Paris
Hello family and friends! I am enjoying Paris very much, it is quite an adventure!! We have seen the main outdoor sights (Eifel tower, the arc, notre dame, bastille, and the louve exterior.) Tomorrow we will see Versailles and we will see the Louve and other museums when the weather is less pretty. I am very tired from a long day... but will update more on Paris once I can keep my eyes open for more than a minute. I love and miss you all!!
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| Alyssa and I shared a bag... bad idea |
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| Circus bar owner gave us drinks on the house! |
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| chilling in the park with some Parisian students |
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| and I thought the Vienna metro was big... |
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IN ADDITION:
I am now filling in the gaps that I failed to tell you all while I was traveling.
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| We started the journey with a Ryan Air flight from Bratislava to Paris (Alyssa and Stephanie) |
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| Met up with my good friend Sara for some dinner and French wine! |
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| Pont Des Arts (Lovers Bridge) |
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| Alyssa, Me, Steph on Lover's Bridge |
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| Sara and Me outside the Louvre |
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| In the Jardin des Tuilleres |
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| Eating the best Macarons in Paris (and my new fave dessert!) |
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| Stumbled upon a group of break dancing girls. So awesome! |
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| Climbed to the top of the Arc de Triomphe (Steph almost had a panic attack on the stairs!) |
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| Arc de Triomphe |
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| Being the Tower |
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| Sara, Steph, Me, and Alyssa in front of Eiffel Tower |
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| BAD TOURIST MOMENT: So I learned about the storming of Bastille in school when we learned about the French Revolution, but they never mention which buildings have historical ruins left and which do not. As I was looking over the Paris map I saw a large section of the city called "Bastille" and thought that must be where the old fortress was. Figuring I should go check it out or a take a tour or something, Steph and I got off at the Basille stop. We walked to where we thought it should be and saw nothing. We walked a bit down one street, and still not seeing it, asked a woman where Bastille was. "Just down that road" she said and hurried off. So we went back to where we were, dumbfounded. We walked all the way around this giant statue to see if it was off any side streets, and finally asked another man. He told us "You're here!" "Huh??" I answered, "THIS is it? You mean it's not actually a place you can tour?!" He laughed, "no it's just this area now." I felt SO dumb. So here is my picture of stinkin Bastille for you (above), in all its glory. |
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| Chateau de Versailles |
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| Chateau de Versailles- Hall of Mirrors |
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| Chateau de Versailles |
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| Chateau de Versailles |
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| Chateau de Versailles |
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| Chateau de Versailles |
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| Chateau de Versailles |
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| Chateau de Versailles |
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| Chateau de Versailles/ Triwizard Tournament |
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| Louvre! |
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| Louvre: top row: Code of Hammurabi, Shedu from 8th Century BC Assyria, Tomb of Ramses II, Venus de Milo, Me in front of Mona Lisa/ second row: Psyche Revived by Cupid's Kiss, , The Coronation of Napoleon/ bottom row: The Wedding Feast at Canna, Napoleon's Apartment, The Nike of Samothrace, the Mona Lisa |
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| Found the most amazing street in Paris: puppy shop, flower shop, puppy shop, flower shop... all down the street <3 |
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| The Motherland |
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| Notre Dame Cathedral! |
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| Notre Dame |
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| Au revoir! |
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Hola hola hola, ARRIBAAA!!!
Barcelona
Hola everyone! I've made it to Barcelona!!! I caught a cold in Paris, so the traveling today was not so good. We took a metro to the bus station in Paris, then a bus from Paris to the Beauvais airport, then a plane from Beavais to Barcelona, then a bus from the Airport to the city center, and then a taxi to our hostel! Whew! Paris was very nice, and I spent way to much money on food. That being said, it was some of the best food I ever had and we had free accommodation all week with Alyssa's friend Anne Louis. She was so sweet and we even had our own room!
