whoa, doggie

I booked a flight from Milan to Athens for only 70 Euros today! I know that seems like alot, and it is....but otherwise I would have spent 22 hours on a ferry, plus another 6 hours into Athens on a stuffy bus. Sarah is pleased ^-^ It leaves on June 12, at 7:30 ishhh? I should check on that. Means I probably will have my first sleeping in an airport experience :) YAY and the flight only takes about at hour and a half. OH! And I decided I am heading to Bad Gastein tomorrow, because Interlacken is too out of the way for me, I want to get to Italy! Bad Gastein has canyoning as well, and I am über (haha über) excited to try paragliding and they have a spa next to the hostel that offers deals for backpackers mmmmmmm. So just an update on that! :)

BEEEEEEER HOW I DISLIKE YOU AND YOUR CHEAPNESS.

GUTEN TAAAAAAAAG!

I ended up in Munich, Germany today hahahaha yaaay. How random. I have been becoming more and more lazy about booking hostels before I get to a place, but it´s terrible because I was really lucky to find one! I pulled up to Munich (great train ride, 2 hours, and I played games with little german kids) and walked around for a bit like a stupid moron backpacker carrying my life on my back. I got to the Wombat Hostel (like one minute walk from the main station) and got a room. Was planning on seeing Neuchwanstein today, but because it was around 10:30, the guy suggested I go early tomorrow instead because of train schedules. Because of what happened at Auschwitz, I freaking gladly agreed. So then he tells me a walking tour leaves in t-minus 2 minutes from the bar, so I throw all my crap into storage and make it up there in time to see like 60 other backpackers all waiting for the same tour. Needless to say, I met like 59 other people today. This was a different tour than the other ones I have been to in that we stopped at a bierhaus like every couple of blocks for a beer haha. We DID go to HofBrauHaus of course, there was a cute oompa band in there looking all liederhosen like. I had no idea....that the HofBrauHaus was like the beginning place of the Nazi revolution. Hitler was in there, messing people around! They don´t put THAT on the information pamphlets! Great though, pretzels and bratwurst aplenty. I had lemonade beer all day, and I got a serious suntan going on now. I got really dehydrated and super drunk by the end of the tour (uhhhhh sometime around 3pm?) so that was fantastic. Drank at another Bierhaus until around 7pm and then it started to POUR suddenly so we bailed. Thís hostel is pretty crazy as far as people go, I have never seen so much drinking or cheering and singing ever. It´s very chaotic. I don´t even LIKE beer! But, I suppose....while in Munich. Anyway, Neuschwanstein is tomorrow, as early as I can get outta bed. I have cute dormmates! Tomorrow night may be spent in any city. Its up in the air, could be one more night Munich, Bad Gastein, or Interlacken, Sweden.

The Hills Are Alive!

with the sound of muuuuuuusic! I am in beautiful Salzburg, and I have had a WONDERFUL day. I would have to say one of the best one the trip so far.
I got up early, but left Vienna fairly late in the afternoon, hopped on the train which takes about 2 hours. Train was cozy and the Austrian Hillside is unlike any other. BEAUTIFUL! Made my way to my hostel, Jugend and FamalieHaus. It was like a HOTEL! Huge, new facilities, a TON of cute little kids at soccer camp running around. It was charming, and I liked it alot. Not as cozy, but more like an Ikea showcase or something. I rented one of their bikes (since it was already close to evening by the time I got there) because I thought that would be the best way to see the city in a quick amount of time. Oh my goodness it was the best weather, and in Salzburg I met the most friendly locals of any place I have been to. Everyone greets you or smiles at you, just a great vibe from the whole city. I rode around and ended up in a crazy moss tunnel (dont ask me how!) underneath the city. Moss covered the tunnel and it was like a cold getaway from the 30 degree day. I zoomed through INSANE bridges and felt so exhilarated. I found a huge pair of steps and decided it must go up to the castle at the top so I locked up my bike and hoofed it. As I got higher and higher, I went into Zen meditation mode. I floated my way up to the top (actually it was friggin hot and I was a gross, dirty mess by the time I made it) but I didn´t notice. I walked around and it was deserted because it was early evening.




