Hi All,
I just boarded my plane for New York. First of all, let me say that Heathrow Airport puts JFK to shame. I was able to go from my plane to a shuttle bus to a different terminal, go through security, and get my new boarding pass in less than 45 minutes. The staff was amazingly helpful as well.
Well, I think it's time to look back at the last six weeks and my trip all over Europe. I started out in Dublin where I not only got to see a new city, but met about 15 family members that I don't remember meeting before. I also saw the towns that my Grandma and Pop-pop grew up in. Then, I headed to London and had dinner with my Dad's cousin and his wife, David and Joan. The following night, I saw a traditional London play, Blues Brothers. I then hooked up with my first tour, the AESU Graduation Tour, where I met people that I will keep in touch with for the rest of my life (we are already having a mini-reunion in July). Together, we took on London and saw a lot of things that I did not see my first time like the London Eye and the world's biggest department store, Harrods. From London we went to Paris via train where I had one of the most memorable lunches of my trip, in the upstairs of a cafe overlooking a piazza where an orchestra was playing. We then took the overnight train from Paris to Rome. In Rome, I returned to my second home. I met up with all the administrators from my study abroad program and had drinks with my old Italian roommate and Italian teacher. I also showed a few people around my favorite restaurants and hang outs in Rome. Half of our tour group left us in Rome, but the other half of us continued to Sorrento where we spent one night wandering the town and I tried buffalo meat for the first time. Then, we headed to Pompeii where I saw a part of the ancient city that I did not see last year. After Pompeii, we boarded a bus to head to the port where we caught a mini-cruise ship to Greece. We arrived in Patras, but went by bus and boat to the small island of Poros. After three days of pure relaxation and cruising (and sunburn), we headed to Athens where I climbed to the top of the cliff and saw the world famous Acropolis and Parthenon first hand. In Athens, I bid farewell to my new friends and prepared for a week in Italy on my own. I caught a flight to Reggio di Calabria where I met up with a few of my Italian teachers and classmates from Penn State who were participating in a study abroad program. I was able to walk down the main street with my Italian professor who grew up in Reggio and gained a better understanding for the "small town Italy" as he ran into friends from his childhood. Then, I went to Naples which I used as a springboard for the most beautiful part of my trip, the Isle of Capri. I took a boat tour around the island and was able to enter the world famous Blue Grotto. From there, I went to Florence where I met up with one more of my professors from Penn State. Then, I went to another new city for me, Milan, where I saw the famous Duomo and completed my renaissance art tour. In the span of four weeks, I saw the Mona Lisa, Sistine Chapel, Statue of David, and The Last Supper. Then, I flew to Berlin where I met up with my second tour, Contiki's Eastern Road, or as I call it, the "Communist" tour. We took a tour of the city that divided and then reunited the world. I also realized how crazy the tour was going to be as the Euro 2012 tournament was getting underway. Then, on our way to Prague we stopped in Dresden, the place that the Protestant religion was started. Prague was as beautiful as I remembered it and I was able to see the Jewish museum which had the names of all 67,000 Jews sent to the concentration and death camps from Prague. We then moved onto Vienna with a stop at Kutna Hora on the way to see the infamous bone church. Vienna reminded me of Disney World with its pristine parks and amazing food, specifically the Sacher Torte. Budapest reminded me a bit of Rome and we sailed down the river for a dinner cruise with the best goulash I've ever had. After Budapest, we made a pit stop in a small town of Slovakia where we saw the square where the townspeople prayed they would be saved from the Black Death. Then, we moved onto Krakow where I wandered the streets of the Old Town and visited Oscar Schindler's factory. On our way to Warsaw, we made a very somber stop at Auschwitz, something I will remember for the rest of my life. Then, we made one more stop at Czechestowa which is home to the famous pilgrimage site of the Black Madonna. Finally, my tour ended in Warsaw, home of the Euro 2012 tournament.
The total distance I traveled from New York to New York is a 14,856 miles!
It was an amazing trip. I saw things that many people do not see during the course of their whole life. It was definitely the opportunity of a lifetime.
Michael
Friday, June 22, 2012
Last Night in Europe & Flight #1
Hi All,
I'm currently flying from Warsaw to London. I can't believe that my trip is actually over. It was an amazing experience.
Last night, we had dinner in a traditional Polish restaurant where I tried a few things for the first time - none of which were my cup of tea. I'm happy I tried them, though, because now I know for the future. First, we had a mushroom and onion stew. I have tried mushrooms before and can tolerate them in moderation, but every bite was filled with mushrooms. Then, I had duck. I have NEVER had duck. It was okay, but I really don't like dark meat. Now I know what it tastes like and that, if I need to, I can eat it. Then, we had a dessert that tasted like butter cake. My sweet tooth got the best of me and I ate the whole thing.
After dinner, the group went out to a local beer garden, but I went back to the hotel since I had to wake up at 4:15 AM for my cab to the airport. Instead, I sat in the hotel restaurant and talked with a girl on my tour that decided to have an easy night as well. She's off to Russia next. I'd love to do that trip sometime soon!
This morning, I woke up and met my friends and we headed to the airport. We got to the airport by 5:20 AM and I was through security by 5:40 AM. I grabbed a coffee and donuts for breakfast and headed to my gate. My flight departed on time, so I'm happy.
The Warsaw airport itself, for me, seems to be a communist era airport. The colors were very plain and there was minimal extravagance. There was not a lot of space for stores. That was just my observation though.
I also forgot to write in my post last time that it is absolutely amazing and a testament to the Polish people that their language survived. They were occupied for a period of over 100 years in which they had to speak either Russian or German. Polish was not allowed. That was a very impressive fact that I learned yesterday.
Michael
I'm currently flying from Warsaw to London. I can't believe that my trip is actually over. It was an amazing experience.
Last night, we had dinner in a traditional Polish restaurant where I tried a few things for the first time - none of which were my cup of tea. I'm happy I tried them, though, because now I know for the future. First, we had a mushroom and onion stew. I have tried mushrooms before and can tolerate them in moderation, but every bite was filled with mushrooms. Then, I had duck. I have NEVER had duck. It was okay, but I really don't like dark meat. Now I know what it tastes like and that, if I need to, I can eat it. Then, we had a dessert that tasted like butter cake. My sweet tooth got the best of me and I ate the whole thing.
After dinner, the group went out to a local beer garden, but I went back to the hotel since I had to wake up at 4:15 AM for my cab to the airport. Instead, I sat in the hotel restaurant and talked with a girl on my tour that decided to have an easy night as well. She's off to Russia next. I'd love to do that trip sometime soon!
This morning, I woke up and met my friends and we headed to the airport. We got to the airport by 5:20 AM and I was through security by 5:40 AM. I grabbed a coffee and donuts for breakfast and headed to my gate. My flight departed on time, so I'm happy.
The Warsaw airport itself, for me, seems to be a communist era airport. The colors were very plain and there was minimal extravagance. There was not a lot of space for stores. That was just my observation though.
I also forgot to write in my post last time that it is absolutely amazing and a testament to the Polish people that their language survived. They were occupied for a period of over 100 years in which they had to speak either Russian or German. Polish was not allowed. That was a very impressive fact that I learned yesterday.
Michael
Wednesday, June 20, 2012
Off to the Airport
Hi All,
I`m sitting in my hotel lobby in Warsaw waiting for my friends to get down and take a taxi with me to the airport. I will have more reflections and an update of my dinner last night, but I am officially on my way home.
Michael
I`m sitting in my hotel lobby in Warsaw waiting for my friends to get down and take a taxi with me to the airport. I will have more reflections and an update of my dinner last night, but I am officially on my way home.
Michael
Warsaw
Hi All,
Today was my łast full day in Europe. We started out with a tour of Warsaw at 9:00 AM. Our tour guide was very monotonous and did not provide a lot of stories to paralell what she was showing us. We did see the monument to Chopin, the fan zone for the Euro 2012 Soccer Tournament, and the old walled city of Warsaw. It was pretty short - only about two hours and a half.
I am honestly not a fan of Warsaw. For me, it is just like any other big city. I am not sure if it is because I did not have a great tour guide, but the city itself does not seem to have the same depth of history that I have come to expect from every other European city.
After our tour, we grabbed lunch at a restaurant near the old town square. It was not as good as I would have liked and the waiter was very rude. It was obvious that we were just another dollar sign to him. It was not what I had in mind for my lunch.
Then, we walked around the old town and grabbed a few souvenirs. I left the group and went to wander around somewhere else. Then, I ran into a few other friends and we sat down at a restaurant and waited for our bus to pick us up and bring us back to the hotel.
Tonight, we have one final dinner in Europe which is organized and paid for by Contiki. Then, I have a taxi to the airport at 5:00 AM for a 7:50 AM flight. I have a four hour layover in London, then I will be back in the states!
Michael
Today was my łast full day in Europe. We started out with a tour of Warsaw at 9:00 AM. Our tour guide was very monotonous and did not provide a lot of stories to paralell what she was showing us. We did see the monument to Chopin, the fan zone for the Euro 2012 Soccer Tournament, and the old walled city of Warsaw. It was pretty short - only about two hours and a half.
I am honestly not a fan of Warsaw. For me, it is just like any other big city. I am not sure if it is because I did not have a great tour guide, but the city itself does not seem to have the same depth of history that I have come to expect from every other European city.
After our tour, we grabbed lunch at a restaurant near the old town square. It was not as good as I would have liked and the waiter was very rude. It was obvious that we were just another dollar sign to him. It was not what I had in mind for my lunch.
Then, we walked around the old town and grabbed a few souvenirs. I left the group and went to wander around somewhere else. Then, I ran into a few other friends and we sat down at a restaurant and waited for our bus to pick us up and bring us back to the hotel.
