Day 33: Last Day

Today was my last day on my European journey and it was a really fun day!

I spent the morning paddle boarding in the Mediterranean Sea and then I packed and got dressed for our final dinner together.

 

It was really nice and after we went to the musical fountain as a group where we then broke off. Some people went to the bar for one last night partying together and some of us headed back to the hostel to sleep before our early morning flights. 

This is my last blog post because tomorrow I am flying back to the US and saying goodbye to Europe. 

¡Adios Europa! Un buen viaje. 

Day 32: Exploring Barcelona with Friends

Today was an amazing day! (I will start with letting you know that I won´t be posting any pictures yet again, this time because I´m actually posting from a computer in the hostel lobby instead of my phone because I´ve been getting tired of always writing my posts out on my phone.)
Anyway, today I played hooky and didn´t go to the bus tour of the city with my group, instead going out again with my friend who is living here currently and her friend from Germany that she met here at the school she is studying at. It was so fun and I definitely got a very different feel for Barcelona than the rest of my tour group. We first wandered around for a little bit and then went to see La Sagrada Familia, a church designed by the famous Gaudi that is still being worked on.  It is actually very gorgeous and they are hoping to have it finished by 2026, so I guess I´ll be coming back in about 10 years to see the completed cathedral.  After looking at it from the outside we went to a few different Plazas and then stopped in a market to grab some bread, cheese, and plums for lunch.  We actually went to this gorgeous park (also designed by Gaudi) to eat our lunch and it was very peaceful and fun (until we got attacked by pidgeons because I accidentally dropped some cheese, whoops.)  After lunch and wandering around the park we went to meet up with another friend of my friend´s who actually gives really cool tours of Barcelona. So we caught up with him and he let us join his tour of the Old City in Barcelona, which was really cool. We got to see where the King and Queen of Spain lived during Columbus´ time and we saw the door that he would have gone to when he was trying to get funding from them.  We also saw this really creepy, but cool, place where the Spanish Inquisition was carried out. The creepy thing about it was that the place where the "judges" would stand was very high up in the room and you had to completely bend your head backwards to see it.  You really have to be there to understand, but it is just really crazy to think about the poor people that had to stand there and look upwards at the people that were going to decide if they were going to be killed for not being Christian or given a chance to convert. It was about this point in the tour when it began to rain and then it started to downpour and so we all ran for cover in a little pub.  It was actually really fun; there were a few of us from the United States, a guy from England, a guy from Ireland, two girls from Australia, a couple from Germany, and my friend´s friend who was our guide.  We all got some drinks (I got a hot chocolate because I was freezing) and we waited out the storm and played some fun games and got to know each other.  After the rain stopped we continued our tour and ended in what was the port of Barcelona, but is now just a fancy marina.  Here we went our seperate ways and my friend and I went to H+M so that I could get a new bikini top because the one I brought with me doesn´t fit and tomorrow I am going paddle-boarding.  After we found a top we went to see this amazing fountain that is gorgeous and changes colors and everything to music (I got some really good videos) and met up with another friend of my friend (she knows so many people here!). We all went for dinner and then I got on the metro and headed back to my hostel.  Actually it was kinda cool, while waiting for the metro a girl and her mother hesitantly asked me if I spoke English (which of course I responded with enthusiasm that I do) and then they asked for directions to a Plaza that I actually was in earlier today so I was able to send them in the right direction.
Well, I´m going to head to bed, I´ve got a big day tomorrow on the beach!

Day 31: Entering Barcelona

Today we took our last bus ride of the trip, heading from France to Barcelona. The ride was uneventful, we stopped for a bit at a mall and then arrived in the city around 3:30. Everyone got checked into their rooms and then headed out for a walking tour, except for me. I have a friend that lives here and so we made plans to go out and it was super fun! She met me at the hostel and we got some dinner and then headed to the apartment of some of her friends and just hung out for a few hours. Then I took the metro back to the hostel which was fun, I met this old lady and we chatted for a bit in Spanish about the history of Spain and it was super interesting and fun. Then a group of British tourists that were very drunk got on and they were a bit loud, but it was okay because they were only on for one stop. I finally got to my stop and then accidentally turned the wrong way when I exited the metro station. Luckily I noticed early on and iPhones continue to track you even with data and wifi off or I would have been very lost. But I was able to turn myself around and head in the right direction. 