I made my blog video and walked around, it was like it´s own little city up there! I saw the tannery, the blacksmith, the gardens, the cannon firing tunnel, the well in the centre, the church inside, the little houses for all the people up there, and I ALSO saw the SECRET Archbishop´s room, where he would come with his buddies to escape the not so noble peeps. It was ornately decorated and awesome. I actually only stumbled upon it and dont think I was allowed in, but I pulled on every door and latch I could find. It was fun. After I sat down in one of the 4 or so restaurants up there (the best one, overlooking the city like the view in the vid) I had a glass of white wine and some German dish I couldnt pronounce. It was transcendant for me, I just was really feeling alive and glorious. Can´t help it in Salzburg, might be a requirement or something. Clambered back down the hill, smelling flowers and other silly things, and when I got to the bottom I saw film crews and VERY flashy looking people. I asked some Austrian girls what was up and they said it was a premiere party for the movie Sex and the City, and anyone who is anyone is Salzburg was attending. Everyone was obviously moneyyyyyy. Cool. So everynight at the hostel, they play the Sound of Music. Got back just in time to watch it, and pass out in a sleepy ikea bed. Woke to the gentle pitter patter of a thousand stupid children, running wild through the hotel. Dragged myself outta bed and to the free breakfast....which strangly enough was also like out of Ikea. Yummy though, I love when it is included :)
Heading to Munich, must spend the night there if I want to see Neuschwanstein!
Keep you posted (Internet in this part of Europe can be up to $10 CAD an hour, so that´s why it has been sporadic)

Auf Wiedersen!

Sarah does Wien

Grusse Got, homies!

So I am leaving to Salzburg in the morning, thought I would update you all on my last day in Prague, and my quick trip to Vienna, Austria! So I did end up going to Kutna Hora to see the Bone Ossuary. It was a great experience....really creepy to think that 40,000 humans were all in that room with me, just in pieces. They were all arranged in chandeliers made out of hip bones and caves made out of leg bones and a crest with ribs. That's a creative solution to no cemetary space, I suppose. The evening was great as well, I saw a concert of the best of Mozart and Strauss, with singing and ballet. Everyone was in costume and we got a really great price for it, so I was happy. Woke up early the next morning to head to Austria. Train to Vienna was nice, I find that is the time when I can really reflect on what's happening and realize that I am heading to a new city, new country, new group of people. It's so amazing to realize that most of the people I meet, I will NEVER see again. It makes it so that you don't really want to say goodbye for that reason. When I got to Vienna, I had no money and no place to stay hahaha. I went to this hostel that I heard was good called Hostel Ruthensteiner and they had availability. On my first afternoon in Vienna I headed down to the Museum Quarter (Vienna is BRIMMING with them!) and wandered around the gardens there. Then I headed to Stephansdom, the tiled church with the huge gothic spire that everyone thinks of when they see Vienna. Walked back to the Wien Staatsoper, and bought tickets to the opera there (EEEEEEEEK!). Now, regular tickets to the opera can set you back anywhere between 40-235 Euros. I paid 3.50 muaahahahah. They sell a certain number of standing room tickets, and if you get there in time, you can buy one. The area where you stand has railings to lean on, and they all still have the little screens on the railings that translate it from Italian to German/English. I saw the comedy Falstaff. It was hilarious, and completely worth the 3 hours I stood with another girl from the hostel. Today I got up and had a croissant, did a little shopping (finally!) and walked to the Hofsburg Palace. I felt like an Austrian Princess today! Oh my goodness it was decadent. Just walking through the palace, through the gardens, with the ponds and fountains, imagining yourself as all sorts of nobility. Could you imagine what that would be like? I felt very regal and giggled the whole day. Not only did I visit the palace, but I visited the Osterreichische Nationalbibliothek (Austrian National Library) AAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHGHH
AAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH


AAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH
AAHHH
AAA

It was INCREDIBLE. I was GIDDY the moment I realized where I was. Emperor Charles VI had this library built over 300 years ago. With it's marble statues and nutwood bookcases, I felt in another world in this Baroque Library. Around 200,000 books from the 1500s to the 1800s are stored in the library. I wandered around in COMPLETE awe. I wanted to sneak up to the second level and cuddle with some old manuscripts, or ride around on one of those old wooden moving staircase things. There were huge globes as big as me everywhere, some of them didn't even have maps (I think I saw one with constellations only on it) and every inch of the ceiling was painted. It was just....beyond what I can explain right now. I have alot of pictures, but this internet is insufferable and I can't get it to work. It will have to be in Salzburg or whereabouts when I upload more pictures. Sorry about the sideways-ness of the ones today, but couldn't figure that one out here too. After the library I went to the Leopold Museum to see a collection of Klimt paintings. I discovered a pretty incredible artist by the name of Egon Schiele, I am in awe of his work. He died so young but his work was intense and beautiful, especially given controversy around art in that time. He was part of the secession with Klimt and was mentored by him. Oh, I'm in love with Vienna. It is beautiful and interesting and I got lost quite a bit but was pleased overall. Thing is, 2 days was enough :) Like I said....feeeeeeeeling antsy. I'm skipping Munich altogether (sorry Germany) but still going to Neuschwanstein in the next couple of days. Cutting Salzburg and Bad Gastein short, but may now head to switzerland to Interlacken (I want to do some extreme sports and that is the place!) OR! The next time I post I may be in italy. I REALLY want to make it to Dubrovnik, but that cuts into my Greece time. Who knows, I'm FREE to do as I please! What a glorious feeling.

