1,2,3,4,5...BERLIN!!!

1. History Lesson care of Victoria from Brewer's Berlin Tours. I now feel that I understand what really went on with Hitler and the Berlin Wall and then the Fall. It was an intense day but SO fun...anyone going to Berlin has to do this tour!
2. Nights out with 8 boys who can show 3 girls a good time!! It all started in a Hostel Bar and slowly progressed through the neighbourhood. There was dancing and singing and eating and other things not appropriate to be mentioned on this blog...because its PG! I do think that I drew a map of Canada for the English boys and told them to drive across the country and stay with mom & dad in TBay...so if an Englishman shows up at the door saying I told him to come, please be nice and give him a bed for the night...he's a good guy...no, I didn't make out with him...shesh people...mind out of the gutter!!!
3. Having a travel companion named Lisa! It was so fun to have someone I knew around, but more than that, Lisa and I just seemed to get along really well! Going to miss her but we might meet up again in either France or London at Christmas.
4. Different kinds of food!!! As much as I was loving the deep fried, pickled stuff, Lisa and I actually had so many different varieties! Asian noodles, greek, sushi, indian, and really yummy sandwhiches!
5. Seeing the Christmas Markets...mostly seeing stuff you don't need, but they have the best mulled wine and braughtwurst, and a man-made snow hill you could tube down, and a snow patch where little kids ski in a circle, and skating rinks!! All the lights were up too. Totally starting to feel like christmas!!!

Lots and Lots of Pictures!

German Band playing at the HofBranhaus in Munich...they played REAL German music while I had a pint and talked with a German man.

In my protective gear during my private tour of the underground streets in Plzen.

The Bears in the 'Bear Moat' outside of the castle in Cesky Krumlov... for real, these bears used to keep out the rifraft!
The Charles Bridge on the left and the Castle in Prague.
Rubing the statue on the Charles Bridge for good luck. Some Czech students actually polished a dog on the other side of this statue to see how many people would line up to rub it too. There was a huge line when we were there...people are such sheep!

Lisa and Rich on the train to Krakow. Rich is trying to breath through Lisa's gas...lots of cabbage!
AHHHHHH....oh, wait, its just Josh.West side & East side of Berlin. Victoria and I are SUCH cool gangstas!I love that carrying weapons and obeying traffic rules were considered equally important in the American part of Berlin!Yes, that is a number 1 on the tree...they really do number them to keep track of how many there are! 2nd largest piece of the Berlin Wall still standing...you can stand with a foot in the West Side and the East Side...cool!
Berlin at Sunset
Making out with a Bear...the Berlin Mascot...and yes, another rip-off of the Toronto Moose
I believe that this is the Canadian Consulat, or Embassy...what exactly is the difference again?

Parlez-vous Paris?

