This trip was a life changing experience. It was going to be the backpacking trip of our lives. We went to so many beautiful, historic places and met so many people from all around the world. We lived a life truly on the road. We had no reservations or set itinerary- only a 3 month unlimited rail pass. We could go where we wanted, when we wanted, and the goal was to experience as much as Europe as possible in 3 months. To do this we set out not only to see many of the classic sights and cities, but also Europe through the backdoor. This included a travel plan that would require days in trains, buses, hitchhiking to remote villages and trekking through the backcountry. As I look back at this trip Its hard to look at it as a whole, each place or country had it's own personality. It is a travelers dream come true being able to hop on and off trains for a few hours and be in another County with distinct differences, cultural and geographical. I had a basic plan of where we were going to go, a list of each place and how long we would stay and this changed a little bit as we went. We were also on a strict budget and camping made up for the nights when we were forced to stay at expensive hostels. Ultimate highs and lows, so many things I will never forget. Every day a new place, a new experience.
July 14- Today is the big day. It has been filled with packing and stressing- so many little things to get straight. We quit our jobs, excited, and so ready to begin this journey. Finally on the way after months of planning and hard work. We read lots of guidebooks and had a really good idea of what we wanted to see and the basic route. As we say good byes to my dad at the airport, the anxiety builds. "What's going to happen these next 3 months?" No real plans only fate to guide the way. We were on our own.
July 17- The flight was a long one and the screaming toddler did not help. We arrived in London and were pretty much ready for bed. It was a tough start - crowded/hot subway, it was pissing rain, we were jetlagged, and I came back to the hostel to some Japanese man passed out in my bed. The trip can only get better from here I prey. The next morning we walked to Buckingham palace and other sights of London. I could not find my old student ID before leaving home, but in-turn I discovered the "Unemployed Discount" at St Peters church.
We had a night on the town. Afternoons in the pubs, a play at night, good times here in London. We saw The Lion King and Stomp, both were awesome. If you have the chance go see them. The only problem here is how expensive the pound is for Americans. I am eager to get to the mainland of Europe and switch to the Euro.
Sam really wanted to go back to Brighton on the west coast of England were she spent a semester abroad 2 years ago. We had a good time there, it reminded me of Santa Cruz. Our hostel was in one of those buildings behind Sam with a view of the ocean. We ended up that night at a house party. "Your from California , say something, say anything to me !," one of the locals said to me. Someone also said we should start a game show. "One Aussie, an American couple, a Danish Professor and a bunch of Brits." Brighton is a party town for sure.
July 20th- The day before we arrived in Brussels and were not very thrilled with the city. We were glad to get out the next day, but we got on the wrong train. We arrived in Brugge just after 4:30. The difference between Brugge and Brussels is night and day, we like it here. It is the perfect size city. We stayed at a campground a ways out of town and took the bus in.
Home sweet home. We camped a lot due to the high prices in Europe, even the hostels can add up. This is a typical European campground. Just a plot of land and you set up wherever you please. It has nothing to do with being a nature experience like the US. But these campgrounds make up for it by having a bar, restaurant and live music at night. Yes! This campground was a bus ride away for the main square of brugge.
Here is the main square in Brugge. We hung out and listened to some Euro-band play cheesy American Rock tunes like, "Celebration, We are Family." This place was a scenic, clean city with lots of canals and people hanging out having a good time.
July 22- Amsterdam, we love it. After arriving mid-day we followed a lady from the train station to the Maloofa hotel. It was a block away from the station and the nearby Red Light District. This city is a very interesting place, Sam called it heaven and hell. We took a 75 min. boat tour through the canals of the city and really enjoyed it. The sun was out, and the trees and buildings lining the canals were beautiful.
We decided to stay in Amsterdam a second night. The next day we went to the Anne Frank House which was unforgettable standing in the rooms where they hid for so long. We also went Heineken Brewery. The rest of the day was spent relaxing in the parks and enjoying the sun. Hope the weather stays this good as we head north.
Onlookers watch as a game of chess unfolds in downtown Amsterdam.
July 24th- Yesterday was long, but fun. We got an early start and took off towards the Hoge National Park, Holland. The park was great because we were given free bikes to get around, we rode on paths in a huge loop. The air felt refreshing and it was nice to be outside cruising these seemingly endless paths.
More shots as we biked around the park. The picture on the right is an old hunting lodge.
It was time to head north. We spent countless hours on trains during the 3 months. This picture shows Dan enjoying the country as we head into Denmark. I spent a lot of time looking out the window at the foreign countryside just enjoying the thought of being in such foreign lands. The trains in Scandinavia were some of the most comfortable.