Anyways, no one worry about me because all is well. The cold is lifting (but not lifted) and I am taking care of myself. I really needed that long phone call home, I love you guys so much and wish I could give you kisses and hugs. I miss everyone so much now, and I will be home sooner than I know I will realize.

A bit of culture in the land of the rich tourists and poor locals

I've switched hostels! I am now staying at Sir Toby's Hostel, the one I wanted to stay at all along. I stayed at the czech inn because Sir Toby's was full, but I found out I could have slept on the floor in the chapel for free if I had've just shown up hahaha. noooooooo! I am REALLY not doing too well with this cold. It is just too bad that it has to be in such a beautiful city like Prague, because I have been sleeping my days away, sneezing on local Czech people and making them mad, and snoring in my 8 bed dorm rooms...also making my dormmates mad haha. Last night an american girl gave me Tylenol PM - A GODSEND! I slept the whole night through ahhhhh. Sir Toby's is INCREDIBLE. Wish I could've stayed here before :( Bed is what I've been spending all my time in, but it's comfy as a cloud and this afternoon nobody checked in so I was there in the beautiful room all by myself. Pure Bliss. Slept, Slept, Slept, then got up to do something with myself. Went to buy my train ticket tomorrow for Kutna Hora (The bone church with more than 40,000 human bones) and my train ticket on tuesday for Vienna. Can't really find a place in Vienna to stay, might be a problem. To tell you the truth, I am getting antsy and want to lay on a beach in Italy, Greece, or Spain soon. I can't believe I've been gone over a month, and I still have a month left to go! After I bought my train tickets I fed pigeons in the park (FAVORITE!) and walked down to Wenceslas Square. Hung out there, tried on some fancy clothes (But no buying unfortunately) and walked down to Old Town Square again. I just love this square so much! Ohhhhh the astronomical clock is something else. It tells the weather, day, month, position of the sun in the sky, and time. I just LOVE this thing. Every hour it does a little show. The skeleton starts moving and ringing his bell, and then the apostles (I think?) Start moving around in the windows. The bell morbidly starts to ring. It's just great! Also, the Tyn Church is incredible. There are two towers (Adam is the bigger one, Eva is the smaller one) and it is free to get in. I went to see a organ and brass concerto in the St. Nicholas Church for 300 CZK today. I was hoping to get it for cheaper but the ticket guy wasn't having it hahaha But 300 CZK amounts to only around $18.00, so it wasn't bad. The Concerto was amazing, I loved it (Kristy I bet you are excited too)! They have these concerts every day ALL OVER PRAGUE, and I guess if you look around and be sneaky you can sometimes get a ticket for around $4.00. Tomorrow there is a violin one that I would DIE to go see, but I have that ticket to Kutna Hora, so I'm not sure if I can make it. My train ticket to Vienna was 590 CZK, and that's including my Eurail Pass :( :( I'm spending money WAY too fast. See you in a few weeks, Airdrie Public Library! I'll be good and poor and ready to read to those little kids! The money is even worse to get used to than Polish Zloty! Get this. I've taken out 4000 CZK already and spent it in 3 days. I WANT TO KICK SOMETHING WHEN I READ THAT. But it's not actually that much, (it is) but I am spending money pretty darn quick. That's my cue to quietly make my exit from Prague. Anyways, I am a sneezy, drippy mess and I am making it clear that I am enjoying the Famed Nightlife of Prague by curling up with tylenol PM, a bottle of water and kleenex.

LOVE YOU GUYS MUAA
Sarah xoxoxo

prahaaaaaaaaaa

I am in fairytale Prague, sipping on their local Pilsner in my hostel at the Czech Inn. Today was a beautiful day, sunny and warm. In Krakow the weather was no good, but it set the mood for my time there, I suppose. Last night I went to a jazz bar in a cavern with some British hipsters from the hostel. It was good fun, and we ended up in Old Town Square in the dark. It was very beautiful. Today I went on a free walking tour through Prague, but left an hour in because she gave a new meaning to the name free tour ( she couldn't speak almost any English!!). Walked to Charles Bridge, over and through the windy streets to the Praszky Hrad, the castle on the hill. It was beautiful, and the best views of Prague from up there. I am writing this on my iPod Touch so it can't be a long one, but I am having alot of fun, besides the cold I caught on the way over. I think I might head over to the bone church soon. Its just outside of Prague.

More Pictures from Krakow

Krakow!

