’ve ever seen.  There are gorgeous, black Gothic chandeliers hanging from the ceiling and the floors are made of gorgeous wood – original and still in fabulous condition.

Inside of the Royal Palace, you will also find other interesting rooms.  There is a chapel, the throne room and a few other rooms that didn’t contain much except some period furniture and period clothing.  It was still amazing to walk through there.  This castle reminded me a lot of the Boleyn time whereas the previous castle we saw was very Queen Elizabeth-esque.  I know those both aren’t appropriate terms to describe eras but you gotta work with what you know!

Outside of the Royal Palace, we then made our way to the St. Visus Cathedral and stood in the really, really long line-up.  This is one of “the” things to see when you come to Prague I suppose and you can tell – people really were excited to get inside and explore.  Standing in line, we were actually behind two other young women who were traveling.  They had out their Europe?  Let’s Go! book and they were talking about Austria… Maybe they too were headed there next!  Outside of the Church, you can begin to take in its Gothic gloriousness as you glance up toward the sky…  The view is just breathtaking.

Beautiful Gothic Church inside of Prague Castle.

Inside, you walk into the main area of the Church and are met with a beautiful altar with the most splendid stained glass set in behind it.  It’s really a lot to take in so you just have to stand there for a moment and really, do a 360 turn to see it all.  Along both the left and right hand side of the Church, there are little compartments and inside each compartment is an altar, more than likely for a particular upper class family or for a member of the Church, and more beautiful stained glass.  Each set of stained glass tells a story and it’s impressive to just stand back and take each one in.

Although most of the vaults were closed due to “technical difficulties”, the Church itself was worth the fifteen minute wait.  It was gorgeous.  One neat thing that happened when we were there was one group of people that were in a tour started singing a beautiful song in a different language.  They all just started, sang their song (which echoed so beautifully through the Church that I had to stop and listen… and of course, it almost brought me to tears) and then moved on like nothing magical just happened.

Outside of the Church, we headed out of the Prague Castle grounds and back toward the metro station.  Before we did that, we went toward the river so we could get a view of the city from the water and a view of St. Charles’ bridge.  Snapping a few shots and taking in the water was a nice break after the long, downhill climb we did.

View of the water and across the river near Prague Castle.

The story after Prague Castle is not as exciting…  We hopped on the metro (we were pros now), went to our hotel, had a quick bite to eat (I had lasagna and Trina had penne pasta – much better than the previous night’s dinner) and then it was backpack time!  We headed back to the metro (you do a lot of back and forth traveling when you’ve got a backpack as you want as little time carrying it as possible!), to the rail station and then to the platform for our train.

Now, here I am sitting on the train to Austria, Vienna.  It’s dark as the sun has set already and we’re on a train that has mini-compartments.  We’re sitting in one with a guy who speaks English, he’s young – probably around my age – and he’s sleeping.  Otherwise, it’s just Trina and I and while I type away on my computer, logging in the day’s activities, she’s reading the book I recommended to her – The Alchemist.

She’s reading me some of her favourite quotes as she reads and I can’t help but stop, in this moment, to realize how amazing it is to be able to look out the window, into the dark night, and know that on this Saturday I am traveling between the Czech Republic and Austria.  Both were unknown to me before and one still is but I am blessed to have this opportunity and I am certainly not taking that for granted.

Technorati Tags: Prague, Czech Republic, Prague Castle, Austria, Vienna, Erin Blaskie, Trina Lamarche, virtual assistant, virtual assistance

Erin: Day 7: Train Ride to Prague, Czech Republic & First Day Here

As I sit and write this, at night in the smoky hotel lounge area, I can’t help but have the words ring through my head – I don’t really like Prague.  I know first impressions aren’t everything but are welcoming into this city was not a fabulous one.

We arrived in Prague after a four hour train ride from Berlin, Germany. Before I just say “four hour train ride from Berlin”, you need to first know that this was the BEST train ride we’ve had thus far.  The scenery was absolutely breathtaking… Here are just a few shots from the train.

Budapest anyone?  We were going to Praha - other way of saying Prague.

The start of the beautiful mountains on our way to Prague in the Czech Republic.

A beautiful river town along the way… My parents would love this.

Can you say beautiful?  The photo doesn’t do it justice.