July 25th- In Denmark we got off the train at a random stop basically in the middle of cornfields. and hiked over a mile along the road and fields to get to the Kvaerndrop castle. We were tired and frustrated, but things worked out when the lady at the info booth told us we could camp for free at the plot of land behind the building- It even had a shower. We then explored the castle and the surrounding grounds. It is actually supported by wooden beams in the water. That night we splurged at the all you can eat buffet- fried chicken, salad and fries near the castle. Then it started to pour. And I mean buckets! The tent held up well through the night. MOVIE
July 26th- Ships Ahoy Mattie. We left the colorful city of Svendborg, Denmark and are on our way to the island of Aero. On the ferry we met another couple from Tennessee that were just about done with their 2 month trip across Europe.. I was in awe of them, but I knew we would be the experienced ones as our own weeks passed. Once on Aero we walked through the quiet and quaint town filled with bright colorful buildings to our campground. We had a good site near the ocean. MOVIE
Bike was the perfect way to travel on this island. The island was protected by law to keep it's old world charm. We biked off into the county through farms, pastures and villages. Their were vegetable stands were on the side of the road where you buy and sell vegetables on the honor system. We had a little more rain that night at camp but no big deal.
A classic picture during our lunch routine. A baggate with cheese and wine- The record was 6 meals straight. Breakfast,Lunch and Dinner for 2 days. Their was something refreshing about simplifying. Beggers meal of bread, meat, cheese, with a bottle of wine does not get old. Picnics were a time to find a quait spot, hang out, relax, and enjoy just being where we were at the moment.
July 28th- After another full day of travel we made it to Copenhagen. We checked into a hostel their, the room had 14 beds. We did not spend much time in Copenhagen and did not feel the need to see anything there. Big city atmosphere. The next morning we got on a train and arrived in Oslo, Norway a long eight hours later and were welcomed with steady rain. The cheapest hotel in town was $120 due to some type of soccer event so we headed to a campground, we were soaked, it was one a tough day. Being in Oslo felt like being in a city in the U.S, felt like a small Seattle or something. The next morning we were up and got a train to Myrdal to begin the "Norway in a Nutshell" experience. The countryside and towns are striking as the train winds through the bright green Norweigen countryside. The train was going over these passes in the highcountry. Rolling mountians, rivers, and stunning wilderness along the train tracks. This is what Dan has been waiting for, and it was all I had ever imagined.
July ?- Feels great not to know what the date is. I feel like we have done so much since I last wrote, but it was only a day ago. We are now in the heart of Norway, we took the Falmsbane (train) to Flam. The rail line is privately owned they call it an engineering marvel because it drops so many feet in such a short time. At one point the train stopped at a massive waterfall and everyone got out to get a better look. All of a sudden, music starts playing and a woman dancer comes out from behind a rock near the falls. In Europe, the beauty of nature is never enough - these falls needed woman and music to accompany it. I still laugh when thinking about it. We arrived in gorgeous Flam at the valley floor at the base of the fjord and stayed the night. The next morning we took the ferry out of town through the most spectacular section of the Sogenefjorden, the biggest fjord in Norway. Highlight of the trip so far. Waterfalls everywhere off cliffs and mountains thousands of feet high. We passed tiny villages only accessible by boat and the weather was perfect. What a boat ride it was. After getting off the ferry at our stop we took a bus to Voss. The bus twisted and turned up the frightenly steep mountain. Sam couldn't even look out the window. Now it was time to board a train to continue to the coastal city of Bergen, Norway. MOVIE
Bergen is a charming seaside city with lots of character. I am glad we made the trip out here. We are staying in a guest home that was the same price as the dorms. The house was in a charming little neighborhood outside of Bergen. It did feel strange approaching this strangers door and knocking. " Hello we will be staying at your place tonight." But the owner was very welcoming in inviting us into her home. Its on a fjord and the bed is fabulous. We were thankful to have a roof over our head and a cozy bed, that's for sure. I am preying that our laundry will dry by the morning, we need clean clothes before heading off into Jotenheimun backcountry.
Here is Edskugarden where we started our hike into Norway's backcountry, it took a half hour on a train and another 3 1/2 hours on a bus to get here. It was a long scenic bus ride through massive green valleys and tunnels through the mountains of the fjords. It was a long bus ride heading into the depths of this foreign land.
Norway has a law that you can camp anywhere you want as long as you are 300 ft away from any building. It worked well for us, the backcountry huts were very expensive. Hope those socks dry soon!
August 1st- It was a bit unnerving heading out into this vast unfamiliar land of Norway by foot. The beginning of the trail was wet and difficult. We made it across the mountains to another mountain hut, Memerubu. The trail took us over a valley through a long desolate stretch. The whole day it seemed that it would start to pour any minute, but we lucked out.