Hey everyone, sorry I haven't updated in a while but I've been quite busy here in Krakow. The night train from Berlin was quite nice and I met a Polish girl who was so sweet and helped me find my hostel. I slept in a couchette with 5 other people, stacked up like sardines. Of course I was on the top, and VERY squished. Slept well, and arrived to a rainy Poland. Krakow is the most aesthetically pleasing city I have been to so far, and the Old Town is pretty small and easy to walk throughout. The main market square is adorable, and it's big and filled with pigeons. The hostel is down Szieska Street, and down a little side street from the market square (ie. AMAZING location). The hostel itself is the BEST! I wasn't too sure about staying at Flamingo hostel, as Berlin wore me out and toxed my body with all the drinking. Flamingo seemed like a party hostel and I was a little weary. When I got here however, I was pleasantly suprised and excited. The hostel is so clean and cute and new, people are SO kind and spoke some English (unlike the rest of Poland) and free breakfast never hurts! I am in an 8 bed room, comfy and very clean. They also did my laundry for free! How great is that!? The currency (Złoty) takes some getting used to, but everything was really cheap to buy. First day here, I wandered down to the old Jewish district (Kazimierz)with some new friends and went to the Jewish Museum there. Made me cry! Jewish district is intense to walk through, when you think about the fact that 60,000 jews once lived in that area, and 95% of that population were exterminated. I had a well needed shower and went to bed pretty early. Next day I got up and hopped on the bus to Auschwitz. I went by myself, and I didn't opt to go on a tour, because I wanted to experience it not herded around too quickly. It is about 2 hours away from Krakow, and I wrote in my journal the whole ride over. Because it was raining, I was the ONLY person on the bus...I had bought an umbrella, but left it on the bus. No turning back! Auschwitz I is the first camp, predating Auschwitz II (Birkenau). Auschwitz I has the ironic "Arbeit Macht Frei" (work makes you free) sign and it was a prison. Mostly Poles were killed here, but also jews, gypsies, etc. The execution wall was the hardest for me, as I found out at one point 144 girls were lined up and shot here, only one example of the people that met their end there. The
prisoners were first made to undress and await their deaths. The crematorium and gas chambers were also particularly hard because I knew that over 70,000 men, women, and children were killed in that room. It was just so difficult to actually stand in these areas and not break down completely. I took the shuttle bus to Birkenau. This is also called Auschwitz II, and it is the HUGE camp that everyone thinks of when they think of the Holocaust. The SS tried to bomb most of it when they were fleeing, but alot of it still stands. The death gate is where the trains would bring in cartloads of people to await death. Selection took place, and the reason there is great debate about the actual number of Jews killed is because many were not even
catalogued and tattooed with a number, they were sent STRAIGHT to the gas chambers. Most of the wooden barracks were destroyed, only the brick chimneys remain. I saw the barracks where up to 1,000 people had to stay, stacked on top of each other in appalling conditions. The gas chambers are mostly destroyed but they were able to kill up to 1,000 people at a freaking time. It was horrifying, to say the least. Worst of all is that many were told that they got to take a shower. There was an undressing room, and after being lead into a room with fake showerheads on the roof, SS soldiers dropped Cyclon B into the rooms through holes in the top. Awful. So anyways, after that I realized I had MISSED the last bus back to Krakow. Begin Super-Meltdown Number 2! Omigod. Okay so all the tour buses were gone, not a soul in sight, and I'm standing alone under Death Gate...it's raining and getting dark. I FREAKED right out. Luckily (God must like me) there was a lady there who ran the bookshop and offered to drive me to Oshwiencim to the train station there. After that I found that there was one single train leaving to Krakow. I was SO upset and emotionally raw, and broke down in this dirty, desolate and downright scary train station, completely alone where nobody speaks any english. I tried to buy a ticket, but the lady at the ticket station gave me the MEANEST look and slammed down her ticket booth when I spoke in English. I was soaking wet, scared and unable to buy a ticket for the train I needed to get home! I also only had 12 Zloty on me, and wasn't sure how much the train even was. Guardian Angel #2 appeared in the form of a Motherly old polish woman who was going the same way. She helped me out. She saw how cold and upset I was, but she spoke not ONE word of English. But language barriers were no problem, and she took my arm and gently walked me down the platform, pointing out things and getting me to repeat them in Polish. Train, Station, Sky, Bridge, Lamp, Floor, it was really calming for me after such an intense day. I spent almost 3 hours in that train station before the train came, and finally I said Dziekuję Dziekuję many times as I said goodbye to Elena, the women at the train platform. Needless to say, I slept in the next day and had a luxurious shower, cups of tea, and spent most of the day in bed, relaxing. I also had a massage by a Polish boy named Bartek, who was giving 2 hour massages for only 20 Zloty while studying Pysiotherapy. Pure bliss. I really needed it! That was last night. We went out to watch a soccer game championship at the Irish Embassy, Manchester United against Chelsea. It was so rowdy, I expected full on fights to happen! Today we went to Oskar Schindler's factory, the hero who saved somewhere around 1000 jews! It was amazing to be there. Today is also a national catholic holiday. Poland is over 75% catholic, and VERY catholic at that. I woke up to a choir singing. I guess they hold mass ALL DAY in the main square. I have never seen so many nuns in my whole life. It was awesome! The square was packed and it was a huge church service with lots of singing, everybody kneeling in their best clothes to pray, processions and sermons. Pretty crazy.I had pierogies and cabbage rolls, and today the hostel had free polish dinner! It was Polish soup with polish sausage mmmmmmmmm so yummy. In 2 hours I have to go catch my night train to Prague. I am in another 6 person couchette. This is the train where I pretty much have to keep one eye open all night, the so-called "death train". Eeeeeeeeek. I am sad to go, and I also couldn't umm....find a place to stay over the weekend in Prague. I have tomorrow night booked in the Czech Inn, but nowhere else. I will have to beg to stay at the Czech Inn. Anyways, that was long winded and I REALLY wish I could upload all the pictures and video, but no USB ports here :( :( :(