The Louvre was amazing, but was the most exhausting museum I've ever been to. I knew it was big (which is better than Steph who thought it was just the pyramid with the Mona Lisa inside) but it literally took us an hour and a half to see 1/4 of ONE of the floors (there are 4 floors in the Louvre)!!! We had to change our tactics and prioritize the most important parts... it was insane. All in all Paris was very nice, but I am so excited for Barcelona that is wasn't that difficult to leave it this afternoon. Thank you Anne Louis for being so so nice to us, and thank you Sara for being so patient with our tardiness and being the best Paris tour guide ever! :)
The hostel I'm in now is really awesome so far. We are in an 8 person mixed-dorm, but the ppl we are with are all Americans studying in Denmark so that is nice! The place is very social but not too loud, has free internet and breakfast, and is located right in the center of Barcelona just off Las Ramblas. I can't wait to explore the city tomorrow! Bona nit!
IN ADDITION:
I loved Barcelona SOOOO much. It is by far one of the most amazing cities I've been to. It was so laid back, the people were so kind, and the sights were just amazing. Gaudi... bravo!
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| Road near my hostel leading to Barcelona Cathedral (Cathedral of Santa Eulalia) |
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| Barcelona Cathedral |
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| Barc.Cathedral: interior green space with palm trees & coi fish! |
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| Barcelona Cathedral |
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| Barcelona Cathedral: probably my fave I've been in |
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| Barcelona Cathedral |
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| Protests always find us.. i think these were Romanians |
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| Las Ramblas |
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| Fried prawns in Spain ≠ fried shrimp. Ew! |
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| ?!?!?!?!?! |
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| Cement lounge chairs perfectly positioned for "staring at the sea" aka monitoring the men's fitness area |
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| Decided to have a photoshoot on Barceloneta Beach |
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| Final product...haha |
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| Epic pose. |
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| Chomp chomp chomp. |
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| This man surprised us earlier when he strolled on by us, naked, on the boardwalk! Yes, it is legal here! |
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| Boqueria Market: the good |
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| Boqueria Market: the bad |
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| Boqueria Market: the ugly |
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| Ciutadella |
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| Parc Guell |
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| Parc Guell |
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| Park Guell |
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| Parc Guell |
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| Parc Guell |
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| Sagrada Familia |
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| Sagrada Familia |
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| Spanish Easter Tradition involving Palms for Palm Sunday |
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| La Pedrera |
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| Gaudi's inspiration for some of his designs: local natu |
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| Casa Batllo |
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| Casa Batllo |
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| Q: How cool would it be to go to the Ice Bar in Barcelona?! A: Too cool for any locals or even tourists. FYI... it's empty, and freezing. But hey, we did it! |
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| Now this is more like it! Barcelona pub crawl! (starting with Sangria!) :) |
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| Harry Potter shots, AKA flaming orange shots, AKA liquor, orange, and fire! |
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| Fellow pub crawlers |
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Mallorca
SO I've fallen in love... with Spain. The people here are so warm and the cities and towns are beautiful. Barcelona was a gem, and I'm down to my last night here in Mallorca, Spain before we leave tomorrow for Belgium. Mallorca is an island off the coast of Spain, and our hotel was just a block from Playa de Palma (a nice beach).
The first day we had to get up in Barcelona at 3am!!! Our flight left at like 6:30 from the Barcelona airport which is 45 minutes from the city center. It was a rough morning, and as soon as we arrived in Mallorca, we passed out. We went to the nearest beach that day and soaked up the sun for 3 hours. It was cold (for our standards) and windy, so we didn't realize the sun was kicking our butts, literally! I am now crayfish (as my Swedish friend Hanna coined) and it hurts to sit.