The next day was the famous ridge hike to Gjendesheim. There were lots of people. We learned for ourselves why Norwiegians make the pilgrimage here for this one. One section was so steep we were litterly climbing hand over hand. That combined with 100 mph winds, rain, and 3000 ft cliffs on both sides made it quite an experience. One that Sam especially will not let me forget. It took six hours on the ridgeline to complete. MOVIE One lady on the trail commented that Dan climbed like a mountain goat. This day remains as one of the best days on a trail in my life. The turquoise lakes, green rolling mountains, glaciers abound, this was Norway's finest. At the end we happily paid for two $8 beers. After a wonderful night in the hut ( we were soaked top to bottom and needed to be inside) we headed back to civilization. For the whole Backpacking, Norwegian-style, experience click here
We got back to Oslo and found out there was no night train to Stockholm as planned. Oh well, It worked because we enjoyed the day around the city. Vigelandsparken park was a 80 acre area filled with sculptures of humans by Guslow Vigeland. They were so vivid and real, spooky in a way. It felt like each spoke to you, whispering it's last words.
August 4th, day 21- We made it to Stockholm after a 5 hour train ride from Oslo. It turned out to be one of our favorite cities. Clean, friendly, the subway was like an art gallery, the city just gave off a good vibe. We spent the next day walking through Skanson park and the gas lamp district. This picture shows a small square where we took a break and had another beggers meal. (wine, bread, cheese and salami) Also, it is very obvious that scandanavia people get the good looks award- its true. The woman are blond hair beauties and the men have wavy hair- everyone in great shape.
This was the Vasa museum. I could not believe it, Where did they get such a thing? It was a warship that sunk in 1628 and was recovered off the bottom of Stockholm's bay. Striking.
From Stockholm we took a train to get to the city of Mora. We then hoped on a bus. I read about these trolleys that you could petal across central Sweden's countryside and had to do it. The bus dropped us off in the middle of a random residential street that the travel agent told me to get off at. It was in the middle of this neighborhood in the middle of Sweden. I am looking around thinking, "now what". We just started walking and I was questioning any local that I could find. "Where are the train tracks?" It felt like a miracle when we found the house and saw the tracks out back. A young man approached us and then rented us a trolley that we would return tomorrow. We hopped on, strapped on our gear and could go as far as we wanted. It was a blast. We went over bridges, through the forest, through a town, and alongside lakes and rivers. MOVIE
We must have pedaled over 10 miles before finding the perfect campsite next to a peaceful river. This was the spot about 30 ft from the tracks. We had a campfire that night. This area reminded me of Wisconsin. On the way back we switched seats. Note to self- Heavy person should sit in front. We were gaining speed, tight corner, the next thing I know Sam is flying over the handlebars. I really believed that our trip was going to end here. No injuries, little banged up, and we survived the derailment.
It was time to head out of Scandinavia and head South. After not 1, but 2 night trains from Sweden we finally arrived at our destination Cologne, Germany on the Rhine river. The Dom seen above was the most impressive church that I saw on the whole trip. Its the ultimate Gothic church. Scary looking for a place of God. From Cologne we would got the ferry and headed into the unknown down the Rhine river. We passed by an amazing amount of medieval castles and small towns on its shores.
We got off the ferry at a small town called Bacharach. The hostel we stayed at that night was in the top 3 hostels we stayed in Europe. It was a real castle perched high above town looking over the Rhine. Sam is seen here on our castle terrace enjoying a bottle of local wine, everyone hanging out drinking enjoying the hottest European summer in 200 years. The best part was that the ferries were free with our rail passes. The next day we went down the river to explore more nearby villages and castles. MOVIE
The next day I planned a hike at a nearby town to find a castle. We got off the ferry and hiked about 3 miles to reach this castle back in the valley. It was blistering hot along the forested trail and our first stop was to find some water. We took a tour of the castle and the best thing about it was it was decorated and left as it was in the 1500's. The rooms were cozy with big medieval decor looking down at the valley from the windows. Not a movie set but the real thing, loved it.
A pic of downtown Bacherach. Today we packed our bags got on a ferry to take us farther south into Germany. We enjoyed some local wine and sun on the deck of the boat. We passed many more towns and castles along the banks of the Rhine.
We moved farther through Germany by bus to it's best medieval walled in city, Rotenberg. We were glad that we decided to spend a night here. The night watchman tour was great and we learned some fascinating history about this town. An American actually saved it by recognizing its historical significance and delayed the command to shell it in WWII.
During our trip we spent lots of time spent looking for a place to stay, it could be frustrating and stressful at times looking for a place. We would arrive in a new town and use "Lets Go Europe" to find all of our hostels and campgrounds. And them have to find them by foot or bus. And then hope there was a room. This night in Rotenburg we were in a fabulous room. It was a little bit out of budget, but every once in a while you have to splurge or you will go crazy.
Not one modern building inside the walled in city.