I love you all (Happy Birthday Nate and Lucas!) and I hope everyone is doing good! I will try to update more frequently, but these last couple days were obviously pretty intense.

Beautiful Beautiful Berlin

Hallo! I am sitting in a cafe in Berlin, watching youtube videos. Glorious, glorious, youtube. Anyways, I booked my train leaving Sunday night to Krakow. I have the top bunk of a couchette, so at least I can sleep! Train takes 12 hours. Anways, anyone who has facebook can check out my updated photos there (you have been warned that many are not that classy!) but my camera died before I could upload a couple here. I will definitely be coming back here cuz it is only 1 Euro per hour! So I am going to Krakow Sunday night, and a few of the people I have met here are also going to Krakow a few days earlier so I can meet up with them. Have met 3 people in Berlin from Calgary (small freaking world) and lots of other Canadians. I have been eating 2,50 donner im brods like a crazy women (there are more Donner Kebab shops than bratwurst or currywurst shops here). They really love this turkish delight! Mmmm so yummy! I went to a club last night called Weekend. It was on the 15th floor of this large commercial building and very posh. It was so much fun, I have never experienced anywhere like that before. Anyways, times up and I gotta go get my dancing shoes on.....there is another pub crawl tonight ;) Ich liebe dich!

Auf Wiedersen!

Mommmmaaa Ich Liebe Dich!!!

Mommmmmaaaaa, call me söön, like on Saturday? I love you and miss you. Plus it's like 2 euro cents a minute for me so we can talk for a bit longer this time, now that I know how much it is <3

Ich bin ein berliner

Guten Tag!