Tomorrow I am getting together with my friend again and we are going to go to some places hat she says are essential to the Barcelona experience so I'm really excited. I feel like I'm going to get a much better feel for Barcelona by letting a person who lives here show me around. 

(Sorry no pictures in this post, it's 2:30am and I'm tired so I'm gonna head to bed!)

Day 30: Montpellier, France

Today we took another train from Paris to the much smaller city of Montpellier in the south of France. 

The train ride went well except for the fact that some of us were in a different carriage from the rest of the group (including our director) and we accidentally almost got off at the wrong stop. We had all of our luggage in the way as well so people that actually had to get off had to climb over it and around it. We all felt awful. Other than that though we were fine and the train ride went well. We successfully got all of our luggage and ourselves off in the 3 minutes we had at our stop, something I know we couldn't have done at the beginning of this trip. 

Once we arrived in Montpellier we got checked into our hotel, took showers, and then went into the main town for dinner.  Our showers only had cold water when we first got here because there was someone working on the water and so the hot water was turned off. Luckily I asked about it so I was able to inform everyone and tell them to wait to take a shower. Unfortunately a few girls didn't get my message in time and ended up taking really cold showers. 

Montpellier is actually really cute and another girl and I found a cute cafe to have some salads and then we went to a Godiva chocolate store to get dessert. We got these really good chocolate drinks that were cold and delicious. It probably wasn't good for my throat (I'm getting a cold), but it was good for my taste buds! I also picked up some chocolate for the bus ride to Barcelona tomorrow and the flight to Boston on Monday. 

We did also wander around a little bit and saw some cute little shops and buildings and statues. 

Now I am back in the hotel getting ready for bed, hopefully my cold goes away before Barcelona! (We are heading there tomorrow).

Day 29: Versailles and the Louvre Museum

Today we started by taking the metro and a train to Versailles, one of the places I was most excited to go to. We had an amazing tour guide and got to see the hall of mirrors and the Royal gardens. 

Unfortunately it was raining today so the fountains weren't on, but it was still gorgeous. I took so many pictures and it was such an amazing experience to go to the Royal Palace.  I honestly can't believe that people actually lived there, it was so large and ornate. 

After visiting Versailles we headed to the Louvre Museum which is amazing. 

There is so much to see and take in, I don't know how people do it in a short amount of time. I spent 20 minutes just staring at one painting and taking in the entire scene and the details.  Of course I did make sure that I had the time to go see the Mona Lisa because you can't be at the Louvre and not see her.  There were so many people that were waiting for pictures of the painting and it actually has its own room in the museum. I had to slip through a crowd of people to get a good photo. Everyone was taking selfies with the Mona Lisa (I didn't take a selfie because I personally felt that it would be weird) and it was really cool, but it seemed like no one was taking the time to look at any of the paintings in the hallway leading to the Mona Lisa room.  And there were so many good ones! Oh well, I got to enjoy them and that was cool. 

I did notice that there was a room off to the side for people who are blind or almost blind to be able to feel realistic copies of the statues with the names and explanations in Braille next to them. I thought it was really cool that the museum makes itself available for all and not just those who can see. Although, all of the explanations on the plaques were in French and the only way to get them in another language is to pay for the audio tour which kinda sucks. 

After I spent a few hours at the Louvre I went to find dinner. I actually found a cute cafe where I got a ham omelette and fries for a really good price and then I made my way back to the hostel to relax for a bit and go to bed early because tomorrow we have an early morning train to another town in France that I can't remember right now.

Day 28: Exploring the Wonders of Paris

Today we began with a bus tour around the city of Paris. We got to see so many things and it was so cool. 

The first thing we saw was the "gates" (more like mini versions of the famous triumphal arch that is in Paris) that mark where there used be a wall around the old city of Paris.  This was where people used to have to show passports and credentials to get into Paris when the city was much smaller.

Our tour guide told us that there is actually a rule that buildings can't be taller than the Eiffel Tower so at maximum they are 6 stories high. There is one sky scraper in the whole city that was built as an attempt to rival NYC, but failed miserably and ended up being the only one built.  