August 13, day 30- We made it to Munich.. Wow the heat is relentless. Both Dan and I have head colds and heat is wearing down our bodies. We set up camp at "the tent" a makeshift hostel/campground. The place was a bit run down and I was a bit worried about leaving my stuff here. With looked like a transient population that had been living here. What can you do? We headed off to the Augustinerkller beer garden. Its like a massive outdoor family reunion. After that we went to the famous Hofbrauhaus beer hall. Live Music, abnoxious loud shouts, lots of drinking, this was the place to be. Look at the size of that beer and pretzel- No wonder why so many people we meet talk about Munich! Why aren't all beers sold by the liter?
A sobering day was spent at the nearby Dachau Concentration Camp. This is the memorial to the 6 million Jews that were killed, I cannot describe the despair of being there. The gate says, "work will set you free."
This picture is of Nuensuanstine castle in Germanys mountainous region. It was the most touristy place we visited in Europe. It was a long day on the trains to get here, but the next day we made it to the famous castle. Tour buses and people everywhere. It was built by a mad king and looks just like Disneyland's Castle. We did not bother to wait in the huge line and pay to go in- we heard it was nothing special.
When arriving in the town nearby the castle, the hostel was full, another traveler Momo from Japan also had nowhere to stay. We tried at a nearby guesthouse but it was also booked but the lady then made a call. We were soon picked up in a car and all 3 of us ended up staying in a vacant room above a pizza joint. Momo got drunk off a glass of wine and we laughed at each other as we tried to communicate. He was also their to see Nuensuanstine. He would point to the picture in his guide book and say "Nuensuansting, Nuensuansting." The young Japanese Travelers that we met seemed very genuine and easy-going.
Ahhhh- we headed due west to Switzerland, I have been looking forward to arriving here the whole trip. Mountain towns were nestled deep within massive valleys. Trains and Trams took us to lookouts that were otherworldly. The Alps are worthy of their legacy. Lets just say it was worth the $120 to go up the trams to these lookout stations.. Sam said it was the best morning of the trip while she enjoyed her coffee and bread as the Schlithorn restaurant rotated (seen above with Eiger and the Jungfrau behind). We were going to hike a big section down, but the weather was changing by the minute. MOVIE
Glaciers clinging to peaks that soar above.
This day we took a train from Grindelwald up to the top of a ridgeline and began a hike to another village via trail. It was not just any trail- I remember thinking, "This could be it, the most amazing section of trail I would hike in my life." This trail started at Kleine Scheidegg. The Junfrau were towering above and seemed to pierce through to the heavens. We did two dayhikes in the area, one requiring a gondola and the other a train to get up the massive valley. We also did another dayhike on the other side of the valley that started at the top of a ski lift called First.
Our mountain hostel in Gimmelwald was perched on a cliff with glacier views in every direction. The only way to get to this tiny swiss town (est. population 50) is by Gondola. This was quite the spot and another one of my favorite hostels in Europe. We talked with a few other Americans here on the road. One man a bit older that saved a bit of cash and had be traveling for 6 months. The afternoons brought showers, but we were blessed that the days here were mostly dry. From Central Swizerland we made our way southwest towards our next stop Charmonix, France. I Will never forget the hanging my head out the train window most of the ride through the countryside on the way. Such a peaceful stroll through fairytale swiss mountain villages. Life never felt so good with so little. MOVIE
August 20, day 36,-Charmonix France. This morning we got up early to avoid long lines and good weather for the Aiguille du Midi- A tram to the most ridiculous peak- the tram station seemed to be balancing on the top. Once again we blew the days budget and again it was worth every penny. The tram took us to a peak that was truly a winter wonderland and I kept thinking it could not possibly be summer. There were miles of snow and a view the Alps in all its glory. From there we took the tram halfway down and begun our hike to the La Mer de Glace. A few miles later, Dan could not believe his eyes when we rounded a corner and saw it, a river of ice. During the 2 1/2 hour hike we saw numerous rock falls from the surrounding peaks. The sound echoed through the valley like the sound of the cowbells in Switzerland.
The view from the Aiguille du Midi. It was a winter wonderland in the middle of the summer. Mont Blanc is not pictured but is the highest mountain in Europe and is right in front of me. MOV
You can actually take the tram up from France, go across the mountains, and down the other side arriving in Italy. Every link of the trip costs lots of money so we stayed at the top, spent quite a bit of time taking in the views and headed halfway back down where we started the hike. Charmonix was another one of my favorite cities.