So I have totally got you excited to read all about my adventures in Paris, but in fact I just got here this morning so don't have anything to report yet...but I do have a LOT to share about the last week or so!!!
It was almost a week ago and Lisa and I took the bus out to Auschwitz. Our adventure actually started quite early because we couldn't figure out where the heck the bus station was, then where to get tickets, and where the actual bus came. We finally made it on and were off. Out visit started with a video about the liberation of the camp by the allies, and then we joined a group for a tour. It was a very emotional day, seeing the barracks where the prisoners slept, and see the ehibits displaying all the belongings of the prisoners found after the liberation, including bags of hair that were being sold to make materials, suitcases, clothes, shoes, and tooth brushes and combs. Nothing was wasted. I found it incredibly difficult to see all the childrens clothes and shoes.
One of the hardest things to comprehend was how cold we were all bundled up in layers of clothes and proper foot wear, and realizing that the people living in these camps had little more than cotton pants and a top, and if they were lucky, wooden shoes. It really was a very emotional day.
On Friday, Lisa and I said goodbye to Rich and Josh and jumped on a plane to Berlin. Our first night there we just chilled, had a few beers, and then crashed. On Saturday we got up and decided to do a city walking tour that took 8hours. Best idea we ever had! Our tour guide was named Victoria and she just oozed Berlin information. we went to see the 2nd largest piece of the Berlin Wall still standing, the Former Death Strip, the site of Hitler's Bunker (now a car park), Checkpoint Charlie, Reichstag Parliament, Brandenburg Gate, the Jewish Holocaust Memorial, the Ruins of the Gestapo & SS Headquarters, Bebelplatz (where the Nazis burned books), Humbolt University, the Hotel where Wacko Jacko held the baby over the balcony, a Soviet Memorial, Berlin Cathedrale, the best Chocolate store ever, and SO much more! I learned about how Hitler came to power, the creation of the Berlin Wall (ps did you know it was WAY more than just a cement wall? It actally started with barbed wire on the soviet side, then there was a trench, another wall, a line of lights, some land mines, sand, and then the outer wall that we all know. That's why you couldn't just climb over it with a ladder), and how people in the East were finally able to go to the West (basically a screw up on live TV). It was the most amazing tour ever!
A really rando, thing that happened at the beginning was that as we were joining the group, I looked up and recognized someone in the group. It was Victoria (not the guide) who I had met in Naples and then again in Venice. Such a small world over here!
After our big day of touring a bunch of us (Lisa; Victoria, 2 Englishmen, 2 Aussie Guys, 2 American guys, and me) decided to go out and have some fun. We first had a few drinks at the hostel, then went to this bar in a building that was once the largest shopping centre in Europe, owned by a prominent jewish family, that was destroyed during the war. Now a bunch of artists rent the building for 1€ a month. There are a few bars, some galleries, a cinema, and some work shop...very cool. We then wandered around for a little bit looking for somewhere else to go and ended up in an Indian restaurant with a HUGE drink order. The night ended back at the same art buliding. So fun.
The next day Lisa and I went to an exhibit called 'Topography of Terror' all about the war and trials afterwards, then we went to Potsdam Platz and went up a building to get a view of the city. On Monday we went to the Jewish Museum and learned all about the history of the Jewish community in Germany. Yesterday ze had a chill day and just zent and saw a movie in the afternoon then caught our night train, me to Paris and Lisa to Bruge, Belgium.
So right now I am sitting in my hostel in Paris and very soon I am going to go out and head to the Tourist Office to get a map and plan the next few days because there is WAY too much I want to see!!!
If anyone has any suggestions just send me an email! I want to make the most of my time here!
Love to everyone!!!

Poland in 5

1. Of course the number one reason that I loved Poland as much as I did is because I went with new travel friends and we all shared a room. The laughs started on the train with a very funny gas mask and it was really nice to share a room with people that I knew instead of just a bunch of unmet friends. Although the laughs didn't last as long as my time in Krakow, it was still great, and I got to steal the best of the 3 and bring her to Berlin with me!
2. Amazingly friendly people, both living in Poland and traveling there. If I ever looked confused people would stop and offer their help. When dinning alone I was sat with other single dinners and ended up having great chats.
3. The first night in Krakow Lisa and I were starving and it was late and we needed somewhere to go to eat and a very drunk Englishman recommmended a little all-night dinner about 5 minutes walk from the hostel. It was one of the best suggestions we got. It was fabulously inexpensive and so delicious...we repeated the experience twice more before leaving. Inexpensive, fried, pickled food...doesn't get much better than that!
4. Hostel Bars...they have become one of my requirements because they just bring people together! I love to just head down and have a few beers any time, chill out with new friends, meet some new ones...and the staff always seems to be having the best time ever. I recommend them as a must for any traveller.
5. Auschwitz. Although not a very happy trip it was the most moving experience I have had on my trip thus far. It is hard to really try and express what it meant to me, so I won't even try to put it into words, but if you have the chance to go I would recommend it.

Czech Top 10!!!