When we arrived, we headed out of the train station and grabbed some metro tickets.  Now, a tip for the fellow traveler… The Czech has their own currency.  It’s called Czech Crowns.  When you get to the CZ, there are money exchange booths that you can use to trade in your Euros (or any other kind of currency I am sure) for Crowns.  I don’t remember exactly what the currency is but for 100 Euros, we got around 2,100 Crowns.  Now, it sounds like a lot but one soda here is around 100 Crowns usually.  So, your money doesn’t go super far.

I’m assuming this says Welcome to Prague?  Praha = Prague over here.

After obtaining a map from the girl at the information desk who pointed us in the direction of the proper metro station we wanted, we took it and then came up to street level.  The only thing is… we had no idea where we were going.  We couldn’t find our hotel or the street that our hotel was located at on the map.  So, we had no reference points at all.  Luckily, or so we thought, there were two police officers at the top of the subway stairs.

We jokingly called this the escalator to heaven…  It was really, really long.

One tip before I continue – when in Prague (and most other European cities) validate your subway ticket after you purchase it.  There are little yellow stands everywhere that you insert your ticket into to have it validated (you’ll hear a little printing / stamping noise when you insert it).  If you don’t, you can end up paying a fine and that is not fun at all!  Luckily, we found out about validating tickets right away (in Paris) but here in Prague, the metro police actually do stand at the top of escalators and near exits making sure that your ticket is indeed validated.

So, back to the police officers.  It turns out, not even they know the streets in Prague very well as they had no idea where our hotel was or how to get us there.  So, foregoing what they said, we went to street level and I connected a few dots on our map.  Turns out though that the map the woman gave us back at information didn’t even show our hotel on it!  Our hotel was a tiny bit further to the West than the map showed.  After a quick stop at the HSCB bank we were standing at to get directions, we knew where we were going and found our hotel quickly afterward.

Our hotel has a cable car that takes people to the Executive Floor…  Weird huh?  The hotel’s Executive Floor is over a mountain!!

A super lame circus near our hotel…  I would not bring my children here!  It was so rough looking…

Oh, before I forget as well, there was blood in the subway station down one of the walls…  I’m not talking about just a teeny bit of blood either – a lot of blood and at the bottom of this blood streaked wall was a plate of cleaned to the bone (really…) chicken bones and other unnamely food items.  I can’t begin to tell you how disgusting it was!  Also, there were young kids everywhere (couples) making out…  In the most elaborate display of affection possible.

Ok, so a check-in at the hotel was next and that went smooth and easy (much like the rest of our stays) and after getting into our room, we decided to hit the streets for some sightseeing before dark.  Our first stop after checking in was to the Old Town and Old Jewish Quarter.

Me (Erin Blaskie) in Prague, CZ.

To be completely honest, without referencing my Europe book, I really have no idea where we went while we were sightseeing.  We saw a lot of things and a lot of beautiful architecture but due to the signs all being in Czech, I really have no idea what it was we were seeing.  However, that being said, you’ll forgive my ignorance here as I do tell you about the feeling of the areas we did see.

A beautiful street in Old Quarter.

The first area we went to was this pretty gate area that led you into a maze of streets that were lined with shops, etc.  In here, we heard the sound of drums and singing and people marching.  My first thought was protest and I quickly grabbed Trina and began to walk the other way until I realized the crowd was really only five people…  They were wearing robes and singing songs while walking and beating on hand drums.  The display was actually quite interesting and as we learned later on too, not uncommon.

A marching band… of a different sort!

One of the things we saw was the Prague Historic Museum which was a gorgeous building at the end of a shopping street.  The street we were on was lined with restaurants and casinos and stores.  At one end was the Museum and at the other end was this kind of square that featured a stage and a woman performing Fever in English to a packed crowd.  Here, we got Gelato so that we’d have a reference point for when we were in Italy having some of the best Gelato in the world (or so I hope – my fingers are crossed!)

The Prague Natural History Museum (I think…)

After that area, we went in search of the most famous sight in that area of Prague.  I’ll have to fill in what it was afterward because again, the lack of English on the tourist signs made me forget / not know the names of everything I was seeing!  We found it and walked into the center of this giant square.  It felt similar to Grand Place in Brussels but had a much different feel.  Brussels was harsher and more masculine whereas this architecture was beautiful and feminine.  Very quaint and elegant.  There were coffee shops, horse and buggy rides, outdoor restaurants and more.  The feeling here was one of festivity and exuberance.