Next we saw the Old Opera House where the story of the Phantom of the Opera takes place. It is a beautiful building and the main entrance today was actually originally built as a private entrance for the Emperor Napoleon. 

After the Opera house we saw a hospital built by King Louis XIV for wounded soldiers that is still used today, mainly for veterans and as a French war museum. 

Fun fact that our guide told us: gas stations are small and slightly hidden in the city because they are seen as ugly and something that takes away from the beauty of Paris. You really have to look to find them, or know where they are beforehand. 

We also got to see the back of the thinking man statue as we were driving by. I tried to get a good picture, but it was hard because our bus was moving and it was behind bushes in a garden. 

After driving by the thinking man statue we saw where the tomb of Napoleon is and found out that it is all red marble and designed so you have to look down in and essentially bow in order to view it.  The tomb is actually in the same building as the hospital for soldiers.

There was a lot of traffic because a strike was going to happen and so streets were getting closed down so people could safely protest. Turns out we are lucky because the strike today is closing down Versailles, but is only going to be for today so we can go like we are planning tomorrow. Unfortunately though we were going to go up the Eiffel Tower, but the workers were on strike today so we couldn't go up it. 

At the end of the bus tour we saw the triumphal arch and the eternal flame for the unknown soldier.

After a few of us decided to wander around the city after and we ended up going to a place (I can't spell it but it sounds like Walmart with an 'M' kinda) that had a beautiful view of Paris.

Then we had lunch and went to the Shakespeare and Company bookstore, which is apparently famous and browsed books. I actually found one I was interested in and I took a picture of the cover to find a copy on Amazon when I get home. There was actually a cafe attached to the shop and I got a lemon pie and hot coco. The cafe was also right next to Notre Dame, so that was really cool.  I also made a bee friend, it just hung out next to my pie while I ate and we left each other alone. 

We then went back to Notre Dame to see the inside of the church and it was gorgeous! Unfortunately I couldn't take any photos though and I wanted to be respectful so I didn't sneak any.  

After we just wandered and shopped for souvenirs and got some crepes with Nutella and Peanut Butter that were AMAZING. Then we headed back to the hostel so that everyone could get ready to go to the cabaret, I wasn't going though because I didn't sign up for the event and didn't really feel like going because it was super expensive and I want to save my money for Barcelona. 

Tomorrow we are going to Versailles and the Louvre Museum and I'm super excited!

Day 27: Arriving in Paris

The Today we continued to our second to last country, the beautiful France. We began our day on the bus heading to Paris and actually stopped at one of the nicest gas station/truck stops I've ever been to in my entire life. There were little restaurants and 2 different stores for magazines and snacks and these cool vending machines that were for coffee and soups. And, as if it couldn't get any fancier; there was a hotel connected to it. I was impressed (it was also the first place that the bathrooms were free this whole trip - I'm getting a bit annoyed that I have to pay to pee.) 

After a quick pit stop we continued to Paris and actually ended up driving by the stadium for the Euro cup that is being hosted by France this year.  

We saw a bunch of people sporting their team's colors heading into the stadium (it looked like Ireland and Sweden were playing). We didn't get to stop at the stadium which kinda sucked and we just drove on to our hostel which isn't bad. We've definitely had worse on this trip. 

We got settled at our hostel and then went to walk around Paris before having a short cruise to see some major sites from the water.  We passed a building that had American flags with 2 large rainbow flags in support of Orlando, which really touched most of us and brought tears to our eyes. 

We continued from here to see Notre Dame Cathedral, which was super cool.  It is so big and so amazing in person, but I kept thinking about the Hunchback of Notre Dame.  

We also saw a really cool fountain for St Michel (the archangel that helped to expel Lucifer from Heaven).

For dinner I had some French fish soup, which was really good and surprisingly filling.  It honestly tasted like tuna fish.

Then we made our way towards the cruise and stopped at a little overlook with lots of locks and is apparently one replacement for the famous lock bridge that the French government had to take down because it was too heavy and the bridge was going to fall. 

The cruise was really fun and we actually saw a lot.  Our guide was really funny and he kept going back and forth between French and English, it was really cool.  We saw a bunch of different bridges, including the one that was donated to France as a gift from the Russian Csars to represent the friendship between the two countries.  We also saw the Eiffel Tower (of course) and most people were scrambling for good pictures.