1. Although the build-up to it sucked...it was really nice to get a single room with a TV and phone when I stayed in Plzen. I loved just chilling in my panties, watching a Tara Reid movie in Czech, and talking to Mom & Dad.
2. The exchange rate from Canadian to Czech Krowns. It was 1$ to 22 Krowns. So I would go to the bank machine and get out 1000 Krowns and it would only be 50$. How amazing is that! And so fun because you feel so rich for a while!
3. So because the exchange was so good, when I went to a bar and got a beer for 15 krowns, it was actually LESS than a dollar. How can you compete with that! And the beer is SO good! Pilsner and the REAL Budwiser...all freeshly brewed right here in the Czech.
4. Along with the cheap beer was really cheap food. I ate out every night because I could do so for just over 6$ and yet get a huge meal, with a beer, salade, main, and at least one side. And the food is GREAT!
5. Getting a free keg of this delicious beer when I checked into my hostel in Cesky Krumlov! A whole huge keg for only around 20 people. I must say that there were a lot of hung over people the day after that night!
6. The last night I was in Cesky Krumlov I went out to dinner with 4 other people I met in the hostel. We went to this mideval restaurant where they cook everything over and open flame. Their house specialty is garlic soup in a bread bowl. Incredible. It basically just some veggie stock with garlic and some herbs, in a bread bowl (a la Tim Hortens chilli), with mass amounts of melted cheese. You just can't beat it!
7. The first appearance of snow. Actually...I can't decide if the actually sight of the snow was my favourite part of this, or the reactions from all the people (read:Aussies) that had never seen snow before. I was awoken by screams of glee and wonder, only to be followed quickly by screams of terror at how cold it was. I loved it...the woosies!
8. The fact that I made a bit of a change in my travelling and took some buses for a few days. I didn't love the buses, but it did make me really happy that I had invested in my Eurail Pass (thanks again Grandma!!!). I would have died if I had had to spend the whole 3 months on buses...no matter how fast and reliable they are.
9. Running into someone I knew from Burlington. I know....how random...but apparently its quite a common thing to happen, to run into someone you vaguely know from your past. Mine was Casey Altorf (spelling?). The story is that he is the older brother of a guy that I went to HS with named Carl. And if that's not random enough, in OAC (that's Grade 13 for all you non-Ontarians), on the day that we were getting our student card pictures taken, Carl and I were standing in line together and decided that it would be really funny to switch names, because our grad pictures would be in the year book, not these ones. So we did, and for a whole year I was Carl Altorf and he was Amanda Gulka. And then I run into his brother at a hostel in Cesky Krumlov. How small the world is!
10. The Czech people. Although my first night in the Czech was difficult, it was made more than bearable by all the helpful people that I met that pointed me in the right direction or offered me their help. And this has continued all the way through. Most of the people I have encountered have been older, and speak no word of english, but that doesn't stop them from talking to you. And its not uncommon to ask someone for some help, only to be told they don't speak english, but then have them run off and return a few minutes later with a 'translator'. So incredibly helpful and friendly.

Kicking it up Polish Style!

It has happened again. It has been a few days so I thought it wouldn't again, but today, at exactly 4:02pm, while walking through the Main Market Square, listening to my Mp3 player, it hit me. 'Holy crap...I'm in Poland'. These 'Holy Crap' moments tend to happen at least once a city, but I didn't have one in Prague, and I didn't have one yesterday while walking around in Krakow, so I thought perhaps the magic of traveling Europe had worn off. Boy was I wrong. It is still completely alive and well in me. Oh yeah...I'm in Poland now!
I arrived on Monday night with Josh, Rich, and Lisa, after spending 9 hours on trains, and we were all a little tired and hungry. The train ride was pretty funny though. It is rumoured (and Josh has actually met people that its happened to) that on the night trains between Krakow and Prague or Vienna, people sleeping in compartments have gas pumped into their cabins and then are robbed. So clearly we decided not to take a night train. But Josh and Rich thought it would be funny to get a gas mask to wear on the train during the day. Yes, you can actually get gas masks in Prague. I'm sure you can get them other places, but the thought has never occured to me to try and buy one, so I'm not sure how readily available they really are. Anyway, so there we were, coming to the end of our journey, and Rich pulls out the mask. We were sitting in a 6 person compartment with two random women who were napping, but the curtain was open and everyone walking by did a double take at us. Absolutely hilarious.
Our Hostel here is amazing. There is free internet (only one computer though so you need to share it and be conscious of other people waiting to use it), free laundry (too bad I just paid to have it done in Prague!), free breakfast, a bar in the basement, and a kitchen. The staff are really great, and the interior was just renovated so its all really new. Our first night here we had a few drinks in the bar, then Lisa and I went out to get some dinner at a 24 hour dinner that does all Polish food. It was amazing. We had Breaded Chicken Filets, with fries and salade (which is pickled beets, cabage, and carrots...soo yummy). We loved it. After that we went back and had a few more drinks, but I was wipped so went to bed around 1am. Yesterday we all slept in, then Lisa and I went to walk around the Jewish Quarter. It was really amazing. Krakow is actually where Schindler lived and made his list. We saw a few different synagogues, and in one they had an exhibit displaying different pictures taken in the Warsaw Jewish Ghetto durnig WWII. They were also showing a film that was a compelation of video shot by the Nazis to use as propaganda. It was so moving and both of us ended up in tears. After the video we decided we had see enough and were cold (because its friggin winter over here!) so went back to the same dinner, just to make sure that the food was as good as we remembered it. It was, maybe even better.
In the evening, Josh, Rich, and Lisa feel asleep, so I went out for a wander around the Market Square, and ended up having dinner in this really cute little restaurant. When I arrived there was a group from England/Ireland waiting for a table, so I started to chat with them. There were 6 and no room for me at their table, so I ended up sitting with a Dutchman here in Krakow on business. It was a great dinner. Afterwards I went and was chatting with the group I had originally met, and when I told them I was moving to Ireland they started to recommend tones of places to live, but the two big winners seemed to be Galway or in County Mayo. So its looking like its going to be Galway, at least for the next 6 months or so.
After dinner I decided to go to a movie, then headed back to the hostel. I was up late on the internet and the phone, and didn't get to sleep till around 2am. Today I slept in again, then went up to see Wawel castle, then walked around the Main Market Square again, checking out the churches. So beautiful.
Tomorrow Lisa and I are going to get a bus out to Auschwitz for the day, then on friday we are flying to Berlin. I can't believe how fast its going!
I hope everyone at home is doing great! If you haven't heard yet, we sold the house in Burlington, and Mom & Dad have bought one in Thunder Bay. They will be moving on the 4th of January...right in time for blizzard season! So if anyone wants a picture of the house for memory sake, ride by now and take it, because we don't want to creep out the new owners in the New Year. Apparently they are very nice people!
love to you all!