Pretty street in Prague, CZ.

The town square (I think) in Prague, CZ.

There was one weird part though of this beautiful square.  In front of the Church in the square, there was an Amnesty International demonstration happening where there were three people standing in a row (or was it four… see photo!) with black hoods over their heads and nooses around their necks.  There was one regularly clothed girl with a loud speaker talking about how the government should abolish the death penalty and that it’s cruel to use the death penalty on other human beings.  It was an odd display and not one that I particularly enjoyed.  However, we still got photos!

Amnesty International protest - trying to get the death penalty abolished.

Leaving that area to go in search of the Jewish Synagogue and the Jewish cemetery, we walked down a street that I like to call Prague’s Fifth Avenue.  Here, the streets were lined with Louis Vuitton, Valentino, Galliano… just to name a few.  It was as though I had died and gone to heaven (even though I’ve been on many streets like this, it was nice to see it somewhere so foreign!)  Trina had never seen a Louis Vuitton up close nor had she been in their stores so I grabbed her arm and led her inside.  I’m hoping I can label-was her mind… haha

What I called “Fifth Avenue” in Prague…

By this time, it was starting to get dark so when we got to the Jewish Synagogue, we realized that we weren’t going to probably be able to go in let alone see much outside.  We did however find the Jewish Cemetary which is uber-creepy at night.  The cemetery features over 12,000 headstones in a one acre area.  How the people are buried there, I haven’t got a clue…  Maybe they start really, really far down in the ground and just sort of layer people?  Eww.

Anyway, the cool part about being in this area at dark is that to your right, you can see the Prague Castle on the top of a hill, all lit up and looking very majestic and very grand.  It was a gorgeous sight and really made us excited to have that on our agenda for today.

The Prague Castle from the Jewish Synagogue / Cemetery area.

We headed back to the hotel, did a quick Internet purchase and then went to the Zlaty for dinner.  On our way there, we were walking down the hill from our hotel and through this tunnel-like thing that housed all of the buses.  There were these two guys there, in their late thirties approximately, who decided that it would be hilarious to talk to us (we ignored them as we didn’t understand them) and then pretend to chase us.  We ran like the wind, scared absolutely out of our minds, until we heard them laughing…  We did NOT find it at all funny and luckily, it wasn’t far until we were back on a well lit, normal street.  Needless to say, we chose to go around the super long way to the hotel from that point forward.

The Zlaty Klas… a disgusting restaurant!

Quick side story…  When we were in Berlin, we were in the elevator headed up to our room to prep our bags to check out.  We were talking about going to the Czech Republic and I said to Trina, “I wonder if the food is any good there?” and this woman, also riding the elevator with us, looked at us, laughed a little and shook her head no.  At the time, I wondered why she laughed and felt the need to divulge this to us but after what I’m about to tell you, you’ll see why (because I certainly understood!)

Ok, so at the Zlaty.  First things first, they don’t sit you at a table the way they do here.  In fact, you’re pretty much on your own to wander around and look for a table.  So, we did and found a table that was at first connected to this group of people.  Luckily, the two seats on the end weren’t taken so we took them.  Our waitress then came over and pulled the tables apart leaving Trina sitting in front of air instead of the table… I was on a bench seat so I didn’t suffer the same fate but it was funny – they certainly aren’t delicate here…

So, we look at the menu which was, no joke, at least 200 menu items on it, and pick out the one called “Traditional Czech Meal” because we figured (a) why not try something that is traditional and (b) it had dumplings in it and yummy!  We also ordered some fried mushrooms with garlic bread to start.  So, first meal arrives (mushrooms) and the thing is a plate of brown muck with some mushrooms mixed in with hard bread on the side and a bit of salad.  The taste was a mixture between vinegar and gravy… It was disgusting and made me feel like I was eating sludge instead of food.

Second meal, the traditional Czech meal, came to our table and it literally looked like a plate of gravy with plain ol’ hunks of white bread, chunks of whatever meat they didn’t use in other dishes and these things that I suppose were supposed to be the dumplings?  Anyhow, the taste was bland and disgusting and with every bite, I just wanted to vomit.  Needless to say, we didn’t finish it.  I wish I had my camera because a photo of that food was definitely needed to illustrate the disgustingness of it all.