Then we saw the Statue of Liberty in France, which is smaller than the original in New York and was a gift from US to France as a thank you for our Statue of Liberty which was made by the French. 

After the cruise a bunch of us wanted to go see the Eiffel Tower at night so we set off in the general direction of the tower and stopped momentarily at a cool Ferris wheel. It is actually at the corner of the square where the majority of people that were killed during the French Revolution were beheaded, including the king and queen of France. Since I just took a history class on the French Revolution I was excited to be in such a significant spot. 

After we finally got to the Eiffel Tower to see it lit up at night. Tonight it was actually lit up in rainbow colors and the soccer ball in the middle for the Euro cup had the American flag on it in solidarity with the US and Orlando, it was kinda cool. 

Now I'm heading to bed and we are going to get a bus tour of Paris tomorrow (today technically, it's 1:15am). 

Day 26: Bruges, Belgium (Chocolate and Waffles galore!)

Today we traveled to the town of Bruges in Belgium and it was a generally low key day.  The bus ride was very quiet (everyone was sleeping) and it rained a bit on our way, but wasn't raining when we reached Bruges which was good.  I did see a Belgium motorcycle gang pass us as we were driving and they had pretty cool jackets with "Outlaw Belgium" on the back. I didn't get a picture though because I couldn't get my phone out fast enough.  

As we entered Bruges we ended up having to wait for a bridge because there were boats going by so it moved to let them through and then moved back so we could drive across.  

The town of Bruges is actually really cute and most of the buildings seem really old.  We saw a couple old cathedrals and governmental buildings, but I don't really know anything about them because we don't have a guided tour here like with the other cities (we are only here for today and leave for Paris tomorrow morning). 

We did get to go to a chocolate museum though to learn about the history of chocolate, starting with the Mayans and Aztecs and going all the way up to how chocolate was made in Belgium and how it is made today.  

We also got a cool demonstration on how they make chocolate and got a few samples that were super good! 

There was also a quiz to find our chocolate match and mine is Milk Chocolate with some sort of caramel or hazelnut filling (so if you want to buy my chocolate, that's the chocolate most suited to me). 

After the tour I went out on a mission to find some waffles and I did! I got one with strawberries and it was covered in honey and really good, I don't think waffles at home will ever be the same again. 

Then I bought some Belgium chocolate at a local chocolate shop and I actually got to talk to the woman who made the chocolate I bought. She was super nice and we talked about how US chocolate isn't good and she told me that when she went to the US and tried chocolate it wasn't good and she ended up going to the store and buying ingredients to make her own chocolate for her family while they were in the US. I thought it was so funny and she assured me that the chocolate I had bought was 100% chocolate with no extra preservatives or anything like that.  

After I ended up heading back to the hotel room to get to bed early because the next 3 days in Paris are going to be non stop. 

Day 25: Biking Through the Dutch Countryside

Today was a super fun day; we got to go on a bike ride through the Dutch countryside.  It was so beautiful and our guide stopped at several different spots so we could take some pictures of the gorgeous scenery. 

Our first stop was at the Iamsterdam sign and we spent a lot of time trying to get the perfect pictures. I got a couple cute ones, but there was a guy climbing the sign behind me and it makes for a cute little photo bomb.

Then we stopped at the only remaining windmill in the area and got to actually go in and see how it works. After the guy told us about how the windmill is used to grind chalk into a fine power to make cement he let us climb up into the top of the windmill because the gears weren't turning since it wasn't a super windy day.

We continued on from there and saw some cows and sheep as we traveled through the countryside. Our bike guide told us that there has been very little change in the Dutch farmlands over the years, apparently they have even been around for longer than Amsterdam itself which was formed when the farmers started trading with sailors passing through.  It was really cool.  

We also saw an old church that was also a prison and where important documents were kept (kind of ironic that prisoners were held along with important documents). 

After we looped around through the countryside and ended up biking through a little fishing village and then a small forested park.  It was all very beautiful.  We did stop for a little picnic lunch, the only downside was the very large amount of bugs because we were in a swampy area.  I'm pretty sure I got about 10 in my eyes as we were biking and then stopped eating lunch. 