Beer in the Czech is cheaper than Water!

Where am I? Oh yeah, Prague. SO...I spent 2 brilliant nights in Cesky Krumlov, a cute, quaint little village in the south of the Czech Republich, then caught a bus and came to Prague two days ago. My first night here I just made some dinner and then chilled out for a few hours with some people staying here, then crashed around 1am. Had a great drunken conversation with one of the guys staying in my room, Josh. It was pretty funny.
Yesterday I got up late and went down to Wenceslas Square (Vaclavske Namesti) where I met with a Walking Tour. It was really fun. It was me and a few other guys from the States (who are studying in Hungary). Our tour guide was a guy who moved here from London 7 years ago, and who majored in History at school. Such a great tour. We walked through the Jewish Quarter, around the Old Town, over the Charles Bridge, and then up to the Castle. We didn't go in the castle but wandered around it and our guide pointed out lots of fun stuff. My camera bettery died about half way through, so I didn't get too many pictures, but enough to illustrate my day on my blog!
Yesterday was also Marina's (one of the girls in my room) 21st birthday, so everyone from my room (Matt, Josh, Richard, Lisa, and Dave) took her out for dinner and then we came back to the hostel pub and had some drinks. There were 3 Irish guys playing music and it made me SO excited to get moved to Ireland.
Today I just wandered around town again, but it was raining/snowing, so I didn't go too far. I did get a Lonely Planet book of Ireland though so I can start to figure out where I might want to live. I can't believe that I will be in Ireland in less than a month! It's SO crazy!!!
Tomorrow Lisa, Rich, Josh and I are going to head to Krakow for a few days. I am pretty excited to see it because I've heard some amazing things about it!
Then next weekend I am going to head to Berlin and then finally go to France. I am cutting out more stuff, and will probably just do Paris and a few other places around it, but will for sure get back there next summer.
That's about it for now. Love ot you all!

My night out in Guelph!

Ok, so some of you might have checked out this posting in the last 24 hours, and might notice that it is now a little different. Yesterday I just wanted to get all the pictures on the blog, but today I wanted to get them in order of the evening and just put a few little comments! I hope you enjoy my night out! Dinner at the Red Papaya before a night out at the bars is a must in Guelph. I especially enjoy the Green Tea they give you. Thanks Adam!Ahh, a hug from Heidi...and at Doogie's no less!
Mmmm....Dougie's Chicken wings. Mild (which is actully quite medium if you ask me!), extra saucy, with sour cream on the side. Amy, I don't know if wearing a white top around me and wings was such a good idea.
Hello. I don't know your name, but thanks for the action!

Peek-a-boo! I see you Adam and Adrian!

Thanks for the fabulous night out guys! We should do it again really soon!!!

Czech out the SNOW!!