I am in the incredible city of Berlin right now, and am absolutely in awe. I am sitting in the main room of the circus hostel, surrounded by music and culture and lots and lots of beer. The hostel is great, save for a reeeeeeallly creepy guy in my dorm who is from panama and NOT cool. The hostel itself is amazing, I paid for 4 nights. When I wrote last, I was about to head to the Kinderdijk with Sar. It was great! We went through the dutch countryside and it was lovely. Windmills were really cool to see, we bought an ice cream and wandered. I got the WORST blisters of my life on Monday, worst ever. It was just awful, I couldn't walk at all! We went out for mexican food, random I know, but it was delicious and then we headed to Rotown, where we watched Rogue Wave play live. This was a great venue and a great live band. They started the show by randomly starting to play acoustic guitar in the bar, harmonizing and singing, and then stormed the stage and started playing. Lots of dutch hipsters, but not many spoke english. Next day I was heading to Cologne, so I went to get my rail pass validated at Rotterdam Centraal. I was waiting in line, (knowing full well my train left in a half an hour) and went up to the ticket lady. She checked my rail pass and had to write in the expiry date, only that she wrote in the WRONG FREAKING DATE! Next thing I know, she says I have to go to AMSTERDAM SCHIPOL AIRPORT where they have a eurail pass office and get a new pass because this one was no good. I immediately started to meltdown and told her I had to leave to germany in 15 minutes. No matter....she gave me a ticket to Schipol airport (first class high speed train) and some coffee vouchers. She felt SO awful, but there was nothing to be done. I ran crying through hourdes of people in the train station, carrying my big backpack and trying to make it to my platform. I'm sure many people in the train station felt pretty bad to see a travelling girl alone and so sad. I got on the train and eventually relaxed. I got to Schipol airport and waited, got the new pass, and waited for a different train leaving from Amsterdam. I hopped on and talked to a lesbian couple on the train to Cologne. They were heading to Sardinia, and I had a GREAT conversation with these women. I got into Köln Dom Hautbahnhof, and freaked out. The Dom was right outside the station. WOW! I found my hostel, and went to my room and showered. It felt so great after such a rough day. Plus they had TVs in the room so I watched a little german television. I went down to the kitchen and met a couple who had cooked a dinner. They invited me to join them and we ate pasta, steak, and red wine. Then we went out to find some Kölsch beer (famous in Köln) and we did. For 1EURO! yaaays. Earlier in the day I realized that a german highschool had taken over the hostel as they were on a field trip. All the german boys were so cute and sneaking drinks, and because I had a dorm room right next to them, they were playing high school games and knocking on the walls. It was pretty cute until I wanted to sleep. Woke up early next morning and the italian girls in the room had already left at 6am. So I got my things together and went to the Dom Cathedral. It was beyond words how big this thing was. I climbed the 509 steps to the top and looked upon Köln from the view of the south tower. Listened to some organ music and wandered within, finally deciding I better go to Berlin. Hopped on the train, and ended up at Berlin Hautbahnhof. This station was the most impressive I have ever seen. Got to the circus hostel, met some people and immediately went on a pub crawl. It was a hilarious and fun night, full of apfelshnapps, and absinthe. We went to 5 bars. The second one we went to was in an abandoned industrial building, it was full of art galleries, graffiti, and bars with views looking out over berlin. That is one thing about Berlin. Every square inch of space is covered in grafitti! It was a fun night and a good start to Berlin. Today me and my new friends went on a free walking tour of berlin. It was eye opening and I was even brought to tears when I walked through the memorial to the Murdered Jews. It was 4 hours long, and we went mostly through East Berlin obviously. I learned the history of the wall and of the soviet, british, and french influences in Germany. We walked past Humboldt university and the library square where they burned hundreds of thousands of books, Secret police headquarters and torture areas, checkpoint charlie and the largest surviving piece of the wall. Walked past the berliner dome, and I SAT right where hitler held his speeches in the square there. Of course, it is not decorated by swastikas anymore. It was surreal, Berlin is a city where the history is real, right in front of you. Shrapnel and bomb damage can still be seen in many buildings, bullet holes and reminders of the sordid past of it's people. I STOOD right where Hitler and Ava killed shot themselves in Hitler's old bunker (now just a patch of grass...it was bombed and bombed and bombed after the war to get rid of any trace of Hitler). Surreal. Walked past Nazi headquarters and to the Brandenburg gate. Walked to the Reichstag but didn't go in. Line was much too long! Tomorrow I will go there. The glass dome on top was opened not that that that long ago, and it was built so that the german people know what their government is up to at all times. Apparently it is an amazing view of Berlin, as well as the floor is glass so you can LITERALLY see what the government is doing...important now for Berliners. Seriously, I am so in love with the culture, style, and way of life of the Berliners, that I may never leave this city. I could live here. I wish I had someone I really know to share my excitment of this city with, but I am still having a great time. I am off to Krakow Sunday night I think, and I want to go the the Berlin Zoo tomorrow to see Knut, the polar bear (you all know about Knut, right!?) I was hoping this internet place would have USB ports so I could upload some pics, but the computer hubs are hidden in this place too! dangit. Soon enough, anyway. I am supposed to meet some people downstairs and they are probably well on their waý to having a good time since I häve been writing this, so I better go. But I will probably update once more before I leave Berlin......IF I ever leave Berlin. Much Love <3

Windmills and Tulips!

I'm in Rotterdam with Sarah Watson. We had a pretty intense night, lots of hilarious things going down...ending with me spending the night on a yoga mat. I am starting to miss my fluffy bed (it still better be fluffy when I get back!) Today the plan is to go to the kinderdijk and check out some windmills and tulips (Holland in a nutshell!). Not sure if I'm going to Germany tonight or tomorrow. I'll decide laterssssss.

Update!

I just booked my hostel in Berlin for next Wednesday! I'm gonna be staying at Circus Hostel. I heard it's pretty good.

Amsterdam musings

*Update* I added pictures yayyy!

Hallo! Hoe maakt u het y'aaaallz!