So, naturally, Alyssa and Stephanie insisted that we ride bikes down the coast the next day. The fact that my bottom was cherry red and hurt to even sit on my bed was enough to deter me from this plan, let alone the fact that I absolutely hate bikes and believe I must have severely abused one in a past life to deserve the cruelty those machines have dealt upon me. I was less than thrilled. Feeling defeated and unwilling to spend the day alone, I eventually gave in and decided to give it a try. I packed my band-aids, lathered up the sunscreen, and secured my hair back so that it would not interfere with my intense bicycling concentration. To my amazement and for the first time I can remember, I didn't get hurt an a bicycle!! We rode down a few miles to a cute little beach that had cocktails on the beach, parked our bikes, and enjoyed the sun (me with with a thick coat of spf50). We then rose a bit further and found a beautiful rocky area on the coast and climbed around and took pictures (despite the fact that we had to carry our giant beach bags and were wearing beach sandals). It was a very nice day.
Today was MY favorite day. I convinced Alyssa to go hiking with me, and so we set off on a journey towards the Castillo de Alaro, an old Castile ruin at the top of a mountain, although we weren't sure of it's exact elevation from the start. We left around noon, took a bus to Placa de Espana station in Palma central, then took a train to the Alaro train station, and then took a bus to Alaro central. Alaro is a very quaint town, and I greatly enjoyed our walk through the village on our way towards the castille hiking area. Everyone we met on the street actually RETURNED our smiles with a friendly "Hola!" and a smile back!!!! It's so nice to feel welcome in a strange place. I got to practice my very rusty Spanish several times asking for directions, ordering, and clarifying orders and directions for my friends. It was really fun. We got the feeling that we either looked like fat, lazy Americans, or many people don't hike to the Castile, because everyone we asked about it either warned us that it is just ruins or that it wasn't a short distance. The lady I spoke to just outside the Alaro bus station asked me if I was going "a pie" or "en carro", and after I answered "a pie" she looked at me like I was crazy, but told me the directions anyway... 10 km that way, follow signs. Sure! We pranced up to the hill, enjoying the scenery. We saw some mountains off in the distance and admired their size and beauty (not knowing that we would eventually be on top of one). Several people drove by and offered to drive us there, others just honked and hooted. I figured they must really enjoy adidas soccer shorts and ripped t-shirts in spain. We kept walking and following signs until it eventually felt like we were actually hiking. We kept going, and going, and going... and going. Probably about 6 times I was convinced we'd made it, only to see the trail acend into the heavens just around the corner. We soon found out that EVERYONE except us had rented cars, drove to a pouint about 20-30 minutes from the top of the mountain, and hiked the shirt distance to the castile. I had looked into renting a car the day before, but I had to be 23 they said. Stupid. Anyway we made it eventually, and while it could have been the intense physsical strain and altitude change that rendered me breathless, the views from the top were positively stunning. We could see all across Mallorca to the city of Palma and beyond. Totally worth the process that went into it.
I wish we had more days in Spain. I have found the people SO helpful. Always willing to help us lift our bags through the metro system (despite how skinny or busy they are), and always warm and friendly even though we are dumb American tourists. My favorite moment of the day was on the bus ride back from Palma to Can Pastillo (our stop). Our bus was crammed full of people, so many were left standing. I'm always on the lookout on buses and trains of people who may need a seat more than me, but in many big cities such as Vienna and Paris, I feel that I am pne of the only ones who does so. This is not the case in Spain. I saw several people give up their seats for older ladies and men to sit down, and even saw an older man insist and lady and her daughter take his seat. Everyone seems almost overly kind, and I find it so refreshing. I also noticed that people were actually social on the bus, smiling and conversing with those around them, unlike many cities I've been to where everyone looks geared up to attend a funeral. It probably has a lot to do with the fact that Mallorca is an island made of villages instead of big cities, but I also think it is a positive reflection on the Spanish tendencies towards openness and kindness. A simple "hola" and a smile makes the world a better place...
Up next: Belgium! We arrive in Brussels around 1 and are taking a bus from there to Bruges to meet up with our friends Inna and Hanna for a few days. We will be in Bruges for 2 days, Brussels 2 days, and then it's off to the Netherlands to see my friends finally!!