So this morning I woke up in Cesky Krumlov in the Czech Republic to screams of excitement over the fact that snow was falling from the sky. Not much, just little tiny flakes, but for those that had never seen snow, it was really exciting. Unfortunately this excitement quickly turned to complaining when these snow-virgins realized how cold it was out. Nothing a Canadian can't handle, but colder than most Australians are used to. I just laughed and rolled over to go back to sleep, thinking that it is going to get a heck of a lot colder over the coming weeks!!
Ok, so back to the begining, where I left off! I went to Munich on Monday with Ron, Tanja, and the kids. They went to the zoo while I did some exploring. Its a really pretty town, and I am excited to go back next fall for Octoberfest! I did a tour of the old Royal Residenz, then wandered around, had a pint (or two) at the Hofbrauhaus with an old German man (who bought me a pretzle and a pint!), then made my way back to meet up with the family.
On Tuesday I caught the train from Mittenwald to Munich, then caught another train to Plzen, Czech Republic. In total I traveled for 11 hours. It was really sad leaving Mittenwald, and yes, I did shed a few tears on the train. When I arrived in Plzen (birthplace of Pilsner beer), just before 6pm I was rudely told by the Tourist Information woman that they were closed and wouldn't give me directions to my hostel. This was the begining of the night from Hell. After that, I attempted to call the hostel where I had a reservation to get some directions, but the woman on the phone informed me that she only spoke German, and didn't understand English. After trying to find the right thing to say in my phrase book, she got frustrated with me, so I said goodbye and let her go. I then went into the Exchange Office to change some of the money I had on me into Czech Crowns, and the two women there were amazingly helpful. They drew me a map, told me which tram to take, and where to get off. I then was helped by an older woman who told me which tram stop to go to to catch the right tram. When I ended up in the wrong direction, two students were really nice and pointed me in the right direction. Unfortunately, when I finally arrived at the hostel, the same woman from the phone kept telling me that they had no beds left, and while I once again tried to use my phrasebook, she blatantly ignored me and chatted with a man that was in the lobby. Finally she dismissed me by telling me that there were beds available over at the public pool (weird, but true). When I arrived there, the woman at the desk, with the help of two students in line behind me who spoke english, told me that she had to call the manager to see if there were beds available for the night, and then appologized profussely when she wasn't able to get him on the phone. It was the last straw for a tired girl, and as I left the pool I broke down in tears. But with the help of the two students, I was able to find another hotel where I could get a private room for only 600 CK (around 30$ Canadian) with a TV and a phone. I took the tram back to the train station, then grabbed a cab and was there in under 20 minutes. The place was old, but really pretty. I was able to take a shower, have some dinner, and then called mom & dad.
Yesterday I did a tour of the underground brewing and storing rooms in Plzen, then took a bus to Cesky Krumlov for 2 nights. Last night, it was free beer night in the hostel, so we all shared a keg, then I had dinner in the restaurant with some of the other people staying here. One of the guys turned out to be a the brother of a guy that I went to high school with, and who I switched names with on our OAC student cards. So random!
Today I wandered around town and was planning on going to the castle but it closed on November 1st, so I just wandered around the town for the day. So cute!!
Tomorrow I am going to go to Prague for a few days, then into Poland and then back into Germany.
I am getting bad looks from the other people at the hostel who need to use the internet, so I am going to go for now! Love to everyone at home!

I'm coming back in a week so...German top 5!!

1. There is no beating the feeling of staying with family. Although it was the first time that I met Ron, Tanja, Christopher, and Lucia, they were all so warm and welcoming that it was a huge highlight of my trip. I loved being with family and just hanging around for a few days. I was so happy being there that I even fooled Tanja into believing that I never get grumpy!!! I know...I was that excited!!! And of course, it was also a nice break for my wallet.
2. On the theme of family, I have to say that Christopher and Lucia were absolutely amazing. I know I have talked about them already, but I just couldn't get enough of these two little people!! Christopher is just so funny with the impish gleam in his eye, his crazy counting (50, 80, 20 goats in the field!), and picture drawing. Lucia was too much sometimes...I would nearly be in histarics over her. I will never forget her 'hello!', 'more!', blowing kisses, colouring together, and her 'bye!'...a little Amanda in training if ever I saw one!
3. Driving around, getting lost, and singing along to my Mp3 player at the top of my lungs
4. Having a beer at the Hofbrauhaus in Munich with an old German man, listening to authentic German music, and getting a little tipsy right before getting back in the car for the hour-long drive back to Mittenwald, sandwiched between two car seats!
5. Hockey...thanks to Germany for bringing it back into my life, if only for 2 days. I loved it.

Getting Lost in German Villages!