I am in the bibliotheek Amsterdam right now, and I have to say (sorry Airdrie Public Library!) that it is the MOST INCREDIBLE library building I have ever set foot in! It is huge and brand new. There are escalators and white ikea-ness things everywhere. Shelving is both circular and rectangular and it is set up with a massive circle overlooking the main area, flanked by computers all the way around. Computers are free to use and you don't even have to sign up. I'm in heaven. There is a cafe and exhibits, photography adorns all the walls and there are these massive lights that look like jacks (from the kid's game). So needless to say, there is no reason for me to feel pressured to go out on my last night in Amsterdam! I'm gonna hang out here ;) So lots of things have happened. On thursday I walked throughout the whole centrum of Amsterdam, walked along canals and little alleyways. I bought an ice cream and wandered around (wishing I could shop OMIGOODNESS!) I took a red light district tour because I figured that it would be the only way I could see it -- in a tour group. Plus then you get the history of the area. I am proud to say that I could be one of the last people to see the area, as a planned shutdown is scheduled for June. Who knows how true it is, but they have already shut down quite a bit of it. It was crazy to see the ladies in the windows, lit by blacklight and making eyes at every guy who passed. Funny because in the middle of it, in the area where there is the most activity, there is Oude Kerke (old church). haha seems that when the sailors came in to town, they could go and hire a lady (the going rate is around 75 canadian dollars right now) and then afterwards, confess their sins and go on their merry little way! After a guy decides on a prostitute, they will negotiate a cost through the window (I saw quite a few of these negotiations going on) and then she will close her curtain, turn off her red light and let him inside. The girls will rent the rooms for around 150 euros for an 8 hour shift. It was craziness. After the tour you get free shots of jaager (and then 1euro shots thereafter), and let's just say I had an interesting night with rad people I met (students my age - a nurse and a lawyer). It was great! Yesterday I went on a 3 hour tour of the city, had the first (and BEST) falafel ever, and then went to Anne Frank Huis. Amazing. I went back to Cat's place (but she was leaving for Berlin for the weekend, and left me her keys!) So now I am there alonnneeeee. But it's nice because I met alot of people through couchsurfing here, so I went out with them last night. I went to the Van Gogh museum this morning, and then went to the Oude Kerke which was showcasing the World Press photos 2008. This was intense and it was juxtaposed with the soberness of the church they were housed in. I guess the pictures travel around, one girl told me she saw them in Prague. Tomorrow I am heading to Rotterdam to visit Sarah Watson. I will stay for a couple of days and continue on to Cologne! I want to go explore this library some more :) My phone number is (this is the entire number you have to dial): 0031616393711 (it is now a netherlands phone number). I only have a certain amount of Euros on it right now but I think if I get a call from overseas it doesn't cost me very much. Keep in mind that I am like, 8 hours ahead of you guys though. I love you, family.

Amsterdam love.

I am having WAY too much fun in Amsterdam for my own good. The ferry over to Holland was straight up incredible, amazing big private room with fluffly blankies and new bathroom with an amazing shower. The boat was ridiculously opulent with a massive floor for having fun. There was a duty free store, different places to eat, and a fancy restaurant. There were internet rooms (not free) and a casino and arcade. It was pretty much amazing to board and then wander around. I met a man who freaked me out and I realized was trying to find where my room was (but don't worry because it's like a maze and I dodged him) and so when we pulled into Holland I was very careful to lose him in the station and get on a different train altogether. On the way to Amsterdam I met these hilarious gay guys (from Montreal) and we talked the whole train ride over. In Amsterdam we checked our baggage into some lockers and proceeded to spend the whole day wandering around and getting lost. Amsterdam is amazing! We went to a photography museum and had a beer before I said goodbye to them. I met Cat in a cafe and we went to a dinner party afterwards. It was a meet and greet for couchsurfers in a house on the canal. This house, I found out, was worth around 500,000 euros (close to a million dollars) We got there in time for dinner and afterwards went swimming in the indoor swimming pool. Then we hit the sauna and went back upstairs with a group of people. I had to pick up my luggage still from centraal station, so I borrowed a bike and Cat convinced her italian friend Gabriel to come with me to get my backpack. We had to RUSH because it closed at 11pm and we left at 10:55! I've never biked so fast through crowds of people, trams, bicycles and cars in my life. It was absolute CHAOS! We got my backpack and Gabriel carried it on the bike as we zoomed back to the party. After the party we realized that the metro was closed because it was too late, so we had to take a taxi back to Cat's place. She was so sweet and tried to cook me meatballs (a traditional dutch snack) but we were so tired and we fell asleep. I don't know what our plan is today, but it's going to be awesome I can tell. I hope everyone is doing good back in Canada, I checked and it looks like you have some good weather there now. I'm off to do my laundry in this student building <3

Bankssyyyyyyy

Cheers!

So ends my London adventure, as I leave tomorrow for Amsterdam by overnight ferry. We have had a crazy couple of days here! So where I left off last time, I was just about to head out for the day. We ended up going to Westminster Abbey and going to the Evensong service (which means it was free to enter!) Because we went on Sunday, it was not open to the public for viewing. To say it was amazing would be a COMPLETE understatement. It was purely UNBELIEVABLE to be inside. We got to listen to the choir as well as the massive pipe organ and it was a transcendent experience to listen to them inside the abbey. After that we checked out Big ol' Ben and the houses of parliament. After that we headed to a FREAKING BANKSY TUNNEL EXTRAVAGANZA!