August 22, day 38, - Zermatt Switzerland. 6:00AM and the alarm was going off so we could make the first departure up the Gornergrat railway. A tough morning to get going until I stuck my head out of the front door of the tent and looked to my right. The Matterhorn's tip was on fire like a match that had just been ignited. An image I will never forget. Brilliant. There was not a cloud in the sky. Everyone was in a great mood, I was speechless at this mountains feet before boarding the tram. We took the railway up, from the top we we surrounded by glaciers and clear blue skies. We began the hike down to Zermatt far below along the Gornergrat ridge. Another unforgettable day on the trail. The deal with hiking in the alps is- the valleys are so huge you can't hike to the top without a vicious climb so the key is to take the trams up then take your time hiking down taking in the views. That evening I promised Sam that we would eat out and try some baclavau that the Swiss are known for. First we get seated outside- after ordering we are told that we must sit inside because we were not ordering enough. Once inside we ordered 2 baclavau with water. The waitress then turns to us and says, "you do not drink water with your meal" - insulting us for not ordering wine with dinner. Customer service is different in Europe. The customer is the one that is expected to be thankful for your food. One place even advertised American customer service. After dinner we had another tired early night with another big day ahead.
On the hike back down to Zermatt.
From Zermatt we headed southeast to a mountain region in Italy called the Dolmites. It's a in the Northern part of Italy and wanted to check them out. It required quite a bus trip to get to these mountains and the specific trailhead that I wanted to hike out of. We had some problems communicating with the bus driver, but another local stepped in and translated for us. The guidebook assured me that the area was not as lush as the Alps, but in turn we would see good weather. HAHAHA--- That night the pillars of heaven struck as we were camped high on a ridge. Buckets of rain came down as the tent lit up from multiple nearby lightning strikes. It was a night to remember and relieved to make it through. Sam not happy about this side-trip. The famous Dre Zimmen mountains are behind me in this pic as we make our way back to the trailhead. More on the Backpacking Dolmites page.
August 29th day 45- Hallstat, Austria turned out to be all we wanted and more. The boat met us at the train station and took us across the water to this tiny town. The hostel in Hallstat was awesome and the owner made us breakfast in the morning for just Sam and I. Fresh bread with Nuttella and coffee. It was raining lightly outside. We relaxed and it felt really nice to slow the pace down and enjoy a hot drink. We then took a walk to a nearby salt mine. Here I am geared up and ready to descend into a 10,000 year mine. Hiking deep inside I liked the fact that they played relaxing music in places so you did not get claustrophobic. Inside the mine we slid down wood chutes deep below. A train through a tiny tunnel took us back out from the depths. What fun! MOVIE Salt was so important in BC times there is actually a time period in history called the Hallstat age after this town. It was so mellow and quiet there on the water. We enjoyed some much needed rest from all the traveling.
We went to a few other very memorable places in Austria. This is Salzburg, and what I thought was the perfect size city, just a pleasure be there. We visited Mozarts birth place here and his first violins. Classical music was the heart of the city and it played from huge speakers for a festival that was there. We sat and listened to the sound of music.
We took a train out off Salzburg and took a daytrip to the worlds largest ice cave. There was no artificial lighting in the cave because the founder was a naturalist. Each of us were given a gas lamp to light the way. There were some steep stairs to climb in the cold darkness. The ice glowed an deep blue when the guide burned sticks of bright magnesium to light up the old halls of ice.
The next stop was Innsbruck, Austria. The city was surrounded by grey steep craggy mountains. The trail here at the right of the picture started at the top of a ski gondola that took me directly up from the city. I hiked along the ridge for a few miles. The views on both sides of the valley were wonderful. This day was another one of the rare occasions where Sam and I did our own things. I went hiking and she explored the city. Hiking in Innsbruck. We headed to Vienna for a day before heading North to Czech Republic (Prague). We did not have much time to explore Vienna but we did see a concert that was not quite what I was expecting of classical music. MOVIE
This pictures sums up Prague. Just the price of room, food and beer made the trip here worth it. Beers were about a dollar in the pubs, it was one of the few places we could afford to go out and buy drinks in pubs which where cozy caverns. We even had our own apartment downtown for $24 a night. We stayed for 3 nights, it felt like we lived there for a while, a nice change from our whirlwind trip. One evening we saw a classical quartet in a small medieval church. They were unbelievable. Words cannot explain. I have never witnessed such talented musicians. They played so well together and Sam and I enjoyed them much more than the huge symphony we saw in Vienna. From the Czech Republic we headed back south.
Streets of Prague.
We continued south to Lake Bled, Slovania. It was a beautiful area. We hired a car (Our Rail passes would not work in Slovenia or Croatia) for a few days to check these 2 Countries out. We were driving through Croatian towns that had buildings with massive holes in them from from the recent civli war in 1989. We did so much driving that the rental car owner said, "This cannot be right, you could not have driven this far in 3 days," when we returned the car.