Holly change of plans!
So originally, I was thinking that I would be somewhere in the Czech Republic right about now, but fortuanately I am instead in Germany. When we last left off I was planning on leaving Salzburg on Thursday and heading to Cesky Krumlov in the Czech, but on Tuesday I got an email from my cousin Ron (ok, third cousin if you want to get specific!) who lives in Germany asking me if I wanted to come visit. So I changed my plans, spent an extra day in Salzburg, and on Friday took the train to Rosenheim, Germany. Ron coaches the Rosenheim Hockey team there. He picked me up at the station around 1pm and we went and had lunch at the arena and got aquainted. I'm pretty sure that before Friday the two of us had never met before, however I have met his brother David at a family reunion years ago (and I mean years because I'm pretty sure I was only 8 or 10 at the time). After lunch I wandered around Rosenheim for a few hours, then Ron dropped me off at one of his player's appartments so I could go with his wife Jodie, and their two kids. It turns out that Jodie and Todd, her husband who plays hockey, met at the University of Guelph a few years back. Such a small world. Anyway, Jodie was fantastic and really took care of me, and so the least I could do was hang out with her awsome son Tye, who is 3, while she chilled in the stands with her little girl Taylor. Tye is the funniest kid I have ever met. He asks about a million questions a minute, but has the most impish smile that you can't help but love him and answer them all as best you can.
The game was really good, the fans are INTENSE, but their energy reminded me a lot of our old ND hockey games, especially since everyone was dressed in the team colours of green and white. There were drums beating, horns honking, chants being chanted, and flags being waved. In the end the team won, or should I say slottered the other team, with a final score of 3-0 (if memory serves me right). At the end of the game, some spectators are actually allowed on the ice and players skate by and high-five them, then head to the dressing room for a quick meeting, and finally come back out onto the ice to do a wave-type thing with the fans, who, according to Jodie, don't leave the arena until this little ritual has been completed. Gotta love the hardcore fans! After all the players have left the ice, Jodie and I went into the VIP room (yes, because I am a VIP!) and watched Ron give his press conference with the coach of the other team. Pretty cool to see. Jodie and Todd left with the kids shortly after that, and while I was waiting for Ron, some of the women in the VIP room (wives of the sponsors I can only hope, and not overage puck bunnies) called me over and gave me a beer and we all tried to communicate with each other. So funny.
Ron and I left when I was done my drinking, and headed back to Mittenwald, a cute German town about 1 hour away from Munich, right across the border from Innsbruck Austria. We were both so tired that by the end of the ride we weren't making much sense conversationally.
Ron's wife Tanja, her brother, and her mother all run a B&B, so when I got here I was given my own room!!! I loved it! To finally have some privacy. I used that room well too and slept in until around 12pm on Saturday. Yesterday afternoon Ron was playing hockey at the Mittenwald rink (outdoor rink) so I went with Tanja and the kids to watch for a few hours. Ron and Tanja have two of the cutest kids ever. Christopher is around 4 and so cheecky. He speaks German mostly, which is completely adorable, but will translate stuff for me. He is the typical older brother, and pretends to not like his little sister around, but then I catch him giving her a hug and know that he really loves her. Lucia is full of sass, and is still only 15 months old. She is in love with her Dad and want to hang aorund him all the time. She has a mind of her own and speaks it, and really well for her age. She looks like a little Cabbage Patch doll, and I just want to cuddle her all the time. The both of them are so much fun to play with, and I will be sad to leave them, but hopefully with return in the fall during Octoberfest for another visit.
Both Ron and Tanja have been so nice and have let me stay with them, have fed me, and lent me one of their cars today so I could go to Füssen...which is a fun story to share....
So this morning I set out for Füssen, a small town around 50km away where there are two castles (REAL ONES), at around 10:30am. I had a map that Tanja drew me, a map book that Ron gave me, and my uncanny sense of direction to guide me. It started out great...I made it through the first 20km or so without any issues, but then I made a wrong turn, or rather, I didn't make a turn. I missed the town sign for Oberau, where I was supposed to turn, so ended up on the A95. Now I kind of knew I wasn't supposed to be on this major highway, but it was just so fun to be driving fast without fear of getting a ticket! I mean I was going pretty fast and cars were just sailing past me! And then I noticed that I was getting low on gas so decided to get some more before heading back to where I had now figured out I was supposed to have turned. I took the next exit I came to, and drove for 20km in one direction, didn't find a station, so went back to the 95 and went 10km in the other direction, and was just turning around to head back again when I stumbled across one. I couldn't believe that I had gone through so many towns (or maybe they were villages) without seeing a single station!
Well I finally filled up and was back on my way. I stopped at a church in Wies that Ron had suggested, and it was so incredible. Most chruches are dark, but this one had huge windows and was all done in white, gold, and pastels, so it was SO bright. I walked around and took some pictures, then realized I was famished so stopped for lunch at a little place next to it. I had 'German Bread' (translation: pretzle), a salad, and some boiled saussages...yummy, but they looked really weird.
After that I got back in the car and headed to Füssen. The deal there is that King Ludwig II was born and raised in a big orange castel, and then decided to build his own up on a hill. It is so amazing, I had chills when I saw it. It is rumoured to be the castel that was a model for the Walt Disney one, with the big turrets. Because it was getting late, I decided to only do the one that the King had built (especially since it is said to be much more ornate than the other). So I bought my ticket, got on the bus, and headed up the hill to see it. When you buy a ticket for either of the castles, it includes a guided tour. Apparently the King started construction on the castel, but died before it was completed, and because he had no heirs, parts were left unfinished. The interior is hilarious though. Its all gold and swans and jewel colours, and everything is painted and guilded, and no wood is left as it, it is all intricately carved. If anyone is ever around here you need to go.
After my big day of driving, and singing out loud to my music (LOVED IT!) I came back to Ron and Tanja's, who are at a hockey game for the night with Christopher, played with Lucia, and am now going to head to bed in a few minutes.
Tomorrow I am going to go to Munich for the day with the family, but they are going to the zoo and I am going to just tour around, and then either spend the night there, or come back here and head to Plzen, Czech Republic on Tuesday.
Love to everyone!!