Ok, so after dinner, we headed out of the restaurant / pub smelling wonderfully like smoke (ick – they are still allowed to smoke here in all public buildings… It’s disgusting and my throat and eyes were both burning by the time we left) and went back to our hotel room to do some e-mails, a bit of work and get some sleep.  I hadn’t slept the night before so sleep was definitely welcome and needed.

Technorati Tags: Erin Blaskie, Trina Lamarche, Prague, Czech Republic, Prague travel, Prague toruism, virtual assistant, virtual assistance

Erin: Day 6: Berlin, Germany

Day two found us waking up late… Really, really late.  We didn’t get up and leave the hotel until 1pm our time!  We were going to wake up nice and early and go to a concentration camp but we decided that we needed more rest (we’ve been going non-stop really) so we slept in and finally pulled ourselves out of bed with the thought of going to see Schloss Charlottenberg - a palace here in Berlin.

Grabbing some Starbucks, a hotel umbrella and a map, we headed to the metro and took the metro to the closest stop near the palace.  We walked a short way and finally came to the palace.  The Schloss Charlottenberg is a grandiose palace that sits in an assuming neighborhood in Berlin.

The Schloss Charlottenberg in Berlin, Germany.

The Schloss Charlottenberg in Berlin, Germany.

The Schloss Charlottenberg in Berlin, Germany.

We went inside, grabbed our tickets and two audio tour guides and set off for a few hours wandering around the palace and taking in its splendor.  While we weren’t allowed to take photos inside the palace, I can tell you that it’s a gorgeous place and is deserving of a visit should you ever find yourself in Berlin.

Trina pretending to talk on a hot pink payphone…

After the palace, we went to find Checkpoint Charlie to pay it a visit as well. On our way there, we came out through a beautiful part of Berlin near Museum Island.  There were these musicians playing this beautiful music and it really, really lent itself to the authentic European feeling.

The musicians playing here were fabulous.

Checkpoint Charlie is where the US Army setup a checkpoint to monitor activity going in and out of a certain area.  It still stands and the original signs warning people not to carry arms and to obey traffic rules are still there.

Checkpoint Charlie - where the US Army setup a checkpoint in Berlin during the war.

Checkpoint Charlie - where the US Army setup a checkpoint in Berlin during the war.

Once we saw that, we wandered back to the hotel, dropped our bags and went to Vapiano to eat some good Italian food.  Now, I find myself back at the hotel to settle in with my Starbucks to do some work.  Berlin has been amazing…  A great place to take in some rest time as it has a laid back feel to it.  The people here are generally friendly and everyone in the touristy areas speak English really well.

I’m taking some time to reflect on everything too and it’s amazing…  You don’t realize how much there is to see in the world until you get out into it…  It’s fabulous and the trip is really shaping up to be everything I thought it would and more.

Technorati Tags: Berlin, Germany, Erin Blaskie, Trina Lamarche, virtual assistant, virtual assistance, Checkpoint Charlie, Schloss Charlottenberg

Erin: Day 5: Bus Ride to Berlin & Sightseeing in Berlin, Germany

After our 11 hour bus ride from Amsterdam to Berlin, Trina and I were ready to get exploring!  We arrived at the train station, picked up a metro card and hopped on our train toward Potsdamer Platz.  We came up into a very modern area of Berlin.  This area, Potsdamer Platz, was built up after the fall of the Berlin Wall.  There is an Imax cinema here, shopping, a few hotels (we’re in the Marriott) and of course, a Starbucks.

Potsdamer Platz - the area of Berlin that was built up after the fall of the Berlin Wall.

We went to the hotel first to see if we could get our room (it was 10am - super early so I wasn’t hopeful).  Of course, we couldn’t but the concierge did offer to take our bags for us which we allowed.  Carrying 20lb backpacks is not always fun!  The funniest part though…  The bellman almost didn’t let us into the hotel - seriously.  We went up to the door and he gave me an odd look like, “You want in the hotel” and he asked me if we were staying here (without opening the door).  I said, “Yes, we’ve already made a reservation - the room is paid for” and he still wouldn’t budge.  I finally said, “Please let us inside - I’ve already paid for our room” and he opened the door.  I guess backpackers wanting into 5 star hotels is a bit odd over here…  Most of them resort to hostels I suppose.