From Lake Bled we spend the next night in a campground in Croatia. Our site was on the oceans edge of the Adriatic Sea. It was about 11 PM and we settled into our tent. The next thing we hear is LOUD music. Who the hell is doing that! Turns out there was a band playing in the middle of the campground. It turns out there is no quiet time in a Croatian campground. Fine with us, we got out of our tent and walked on over to the bar. We then proceeded to enjoy a few beers as the band rocked some classic tunes. Beats sleeping!
The next day was a long drive to the main reason I wanted to go to Croatia. To see Plivice Lakes National Park. It was an excuse to travel somewhere that you have no idea what you will find. The country side that we drove through was run down and it did feel like a somewhat recent war zone. Many houses were falling down with holes in them. "Hope we find this park" I thought as we drove deeper into this definitely non-western European country.
Plivice Lakes National Park. It was a gorgeous oasis in the middle of a dry barren landscape. The hundreds of waterfalls and turquoise water made it a favorite spot. On the drive here through the country you would never have thought this country contained such natural beauty.
Imagine falls like this everywhere, it was that amazing. It all really did look fake. The only bad thing was the amount of people here. Still it was as close to Eden as you can get on this planet. It was a network of boardwalks across this world of falls, streams, and inviting pools. After driving back to Slovania we returned the car and caught a train headed towards Venice. I will never forget when our train was late into a station in Italy and this was very bad because we would miss the connection to Venice. This Italian train worker radioed to the other train for us calling in a stern voice. "Hold the train! We will be there in 2 minutes!" He hoped off the train with us and ran with us showing us the the way to the other train. I could not believe it- one of the few occasions someone did something above and beyond for us during our trip.
September 10th, day 58- Venice Italy. I can distinctly remember the feeling of exiting the train station in Venice. The doors open before you and there it is. I felt like I just got off a ride at disneyland. A canal surrounded by pretty pastel buildings, people everywhere, boats floating down the canals. Bridges, water taxis, mask shops and little places to stop in for a cup of wine. The place is so old and unique that it all seems surreal. Walking around Venice the first night was perfect. We were consumed it its maze of no-sense allies and canals, wandering through, seriously lost, and loving it. It was raining lightly which was good- no crowds that can make this place such a circus. That night we located St. Marx square and had it all to ourselves. I can still vividly see the reflections of white lights gleaming in the puddles. We then wandered back to our apartment and quickly fell asleep.
Dan photographing St Marx Square, Venice
We got an apartment with Andy (An Aussie traveling solo) who we met on the street outside of the Venice train station while we looked for a place to stay. Us three talked a bit with a salesman at the train station and got this apartment. That night we had a long awaited home cooked meal.
When we were on a ferry in Denmark an American couple like us just finishing up their trip said, "make sure you feed the birds in St Marx square." I had to do if after that, but I was not prepared for the attack.
From Venice we headed to Tuscany
area of Italy. Watching the sunset in Florence with a bottle of wine was as
romantic as it sounds. We did not have enough time here or the desire to deal
with the crowds at the museums. Sam had already seen them all. Oh well, the David
can wait I thought. Leaving
Florence I left my passport at the campground that required a minor backtrack
getting off and waiting for another train to go back. I told Sam its not my
fault- Why does the campground hold your passports in the first place?
September 12th- Rome, crazy Rome. We rolled in and proceeded to take an offer from a guy at the train station for a hostel to stay at.- which was in tucked in a dark random ally, it seemed a bit strange with a few bunks and a few others that seemed to live their. A place that I kind of shutter when I think that we stayed their. A picnic at the Fountain of Trevi was next. The Forum and coliseum really showed the size and complexity of this long ago Roman city. I could not get over how they built the highway so close to this timeless structure. I knew that I wanted to get a good shot with the cars flying on by. The next day we braved the crowds and went to the Sistine Chappel to view Michaelangelo's masterpiece.
This coin toss at the Trevi Fountain ensured my return to Rome. The evenings in Rome were spent at the sights of Rome. Our nights were spent hanging out and enjoying cheap wine in the middle of the squares and sights of Rome. People eating at the surrounding restaurants were probably paying a fortune. We were just as happy seeing Europe on a shoestring!
Our next stop in Italy would be the epitome of hill towns called Civita. We read about it in the Rick Steves guide book. To get there it took a Train, bus, and a hitch hike, but it was all the book said it would be. The only way to the town was this walkway. It was like going back in time walking through its archway. We had dinner in a cozy old olive press/ restaurant next to the fire and enjoyed the wine.
Looking back at the entrance of Civita that was first carved thousands of years ago by the Etruscans. Our place was a nice little room overlooking the center of this tiny hill town.
We stayed at a wonderful B and B, it is the building on the left of the picture. We were very lucky, that night their was the twice yearly festival with dancing and preparing for tomorrows donkey races. We celebrated with the townspeople here in the center of town. Dan started a train-chain in which the whole town participated in. Wonderful time. To get back to a train station from here we hitchhiked. It took about an hour, but soon a lady picked us up that spoke no English. We did find out she was on her way to see her sisters baby.