Our bike ride started and ended with a short ferry ride and overall went very well with only one little mishap when a girl stopped suddenly and the girl behind her crashed into her. Luckily she turned her bike in time so nobody got hurt and just the light broke off of her bike.  Very little damage when it could have been worse.  

When the bike ride ended I got back to the hostel to drop off my backpack and then went to the Dam square to wander around for a bit. I actually stumbled upon a man playing the bagpipes, which was really cool. Then when I was trying to head back to get dinner at the hostel I accidentally missed my tram and ended up waiting for a bit at the stop. 

I finally got back to the hostel and ate dinner and then repacked my bag because it was getting a bit disorganized. 

Tomorrow we head to Belgium for a day and then we are off to Paris!

Day 24: A Tour of Amsterdam

We started our day today with a very interesting tour of Amsterdam, starting in the Dam Square.  We saw a mini version of the Wall Street bull and in Amsterdam the tradition is to rub it's horns for good luck (especially with money).  

Then we headed straight into the Red Light District, where we saw and learned a lot. Due to the nature of this blog and the general audience I'm going to leave it at that, if you would like to hear about my experience then definitely ask me about it when I'm home and I'll tell all. Our guide did tell us a really interesting fact about the little white spots that we could see in the pavement - it turns out that they are actually small fossils that got mixed in with the rock and cement used to make the roads and the cement.

After the Red Light District we, of course, went to the oldest church in Amsterdam.  It was originally a Catholic Church but then the Protestants came in and made it into a Protestant church and renamed it the Old Church, I forgot to note down what the original name was unfortunately.

Sticking with the theme of oldest things, we next saw the oldest canal in Amsterdam and found out that the canals in the city are actually really clean.  The water just looks dirty because of the crabs that live on the bottom, but if you were to dip a water bottle in and pull it out, the water would be clear.  

They now have a hydraulic system that keeps them clean, but years ago they would just drain the dirty water into the ocean by using small dams.  Before either of these methods were used it would get very smelly around the canals in the summer and so many people avoided living by them. Now the water is clean, no nasty smells, and people have apartments right on the canals. 

Fun fact that our guide told us: weed (marijuana) is actually not legal in Amsterdam like everyone thinks, the police just turn a blind eye to it because it is a better alternative to the heroin and cocaine that used to be prominent in the city and now isn't.

Next we went to the original city gate and our guide told us that apparently a long time ago criminals that died would be publicly dissected there and people would yell out stuff like; "cut off the ear" and it was a big public spectacle. 

Then we went to the China town of Amsterdam where a few of us went for lunch after (it was very good). There is a temple there where you can get pictures with Buddha, but I wasn't really interested.  

We did see the coolest cafe right by "Chinatown" that is called Mandje and it's a place where Jews were hidden in the attic and basement along with weapons for resistance during WWII.  The woman who owned it pretended to be a Nazi sympathizer so that Nazi soldiers wouldn't check the apartment/building and also told them when they asked if there was anything they could do (most of the people in Amsterdam during the war did not support the Nazis so she asked they keep it quiet that she "did") and she asked for some German beer.  So, not only did she get them to not check the building and kept the Jews hidden, she got beer too.  It is also one of the first gay friendly cafes in Amsterdam and looks very cute from the outside. 

We also saw a tea shop that is the official supplier of tea to the royal family in the Netherlands, which is really cool.

Next we saw St. Olaf's Chapel for Scandinavian soldiers, which was built many years ago.  It kinda shows how Amsterdam has been a very diverse city for a very long time. 

Then we had a bit of excitement when our guide yelled at old dude for running into us on his bike without ringing his bell or letting us know he was coming - he told us that locals don't like tourists and are sometimes rude. The two argued for a bit and he told us after the man was trying to give him a hard time and acted like our guide doesn't understand because he doesn't live there to which our guide responded with; "I live 2 streets over!" The entire argument was in Dutch and it was crazy to listen to. 

After the little argument our guide showed us a place where woman will "read" you and tell you about your life, and then pick an alcohol that fits your life for you to try. It was very interesting to hear about and we didn't have time to go in. Since I don't drink I didn't want to go back after the tour, but I know a few people did. 