Tonight, we have one final dinner in Europe which is organized and paid for by Contiki. Then, I have a taxi to the airport at 5:00 AM for a 7:50 AM flight. I have a four hour layover in London, then I will be back in the states!
Michael
Tuesday, June 19, 2012
Black Madonna & Warsaw
Hi All,
We have arrived at the final stop of my grand European tour, Warsaw. After our stop at Auschwitz, the bus was very quiet. We listened to a few songs like ˝Imagine˝ by John Lennon and really just reflected.
We then arrived at Czestochowa, home of the Jasna Gora Monastery which is home to the famous Black Madonna painting. The painting is said to have healing powers and is a main pilgrimage site for many Catholics from around the world. There was a mass going on, so we were only able to walk up and see it, say a prayer, and leave, but the church was pretty cool. It had rosary beads all over the wall as well as crutches and wheelchairs for people that were miraculously healed. Before you ask, no, I was not healed. My shoulder did, however, feel better, so maybe there is some special power. It was a great experience, though.
Then, we boarded the bus for another three and a half hour drive to Warsaw. We arrived at around 7:30 PM and checked into our hotel. I am taking it easy tonight, so I ate dinner at the hotel as I did not want to make the 30 minute walk each way into the city center for dinner.
Tomorrow, we have a coach tour of the city with four hours free time. Then, we have our last dinner.
On a side note, the Euro 2012 is being held in Warsaw, so the place is crawling with tourists. It will be packed tomorrow, but it has been an absolutely amazing experience to be in Europe and especially Poland during the tournament. Every country is proudly showing their colors and rooting for their home team. It is very cool!
Michael
We have arrived at the final stop of my grand European tour, Warsaw. After our stop at Auschwitz, the bus was very quiet. We listened to a few songs like ˝Imagine˝ by John Lennon and really just reflected.
We then arrived at Czestochowa, home of the Jasna Gora Monastery which is home to the famous Black Madonna painting. The painting is said to have healing powers and is a main pilgrimage site for many Catholics from around the world. There was a mass going on, so we were only able to walk up and see it, say a prayer, and leave, but the church was pretty cool. It had rosary beads all over the wall as well as crutches and wheelchairs for people that were miraculously healed. Before you ask, no, I was not healed. My shoulder did, however, feel better, so maybe there is some special power. It was a great experience, though.
Then, we boarded the bus for another three and a half hour drive to Warsaw. We arrived at around 7:30 PM and checked into our hotel. I am taking it easy tonight, so I ate dinner at the hotel as I did not want to make the 30 minute walk each way into the city center for dinner.
Tomorrow, we have a coach tour of the city with four hours free time. Then, we have our last dinner.
On a side note, the Euro 2012 is being held in Warsaw, so the place is crawling with tourists. It will be packed tomorrow, but it has been an absolutely amazing experience to be in Europe and especially Poland during the tournament. Every country is proudly showing their colors and rooting for their home team. It is very cool!
Michael
Reflections on Auschwitz
Hi All,
We just left Auschwitz and all I can say is wow. I honestly don't think it has sunk in yet. I am going to find a lot of difficulty putting what I saw into words, but I will do my best.
We started out by walking through the old "registration" building where the inmates names were switched out for numbers. It was surreal thinking that 60 years ago, all this was actually happening.
Then, we walked through two old converted barracks which now house exhibitions. We saw maps of Auschwitz and pictures that were taken over the first few months that Auschwitz was open. We then walked upstairs which really started to show the magnitude of everything. First, they had the blueprints and a miniature model of the gas chambers. You saw photos of the cremations. Inmates cremated the bodies of fellow inmates. In the Jewish religion, there is a belief that you will one day be reunited with your body. This is not possible when your body is cremated.
Then, we walked into a room with 20 thousand kilos of human hair that was shaved off of the heads of the murdered women. It was hard to look at, but I forced myself to. It is important to understand the magnitude of the Holocaust. We found out that the hair was used to make things like carpet. It was sickening.
Then, we walked down to another barrack where we saw a window filled with charred eyeglasses. Another room had a window filled with old crutches, prosthetics, and wheelchairs. Another with suitcases. Another with children's shoes. Another with adult shoes. Some rooms were massive. Others small. Just writing about it is hard.
Then, we walked to one of the barracks where we saw the chronology of the sleeping conditions. They started with just hay on the floor, then got mattresses on the floor, then came toilets over the buckets they were using, then came sinks. The average life span was two months for a woman and eight months for a man.
We then saw the gallows for those that broke the rules of the camp. There were many different types of cells. Normal ones with a bed, interrogation ones, death cells, and standing cells for four people where you had to stand the whole time.
Then, we saw the death wall where they had hangings and death by shooting squad. There were flowers everywhere. It was quite moving.
Then we passed the hospital where experiments were performed and saw more hanging posts. When the first people escaped from the camp, the whole camp had to stand on their feet for 18 hours. Many people died from heat stroke. Then, they implemented a rule that for every escapee they would randomly choose 10 people to starve to death.
Then came my "favorite" part of the tour - the hanging post for the Auschwitz Gestapo. He was hung a few years after the war. It's a very bittersweet thing.
Then, we walked into the gas chambers. They still smelled weird and I was sick to my stomach as I walked through them. Right next to the gas chambers were the cremation ovens.
They said that the Nazis were always trying to find cheaper methods to kill people because "bullets are expensive." It made me sick to my stomach.
Then, we boarded our coach and went to Auschwitz II or Birkenau which is the more well known Auschwitz. It is the one that the trains arrived at and where many people were immediately sent to death. Most people did not resist, even though they knew what was happening, due to sheer exhaustion. Some had been traveling for nine days.
We walked up to the top of the main guard tower and saw the whole camp. It was disturbingly large. Then, we walked to the bathroom house to see the conditions. There was no privacy. It was just big latrines and concrete benches with holes in them. The bathrooms were the place where people talked freely, found out news about the war, and traded for things on the black market. People traded shoes for bread. Good shoes meant you worked faster which meant you may be able to survive. The officers stayed away from the bathrooms because they smelled and were filled with disease.
Then, we had time to walk around by ourselves. I walked down the railroad tracks and saw one of the cars that prisoners were transported in. 60 people plus luggage for nine days.
The whole experience was unbelievable. It makes you think. Why were the Nazis able to gain so much power? How did so many people think it was a "good" idea? Does the human race truly have enough free will to deviate from the group and stand up for what is wrong? How bad were the conditions in post-war Germany to allow something like that to happen? Can something like that happen again? How do we stop the genocides going on in Africa right now? I honestly don't know what to think anymore. It will take me a while for my faith in humanity to be restored.
Michael
We just left Auschwitz and all I can say is wow. I honestly don't think it has sunk in yet. I am going to find a lot of difficulty putting what I saw into words, but I will do my best.
We started out by walking through the old "registration" building where the inmates names were switched out for numbers. It was surreal thinking that 60 years ago, all this was actually happening.
Then, we walked through two old converted barracks which now house exhibitions. We saw maps of Auschwitz and pictures that were taken over the first few months that Auschwitz was open. We then walked upstairs which really started to show the magnitude of everything. First, they had the blueprints and a miniature model of the gas chambers. You saw photos of the cremations. Inmates cremated the bodies of fellow inmates. In the Jewish religion, there is a belief that you will one day be reunited with your body. This is not possible when your body is cremated.
Then, we walked into a room with 20 thousand kilos of human hair that was shaved off of the heads of the murdered women. It was hard to look at, but I forced myself to. It is important to understand the magnitude of the Holocaust. We found out that the hair was used to make things like carpet. It was sickening.
Then, we walked down to another barrack where we saw a window filled with charred eyeglasses. Another room had a window filled with old crutches, prosthetics, and wheelchairs. Another with suitcases. Another with children's shoes. Another with adult shoes. Some rooms were massive. Others small. Just writing about it is hard.
Then, we walked to one of the barracks where we saw the chronology of the sleeping conditions. They started with just hay on the floor, then got mattresses on the floor, then came toilets over the buckets they were using, then came sinks. The average life span was two months for a woman and eight months for a man.
We then saw the gallows for those that broke the rules of the camp. There were many different types of cells. Normal ones with a bed, interrogation ones, death cells, and standing cells for four people where you had to stand the whole time.
Then, we saw the death wall where they had hangings and death by shooting squad. There were flowers everywhere. It was quite moving.
Then we passed the hospital where experiments were performed and saw more hanging posts. When the first people escaped from the camp, the whole camp had to stand on their feet for 18 hours. Many people died from heat stroke. Then, they implemented a rule that for every escapee they would randomly choose 10 people to starve to death.
Then came my "favorite" part of the tour - the hanging post for the Auschwitz Gestapo. He was hung a few years after the war. It's a very bittersweet thing.
Then, we walked into the gas chambers. They still smelled weird and I was sick to my stomach as I walked through them. Right next to the gas chambers were the cremation ovens.
They said that the Nazis were always trying to find cheaper methods to kill people because "bullets are expensive." It made me sick to my stomach.
Then, we boarded our coach and went to Auschwitz II or Birkenau which is the more well known Auschwitz. It is the one that the trains arrived at and where many people were immediately sent to death. Most people did not resist, even though they knew what was happening, due to sheer exhaustion. Some had been traveling for nine days.
We walked up to the top of the main guard tower and saw the whole camp. It was disturbingly large. Then, we walked to the bathroom house to see the conditions. There was no privacy. It was just big latrines and concrete benches with holes in them. The bathrooms were the place where people talked freely, found out news about the war, and traded for things on the black market. People traded shoes for bread. Good shoes meant you worked faster which meant you may be able to survive. The officers stayed away from the bathrooms because they smelled and were filled with disease.
Then, we had time to walk around by ourselves. I walked down the railroad tracks and saw one of the cars that prisoners were transported in. 60 people plus luggage for nine days.