Don't ask us how we found out about it, only know that we flipped RIGHT out and hopped on the next tube out there. We landed up on leake street for The "Cans" Festival and checked out this MASSIVE tunnel with a ton of stencil artists work in it. Just our luck that I'm in London for this momentous event EEEEEKKK I was so excited. It was the best day EVER. After that, we wandered around for a good while longer and came home very shleepy. Today we did Buckingham Palace (over it!). Green Park was beautiful and filled with young people (today was around 25 degrees) hanging out. Then we went to the Tate modern and checked out some modern art (it was mostly Carla and I wandering around looking puzzled at entire rooms filled with something hanging by a string, considered art).


We passed by St Paul's Cathedral and walked by Shakespeare's Globe Theatre (too expensive for me!) Carla (the crazy minx) decided to phone Yvan Rodic, the facehunter, bedause SOMEHOW she got his number. He is back in London tomorrow and is going to meet her for a drink somewhere (but I'm leaving waaah). Only Carla can get into these situations, crazy girl. I booked my ferry to Amsterdam today, leaving tomorrow. I didn't know it was going to be soooooo expensive :( It came to 70 pounds :( :( :( bah! But! It does include train from Liverpool station to Harwich, Harwich ferry to Hoek van Holland (including private cabin and shower with fluffy towels) and also my train from Hoek van Holland to anywhere in Holland. Oh WELL, I guess i'll suck it up. We've been living on sandwiches and snacks from Marks and Spencer, it is AMAZING for foodstuffs and it's really quite affordable (by London standards).


Tomorrow we have to check out of our hostel (waaah) and we are going to drop our stuff off at Carla's hotel until she can check in (around 2pm). Then we are going shopping down Oxford street until we have to say goodbye around 5pm. Having this free internet access was prime because I could upload all my piccies and update no problem. I don't know about A'dam however, but I'll try to update in a few days.
LOVE SARAH!

Spamalot!!!

Hi Guys, it's your friendly neighbourhood londoner here. We have had an AMAZING couple of days here in London (my feet hate me). After I posted last, we walked around Swiss Cottage and bought some fruit in a market. We wandered around and found me a cell phone (this one is pink too!)
Hmmm I don't really know what the phone number is right now, but I'll post it later just in case someone wants to be able to reach me. So we came back to the hostel and had the BEST afternoon nap I've ever experienced in my life. Sleep, glorious sleep! We woke up and made our selves presentable, then proceeded downstairs and had our £1 welcome pints. We met some med students on vacation before they start their residency and they were in the mood to party!


We ended up in bed at around midnight, still tired from the jet lag. My body, however, didn't take kindly to the strange sleep schedules and again decided it would be a good idea to wake up at 5:45am WIDE FREAKING AWAKE.



So AWAKE that I immediately got up to take a shower and get ready for the day. We had our deliSH free breakfast, and we were off to an early start! So today we headed down to the TOWER OF LONDON, where we had this Yeoman Warder tour that took us around the grounds where famous kings and queens were buried. We saw where Anne Bolelyn was killed and we saw TRAITOR'S GATE, walked around and saw the tower where prisoners were kept. I was so intrigued by all the carvings left by desperate prisoners from so long ago. We checked out Tower bridge and then hopped on the tube to Trafalgar Square. AMAZING!


It was absolutely incredible with all the people everywhere. We went to the national gallery and my favorite painting we saw was the Sunflowers by Van Gogh. We wandered down to piccadilly circus, soho, and leicester square. It was so much fun, but my tootsies are so sleepy. We ate at Pret a Manger, a chain of takeaway restaurants that specialize in organic sandwiches made with avocados and basil and pine nuts and all kinds of good ingredients. YUMMY!




We headed to one of the MANY theatres in theatreland and bought tickets to Spamalot! It was absolutely hilarious, I love a good musical. The seats were SO squishy, but we but $6 ice cream (hahaha oh noes) so it was okay. Back at the hostel now, totally knackered and ready for bed. I will hopefully be getting a full night's sleep tonight (fingers crossed). London is an amazing city filled with the most interesting and intriguing people. We people watched for hours.



Everywhere is so vibrant and historical. One thing I have noticed though, is there is not a single rubbish bin, ANYWHERE. Whenever I have to get rid of garbage, I have to search FOREVER FOREVER FOREVER for a trashcan. Unbelievable, it doesn't make sense that the tube stations are so clean because I don't know where everyone is putting all their garbage! Anyways, I have to go sleep in our adorable little fairytale bed (which we decided to stay for 2 more nights at, by the way) and sleep in a room with 22 other people (they weren't too happy when I rustled around at 5:45am...) I miss everyone dearly and will update before I leave London.