September 18th- Cinque Terre is the ultimate Italian Riviera experience. Five fishing villages perched on the coast, connected by trails. Yesterday we decided to hike all five towns and made after 5 hrs of hiking along old trails through vineyards and sweeping ocean views. Vernazza to Monterosso was the best stretch with the oldest trails and views. Back at the apartment we came home to new roommates. Katrina from New Zealand, Carlos and Wellington from Brazil, and three others from Montreal, Chicago and Minnesota. As travelers we were all eager to share our stories and talked about the Countries where we were from. We stayed for a few nights here and enjoyed the vacation from the vacation. Some fantastic home cooked meals at the apartment and hanging out at the beach. It feels really good to take a break from the routine of waking up early to catch a train in the morning.
When the trail headed up from my favorite Cinque Terre town Vernazza, it looked right down into the bay. This is one of my favorite pictures with the colorful boats in the turquoise waters.
September 23rd- So much has happened since I last wrote in Nice, Italy. On the night train to Barcellona we had a loud, bumpy, sleepless night and were kicked off the train at 4 AM for a connection at Port Bou to wait 2 hours for an even slower train to Barcellona. Once we arrived and got a room and took a stroll. Dan had a falfel (which he is now addicted too) and took part in the traditional siesta around 5pm. Then we were awaken by gunshots. Outside our room there was a religious festival going on. We enjoyed the parade from our balcony. MOV
As we traveled into each country one of Sam's projects was to find a patch (Had a hard time with Croatia) and stitch it on our backpack. Here is also a picture of me reading on the floor of a train. Sometimes you gotta get on no matter if there is a seat or not.
From Spain we started making our way north towards Paris. One of our stops was Carcasonne, France. It is the #1 medieval experience in Europe. The place is like walking into a medieval movie set.. But this place is the real deal. Walking around this place, I felt the ghosts of the past and imagined it under full attack. We stayed inside the city walls and I enjoyed walking around that night taking photographs. No one around just me wandering the castle with my tripod thinking about how cool this place is. Even standing there it is hard to believe and picture people living daily life in these castles. It must have been such horrible/scary time to live for most.
From Carcassone we made our way to Lourdes. In 1858 a 14yr old saw the first of 18 visions of the Virgin Mary in the grotto here. Now 5 million people a year make the pilgrimage to Lourdes. There were packs of religious groups at the train station. If I am going to hell for anything- It's because I did not visit the grotto. We were here because it was on our way to a town called Gavarnie. I saw pictures of this place and said, "we are going there." It is a tiny mountain town nestled in a glacier valley. What else would you expect of me? Sam was not thrilled of the thought of more hitchhiking, but some nice British guys here just finishing their trekking vacation picked us up. This picture shows me below two large falls at the end of the valley surrounded by walls in a glacier Circe. The area reminded me of Banff and were happy to have gone through the trouble to get there. The fun is always in the journey isn't it.
October 3rd- Paris the city of Love. We stayed 3 nights here in Paris. We hit lots of tourist sights, but my favorite thing to do was to hang out and just look at the Eiffel tower at night. I kept thinking, "wow I'm really in Paris sitting in front of the tower" Nightly at 10pm every night the whole tower twinkles with flashing lights. We also went and saw the Mona Lisa and were surrounded by packs of Asian tourists, many are crazy by the way. Lots of pushing with no regard for others. Paris had a comfortable feel to it, and was a pleasant city to walk about.
The Norte Dame
This picture is taken from the top of the Arc de Triumph. Sam had already been to the top, so I went up while she walked the stores on the main drag below.
At this point we had been traveling hardcore for 80 days and our plane will be leaving back home in 10 days. Before leaving my brother said, "keep pushing it till the end" and that's what we did big time in this last week. Due to amazingly low air prices, I booked two separate trips on the internet to Ireland and Scotland, both leaving from London a few days later.
After taking the Chunnel back to London we took a touristy day trip out to a quaint Salisbury and nearby Stonehenge. We signed up this bus trip that left from London. Stonehenge left a puzzling feeling.. I can't picture people 2500 yrs ago stacking such massive rock. Its quite a sight to see these old remnants still around to remind us of the past, and how capable they were in Astronomy and Architecture.
We flew into Dublin and headed for the pubs and visited the Guiness brewery. The next day we ventured in search of true Ireland and that's what we found in the village of Doolin. Known for its 3 pubs and traditional music. It didn't get much better than kicking back with a pint of Guinness listening to these amazing musicians play Trad while the wind and rain howled outside. Outside of Doolin we took a bus and hitchhiked to the Cliffs of Moor. Green, 700 ft high cliffs straight down to the ocean. We hiked along the rim to the castle seen far away in the picture below. Ireland had a feel to it that was very welcoming. The people seemed genuine and easy to be around. MOVIE
Along the road as we hitchhike back to Doolin. A friendly couple from Israel finally picked us up after walking a ways and drove us out of their way. Ireland is really as green as you would dream it to be.