The whole experience was unbelievable. It makes you think. Why were the Nazis able to gain so much power? How did so many people think it was a "good" idea? Does the human race truly have enough free will to deviate from the group and stand up for what is wrong? How bad were the conditions in post-war Germany to allow something like that to happen? Can something like that happen again? How do we stop the genocides going on in Africa right now? I honestly don't know what to think anymore. It will take me a while for my faith in humanity to be restored.
Michael
On Our Way to Auschwitz
Hi All,
We left Krakow this morning at 7:30 AM to head to Warsaw with what should be a very somber stop at Auschwitz. I honestly have no idea what to expect. I think it will be a very emotional four hours for the whole group. It is one thing to learn about something, read about something, and watch a movie about something. It is completely different to visit something. I am about to visit a place that some of the worst crimes of human history took place.
Michael
We left Krakow this morning at 7:30 AM to head to Warsaw with what should be a very somber stop at Auschwitz. I honestly have no idea what to expect. I think it will be a very emotional four hours for the whole group. It is one thing to learn about something, read about something, and watch a movie about something. It is completely different to visit something. I am about to visit a place that some of the worst crimes of human history took place.
Michael
Monday, June 18, 2012
Krakow: Day 2
Hi All,
We had a tour mostly on board of our coach with a few stops at 9:00 AM.
We first returned to the same place we went last night, the Jewish district of Krakow to see it in the daylight. We learned that the Polish government, specifically that of Krakow, held propaganda campaigns to get the Jewish people to move into Poland in the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries because they realized the Jews were hard workers which could help put the city and country on the map. Quickly, though, the Jews fell victim to the same type of hate they experienced all over Europe and eventually decided to move into an enclosed area of the city, the Jewish district. It was a prime piece of real estate as it was an island. When Hitler invaded Poland before World War II started, he forced all the Jews to move into the Jewish ghetto across the river in a much worse location. We also learned that the restaurant we ate at the night before was quite a famous restaurant and a few other stories about the old Jewish district. Now, there are only 150 Jewish people in all of Krakow. It is a pretty sad story.
After the Jewish district, we went to the Jewish ghetto where we learned about a Polish, non-Jewish pharmacist that owned a pharmacy in the Jewish ghetto before it became the Jewish ghetto. He elected to stay and operate his pharmacy and helped many small babies escape the ghetto by first chloroforming them, putting them in his small toolbox, and carrying them out of the ghetto. The children were then adopted by Polish families.
We then passed by Oscar Schindler´s factory and headed into town to see the Royal Castle. The Royal Castle was amazing. You would never know you were in Poland at all! It was almost like you were back in the middle ages walking around the grounds of a very wealthy estate. The actual castle was designed by an Italian architect modeled after many different castles of Northern Italy. I felt like I was back in Italy.
Then, we walked to the Old Town Square where we saw the beagle call. Legend says that a guard in a clocktower saw an incoming army approaching early in the morning and only had a trumpet to warn the public. His beagle call alerted the townspeople and they were able to fend off the attack. Now, every hour on the hour, a trumpet player plays the traditional beagle call.
After our tour ended, I grabbed lunch at a coffee shop with a few friends before heading back to Schindler´s factory. The factory has now been turned into a museum about the city of Krakow during German occupation. It tells the story not only of Oscar Schindler and his workers, but of the whole city. It was a pretty impressive museum and it was nice to see a somewhat happy story after being bombarded with depressing stories for the past two weeks during what I am calling my "Nazi and Communist Tour of Eastern Europe".
After the factory, we headed back into town to buy a few souvenirs and grab a refreshing smoothie. It was hot - about 95 degrees! Then, we met up with our group and headed to the famous Salt Mines of Krakow. We went 136 meters below the earth into the depths of the world famous salt mine. It was very impressive as they not only had salt everywhere, but they had pretty cool rooms, too. They had a bunch of life size displays showing how they mined the salt as well as a few huge rooms. There was a small chapel for miners to pray in and a full size church with amazing statues and engravings! I even saw an engraving of Da Vinci´s ˝The Last Supper˝! It was a very impressive tour. I was also happy because it was much cooler than it was above the earth. It was a great reprieve.
After the salt mines, we headed back into the Town Square to grab a bite to eat for dinner. A few of us decided to have perogis as they are a traditional Polish dish. I had never had perogis before, but they were pretty good. After dinner, we walked back to our hotel.
I really enjoyed Krakow. I did not know what exactly to expect, but I think that makes it exciting. Everything is a surprise. The city itself was not as dirty as I expected it to be and reminded me a bit of Rome. I am also in love with the exchange rate in Eastern Europe. Everything is so cheap!
Michael
We had a tour mostly on board of our coach with a few stops at 9:00 AM.
We first returned to the same place we went last night, the Jewish district of Krakow to see it in the daylight. We learned that the Polish government, specifically that of Krakow, held propaganda campaigns to get the Jewish people to move into Poland in the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries because they realized the Jews were hard workers which could help put the city and country on the map. Quickly, though, the Jews fell victim to the same type of hate they experienced all over Europe and eventually decided to move into an enclosed area of the city, the Jewish district. It was a prime piece of real estate as it was an island. When Hitler invaded Poland before World War II started, he forced all the Jews to move into the Jewish ghetto across the river in a much worse location. We also learned that the restaurant we ate at the night before was quite a famous restaurant and a few other stories about the old Jewish district. Now, there are only 150 Jewish people in all of Krakow. It is a pretty sad story.
After the Jewish district, we went to the Jewish ghetto where we learned about a Polish, non-Jewish pharmacist that owned a pharmacy in the Jewish ghetto before it became the Jewish ghetto. He elected to stay and operate his pharmacy and helped many small babies escape the ghetto by first chloroforming them, putting them in his small toolbox, and carrying them out of the ghetto. The children were then adopted by Polish families.
We then passed by Oscar Schindler´s factory and headed into town to see the Royal Castle. The Royal Castle was amazing. You would never know you were in Poland at all! It was almost like you were back in the middle ages walking around the grounds of a very wealthy estate. The actual castle was designed by an Italian architect modeled after many different castles of Northern Italy. I felt like I was back in Italy.
Then, we walked to the Old Town Square where we saw the beagle call. Legend says that a guard in a clocktower saw an incoming army approaching early in the morning and only had a trumpet to warn the public. His beagle call alerted the townspeople and they were able to fend off the attack. Now, every hour on the hour, a trumpet player plays the traditional beagle call.
After our tour ended, I grabbed lunch at a coffee shop with a few friends before heading back to Schindler´s factory. The factory has now been turned into a museum about the city of Krakow during German occupation. It tells the story not only of Oscar Schindler and his workers, but of the whole city. It was a pretty impressive museum and it was nice to see a somewhat happy story after being bombarded with depressing stories for the past two weeks during what I am calling my "Nazi and Communist Tour of Eastern Europe".
After the factory, we headed back into town to buy a few souvenirs and grab a refreshing smoothie. It was hot - about 95 degrees! Then, we met up with our group and headed to the famous Salt Mines of Krakow. We went 136 meters below the earth into the depths of the world famous salt mine. It was very impressive as they not only had salt everywhere, but they had pretty cool rooms, too. They had a bunch of life size displays showing how they mined the salt as well as a few huge rooms. There was a small chapel for miners to pray in and a full size church with amazing statues and engravings! I even saw an engraving of Da Vinci´s ˝The Last Supper˝! It was a very impressive tour. I was also happy because it was much cooler than it was above the earth. It was a great reprieve.
After the salt mines, we headed back into the Town Square to grab a bite to eat for dinner. A few of us decided to have perogis as they are a traditional Polish dish. I had never had perogis before, but they were pretty good. After dinner, we walked back to our hotel.
I really enjoyed Krakow. I did not know what exactly to expect, but I think that makes it exciting. Everything is a surprise. The city itself was not as dirty as I expected it to be and reminded me a bit of Rome. I am also in love with the exchange rate in Eastern Europe. Everything is so cheap!
Michael
Sunday, June 17, 2012
Budapest to Krakow
Hi All,
We left Budapest early in the morning to head to Krakow. We stopped for lunch in a little town in Slovakia named Banska Bystrica. During the black plague, a miracle happened and most of the towns residents were saved because they prayed in the square next to the church frequently.
It was nice to be able to eat in a "small" town. The place we ate at did not have menus in English, so we ordered by looking at pictures and randomly pointing. I had potatoes and a cheese platter. It was so cheap - only €6!
Then, we got back on the bus and headed for Poland. After getting a bit lost at the border, we finally arrived in Krakow at about 7:00 PM.
After checking into our hotel, we went to the old Jewish district of Krakow for an included dinner. We had a soup, chicken entree, and a dessert called Passover cake. The chicken was amazing and the Passover cake was good once you got past the weird texture.
After dinner, I went back to the hotel and collapsed!
Michael
We left Budapest early in the morning to head to Krakow. We stopped for lunch in a little town in Slovakia named Banska Bystrica. During the black plague, a miracle happened and most of the towns residents were saved because they prayed in the square next to the church frequently.
It was nice to be able to eat in a "small" town. The place we ate at did not have menus in English, so we ordered by looking at pictures and randomly pointing. I had potatoes and a cheese platter. It was so cheap - only €6!
Then, we got back on the bus and headed for Poland. After getting a bit lost at the border, we finally arrived in Krakow at about 7:00 PM.
After checking into our hotel, we went to the old Jewish district of Krakow for an included dinner. We had a soup, chicken entree, and a dessert called Passover cake. The chicken was amazing and the Passover cake was good once you got past the weird texture.
After dinner, I went back to the hotel and collapsed!