Adios Espana. Te quieo, y hasta luego!! (Fo sho!)
(I am doing well, and love and miss you all dearly!!)
IN ADDITION:
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I'm baaaaccckkkk!!! Sorry for the lack of updates but the end of my Easter break was quite busy and needed my full attention. I'm now getting back into the swing of things in Vienna, working hard on a new marketing project for class, and trying to brush up on my German that was lost do to my month of French, Catalan, Spanish, and Dutch speaking environments. So let me tell you about the rest of my Spring Break!
In Bruges!!!!
We then traveled to Bruges, Belgium to meet up with our friends Hanna and Inna. Bruges was BEAUTIFUL! It's one of the most well preserved Medieval cities in Europe, and was completely charming. We spent our time strolling down the cobblestone streets and eating waffles on the walls of the canals. We climbed up the Belfry tower which used to house the treasury for Medieval Bruges. It was a VERY long climb up in this tiny little spiral staircase that was both the entrance and exit to the tower. It is defiantly not for those who are claustrophobic, scared of crowds, or heights (sorry Steph). But I loved it! You could see the whole city from the top. We also visited the Basilica of the Holy Blood, a church that is believed to house the blood of Christ. It was a very neat church to be in, as they had holy prayer sounding music on which made the atmosphere nice. We found a nice bar to go to both nights and enjoyed sampling the amazing Belgian beers!
Brussels
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BACK HOME TO VIENNA
I was sad to leave the Netherlands and my friends... and to get back to real life...kind of. I was excited to be able to sit in my room and use a computer without feeling like I should be seeing one of a billion historical monuments. I was also excited to no longer be living out of a shared suitcase! One thing is for certain, I can now see that the world may be a very diverse place, but we are a lot more alike than most people think. I feel that through my travels, I have learned to understand and respect other people's cultures, how to communicate, and how to relate. As long as you have an understanding and a respect for someone, you can get beyond the surface to where we are all essentially the same.
Mallorca
SO I've fallen in love... with Spain. The people here are so warm and the cities and towns are beautiful. Barcelona was a gem, and I'm down to my last night here in Mallorca, Spain before we leave tomorrow for Belgium. Mallorca is an island off the coast of Spain, and our hotel was just a block from Playa de Palma (a nice beach).
The first day we had to get up in Barcelona at 3am!!! Our flight left at like 6:30 from the Barcelona airport which is 45 minutes from the city center. It was a rough morning, and as soon as we arrived in Mallorca, we passed out. We went to the nearest beach that day and soaked up the sun for 3 hours. It was cold (for our standards) and windy, so we didn't realize the sun was kicking our butts, literally! I am now crayfish (as my Swedish friend Hanna coined) and it hurts to sit.
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| Locking up the bikes turned into a 30 minute, messy affair... BUT I met some nice Germans! :) |
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| Steph's panorama mode is way cool. |
Today was MY favorite day. I convinced Alyssa to go hiking with me, and so we set off on a journey towards the Castillo de Alaro, an old Castile ruin at the top of a mountain, although we weren't sure of it's exact elevation from the start. We left around noon, took a bus to Placa de Espana station in Palma central, then took a train to the Alaro train station, and then took a bus to Alaro central. Alaro is a very quaint town, and I greatly enjoyed our walk through the village on our way towards the castille hiking area. Everyone we met on the street actually RETURNED our smiles with a friendly "Hola!" and a smile back!!!! It's so nice to feel welcome in a strange place. I got to practice my very rusty Spanish several times asking for directions, ordering, and clarifying orders and directions for my friends. It was really fun. We got the feeling that we either looked like fat, lazy Americans, or many people don't hike to the Castile, because everyone we asked about it either warned us that it is just ruins or that it wasn't a short distance. The lady I spoke to just outside the Alaro bus station asked me if I was going "a pie" or "en carro", and after I answered "a pie" she looked at me like I was crazy, but told me the directions anyway... 10 km that way, follow signs. Sure! We pranced up to the hill, enjoying the scenery. We saw some mountains off in the distance and admired their size and beauty (not knowing that we would eventually be on top of one). Several people drove by and offered to drive us there, others just honked and hooted. I figured they must really enjoy adidas soccer shorts and ripped t-shirts in spain. We kept walking and following signs until it eventually felt like we were actually hiking. We kept going, and going, and going... and going. Probably about 6 times I was convinced we'd made it, only to see the trail acend into the heavens just around the corner. We soon found out that EVERYONE except us had rented cars, drove to a pouint about 20-30 minutes from the top of the mountain, and hiked the shirt distance to the castile. I had looked into renting a car the day before, but I had to be 23 they said. Stupid. Anyway we made it eventually, and while it could have been the intense physsical strain and altitude change that rendered me breathless, the views from the top were positively stunning. We could see all across Mallorca to the city of Palma and beyond. Totally worth the process that went into it.