Top 10 reasons I will miss Austria

1. Did you think that number one could be anything other than a Käsekrainer? Cheese, saussage, bread, ketchup! In a word...amazing. Oh...and equally, Sturm. Its not wine, but its almost there...who really cares though...it is just plain yummy!
2. Free dinners. The other night I went to dinner in a little cafe that I came across on my way back to my hostel. It was SO good. When I was done I went up to the bar to pay and started to chat with an older gentleman who was just finishing his dinner. He was asking me where I was from, and then told me that him and his wife had visited Vancouver and really loved it. I sat down with him and we talked about my travels for around 15 minutes. When I went to give the owner of the cafe the money for my meal, the gentleman waved him off and told him that he would be taking care of it. I was so overwhelmed that I almost cried. He was the sweetest guy ever. I went back the next day to see if he was there again, but he wasn't and the owner wasn't there either so no way of thanking him.
3. Mountains and Valleys...fresh air...warm afternoons and cool evenings...breathtaking.
4. Riding a bike around town. I LOVE that everyone in Austria rides their bikes, and not only that but they ride their bikes while carrying skies on their shoulders (I have actually seen this happen!!!) Its the best way to see a city and it helps to work out my butt muscles that have been getting lazy since leaving Italy because although there are tones of mountains, most cities are in valleys and therefore pretty flat.
5. The Sound of Music. Its been a long time since I watched this movie, and have loved getting to know it all again. Singing the songs, sitting with strangers, all enjoying it for the first or the 100th time, together...nothing brings people together like a Julie Andrews Musical...seriously...try it...put up some posters advertising it and people will show up! If you show it, they will come (ok...too cheesy)
6. The Sound of Music Tour! Not only does this tour take you to all the great places where important, and some not so important, scenes were filmed, you also get to sing all the songs, learn the history of the family, and also learn random facts about Austria! An absolute must for anyone coming to Salzburg!
7. Red Bull...betcha didn't know it was Austrian...well it is...I saw their headquarters...its in a little village outside Salzburg...it looks like a giant glass igloo...wonder if its made of Swarovski?
8. Speaking of which...Swarovski Crystals! Sparkly, shinny, fabulous stuff. Loved the exhibit at the Crystal Worlds and the shopping and the really helpful staff. It was all so great. But most of all I love my new necklace and ring which both glitter in the Austrian sunlight. It sometimes causes me to pause in my touring just to stare. I guess I'm just like a cat in that way...totally distracted by anything that sparkles and shines!
9. Castles...just in Austrai alone I have seen and/or visited 15 castels and palaces and that was just in 3 cities! Although to be honest, a lot of these 'castles' look more like giant mansions to me...but who am I to judge when if I ever own a house over 4000 square feet it will surely be given a name such as 'Castle of the Beautiful Blonde' or 'Castle Von Amanda' or 'Castle Gulks'...so I can totally support all of these castles 100%
10. Hanging with Mandy in Vienna. It was SO nice to have someone that knew the city to give me my own private tour and to entertain me in the evenings. She also introduced me to some of my most favorite things in Austria...Käsekrainers and Sturm. I will miss her sass on my future travels.

The Hills are Alive with the Sound of Music!!