Michael
Saturday, June 16, 2012
Budapest: Day 2
Hi All,
I was able to get a pretty healthy sleep the morning of my second day in Budapest. I woke up at 8:00 AM for a tour of the Parliament which I have heard is the one thing you must do in Budapest.
We took the tram from the hotel to the Parliament building and went through their security. After about 100 steps, we finally arrived in the main hall of the Parliament. The building was built out of all Hungarian goods (except for four columns which were a gift from Sweden) and was 100% built by Hungarians. It was a massive building with gorgeous stained glass windows. We were also able to see the crown jewels and the changing of the guards who guard the crown jewels.
Then, we saw one of the discussion chambers. The chamber was similar to one that I saw in the Italian parliament. After that, we left and our tour guide brought us to one of the famous squares in Budapest in front of the Saint Stephen's Church.
We went and grabbed breakfast at one of the restaurants near the square. Then most of us decided to go to the Museum of Terror, a museum about the Hungarian equivalent of the Stasi secret police during the Communist regime in Hungary and their methods of interrogation.
It was by far the best museum I have ever been to. Each of the rooms was so well done. At one point the room is a maze with information on the walls. You feel lost which parallels what the inmates probably felt. My favorite part was the elevator down to the gallows. You could not get down by stairs, only a very slow elevator with a television in the back of it. The television showed an interview with the custodian that had to clean the gallows. He described the different types of cells - normal, ones you couldn't sit down in, ones you couldn't stand up in, interrogation ones, etc. Then, he talked about the executions. It was very powerful. Then, you got off the elevator and saw everything he was talking about. Pretty scary.
After the museum, we met up with a few other people and went to grab a bite to eat for lunch. Then, I headed back to the hotel to rest for a few hours.
That night, we went to a place called Margaret Island for dinner. We ate at an outdoor place which had the soccer games on for the Euro 2012. Before I knew it, it was midnight so I headed back to my hotel.
I really enjoyed Budapest. It had a certain charm to it. It reminded me a bit of Rome. A very cheap Rome.
Michael
I was able to get a pretty healthy sleep the morning of my second day in Budapest. I woke up at 8:00 AM for a tour of the Parliament which I have heard is the one thing you must do in Budapest.
We took the tram from the hotel to the Parliament building and went through their security. After about 100 steps, we finally arrived in the main hall of the Parliament. The building was built out of all Hungarian goods (except for four columns which were a gift from Sweden) and was 100% built by Hungarians. It was a massive building with gorgeous stained glass windows. We were also able to see the crown jewels and the changing of the guards who guard the crown jewels.
Then, we saw one of the discussion chambers. The chamber was similar to one that I saw in the Italian parliament. After that, we left and our tour guide brought us to one of the famous squares in Budapest in front of the Saint Stephen's Church.
We went and grabbed breakfast at one of the restaurants near the square. Then most of us decided to go to the Museum of Terror, a museum about the Hungarian equivalent of the Stasi secret police during the Communist regime in Hungary and their methods of interrogation.
It was by far the best museum I have ever been to. Each of the rooms was so well done. At one point the room is a maze with information on the walls. You feel lost which parallels what the inmates probably felt. My favorite part was the elevator down to the gallows. You could not get down by stairs, only a very slow elevator with a television in the back of it. The television showed an interview with the custodian that had to clean the gallows. He described the different types of cells - normal, ones you couldn't sit down in, ones you couldn't stand up in, interrogation ones, etc. Then, he talked about the executions. It was very powerful. Then, you got off the elevator and saw everything he was talking about. Pretty scary.
After the museum, we met up with a few other people and went to grab a bite to eat for lunch. Then, I headed back to the hotel to rest for a few hours.
That night, we went to a place called Margaret Island for dinner. We ate at an outdoor place which had the soccer games on for the Euro 2012. Before I knew it, it was midnight so I headed back to my hotel.
I really enjoyed Budapest. It had a certain charm to it. It reminded me a bit of Rome. A very cheap Rome.
Michael
Friday, June 15, 2012
Budapest: Day 1
Hi All,
Budapest was amazing. We are currently driving through the somewhat sketchy countryside of Slovakia. It's really beautiful, though.
When we got into Budapest and checked into our hotel, I immediately sprinted to the laundry service wash to drop my clothes off. They washed them for me for 2700 forint (about €9). Then, I walked over to the famous bazaar which had everything you could want from a full food market to souvenir stands. It was huge!
After the market, I picked up my laundry and rested for an hour. Then, we boarded the coach for a three hour bus tour of Budapest. We saw all the sites from the famous statue to the fisherman's towers to the bath house. It was a pretty extensive tour.
After our tour, we boarded a boat for a nighttime dinner cruise on the Danube River. The food was phenomenal. My favorite was the traditional Hungarian goulash. They added a bit of paprika mixed with red pepper to give it an extra bite. The sites were beautiful at night. They were all lit up and it really was a sight to be seen.
After our river cruise, the bus dropped us off at a really weird bar. It had rabbit statues hung from the ceiling, weird pictures all over, and even an owl-woman-horse. I called it quits pretty early as I was exhausted.
Michael
Budapest was amazing. We are currently driving through the somewhat sketchy countryside of Slovakia. It's really beautiful, though.
When we got into Budapest and checked into our hotel, I immediately sprinted to the laundry service wash to drop my clothes off. They washed them for me for 2700 forint (about €9). Then, I walked over to the famous bazaar which had everything you could want from a full food market to souvenir stands. It was huge!
After the market, I picked up my laundry and rested for an hour. Then, we boarded the coach for a three hour bus tour of Budapest. We saw all the sites from the famous statue to the fisherman's towers to the bath house. It was a pretty extensive tour.
After our tour, we boarded a boat for a nighttime dinner cruise on the Danube River. The food was phenomenal. My favorite was the traditional Hungarian goulash. They added a bit of paprika mixed with red pepper to give it an extra bite. The sites were beautiful at night. They were all lit up and it really was a sight to be seen.
After our river cruise, the bus dropped us off at a really weird bar. It had rabbit statues hung from the ceiling, weird pictures all over, and even an owl-woman-horse. I called it quits pretty early as I was exhausted.
Michael
Thursday, June 14, 2012
Vienna: Day 2
Hello from Hungary!
We are about an hour or so away from Budapest, so I want to write about Vienna: Day 2 before we arrive.
Yesterday, we had a free day in Vienna. Since our hotel was so far away from the city center, our Contiki bus took us into the city at 8:30 AM. We arrived around 9:15 AM and walked into the middle of the "ring" area. We saw an amazing and beautiful palace and the place that the Spanish Horses perform. I have never heard of them, but they are apparently world famous.
We continued to walk and eventually we arrived in the main shopping area of the city. Our tour group had an entirely optional tour of Svowrski (I know I spelt that one wrong!) and we were able to look around. Since it is an Austrian company, this was their headquarters.
Then, the group split up. I met up with a few people and we went to have a coffee on top of a rooftop bar with amazing views of the whole city. The coffee was only €4 which is apparently cheap for Vienna. Austria is up there in terms of wealth with Great Britain and Germany, so the whole city is ridiculously expensive. The hotel wanted over €120 to do a load of laundry for me!
Back on topic now, after coffee I split up from the group and went to the Stephensdom, the main church of Vienna. It is a massive building and is absolutely beautiful inside. It was about the only place in Vienna that was completely overrun with tourists. I saw a flyer inside for a concert that the State College Area High School Choir will be performing in Vienna on June 18! Talk about a small world! For those of you who don't know, that is the high school next to Penn State!
Then, I walked back down to where the bus dropped us off so I could walk around part of the "ring" and take pictures. I saw a lot of beautiful buildings and parks. After that, I walked back to the main shopping area to buy my souvenirs. Then, I walked to the Hotel Sacher to have a cake that they invented. It was a chocolate cake with chocolate icing called a Sacher Torte. It was phenomenal. After my cake, I headed back to catch the bus to the hotel.
When I got back to the hotel, a few of us decided to use the pool, sauna, and steam room to relax a bit. Some of the people were surprised that the sauna and steam room were coed and that it was mandatory that you be naked. A few people cheated and wore towels. It was very relaxing, though.
After about an hour, I got changed and caught the bus back into town for our dinner and classical music concert at the palace we stopped at the night before, the Schönbrunn Palace. The dinner was pretty good and the concert was all right. I do not consider myself a classical music fan, but figured I would go for the experience. I saw about 95% of the performance, but had to take breaks every few songs because it was so hot in the concert hall. I lasted a bit longer than about half of the group, so I can't complain.
After the concert, I headed back to the hotel and went to bed.
Today, we have a bus tour of Budapest followed by a dinner cruise on the Danube River. It should be a lot of fun.
Michael
We are about an hour or so away from Budapest, so I want to write about Vienna: Day 2 before we arrive.
Yesterday, we had a free day in Vienna. Since our hotel was so far away from the city center, our Contiki bus took us into the city at 8:30 AM. We arrived around 9:15 AM and walked into the middle of the "ring" area. We saw an amazing and beautiful palace and the place that the Spanish Horses perform. I have never heard of them, but they are apparently world famous.
We continued to walk and eventually we arrived in the main shopping area of the city. Our tour group had an entirely optional tour of Svowrski (I know I spelt that one wrong!) and we were able to look around. Since it is an Austrian company, this was their headquarters.
Then, the group split up. I met up with a few people and we went to have a coffee on top of a rooftop bar with amazing views of the whole city. The coffee was only €4 which is apparently cheap for Vienna. Austria is up there in terms of wealth with Great Britain and Germany, so the whole city is ridiculously expensive. The hotel wanted over €120 to do a load of laundry for me!
Back on topic now, after coffee I split up from the group and went to the Stephensdom, the main church of Vienna. It is a massive building and is absolutely beautiful inside. It was about the only place in Vienna that was completely overrun with tourists. I saw a flyer inside for a concert that the State College Area High School Choir will be performing in Vienna on June 18! Talk about a small world! For those of you who don't know, that is the high school next to Penn State!