On our tour we also heard about the Amsterdam founding legend - two men and a dog were in a boat at sea during a huge storm.  They prayed to God to save them and promised if they survived the storm they will build there a strong city; which is now Amsterdam! The guide said none of it was true but since Rome has its founding legend, people felt Amsterdam needed one too.

After the tour and a quick lunch I went off by myself to find The Fault in Our Stars bench from the movie.  I ended up finding it after a little while, but there was a man sitting on it an eating lunch.  

I patiently waited and then 3 girls came over and sat down as soon as he left, taking all kinds of pictures and then sitting for awhile, while I continued casually waiting to get a picture of just the bench. I finally got the pics I wanted and even got one on the bench that a nice girl offered to take for me (and I took one for her). 

Then I couldn't find my way back to the main square and so I jumped on a random team, got off at a random spot, and then eventually found the tram I needed to be on. I decided to go back to the hostel before the Anne Frank house so that I could just chill out for a little bit and read in the park. 

I didn't end up reading in the park though because there was a statue I had noticed earlier on the tram that I wanted to see. So I dropped off a few things and then caught the tram to see the Rembrandt statue.  

I don't know the story behind it because it wasn't discussed on my tour, but I'm definitely going to look it up because the statue is very cool.  I also ended up sitting for a bit by the statue and ended up surrounded by pigeons that were expecting food (which I didn't have).  They eventually wandered away but I found it a little silly. I stayed to people watch for a little bit because I was early heading towards the square and I was sitting in a nice sunny spot. 

I continued on to the meeting point and then we headed to the Anne Frank house.  We had to wait in line for about an hour, but it was worth it.  It was such a good experience to have and I can definitely picture better how Anne Frank and her family lived for 2 years. We weren't allowed to take pictures in the Secret Annex and I took the time to soak it all in.  

After another girl and I went around to some cheese shops and tried a ton of different cheeses. It was super fun and then we walked back to the hostel and got some dinner.

Now I'm just hanging out in my room and tomorrow I get to go bike riding through Amsterdam!

Day 23: Train Ride to Amsterdam

Today we took a train from Berlin to Amsterdam and it was an interesting experience.  When we got on everything was very confused for a bit because we had 3 minutes to get 39 of us with our bags on the train and then everything got clogged up as we tried to find our seats. The first few hours were very quiet and I mostly just watched the scenery and slept on and off (we had to get up at 5:30 to catch the train), but then we stopped in more places and gathered an interesting crowd. Around 12 we had one stop and a group of men got on and had their beers and just were having a grand old time chatting and laughing with each other.  

When we got off the train I basically had to chuck my bag into the platform because I wasn't able to maneuver it through the doors and get off the train. 

Then we ended up getting lost trying to find our bus once we arrived in Amsterdam so we were all wandering around with our bags and it was a little hilarious. (Especially because there are bikers EVERYWHERE and they were a little upset that we were accidentally takin up all of their bike lanes.) Eventually we got to the bus and arrived at our hostel which is really nice for a change. The rooms are the perfect size and they are air conditioned! 

I didn't realize it when we arrived, but right behind our hostel is a beautiful park and I'm kinda hoping we have some free time tomorrow so that I can go sit on a bench and read for a little bit. 

Unfortunately we weren't able to go to the Anne Frank house tonight like we had planned, there was a special event that caused it to close to the public early so we are hopefully going to go tomorrow after we have a walking tour of the city. My fingers are crossed that everything works out (regardless I am going to go before we leave, I want to go see it more than anything else really).  Since we couldn't go to the Anne Frank house we wander around the main square for a little bit on our own and I did all of my souvenir shopping for Amsterdam so that I don't have to worry about it over the next 2 busy days. Luckily I found everything pretty easily and had dinner and then when I was waiting for the tram back to the hostel I met 3 Utah State grads who are mechanical engineers here in Amsterdam for a conference. I was wearing my USU sweatshirt and I heard someone say something about Utah State and so I turned and then they came over and we chatted for a little bit. It was kinda cool, what a small world. 

Now I'm back in the hostel and ready to curl up and go to bed! Tomorrow we have a really busy day and I'm excited!