I wish we had more days in Spain. I have found the people SO helpful. Always willing to help us lift our bags through the metro system (despite how skinny or busy they are), and always warm and friendly even though we are dumb American tourists. My favorite moment of the day was on the bus ride back from Palma to Can Pastillo (our stop). Our bus was crammed full of people, so many were left standing. I'm always on the lookout on buses and trains of people who may need a seat more than me, but in many big cities such as Vienna and Paris, I feel that I am pne of the only ones who does so. This is not the case in Spain. I saw several people give up their seats for older ladies and men to sit down, and even saw an older man insist and lady and her daughter take his seat. Everyone seems almost overly kind, and I find it so refreshing. I also noticed that people were actually social on the bus, smiling and conversing with those around them, unlike many cities I've been to where everyone looks geared up to attend a funeral. It probably has a lot to do with the fact that Mallorca is an island made of villages instead of big cities, but I also think it is a positive reflection on the Spanish tendencies towards openness and kindness. A simple "hola" and a smile makes the world a better place...
Up next: Belgium! We arrive in Brussels around 1 and are taking a bus from there to Bruges to meet up with our friends Inna and Hanna for a few days. We will be in Bruges for 2 days, Brussels 2 days, and then it's off to the Netherlands to see my friends finally!!
Adios Espana. Te quieo, y hasta luego!! (Fo sho!)
(I am doing well, and love and miss you all dearly!!)
IN ADDITION:
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| FINALLY convinced someone to hike to Castell d' Alaro with me! sucker! |
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| The Castle |
I'm baaaaccckkkk!!! Sorry for the lack of updates but the end of my Easter break was quite busy and needed my full attention. I'm now getting back into the swing of things in Vienna, working hard on a new marketing project for class, and trying to brush up on my German that was lost do to my month of French, Catalan, Spanish, and Dutch speaking environments. So let me tell you about the rest of my Spring Break!
In Bruges!!!!
We then traveled to Bruges, Belgium to meet up with our friends Hanna and Inna. Bruges was BEAUTIFUL! It's one of the most well preserved Medieval cities in Europe, and was completely charming. We spent our time strolling down the cobblestone streets and eating waffles on the walls of the canals. We climbed up the Belfry tower which used to house the treasury for Medieval Bruges. It was a VERY long climb up in this tiny little spiral staircase that was both the entrance and exit to the tower. It is defiantly not for those who are claustrophobic, scared of crowds, or heights (sorry Steph). But I loved it! You could see the whole city from the top. We also visited the Basilica of the Holy Blood, a church that is believed to house the blood of Christ. It was a very neat church to be in, as they had holy prayer sounding music on which made the atmosphere nice. We found a nice bar to go to both nights and enjoyed sampling the amazing Belgian beers! |
| Shrine marking the location of Christs' blood |
Brussels
Next we went to Brussels which was basically as terrible as Bruges was nice, due partly to the people and partly due to terrible luck. Our first bought of bad luck was our hotel location. Yes, we could actually afford a hotel with one triple room and one double room for the 5 of us!! We were so excited. By the looks of the map it was a short walk from the Brussels North station, so we decided to walk with our luggage. Unfortunately, it was not that close and was completely up hill.