Then, I walked back down to where the bus dropped us off so I could walk around part of the "ring" and take pictures. I saw a lot of beautiful buildings and parks. After that, I walked back to the main shopping area to buy my souvenirs. Then, I walked to the Hotel Sacher to have a cake that they invented. It was a chocolate cake with chocolate icing called a Sacher Torte. It was phenomenal. After my cake, I headed back to catch the bus to the hotel.
When I got back to the hotel, a few of us decided to use the pool, sauna, and steam room to relax a bit. Some of the people were surprised that the sauna and steam room were coed and that it was mandatory that you be naked. A few people cheated and wore towels. It was very relaxing, though.
After about an hour, I got changed and caught the bus back into town for our dinner and classical music concert at the palace we stopped at the night before, the Schönbrunn Palace. The dinner was pretty good and the concert was all right. I do not consider myself a classical music fan, but figured I would go for the experience. I saw about 95% of the performance, but had to take breaks every few songs because it was so hot in the concert hall. I lasted a bit longer than about half of the group, so I can't complain.
After the concert, I headed back to the hotel and went to bed.
Today, we have a bus tour of Budapest followed by a dinner cruise on the Danube River. It should be a lot of fun.
Michael
Vienna: Day 1
Hi All,
We are on our way out of Austria to go to Budapest, Hungary. Our time in Austria was short, but packed with activities.
After arriving in Vienna we immediately took a coach tour of the city. All of the sites in Vienna are basically on the perimeter of something called "the ring" which is a four kilometer long road and sidewalk in the shape of a crude circle. We saw a few parks, the opera house, the Hapsburg Palace and a few other things.
We learned that Vienna was the capital of the Holy Roman Empire during its peak and that most people consider the Holy Roman Empire second in terms of power to the Roman Empire during each of their primes. The Hapsburg family brought the empire to prominence and had the first female ruler in European history. The reason they even needed a female ruler was because the Hapsburg's believed in keeping the bloodline very tight and only marrying relatives. This led to a lot of birth defects and one of the daughters was the only person mentally capable of ruling the empire. She was one of the best rulers and introduced things like a proper tax system and an education system for all.
Another interesting tidbit of information about Austria, in general, is that it declared itself eternally neutral after causing the first world war. This means that it cannot tear down statues of questionable figures. In Vienna, there is a statue dedicated to the man who created the forty hour workweek. He also happens to be the man that created the philosophy that Hitler followed – the world would be better without the Jews. I find it absolutely absurd that they will not tear down the statue. Neutrality is fine, but it sounds like the Austrians refuse to use their common sense when it comes to a simple issue like that.
Vienna is also where Hitler lived for a period of his life before rising to power. We saw the area of apartment buildings he lived in, ironically, next to a bunch of Jewish people. We also saw where he sold some of his artwork on the street. Finally, we saw the university that denied him acceptance to study art. We passed by the very stairs that he sat on and weeped after finding out that he was denied. As my tour guide said, it really makes you wonder - what if? What if he had been accepted? Would everything have been prevented? You really can't think like that, though. It's not healthy.
After our city tour, we stopped and saw the facade of the Schönbrunn Palace. Then, we headed over to a historic Schnapps Museum for a tour. The store attached to the museum itself has been used for a few movies as it still looks like it did over 100 years ago! They even have an American cash register from 1915 that has never been repaired and is still functional. The owner of the museum/factory gave us a tour. He was at least 80 years old, but was hilarious. We got to try a few free samples when the tour was over. My favorite one was cherry flavored.
After the Schnapps tour, we headed to our hotel and checked in. It was a business hotel about 30-40 minutes outside of the city center. The rooms were much more spacious than anything else I've stayed in in Europe. We had dinner at the hotel since there was nothing else around it. I had my second bowl of goulash for the day and one of the traditional Austrian desserts, Apple Strudel. It was amazing.
After dinner, I headed to bed.
Well, we just crossed into Hungary and are about to stop, so I'll write about my second day in Vienna after lunch.
Michael
We are on our way out of Austria to go to Budapest, Hungary. Our time in Austria was short, but packed with activities.
After arriving in Vienna we immediately took a coach tour of the city. All of the sites in Vienna are basically on the perimeter of something called "the ring" which is a four kilometer long road and sidewalk in the shape of a crude circle. We saw a few parks, the opera house, the Hapsburg Palace and a few other things.
We learned that Vienna was the capital of the Holy Roman Empire during its peak and that most people consider the Holy Roman Empire second in terms of power to the Roman Empire during each of their primes. The Hapsburg family brought the empire to prominence and had the first female ruler in European history. The reason they even needed a female ruler was because the Hapsburg's believed in keeping the bloodline very tight and only marrying relatives. This led to a lot of birth defects and one of the daughters was the only person mentally capable of ruling the empire. She was one of the best rulers and introduced things like a proper tax system and an education system for all.
Another interesting tidbit of information about Austria, in general, is that it declared itself eternally neutral after causing the first world war. This means that it cannot tear down statues of questionable figures. In Vienna, there is a statue dedicated to the man who created the forty hour workweek. He also happens to be the man that created the philosophy that Hitler followed – the world would be better without the Jews. I find it absolutely absurd that they will not tear down the statue. Neutrality is fine, but it sounds like the Austrians refuse to use their common sense when it comes to a simple issue like that.
Vienna is also where Hitler lived for a period of his life before rising to power. We saw the area of apartment buildings he lived in, ironically, next to a bunch of Jewish people. We also saw where he sold some of his artwork on the street. Finally, we saw the university that denied him acceptance to study art. We passed by the very stairs that he sat on and weeped after finding out that he was denied. As my tour guide said, it really makes you wonder - what if? What if he had been accepted? Would everything have been prevented? You really can't think like that, though. It's not healthy.
After our city tour, we stopped and saw the facade of the Schönbrunn Palace. Then, we headed over to a historic Schnapps Museum for a tour. The store attached to the museum itself has been used for a few movies as it still looks like it did over 100 years ago! They even have an American cash register from 1915 that has never been repaired and is still functional. The owner of the museum/factory gave us a tour. He was at least 80 years old, but was hilarious. We got to try a few free samples when the tour was over. My favorite one was cherry flavored.
After the Schnapps tour, we headed to our hotel and checked in. It was a business hotel about 30-40 minutes outside of the city center. The rooms were much more spacious than anything else I've stayed in in Europe. We had dinner at the hotel since there was nothing else around it. I had my second bowl of goulash for the day and one of the traditional Austrian desserts, Apple Strudel. It was amazing.
After dinner, I headed to bed.
Well, we just crossed into Hungary and are about to stop, so I'll write about my second day in Vienna after lunch.
Michael
Wednesday, June 13, 2012
Driving to Austria
Hi All!
We just crossed into Austria and are about to arrive in Vienna.
Last night, we met up for an optional Czech dinner with traditional music from the Bohemian region. The food was pretty good and the entertainment was interesting. It was a great experience.
After dinner, a group of us wandered around Prague in an attempt to experience the full culture of Prague. We called it a night relatively early as we had to wake up at 6:00 AM tomorrow to leave for Vienna!
Today, we stopped in a place called Kutnà Hora with a church with decorations and even the alter made out of bones. It was just a bit creepy, but reminded me of the Capuchin Crypt in Rome.
Then, we drove another two hours and stopped at the weirdest rest stop I've ever stopped at. It had a restaurant themed after King Arthur's Round Table and a whole kids theme park. It was very random.
Michael
We just crossed into Austria and are about to arrive in Vienna.
Last night, we met up for an optional Czech dinner with traditional music from the Bohemian region. The food was pretty good and the entertainment was interesting. It was a great experience.
After dinner, a group of us wandered around Prague in an attempt to experience the full culture of Prague. We called it a night relatively early as we had to wake up at 6:00 AM tomorrow to leave for Vienna!
Today, we stopped in a place called Kutnà Hora with a church with decorations and even the alter made out of bones. It was just a bit creepy, but reminded me of the Capuchin Crypt in Rome.
Then, we drove another two hours and stopped at the weirdest rest stop I've ever stopped at. It had a restaurant themed after King Arthur's Round Table and a whole kids theme park. It was very random.
Michael
Sunday, June 10, 2012
A World Divided. A World United.
Guten Tag!
I'm now in Berlin, my favorite European city outside of Italy. The history here amazes me every time I look around.
I got into Berlin two nights ago and stayed at an ultra-modern, brand new hostel. It was very inviting and amazingly comfortable.
Yesterday morning, I met up with a few people from my Contiki tour group that arrived in Berlin the night before. We bought tickets to go up the TV Tower, but I was turned away because their insurance company won't insure them if they let anyone with a disability up to the top. It's the same problem I had at the Eiffel Tower only they were much more polite and apologetic about it.
I waited for the others to get back down & we headed out to lunch. I had a currywerst which is a sausage with curry sauce on top. It is a Berlin specialty and was phenomenal. Then, we headed to our hotel which is ahold 20 minute subway ride then a 20 minute walk to our hotel. Pretty far away. It's a block away from the Stasi headquarters during the Cold War.
After checking into our rooms, we had our orientation meeting. There are 50 people on this tour! That's a huge group. Then, we went out to a group dinner which was included in our four. The bus took us to West Berlin, the allied side, where we ate in a German restaurant in a mall. The food was pretty good, though. I had German meatballs.
After dinner, we took the subway to the Brandenburg Gate and tried to find a place to watch the Germany v. Ireland Eurocup game. No luck, though. We eventually gave up and walked back to Alexanderplatz (by the TV Tower) to find a bar to hang out in. Then, we caught a cab back to the hotel.