Once we dropped our bags down, we then grabbed a map and with some information from the guy working behind the desk, we set out into the streets of Berlin.  Our first stop was to the historical and much-needed Starbucks outside of our hotel…  Ok, so it’s not historical but believe me - we were in DIRE need!  We hadn’t seen a Starbucks since France!  So, we grabbed some coffees and headed outside… First stop was the Berlin Wall.

The Berlin Wall…  A section of it that still stands in Potsdamer Platz.

The Berlin Wall up close and personal.

It was neat to see it and it was also somewhat sobering.  Reading the story and taking in what Berlin would have been like before the fall of the wall was very unsettling.  It’s hard to imagine a city separated by a wall and a government that persecuted those who tried to cross it.

We then walked down the pretty path to the Brandenburg Gate.  The Brandenburg Gate is the quintessential symbol of Berlin I have learned… even though I thought it was the Berlin Wall.  Even though the wall is now fallen, I still think it’s THE thing people go to Berlin to see.

Walking toward the Brandenburg Gate.

The Brandenburg Gate in Berlin, Germany.

From the gate, we walked to Reichstag, Berlin’s parliament buildings.  It has been rebuilt a few times and has this pathway that you can walk around on top of it to see the skyline of Berlin.  We opted not to and instead, we just left the Reichstag grounds to head toward Museum Island.

Reichstag - Berlin’s Parliament Building.

On Museum Island, we decided to go to the Deutsch Historic Museum (I know I’m mixing up the English translation with the German one but c’est la vie… Oh, another language!) and there we saw a lot of Dutch and German history including information and artifacts from both World Wars as well as Nazi paraphernilia.  It was a lot to take in but it was nice to look around at all of the different eras.

Nazi uniforms in the Dutch Historic Museum in Berlin, Germany.

Hitler’s desk in the Dutch Historic Museum in Berlin, Germany.

We also came across Berlin’s National Library which was gorgeous…  It contained this little courtyard and there were gorgeous flowers growing up the walls crossed with vines…  We sat on a bench in the courtyard and just breathed it all in.

The courtyard in Berlin’s National Library.

After the museum, we headed to the metro and took it as close as we could to the center of Tiergarten, Berlin’s largest and most famous park, and visited a statue in the center of a roundabout.  Getting to the center was neat - you could take underground tunnels which you entered through what looked like a vault or a mauseoleum.  A little creepy but very neat once inside.  Of course, walking through it wasn’t complete without Dracula noises.

A mausoleum-like entrance into a tunnel.  Tunnel takes you underground and to the center of a roundabout.

Coming back out of the tunnels, we then walked through Tiergarten back toward the Brandenburg Gate.  Once there, we headed to the right and stopped at the Jewish Holocaust Memorial.  It is a large area of land with various sized blocks on it made of stone.  While walking back, we also ran into the Politzie - German for Police.  Trina wanted a photo with them, so she asked and they obliged.  People here get a kick out of us Canadian girls!

The Jewish Holocaust Memorial in Berlin, Germany.

Trina with the Politzie in Germany.

Technorati Tags: Berlin, Germany, Erin Blaskie, Trina Lamarche, virtual assistant, virtual assistance, Europe, European vacation, European adventure, backpacking through Europe, Brandenburg Gate, Politzie, Reichstag, Dutch Historic Museum, Dutch Historical Museum, Tiergarten, Museum Island, Unter den Linden, Potsdamer Platz

Erin: Day 4: Amsterdam, Netherlands Part II

Day four found us waking up to a beautiful morning in Amsterdam.  We had requested a late check out and we were going to use it!  Waking up to look at the skyline of Amsterdam was amazing…  It was the first time that it really hit me - I’m backpacking in Europe.  It seems like some moments feel surreal and like I’m just moving through the motions and then other moments are really profound.

After waking up, I had a shower and settled in to do some work.  I got in four to five hours of work and then started to pack up and prepare for the long day ahead.  Due to the duration of our bus trip from Amsterdam to Berlin (11.5 hours), we had the whole day ahead of us to sight-see and tour around Amsterdam some more.  This was great as there were a few things we still hadn’t seen that we wanted to.  After ordering a pot of coffee from room service and downing it, we packed up, dropped our bags off at the concierge desk and hoofed it into downtown.