After flying back to London for a night we got back on the horse and flew to Scottland. We were so glad that we were able to go there. It was another favorite place. We took a daytrip from Edinburough to find Sam's very own Borthwick castle seen here. We got off the bus in another random spot in the Scottish countryside and and started hiking down an old road. We eventually found the castle and got her Dad a few souvenirs.
The heart of Edinburough, Scottland.
In Edinburough we did a literary pub crawl. It was hard to follow much of the material, but the beer was good!
On one day in Scotland we took a guided bus tour through the Scottish Highlands. I felt so blessed to be there traveling through the rolling green mountains This overlook is called "Queensview" We then proceeded to Scottland's smallest distillery and had a shot of Scotch. It was at a wonderful location but God I hate the stuff.
The fall colors were beautiful as our tour van drove through the Scottish countryside. As we drove along the lakes and mountains their was something about Scottand that felt so pure. I was really enjoying the sights knowing it would be one of our last destinations. Our tour stopped and we took a short hike. Hiking through the forest with the fall colors I loved the sight of the stone arch at the end of this bridge. This picture was on a trail that we hiked in the Scottish Highland tour. We went to Rob Roys grave and drove by Sir William Wallace's (Braveheart) monument.
I can't believe it but the 90 days are up and its time to head home. But we needed to because we were dead broke. (Almost had to sleep on the streets of London the last night when the Hostel would only take cash/debit). We were now back in London where we set the alarm to wake up for our plane home. I think it is important on a trip to Europe to get off the beaten path and go to some remote locations where you are not surrounded by tourists. Some of the backdoor spots felt like we saw the countries true self. The trip was really about the journey getting to the places and not the each individual destination itself. The biggest hurdle of backpacking across the continent was that we had no reservations except the first 2 nights in London. Sometimes it was very frustrating trying to find a hostel and then after finding, its full, this was by no means easy and led to lots of walking at times. In turn you get complete flexibility. The trip was a immense amount of work and stressful times, dont get the impression that this was vacation. We pushed it hard, and enjoyed the days we were not up early for another long day of travel like we spent most. As for being Americans over there, 98% of the time we were treated fine. Strangers can't tell where you are from just by looking at you. The language barrier was also not an issue. I believe English is more and more a universal language with our cultural influences everywhere and anyone that deals with tourists seemed to know at least enough to get by. I don't think that I will ever go on a trip of this scale again for a long time. You would think that I would be satisfied with it, but it only left me wanting to see more, learn more, and do more. I remember thinking to myself that if we had more money I would like to keep traveling. I did look forward to one thing. It sounds weird, but I looked forward to the plane ride home. Just to be able to sit back, relax, have food and anything else we needed handed to us and an end to the anxieties of the day-to-day traveling life. But I did have one major concern on my mind during that flight home. What if I lost all of my pictures? I just got a 5MP Sony and Sam a 4MP Canon and I was downloading all of my pictures to a portable hard-drive. That little device held all the pictures from the last 3 months. And it had been through hell and back in my backpack. Getting thrown around ( ex. trolley derailment) daily. On the plane ride home I thought a lot about that moment that I would plug this little gizmo into the computer for the first time after 3 months and, would the hundreds of pictures/movies appear? After getting home and every single picture downloaded successfully that is when I finally took a deep breath. It felt rewarding for a trip to push us at times to our limits and living off just the necessities. New experiences can be so refreshing. What more can you ask for than waking up to a new horizon each day. Excited to get on the 7AM train and make way towards a Country with Cities and Mountains that you have only read about. It's this complete footloose freedom that feels so great. How could it not after answering phones and renting cars for 55 hrs a week. Americans are so obsessed with their careers. Do material things make us more fulfilled in the long run. Do we not value new experiences and living our passions? The Aussies and the Japanese (we met lots of them) culture seem to encourage this more "live in the moment" type of life. I see most Americans living out their precious lives in the day-to-day routine, working much too hard for someone else. And our culture seems to encourage and praise people for working thier life away. What is success? During this trip I was able to see more clearly of what I want out of life and a new perspective on what's important- future decisions that I make in life will reflect these values. I truly believe that the only things that you will regret in life are the things that you did not do. For all my graduating friends out there, save some cash, quit your job, and pack a bag before your sucked in. I believe extended trips from home will give anyone a good douse of perspective and are always invigorating. Just go backpack Europe, there is a whole other world over their to see. What I can guarantee is lots of surprises and unforgettable memories. More photos from Europe can be seen in the photo gallery. And more pictures of our Dayhikes in Switzerland
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