This morning was a relatively early morning - we woke up at 8:00 AM and had to leave our hotel by 8:45 AM to take the subway into the city for our walking tour. I grabbed a large Dunkin Donuts Iced Coffee before our tour began.
The tour was essentially the same tour I took last time I was in Berlin. We walked from the TV Tower to an area with a lot of museums called Museum Island. Then, we walked down to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier (a pretty controversial building) before heading to the university Albert Einstein taught in. We saw the place that there was a large book burning when the Nazis came to power and the monument that is there today to commemorate it. It was a room of empty bookshelves set beneath the ground with a window from above. Then, we saw the street that used to be the main thoroughfare of Berlin before heading into the subway to see a subway station that was designed by Hitler. Then we saw the Brandenburg Gate, one of Berlin's most famous sites, and walked to the memorial to the victims of the Holocaust. It was a bit abstract - a bunch of concrete blocks of different sizes on a piece of uneven land. It is supposed to symbolize the insecurity the victims felt during the Holocaust when are walking through it. Then, we walked to the area that Hitler's bunker was and to the Air Force building of the German military during World War II. The building was turned into an office building for the Soviet government and was the site of a bloody riot against the Soviet regime. Then, we walked along the old Berlin Wall to Checkpoint Charlie where our tour finally ended. It was a long, but informational tour!
After the tour, a few of us grabbed lunch at an Italian restaurant before heading to a museum about German history. I only did the part of the museum from 1918 to today because I was exhausted! Then, a smaller group went to grab a cup of coffee and buy souvenirs before grabbing a cab back to the hotel.
Tonight, we have a Stasi themed bar tour which should be pretty fun, then tomorrow we are off to Prague.
Berlin is as amazing as I remember it. Just the thought that 25 years ago I would not be able to do what I just did today is astounding. We walked across the Iron Curtain. That's a pretty amazing experience.
Michael
I'm now in Berlin, my favorite European city outside of Italy. The history here amazes me every time I look around.
I got into Berlin two nights ago and stayed at an ultra-modern, brand new hostel. It was very inviting and amazingly comfortable.
Yesterday morning, I met up with a few people from my Contiki tour group that arrived in Berlin the night before. We bought tickets to go up the TV Tower, but I was turned away because their insurance company won't insure them if they let anyone with a disability up to the top. It's the same problem I had at the Eiffel Tower only they were much more polite and apologetic about it.
I waited for the others to get back down & we headed out to lunch. I had a currywerst which is a sausage with curry sauce on top. It is a Berlin specialty and was phenomenal. Then, we headed to our hotel which is ahold 20 minute subway ride then a 20 minute walk to our hotel. Pretty far away. It's a block away from the Stasi headquarters during the Cold War.
After checking into our rooms, we had our orientation meeting. There are 50 people on this tour! That's a huge group. Then, we went out to a group dinner which was included in our four. The bus took us to West Berlin, the allied side, where we ate in a German restaurant in a mall. The food was pretty good, though. I had German meatballs.
After dinner, we took the subway to the Brandenburg Gate and tried to find a place to watch the Germany v. Ireland Eurocup game. No luck, though. We eventually gave up and walked back to Alexanderplatz (by the TV Tower) to find a bar to hang out in. Then, we caught a cab back to the hotel.
This morning was a relatively early morning - we woke up at 8:00 AM and had to leave our hotel by 8:45 AM to take the subway into the city for our walking tour. I grabbed a large Dunkin Donuts Iced Coffee before our tour began.
The tour was essentially the same tour I took last time I was in Berlin. We walked from the TV Tower to an area with a lot of museums called Museum Island. Then, we walked down to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier (a pretty controversial building) before heading to the university Albert Einstein taught in. We saw the place that there was a large book burning when the Nazis came to power and the monument that is there today to commemorate it. It was a room of empty bookshelves set beneath the ground with a window from above. Then, we saw the street that used to be the main thoroughfare of Berlin before heading into the subway to see a subway station that was designed by Hitler. Then we saw the Brandenburg Gate, one of Berlin's most famous sites, and walked to the memorial to the victims of the Holocaust. It was a bit abstract - a bunch of concrete blocks of different sizes on a piece of uneven land. It is supposed to symbolize the insecurity the victims felt during the Holocaust when are walking through it. Then, we walked to the area that Hitler's bunker was and to the Air Force building of the German military during World War II. The building was turned into an office building for the Soviet government and was the site of a bloody riot against the Soviet regime. Then, we walked along the old Berlin Wall to Checkpoint Charlie where our tour finally ended. It was a long, but informational tour!
After the tour, a few of us grabbed lunch at an Italian restaurant before heading to a museum about German history. I only did the part of the museum from 1918 to today because I was exhausted! Then, a smaller group went to grab a cup of coffee and buy souvenirs before grabbing a cab back to the hotel.
Tonight, we have a Stasi themed bar tour which should be pretty fun, then tomorrow we are off to Prague.
Berlin is as amazing as I remember it. Just the thought that 25 years ago I would not be able to do what I just did today is astounding. We walked across the Iron Curtain. That's a pretty amazing experience.
Michael
Friday, June 8, 2012
The Last Supper & Tour of Milan
Ciao Tutti,
I woke up this morning at 8:00 AM for a tour of Milan that started at 9:30 AM. When I woke up, I could not find my camera battery and charger that I plugged into the wall last night. I searched high and low with no luck. The only thing I can think of is that when the person in the bunk above me woke up and realized he was late for his flight, which he was, that he accidentally packed my camera battery. Honestly, if that is the only setback of my six week trip to Europe, I can deal with it. My mom happens to need a new camera, so I'll buy one here and give it to her when I get back.
When I got to my tour, we got on a bus in front of the Duomo for five minutes just to get off. Then, we walked up to the Duomo and our tour guide said that the building took over 500 years to build and is a mix of different periods of art. It was initially funded by a rich family, but after two generations, the people of Milan funded it by themselves. They also built it in their spare time. A pretty impressive accomplishment. The whole square around the Duomo was built after Italy was united under one government, so it has a newer type of style surrounding it as well.
The inside of the Duomo was just as I remembered it from a few days ago. I wasn't able to hear everything the tour guide said because we had little walkie talkies that we were supposed to hold up to our ear. Not the best thing fir someone uses crutches and needs both hands to walk.
Then, we walked through the Galleria and learned that it was built to celebrate the unification of Italy. Milan was the capital of Italy until Rome was finally conquered and annexed 10 years later. The middle of the Galleria had artwork representing the four areas of the world at the time - Europe, Asia, the Americas, and Asia. It was the Italian way of inviting the world to join them in their new country.
Then, we walked to the opera house and saw their museum. I found out that the Milan opera was actually considered to be the best in Italy, so I guess I watched the opera in even a more historical place than I thought. We learned about the famous opera singers and writers including Giuseppe Verdi, the person who wrote the opera I saw two nights ago, Luisa Miller. He wrote operas with the intention of having them performed in the Teatro alla Scala.
Then, we got back on the bus and took a forty minute bus tour of Milan. Milan is hosting the 2015 World Expo, so they are in the middle of building lots of skyscrapers and two new metro lines.
We also saw the famous castle in Milan and the monumental cemetery where there are over 20,000 statues and monuments, hence the name. Apparently it is a site to see! I'll have to see it next time I'm here.
Our tour guide said that 60% of Milan was destroyed during the wars which explains how it is so much more modern than other Italian cities.
Then, we went to the whole reason I signed up for the tour, The Last Supper. It was worth it. The building it was mostly destroyed in the war, but the painting luckily survived. It is actually painted directly onto the wall, hence why it can't me moved to a bigger museum. Even in the faded state it is in, the painting is one of the most impressive things I have ever seen. I honestly can't put my finger on on exactly why, but I was absolutely absorbed by it. It was huge and life size. I felt like I was there!
Now, I can say that in this trip I have seen six of the most impressive pieces of renaissance art - the Mona Lisa, the Sistine Chapel, the Pietà, the Frescos of Rafael, the statue of David, and The Last Supper.
After the tour, I grabbed a bite to eat and headed back to my hostel. Now, I'm off to grab a tiramisu AND one final gelato as well as a new camera before I head off to the airport.
Michele
I woke up this morning at 8:00 AM for a tour of Milan that started at 9:30 AM. When I woke up, I could not find my camera battery and charger that I plugged into the wall last night. I searched high and low with no luck. The only thing I can think of is that when the person in the bunk above me woke up and realized he was late for his flight, which he was, that he accidentally packed my camera battery. Honestly, if that is the only setback of my six week trip to Europe, I can deal with it. My mom happens to need a new camera, so I'll buy one here and give it to her when I get back.
When I got to my tour, we got on a bus in front of the Duomo for five minutes just to get off. Then, we walked up to the Duomo and our tour guide said that the building took over 500 years to build and is a mix of different periods of art. It was initially funded by a rich family, but after two generations, the people of Milan funded it by themselves. They also built it in their spare time. A pretty impressive accomplishment. The whole square around the Duomo was built after Italy was united under one government, so it has a newer type of style surrounding it as well.
The inside of the Duomo was just as I remembered it from a few days ago. I wasn't able to hear everything the tour guide said because we had little walkie talkies that we were supposed to hold up to our ear. Not the best thing fir someone uses crutches and needs both hands to walk.
Then, we walked through the Galleria and learned that it was built to celebrate the unification of Italy. Milan was the capital of Italy until Rome was finally conquered and annexed 10 years later. The middle of the Galleria had artwork representing the four areas of the world at the time - Europe, Asia, the Americas, and Asia. It was the Italian way of inviting the world to join them in their new country.