When we walked into the city, we walked by a bike lot.  This is extremely common in Amsterdam as bike is their primary means of travel (until the snow flies that is!) and there are bike roads next to each regular road all over Amsterdam.  It’s very cool to see them cater to the bike drivers here.

The bike lots outside of Amsterdam’s city central.  These bike lots are everywhere!

We then walked past Centraal Station and past this gorgeous, Old Church where we peeked in the doors and took some photos of the outside.

A really old Church (Oude Kerk in Dutch) seems out of place between these houses.

After grabbing some nice shots, we headed for Anne Frank’s house as we both really wanted to see that.  Weaving through alleyways, we came across different parts of the Red Light District and of course, more tourists gaping at all of the “stuff” happening in this area.

The Red Light Bar and Coffee Shop in the Red Light District.

Before we went to Anne Frank’s house, we stopped at Sara’s Pancake House to enjoy a Dutch waffle (traditional).  We also walked through the Royal Palace place and grabbed some photos of the hundreds of pigeons that were surrounding the crowds… It was gross!

Pigeons outside of Amsterdam’s Royal Palace… So many… It was disgusting!

Amsterdam’s Royal Palace in the city center.

Traditional Dutch Waffle with whipped cream and strawberry sauce.

Finally making it to Anne Frank’s house, we got in the short line-up and made our way inside.  The tour through the house is so well put together.  There are artifacts, the house itself, videos and quotes… the entire thing just comes together in a very heart-wrenching way.  It was sad to learn more about her story and it’s weird to sit and watch it all and take it all in without becoming affected emotionally.

Anne Frank’s House - where she hid for two years during the Nazi’s rule.

After visiting Anne Frank’s house, we headed to the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam that houses Rembrandt’s work.  We got to see the infamous “Night Watch” painting which was fabulous!!  The painting seems 3D and features a portrait in motion technique.  We looked around at other Rembrandt’s paintings and closed down the museum at 6pm!  It was funny - we were rushing through and the curators were laughing at us and telling us which paintings were an absolute must-see!

The Rijksmuseum that houses Rembrandt’s work including “The Night Watch”.

We then headed toward this museum / hotel / park and it took us forever… LOL  Who knew Amsterdam was so large!  We saw, along the way, where they brew Heineken beer and we also got to see the “softer” side of Amsterdam which was nice.

The location where they brew Heineken beer.

We got to our destination, snapped a few shots and started walking back to the hotel.  Once there, we had a nice dinner of some real tomato soup and some tortilla chips with guacamole (best guacamole ever!) and waited in the lobby until it was time to head to the bus station.

The night sky of Amsterdam.

We went to the station, super early so we headed to a cafe (or so we thought it was just a cafe), walked in and felt immediately out of place… We were carrying around backpacks and everyone in there was dressed to the nines.  So, we grabbed a spot out of sight at the bar and ordered two coffees.

Me, sitting in the cafe where we were definitely looking like backpackers!

After downing them, we headed back to the station around 11:00 PM and boarded our bus for the 11 hour bus ride to Berlin, Germany.

Technorati Tags: Erin Blaskie, Trina Lamarche, Europe, Europe travel, Amsterdam, Netherlands, Berlin, Germany, Eurolines, Rembrandt, Rijksmuseum, Red Light District

Erin: Day 3: Amsterdam, Netherlands Baby!

After our tumultuous start to the day (see previous post), we finally arrived in Amsterdam in the Netherlands.  Our first stop was the airport as that is where we dropped off our rental car.  The big sign greeting as to the Schichpol airport was welcomed as we were just glad to finally be there.

Welcome to Amsterdam!  At the airport…

Once we dropped the car off, we headed inside to take a train from Amsterdam airport to Amsterdam Centraal - the main station in Amsterdam’s downtown area.  After walking up and down escalators twice, we FINALLY found the ticket booth, bought tickets and hopped up on the train.  It was a double-decker train so we decided to go to the second level… We were so excited to get on and were talking about Amsterdam and all of the sights we had seen thus far when this man walked up (a fellow passenger) and was like, “Ladies… No talking on this train.”  What?!  No talking?!  Sure enough - there were signs that said SILENCE! and a man holding his finger to his mouth…  Crazy.