Day 22: A Relaxed Day in Berlin

Because today was a free day I didn't do much, but I still had fun.  I slept in until 11 and then I got up and went to a small courtyard at the hostel to read for a bit (I ended up finally finishing the Lord of the Rings trilogy).  After 3 other girls and I went to the Neues Museum, which is a mostly Egyptian museum in Berlin.  There were also exhibits for the Vikings and the Romans and early Germanic people, but the majority is Egyptian. We saw some really cool hieroglyphs, the bust of Queen Nefertiti (which was so cool), and just some generally amazing Egyptian art.  I was able to take a few pictures, but unfortunately none of the bust of Nefertiti.

After we went for our first healthy meal (I had a veggie-wrap) and then, of course, got some Häagen-Dazs ice cream and ate it in a park. It was gorgeous at sunset with a river and some musicians playing jazz and this one lady was dancing and it was just perfect.  

And, since it is our last day in Germany, we celebrated with some German 5 gum.  Really we just wanted some gum and that was all we could find, it tasted just like at home.

It was the perfect last day in Germany. Tomorrow we have a 6 hour train ride to Amsterdam and I can't wait! (For Amsterdam, we have to get up at 5am for the train ride yeck.) 

Day 21: Bus Tour in Berlin and Wandering Around

Today we started out with a bus tour of Berlin, which was actually really cool and we did get to stop and walk around in some parts of the city to see some things up close. The tour started a bit awkwardly though because we were all eating breakfast when a girl came running in to tell us that our tour director got the time wrong and the guide and driver got to the hostel at 9 am and he thought it was supposed to start at 10 am so we had just started eating breakfast around 9:30 and then had to quickly eat our food as we ran out to the bus. It was a bit comical actually if I'm being completely honest. 

In the beginning of the tour we drove by a Soviet graveyard in memoriam of the soviet soldiers who died during the Battle of Berlin, some main governmental buildings, and the central station that was built for the World Cup a few years ago.  

Our first stop where we got out to walk around was the Brandenburg Gate on Eastern side of Berlin (where people danced on the fallen Berlin Wall in 1989). The gate was a major point along the wall blocking immigration from east to west that many called the "death strip," but the gate has actually been an important part of Berlin since even before Napoleon invaded Germany.  A statue on the top of the gate was actually "kidnapped" by Napoleon in the 1800's.  The gate opens on a square where you can find the American embassy and the British embassy, both in very beautiful buildings.  There is also the hotel where Michael Jackson infamously almost dropped his baby over the balcony. 

Next we walked to a Jewish monument in honor of all Jews affected by the war (both those that were killed in the camps and those that were forced to flee their homelands and lost everything.) The monument was actually really interesting and powerful, pictures don't really do it justice. You've really got to walk through it and experience it to understand the meaning, which is different for everyone.

We also went to another part of the wall where they actually also found remains of an old castle when they were digging around the wall and at first they thought it was part of an underground Gestapo prison, but it actually was an old palace wall so they left it standing next to the Berlin Wall. 

Our next walking stop was a very quick one at the famous "Checkpoint Charley" that was a major checkpoint run by the US during the period of separation of Berlin. 

Then we went to a place that I'm definitely going back to tomorrow on our free day; Museum island.  It is an island in the middle of Berlin that has 5 different museums and I can't wait to go explore them!

We also were able to see today the remaining indications of WWII in the city.  Many buildings are still being rebuilt that were bombed and there are still bullet holes in older buildings and columns that you can see.  

After the bus tour we were allowed to do whatever we wanted for the rest of the day.  I ended up wandering through Berlin on my own and it was really nice. Berlin is an amazing city and I loved window shopping and I actually found this Germany sports drink that is a lemon-grapefruit flavor and I love it! 

I did head back to the hostel to meet up with a few other girls and we stumbled upon a festival of some sort in one of the main parts of Berlin.  There were all sorts of different vendors and we got some food (I'm not sure what exactly it was that I got, it was some sort of chicken and vegetable kebab or something - it was really good!) and then I got some ice cream that was very thick.  It also had a very interesting shape to it and I ended up having to eat it very fast because the bottom of the cone got soft and it started to drip everywhere. 

Now I am back in the hostel for the night and tomorrow we have a free day to do whatever we want before we head to Amsterdam on Thursday and the pace of the trip picks up again.