It was also in an area that made me feel like I had just arrived in the middle east. We were the only westerners anywhere we looked, and we were definitely treated as such. I hate getting bad assumptions of cultures, but all the boys we came across in this area were completely vulgar towards us, whooping and yelling at us and trying to grab us in their direction. It was very annoying and even creepy at times. I did get to go to the bar featuring the original Delerium beer, which was cool, but the experienced was soured by creepy guys trying to grab me and make me kiss them, and then yelling nasty things as I ran away in disgust. crrrreeeeeeepssss. One thing I have gained from the countless creeps I've enountered these past few months is that I am now very comfortable yelling "Ew you are gross!" "Don't touch me!" and "Go away!" to boys without hesitation. :)
As bad as this sounds, one experience in Brussels blows them all out of the water. We got up early because we only had one day to see the city. We finally found the right bus stop, got on, paid, it was crowded so we had to stand at the front. All of a sudden the driver blared his horn, slammed on the brakes, there was a massive thud, and we all fell forward towards the front of the bus. The bus stopped a few feet up, and then I heard several people screaming. I looked out the window and saw a man face down on the road right next to me with his body all contorted. The noticed that bus's windshield was cracked all around the collision point. We had hit a man. I stood there silent, freaking out inside, and shaking as we all watched the man, knowing he was dead. The police were called and the bus driver sat silent in his seat the entire time. Alyssa was running around in hysterics and I told her to not look and sit down. Eventually the guy showed some movement and a crowd of people formed on the street. It was terrible how dumb and nosy the people there were, coming up to the body with their whole clan of children to look at what had happened. After what seemed like FOREVER the police arrived and eventually a firetruck as well. They told us all to exit the bus, although many had already run away. Stephanie saw part of the collision of the man on the windshield so we thought we should stay in case they need a witness. It was crazy how no one asked if anyone saw anything, and soon we were the only ones still standing there to report what we saw. Someone else had to have seen just as much, if not more than we had. The man was taken away on a stretcher, and after what seemed like an hour, the ambulance finally took him away. Alyssa found an article the next day stating that the man was still in critical condition. I guess I'll never know the fate of that man, but I do know I will never forget it. The only thing positive I can think to have gotten out of this experience is that I am now an incredibly cautious street crosser, for good reason.
It was hard to go on as a tourist smiling in pictures after that, but eventually we opted for the hop-on, hop-off city bus tour so we could see the city in a laid back manner. It suited our needs quite nicely.
Next: We were on to the Netherlands to visit my Dutch friends!
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Queen's Day in The Netherlands!!!
At the end of Spring break we went to Utrecht to stay with my friend Raphie who was my Navigatee exchange student back at UF. We were there for nearly a week, but the time flew by. Raphie cooked delicios food for us and her roommates cooked us a traditional Dutch meal! They were all so nice to us, it's hard to not love the Dutch people. While in the Netherlands we noticed that all the boys our age wore their hair grown out and usually slicked back or tucked behind their ear. Not my favorite style, but they pull it off well. We also noticed that it wasn't a coincidence that my Dutch girlfriends at UF were very tall. I am a little person compared to the averaged sized Dutch man or woman, which helped Alyssa's ego a bit. The final thing I noticed about the Dutch people was how kind and respectful they were, for the most part. Coming from Brussels, it was a breath of fresh air to no longer be harassed around the city. Even Amsterdam was hassel-free!