So, we sat in silence the whole way (having a difficult time doing so too!) and then eventually got off at Amsterdam Centraal.  We found our way out of the station and headed toward our hotel - the Movenpick Hotel - which is right on the water and only minutes from the station.  Our room was GORGEOUS!  Beautiful views and ultra-modern.

Amsterdam’s downtown core.  The Amsterdam Centraal to the far right and the Red Light District to its left.

Our view from the other way… Water, boats, etc.

The ultra-modern lobby at the Movenpick Hotel.

After leaving the hotel, we headed into Amsterdam’s downtown area in search of the Red Light District.  As disturbing as it might be to us more close-minded North Americans, we wanted to see this popular tourist area.  So, we headed down and were immediately greeted with a few things of interest…  First off all, the station smells really bad.  It smells like food but not food I would EVER want to eat…  I can’t even describe the smell, it was awful.  Second, we weren’t five minutes into the downtown area when the smell of marijuana penetrated the air.  Now, for those of you who don’t know, marijuana is legal in Amsterdam… as is prostitution.  And both are rampant everywhere.  There are streets (much like below) where “coffee shops” line the streets and sell different marijuana based products.

Trina and I in front of one of Amsterdam’s many alleyways lined with “coffee shops”…

Aside from just that, Amsterdam has beautiful architecture and wonderful canals that weave their way through the city.  Here are a few of my favorite shots of that…

Shops lining the streets of Amsterdam.

One of the many canals weaving through downtown Amsterdam.

Shopping and alleys filled with interesting characters…

The famous canal houses along the canals in Amsterdam.  Beautiful!

Yes, the shops really do sell this stuff…  We did not venture into any as we were too scared (haha) but I did grab a few photos!

The Red Light District was interesting…  There were x-rated shops, bars, cafes and more but the most disturbing part for me were the alleyways.  I was trying to describe this to my mom earlier but I just don’t think I was doing it justice with regards to how sad it really is.  Someone at the hotel tonight told me it is only sad if I impose my views on what is sad / right / wrong onto her.  He said that she might really like it…  I highly doubt it.  These girls had the saddest looks in their eyes and they looked so empty.  The rooms they were standing in, separated from the public by a thin sheet of glass and a locked door, were so tiny and had a bed, a sink and a bathroom inside of each one.  I don’t even want to begin to imagine what happens when the curtain draws closed…  That’s how you know when a girl is “occupied”.

You aren’t allowed to take photos there but I did get a photo of the look and feel of the alleyways.  Apparently at night it’s different looking because then it really glows red - all of the rooms have red lights in them.

A street in the Red Light District.

In the middle of the Red Light District is the Church called Ould Kerk and it is a really old gothic Church.  We stopped by to take a few photos but it was in the middle of contruction so we didn’t bother looking to go inside.

Ould Kerk - a gothic Church in Amsterdam, Netherlands.

From there we headed to the city’s center where there is a statue and the Royal Palace building.  We sat there for a bit watching street performers and some street jumpers do different tricks.  The one thing I noticed here was that this city was teeming with people in their twenties.  I felt strangely out of place as all of these people who were my age were partying and there for very different reasons.

The Royal Palace in the center of Amsterdam.

We ended our quick tour around Amsterdam with a nice pedal taxi back to the Amsterdam Centraal station.  The guy was from Ireland and told us that he’d been there for five years and really liked it.  I also asked him if the locals partook in any of the Red Light District stuff or if that was more for tourists (most cities operate like that so I had to ask!) and sure enough, the locals don’t really frequent it.  Interesting fact!

The pedal taxi in Amsterdam.

Trina and I on the pedal taxi… Trina was in her glory!

Tomorrow we’re doing more touristy stuff including a visit to Anne Frank’s house and then we’re catching the bus to Berlin.  It’s a loooong bus ride as we leave around 11pm and don’t get into Berlin until 9am but it’ll be worth it :)  We’re so excited to get to our next destination… Four countries in five days baby!  We’re on a roll.

Technorati Tags: Erin Blaskie, Trina Lamarche, Amsterdam, Red Light District, Movenpick Hotel, Movenpick, Netherlands, Europe, European travel, backpacking through Europe, virtual assistant, virtual assistance

Erin: Day 3: Brussels to Amsterdam by Car?!