Then, we walked to the opera house and saw their museum. I found out that the Milan opera was actually considered to be the best in Italy, so I guess I watched the opera in even a more historical place than I thought. We learned about the famous opera singers and writers including Giuseppe Verdi, the person who wrote the opera I saw two nights ago, Luisa Miller. He wrote operas with the intention of having them performed in the Teatro alla Scala.
Then, we got back on the bus and took a forty minute bus tour of Milan. Milan is hosting the 2015 World Expo, so they are in the middle of building lots of skyscrapers and two new metro lines.
We also saw the famous castle in Milan and the monumental cemetery where there are over 20,000 statues and monuments, hence the name. Apparently it is a site to see! I'll have to see it next time I'm here.
Our tour guide said that 60% of Milan was destroyed during the wars which explains how it is so much more modern than other Italian cities.
Then, we went to the whole reason I signed up for the tour, The Last Supper. It was worth it. The building it was mostly destroyed in the war, but the painting luckily survived. It is actually painted directly onto the wall, hence why it can't me moved to a bigger museum. Even in the faded state it is in, the painting is one of the most impressive things I have ever seen. I honestly can't put my finger on on exactly why, but I was absolutely absorbed by it. It was huge and life size. I felt like I was there!
Now, I can say that in this trip I have seen six of the most impressive pieces of renaissance art - the Mona Lisa, the Sistine Chapel, the Pietà, the Frescos of Rafael, the statue of David, and The Last Supper.
After the tour, I grabbed a bite to eat and headed back to my hostel. Now, I'm off to grab a tiramisu AND one final gelato as well as a new camera before I head off to the airport.
Michele
Thursday, June 7, 2012
A Cloudy Lake Como
Ciao Tutti,
I'm on my way back from Lake Como. Unfortunately, the weather hindered my enjoyment of the beautiful city and lake. I definitely need to come back, though.
It was very cloudy and foggy, so you could not see the tops of the mountain and the other towns on the lake were very hard to make out. There are supposedly a lot of beautiful towns that you can get to by boat from Como, but I decided not to try. I've heard that Bellagio is the most beautiful as it has amazing panoramic views of the lake. From the postcards I saw, it will definitely be worth a trip back here next time I am in Milan.
When I arrived in Como, I wanted to take a boat tour of the lake, but since the weather was iffy I just went to one of their piazzas and took in the scenery. Then, I meandered around the town for about an hour before trying to get into their beautiful duomo, but it was closed until 3:00 PM. I found a pretty cheap place for lunch in the small piazza in front of the duomo, so I ate while I waited. I had a pretty good dish of pasta in a pesto sauce and a water for only €7.50. I expected everything to be pricey because I was in Lake Como.
I finished my lunch with about 15 minutes to kill, so I walked around the perimeter of the duomo. It is a very intricate building. When I finally got inside, the building did not disappoint. It had the same structure as St. Peters, but smaller. The artwork was phenomenal and it had stained glass windows that looked like they were paintings!
After the duomo, I bought a postcard to send home and a pin for my collection. Just as I started to write the postcard it started to rain, so I packed up and headed for the train.
I think I'm going to take it easy tonight and not go anywhere. My hostel hosts a pretty impressive apertivo, so I think I will eat there. I also really need to watch Eurotrip. No trip to Europe is complete without watching that.
Tomorrow, I have my grand tour of Milan, then I am off to Berlin, my favorite city in Europe outside of Italy.
Michele
I'm on my way back from Lake Como. Unfortunately, the weather hindered my enjoyment of the beautiful city and lake. I definitely need to come back, though.
It was very cloudy and foggy, so you could not see the tops of the mountain and the other towns on the lake were very hard to make out. There are supposedly a lot of beautiful towns that you can get to by boat from Como, but I decided not to try. I've heard that Bellagio is the most beautiful as it has amazing panoramic views of the lake. From the postcards I saw, it will definitely be worth a trip back here next time I am in Milan.
When I arrived in Como, I wanted to take a boat tour of the lake, but since the weather was iffy I just went to one of their piazzas and took in the scenery. Then, I meandered around the town for about an hour before trying to get into their beautiful duomo, but it was closed until 3:00 PM. I found a pretty cheap place for lunch in the small piazza in front of the duomo, so I ate while I waited. I had a pretty good dish of pasta in a pesto sauce and a water for only €7.50. I expected everything to be pricey because I was in Lake Como.
I finished my lunch with about 15 minutes to kill, so I walked around the perimeter of the duomo. It is a very intricate building. When I finally got inside, the building did not disappoint. It had the same structure as St. Peters, but smaller. The artwork was phenomenal and it had stained glass windows that looked like they were paintings!
After the duomo, I bought a postcard to send home and a pin for my collection. Just as I started to write the postcard it started to rain, so I packed up and headed for the train.
I think I'm going to take it easy tonight and not go anywhere. My hostel hosts a pretty impressive apertivo, so I think I will eat there. I also really need to watch Eurotrip. No trip to Europe is complete without watching that.
Tomorrow, I have my grand tour of Milan, then I am off to Berlin, my favorite city in Europe outside of Italy.
Michele
A Night at the Opera
Ciao Tutti,
Before the opera yesterday, I went to grab a bite to eat at a restaurant near the theater that was highly recommended on TripAdvisor. The food was great, but very expensive. For a dish of gnocchi and a water, I paid €23. I just did not want to cut it close and make sure I had plenty of time to get to the theater.
The theater itself was absolutely breathtaking. It was like an opera house from the movies. There was a large section for floor seating and about seven or eight balconies, one on top of the other, around the perimeter of the floor seats. Each seat had a mini-subtitle screen in front of it with the option of following along in Italian or English. The seats were small and there was less legroom than we have on airplanes!
The opera itself was called Luisa Miller and it had many parallels to Romeo and Juliet. First, let me say that I somehow lucked out and got tickets for opening night.
Now, I'll try to summarize the story. Luisa is in love with a man named Carlo and intends to marry him. A man named Wurf, however, asked Luisa's father for his permission to marry her a year ago. Luisa's father said no because marriage should not be arranged, but by choice. Wurf is angered by the news and tells Luisa's father that Carlo is not who he says he is. Carlo is actually named Federico, the son of the Count, the despised ruler of the land. When Luisa finds out and confronts Federico (Carlo) about this, he says that his love for her is true and he disguised his identity just so he could be with her.
When Federico returns home, his father, the Count, tells him that he has arranged a marriage between Federico and the Duchess of Germany. Federico tries to tell the Duchess that he is in love with another women, but she refuses to listen. The Count then goes to Luisa's house to try to break up the marriage, but Luisa's father threatens to kill him and Luisa and her father are arrested. Federico threatens to tell everyone how his father really gained control of the land which compels the Count to grant Luisa, only Luisa, her freedom.
Luisa's father is then put on death row for trying to kill the Count. Wurm comes to Luisa's house and tells her that the only way to save her father's life is to write a letter saying she never loved Frederico, but she had discovered his wealth much earlier and was a status seeker. She also had to say she loved Wurm. After much internal debate, she decided to write it and save her father's life.
Wurm took the letter and sent it to Federico and brought Luisa to confess her "lies" to the Duchess of Germany, the woman that was supposed to marry Federico. Federico is shocked by the letter and, after some motivation from the Count, decides to marry the Duchess immediately.
Luisa then intend to kill herself and writes a letter to Federico asking him to do the same so they can be happy together in heaven. Luisa's father returns home and discovers the letter and convinced her to stay alive and tear up the letter. They agree to run away at dawn so she does not have to marry Wurm.
Federico then visits and poisons Luisa's drink. He asks her if she really meant what she wrote in the letter, that she was a status seeker, and fearing any retaliation against her father, says the letter was true. He then beckons her to drink (she does not know it is poisoned) and drinks it. Federico tells her it is poisoned and she tells him the truth. He wants to join her in heaven, so he drinks it, too. As she is dying, her father walks in and is distraught by the news. Then, Wurm and the Count come and, Federico, with all the strength left in his body, kills them both. Then, he dies as well.
If that's not a happy story, I don't know what is. The actual talent was phenomenal and the set was pretty cool. The whole stage was on an incline, just like the old Shakespearean plays. The Italians applaud much more than we do in the States. I actually heard a lot of people yelling "Bravi!" and some applause lasted for at least a minute! Also, the singers came out at the end of the first act as a group and took three bows. Then, at the end of the opera, they came out three different times as a group and took three bows. Then, they each came out and took an individual bow. For me, it was a bit excessive.
After the opera, I went to one of the only things still open at midnight, McDonald's. I am now embarrassed to report that I have had something from McDonald's in every country I have traveled to so far his trip. I did, however, find a first, the €1 menu! I had a hamburger and fries for just €2. Not bad at all.
Then, I headed back to my hostel and crashed. Now, I'm on a train on my way to Lake Como. Maybe I'll meet someone famous.
Michele
Before the opera yesterday, I went to grab a bite to eat at a restaurant near the theater that was highly recommended on TripAdvisor. The food was great, but very expensive. For a dish of gnocchi and a water, I paid €23. I just did not want to cut it close and make sure I had plenty of time to get to the theater.
The theater itself was absolutely breathtaking. It was like an opera house from the movies. There was a large section for floor seating and about seven or eight balconies, one on top of the other, around the perimeter of the floor seats. Each seat had a mini-subtitle screen in front of it with the option of following along in Italian or English. The seats were small and there was less legroom than we have on airplanes!
The opera itself was called Luisa Miller and it had many parallels to Romeo and Juliet. First, let me say that I somehow lucked out and got tickets for opening night.
Now, I'll try to summarize the story. Luisa is in love with a man named Carlo and intends to marry him. A man named Wurf, however, asked Luisa's father for his permission to marry her a year ago. Luisa's father said no because marriage should not be arranged, but by choice. Wurf is angered by the news and tells Luisa's father that Carlo is not who he says he is. Carlo is actually named Federico, the son of the Count, the despised ruler of the land. When Luisa finds out and confronts Federico (Carlo) about this, he says that his love for her is true and he disguised his identity just so he could be with her.