One of our first days in the Netherlands we went to Amsterdam, which was 20-30 minutes from Utrecht by train. I loved it! It was the week leading up to Queen's Day, which is a national holiday in Honor of the Dutch Queen. AKA... a massive day of partying and fun-having. It was great! In Amsterdam the city was completely decked out for Queen's Day and the whole center of the city was full of carnival rides, games, and food. Alyssa and I rode this CRAZY ride that flips you around this massive pole HIGH above the city. It was spectacular! You could see the whole city while and have a massive adrenaline rush at the same time. Also while in Amsterdam, we saw the city, went to the sex museum, saw the exterior of Anne Frank's house, and strolled through the red light district. We heard it was sketchy at night so we went during the day. It was interesting to see women selling their bodies, they were definitely good at differentiating what they had to offer. I'm very glad that I will never be that desperate.
We also went to a Dutch amusement park called Efteling, where Raphie went as a kid. It was so much fun!!! It was all based off of ferry tales and had many rides that were similar to the rides like It's a Small World at Disney. The main difference was that the rides were more simple, there were no people dressed in plush character suits, oh yeah, and everything was in Dutch! I loved it!
We went to Maastrict in the south Netherlands for a day. It was a beautiful city, but it was hard to enjoy due to the rainy weather. We met up with Steph's friends Jan and Lukas and walked around a bit.
We spent a few days just relaxing with my friends Raphie and Imre. It was so nice to see my friends! The night before Queen's Day is cleverly called Queen's Night, which is when all the Dutch people go out, decked out in orange, to party. So we did, and it was fun. :)
For Queen's Day we went to the city center for the big festival. They had fun live music and everyone was dressed in crazy patriotic attire dancing and singing along. It was a blast! I was sad to leave my friends the next day, as well as Raphie's roommates who were so nice to us. We decided that we will have to take turns visiting each other for forever. :)
Next: We were on to the Netherlands to visit my Dutch friends!
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Queen's Day in The Netherlands!!!
One of our first days in the Netherlands we went to Amsterdam, which was 20-30 minutes from Utrecht by train. I loved it! It was the week leading up to Queen's Day, which is a national holiday in Honor of the Dutch Queen. AKA... a massive day of partying and fun-having. It was great! In Amsterdam the city was completely decked out for Queen's Day and the whole center of the city was full of carnival rides, games, and food. Alyssa and I rode this CRAZY ride that flips you around this massive pole HIGH above the city. It was spectacular! You could see the whole city while and have a massive adrenaline rush at the same time. Also while in Amsterdam, we saw the city, went to the sex museum, saw the exterior of Anne Frank's house, and strolled through the red light district. We heard it was sketchy at night so we went during the day. It was interesting to see women selling their bodies, they were definitely good at differentiating what they had to offer. I'm very glad that I will never be that desperate. 
We also went to a Dutch amusement park called Efteling, where Raphie went as a kid. It was so much fun!!! It was all based off of ferry tales and had many rides that were similar to the rides like It's a Small World at Disney. The main difference was that the rides were more simple, there were no people dressed in plush character suits, oh yeah, and everything was in Dutch! I loved it!
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| Library inside a Cathedral Maastricht |
For Queen's Day we went to the city center for the big festival. They had fun live music and everyone was dressed in crazy patriotic attire dancing and singing along. It was a blast! I was sad to leave my friends the next day, as well as Raphie's roommates who were so nice to us. We decided that we will have to take turns visiting each other for forever. :)
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BACK HOME TO VIENNA
I was sad to leave the Netherlands and my friends... and to get back to real life...kind of. I was excited to be able to sit in my room and use a computer without feeling like I should be seeing one of a billion historical monuments. I was also excited to no longer be living out of a shared suitcase! One thing is for certain, I can now see that the world may be a very diverse place, but we are a lot more alike than most people think. I feel that through my travels, I have learned to understand and respect other people's cultures, how to communicate, and how to relate. As long as you have an understanding and a respect for someone, you can get beyond the surface to where we are all essentially the same. 
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