As you can tell by the subject of this blog posting… We had our first unexpected detour in plans for our trip.  Trina and I awoke at 8:15am and quickly showered and packed up before heading out to the train station.  We were rushing because the train for Amsterdam left around 9:52am and then not again for two hours so we wanted to make sure we got it on time…  We arrived at the train station, grabbed our ticket and lept downstairs toward the train.  The one thing we didn’t notice was how eerily quiet the entire station was.  That’s when we were told that there was a strike in Brussels and ALL major transportation (public) out and into the city was stopped.

Being the resourceful queens we were, we took a taxi to Brussels main train / bus terminal to see what we could find out (we were previously using a tram station that serviced smaller areas).  When we got there, sure enough… everything was stopped and would be until late that night.  We asked around and finally found a Hertz rental car place right in the station.  We booked our car, loaded up our bags and jumped into the Astra ready for action.

This is looking optimistic… The look changed after an hour and fifteen minutes stuck in Brussels downtown area.

With minimal directions from the Hertz guy and no maps, we tried to leave Brussels.  TRIED being the key word.  An hour and fifteen minutes later, we were still driving around the city… aimlessly.  The thing is, there are few street signs, the street signs do not match up to the map and it’s just plain confusing.  So, we went back to the train station and I ran in to get clearer directions.  Thirty minutes later, we were well on our way out of Brussels and heading for Amsterdam.

The countryside along our route from Brussels to Amsterdam.

A beautiful bridge along the way…

We stopped at a little service center along the way for some schnitzel and chips (French fries I learned) and had some interesting map adventures…  Trina became really, really great at giving directions and I calmed down once we were on the highway… lol  I was getting a little stressed out and nervous that we might NEVER make it out of Brussels.  We laughed a lot too… AFTER we were out of the city that is…

Our first sight of Amsterdam!  56 kilometers to go… Not long!

The road trip was an unexpected bit of fun and I’m so glad it ended up making its way into our trip.  Everything happens for a reason and I think we were meant to get a taste for Europe by car and not just by bus or train.

Beautiful countryside with old-fashioned wind mills.

Oh, and before I forget…  Bringing the car back to the airport, I went down a one way (and did a quick reverse) and we spent fifteen minutes trying to figure out if the car took regular gas or diesel and then looking at the pumps trying to figure out what regular gas actually was… Neither of us read Dutch nor were we equipped with books to translate… LOL  It was interesting.  The guy in the gas station was no help either.  When Trina asked him what kind of gas we should put in the car, his reply was I don’t know - you’re the one driving it!!

In my next post, I’ll tell you all about Amsterdam but this post needed its own separate entry due to the sheer size of the folly (Brussels’ strike) and the adventure (rental car)…

Technorati Tags: Brussels, Amsterdam, Belgium, Netherlands, Holland, Europe, car rental, auto rental, driving in Europe, Dutch, Erin Blaskie, Trina Lamarche, virtual assistant, virtual assistance, VA

Erin: Day 2: Leaving Paris and Brussels, Belgium

October 5, 2008 – 6:09 PM Europe Time

I’m sitting here now at the hotel in Brussels – we checked into the Sheraton at 3pm today after a wonderful morning.  Let me recap that first and then I’ll share with you the Brussels experience.

Leaving Paris, France…

We woke up around 9:30am and got packed up and ready to go.  We left the hotel, walked toward the Champs de Elysses and stopped at a cafe called Le Belle Ferroniere and had a croissant and a cafe au lait.  A perfect Parisian breakfast!  It was nice too because we got to see the Arc de Triomphe a bit closer too!

One of the things Paris is famous for - Cafe au Lait

The Arc de Triomphe off of the Champs de Elysses

After we had some breakfast, we headed back onto the street and decided that the Gare du Nord, from where we were, was insanely far away so we grabbed a cab instead.  The taxi dropped us off and we headed inside and to the train ticket counter.  The train was leaving in 20 minutes which was perfect timing so we grabbed our tickets, headed to the platform and boarded the Thalys train to Brussels, Belgium.  Our ticket, being last minute, did cost us 80 Euros so we learned our lesson and will be booking the train tickets for the night before…

Trina and I with our backpacks waiting in line at the train station.

On the train with our waters… Somewhere between Paris and Brussels.

The train ride was nice… Pretty countryside dotted with small villages.  It was an hour and a half which was nice – not a long train ride and we were able to take some photos, some video of the countryside and share some really good laughs…

Read more

« Previous Page — Next Page »