When Federico returns home, his father, the Count, tells him that he has arranged a marriage between Federico and the Duchess of Germany. Federico tries to tell the Duchess that he is in love with another women, but she refuses to listen. The Count then goes to Luisa's house to try to break up the marriage, but Luisa's father threatens to kill him and Luisa and her father are arrested. Federico threatens to tell everyone how his father really gained control of the land which compels the Count to grant Luisa, only Luisa, her freedom.
Luisa's father is then put on death row for trying to kill the Count. Wurm comes to Luisa's house and tells her that the only way to save her father's life is to write a letter saying she never loved Frederico, but she had discovered his wealth much earlier and was a status seeker. She also had to say she loved Wurm. After much internal debate, she decided to write it and save her father's life.
Wurm took the letter and sent it to Federico and brought Luisa to confess her "lies" to the Duchess of Germany, the woman that was supposed to marry Federico. Federico is shocked by the letter and, after some motivation from the Count, decides to marry the Duchess immediately.
Luisa then intend to kill herself and writes a letter to Federico asking him to do the same so they can be happy together in heaven. Luisa's father returns home and discovers the letter and convinced her to stay alive and tear up the letter. They agree to run away at dawn so she does not have to marry Wurm.
Federico then visits and poisons Luisa's drink. He asks her if she really meant what she wrote in the letter, that she was a status seeker, and fearing any retaliation against her father, says the letter was true. He then beckons her to drink (she does not know it is poisoned) and drinks it. Federico tells her it is poisoned and she tells him the truth. He wants to join her in heaven, so he drinks it, too. As she is dying, her father walks in and is distraught by the news. Then, Wurm and the Count come and, Federico, with all the strength left in his body, kills them both. Then, he dies as well.
If that's not a happy story, I don't know what is. The actual talent was phenomenal and the set was pretty cool. The whole stage was on an incline, just like the old Shakespearean plays. The Italians applaud much more than we do in the States. I actually heard a lot of people yelling "Bravi!" and some applause lasted for at least a minute! Also, the singers came out at the end of the first act as a group and took three bows. Then, at the end of the opera, they came out three different times as a group and took three bows. Then, they each came out and took an individual bow. For me, it was a bit excessive.
After the opera, I went to one of the only things still open at midnight, McDonald's. I am now embarrassed to report that I have had something from McDonald's in every country I have traveled to so far his trip. I did, however, find a first, the €1 menu! I had a hamburger and fries for just €2. Not bad at all.
Then, I headed back to my hostel and crashed. Now, I'm on a train on my way to Lake Como. Maybe I'll meet someone famous.
Michele
Wednesday, June 6, 2012
Rome + New York = Milan
Ciao Tutti,
Last night, I met a few people from around the world - Canada, Ireland, Scotland, England, Italy, and one from the US that now lives in Hong Kong. It was a lot of fun to talk with them and learn about different parts of the world.
This morning, I ran into the person I met last night from Italy. We decided to go out and see a few of the sites. It was a lot of fun as he lived in Milan two years ago. He spoke to me in English, I spoke to him in Italian. If was a lot of fun.
We went to the Duomo and walked around. It was only a 10 minute walk from our hostel! The church itself looks majestic from the outside and I'd the third largest church in the world! It owns the square it is situated on, even though it is next to the most famous galleria in the world, the Victorrio Emmanuale II Galleria. The church is all white on the outside and is adorned with thousands of statues. The inside of the church was even bigger than I expected. It was dark inside and the interior colors were very dark as well. It relied only on the stained glass windows as lighting during the day. I also walked downstairs and saw the "treasure" which was a bunch of different types of papal outfits, chalices, and crucifixes. It also had a grave. It was somewhat eerie.
After the Duomo, we tried to go see the Last Supper by Leonardo da Vinci, but the reservations were sold out. Apparently you have to make a reservation at least two weeks in advance as they only let 25 people in at a time to see it for a period of fifteen minutes.
Then, we headed back to the area of the Duomo and parted ways. I went to walk through the famous galleria. It was absolutely breathtaking - it is the model for many galleries throughout the world including ones I've been to in Rome and Naples. The detail in the upper levels was absolutely amazing.
Then, I walked back to the Piazza del Duomo to try and figure out how I could get in to see the Last Supper before I leave Milan on Friday. I searched on my iPad for about an hour before finally finding a tour of Milan that also visits the Last Supper. It made my day. Now, I will be able to see a lot more of Milan than I would have been able to see on my own, but I will also be able to gain a better understanding for the history of each of the places we visit.
After booking my tour, I went to the ticket office for one of the most famous opera hoses in the world, Teatro alla Scala, to see if I could get a ticket for tonight's show. I was able to get a deeply discounted ticket for an opera called Luisa Miller!
Then, I decided to take the elevator to the roof of the Duomo to look around. I've heard it is beautiful and it did not disappoint. It has over 1,000 statues on top and amazing views of the city. Even though I took the elevator, I still had a few flights of stairs to get all the way to the top after walking along the balconies of the Duomo. When did I ever let a few flights of stairs stop me, though. The stairs were worth the effort as the top was amazing. The only thing that stunk was the fact that there was a lot of scaffolding and half of the roof was closed off due to construction. It was still very cool as I was able to see the skyline of Milan, including a few skyscrapers. Milan really is a mix of Rome and New York!
After getting back down to the ground, I headed back to my hostel to get ready for the opera tonight.
I'll let you know how the opera is in my next post!
Michele
Last night, I met a few people from around the world - Canada, Ireland, Scotland, England, Italy, and one from the US that now lives in Hong Kong. It was a lot of fun to talk with them and learn about different parts of the world.
This morning, I ran into the person I met last night from Italy. We decided to go out and see a few of the sites. It was a lot of fun as he lived in Milan two years ago. He spoke to me in English, I spoke to him in Italian. If was a lot of fun.
We went to the Duomo and walked around. It was only a 10 minute walk from our hostel! The church itself looks majestic from the outside and I'd the third largest church in the world! It owns the square it is situated on, even though it is next to the most famous galleria in the world, the Victorrio Emmanuale II Galleria. The church is all white on the outside and is adorned with thousands of statues. The inside of the church was even bigger than I expected. It was dark inside and the interior colors were very dark as well. It relied only on the stained glass windows as lighting during the day. I also walked downstairs and saw the "treasure" which was a bunch of different types of papal outfits, chalices, and crucifixes. It also had a grave. It was somewhat eerie.
After the Duomo, we tried to go see the Last Supper by Leonardo da Vinci, but the reservations were sold out. Apparently you have to make a reservation at least two weeks in advance as they only let 25 people in at a time to see it for a period of fifteen minutes.
Then, we headed back to the area of the Duomo and parted ways. I went to walk through the famous galleria. It was absolutely breathtaking - it is the model for many galleries throughout the world including ones I've been to in Rome and Naples. The detail in the upper levels was absolutely amazing.
Then, I walked back to the Piazza del Duomo to try and figure out how I could get in to see the Last Supper before I leave Milan on Friday. I searched on my iPad for about an hour before finally finding a tour of Milan that also visits the Last Supper. It made my day. Now, I will be able to see a lot more of Milan than I would have been able to see on my own, but I will also be able to gain a better understanding for the history of each of the places we visit.
After booking my tour, I went to the ticket office for one of the most famous opera hoses in the world, Teatro alla Scala, to see if I could get a ticket for tonight's show. I was able to get a deeply discounted ticket for an opera called Luisa Miller!
Then, I decided to take the elevator to the roof of the Duomo to look around. I've heard it is beautiful and it did not disappoint. It has over 1,000 statues on top and amazing views of the city. Even though I took the elevator, I still had a few flights of stairs to get all the way to the top after walking along the balconies of the Duomo. When did I ever let a few flights of stairs stop me, though. The stairs were worth the effort as the top was amazing. The only thing that stunk was the fact that there was a lot of scaffolding and half of the roof was closed off due to construction. It was still very cool as I was able to see the skyline of Milan, including a few skyscrapers. Milan really is a mix of Rome and New York!
After getting back down to the ground, I headed back to my hostel to get ready for the opera tonight.
I'll let you know how the opera is in my next post!
Michele
Tuesday, June 5, 2012
Milan: I'm Lovin' It
Ciao Tutti,
I can honestly say that I am pleasantly surprised with Milan. After only being here for three hours, I think it is one of my favorite cities. It is an Italian version of New York or London. I could definitely live here. It is essentially everything I liked about Rome in a newer, more modern city.
The trains run on time, there's an extensive subway system, and it seems a bit cleaner than the rest of Italy. I also look a bit more like the people from Milan than the people from a bit further down south. All in all, I think I would fit in here pretty well!
My hostel is amazing, too. It's a 10 minute walk from the Duomo, a 15 minute subway ride from the train station, has apertivo at night, and the staff is amazing!
Tomorrow, I will try and take on Milan. I want to do everything so I can to day trips on Thursday and Friday.
Michele
I can honestly say that I am pleasantly surprised with Milan. After only being here for three hours, I think it is one of my favorite cities. It is an Italian version of New York or London. I could definitely live here. It is essentially everything I liked about Rome in a newer, more modern city.
The trains run on time, there's an extensive subway system, and it seems a bit cleaner than the rest of Italy. I also look a bit more like the people from Milan than the people from a bit further down south. All in all, I think I would fit in here pretty well!
My hostel is amazing, too. It's a 10 minute walk from the Duomo, a 15 minute subway ride from the train station, has apertivo at night, and the staff is amazing!
Tomorrow, I will try and take on Milan. I want to do everything so I can to day trips on Thursday and Friday.
Michele
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