So today I partook in the most unique Salzburg experience known to man. This is the home of the Von Trapps, and so this afternoon I bought a ticket, boarded the bus, and was off to relive the movie. Roman, our tour guide, took Jocelyn and I, (yes, there were only 2 of us!) all around Salzburg and the surrounding villages, pointing out places that the movie was filmed and singing songs from the movie the whole way. It was one of the most impactful days of my life...ok, so I shouldn't go that far, but it was really fun and I recommend it to anyone comeing within 1000km of Salzburg. So without further ado...the pictures.

This is the Residenze Plaza where Maria comes running out of the Abby and splashes in the water, singing 'I have Confidence in Me' and swinging her guitar case. The funny part of this whole thing is that the Abby is NOWHERE near this plaza! But if you watch the movie, as she is leaving, there are apparently 3 women standing there. That is the real Maria with 2 of her daughters...going to try to watch that part again just to see them!
This church has nothing to do with the movie...just pretty.

The fortress that looks over the city was also used in a few of the shots of the movie, mostly when Maria and the kids are sitting looking down on the city and singing...or talking...I forget which.
The steps in the background were used during the singing of 'Doe a Deer'. Maria and the kids were jumping and singing all over it...we did sing the song later in the van...so fun! I have no idea who that woman is.

This Dwarf is part of a garden where, once again, during 'Doe a Deer', they all pat the the head of one of the statues...not this one though...another one...but they all looked the same...so no worries.

The whole pack of them ran through this, jumping and skipping as they sang. So the last 3 pictures were taken at a place called the Mirabell Palace. It was built by a Prince-Archbishop a long time ago for his lover, who bore him 16 children (although I have heard numbers from anywhere from 10-20 so who knows how many she actually had). It was a huge scandal at the time because Archbishops are clearly supposed to be celabit, but apparently he didn't care.

This house was only used for its grounds...but its so pretty thought I would take a picture!

This is the famous gazebo from the two songs '16 Going on 17', and 'Something Good' Apparently it used to be on the grounds of one of the other castles used in the shoot, given to the owners after filming was over. But the castel is a private house, so tours couldn't go see it. After hours, people would go back and scale the walls and dance around. This lasted a few years until a woman in her 80s scalled the wall (no one is sure how) and was dancing around inside the gazebo and broke her ankle. They then moved it.

The lake and balcony at the back of the house. This 'Castle' wasn't actually used as the house the family lived in during the movie, but the lake in the back was used for the scene where they all fall out of the boat, and the balcony was where Maria and the Captain danced together. SOOO Romantic!
One of the lakes from the opening scene when Maria is singing 'The Hills are Alive....With the Sound of Music!'
A really big mountain...not in the movie, but there is a hotel right on the peak...sooo cool.

This is a picture of the apple struddle that I got at the end of the tour. It came with warm vanilla sause....SO good...I just thought I would share it with you all. I also visited the church where Maria and the Captain got married in the movie, but the picture I took was too dark to post....but it was VERY cool. We reinacted it! I was Maria of course!

Developing a bruise on my butt!

My travels in Austria are coming to an end, and this is causing me much sadness...but I still have another day, so I will not dwell yet. My second day in Vienna, I went to dinner at Mandy's with her two friends Vanja and Emily. It was up to me to bring the wine, so I bought something called Sturm, and I now think that I am in love. First, a 2 litre bottle only cost 4€ and it so yummy! The 4 of us polished off a bottle, and ended up quite tipsy, in under an hour...and if I'm being honest it was closer to half an hour. This yummy drink went fabulously with Mandy's homemade smashed potatoes, sauerkraut, and saussage. It was truely an Austrian meal. After dinner we had an inpromptue dance party in the appartment, then Mandy went out to meet her new boy'friend', so I headed back to the hostel for a fun-filled night of laundry. Thankfully I had charged up my calling card and was able to call Grandma and Heidi to chat.
The next day I met with Mandy again and we walked down to the Belvedier Palace, where they have a modern art exhitbit, with a lot of pictures of famous Austrians, and then an exhibit all about the history of Austria...really cool. After that we walked over to another exhibit called 'Superstars', which was all about pop-culture...it had pieces by Warhol, videos about Michael Jackson, photographs....really cool stuff...those are the kinds of shows I like...not so much the looking at painting after painting.
Once again, Mandy had a school thing, so I was on my own, so as I was walking back to my hostel, I passes a theatre that was playing 'Elizabethtown' in 10 minutes, so I decided to check it out. So glad I did! Loved it!
Yesterday I got up and went to see the second half of the Superstars exhibit (really good Mandy!) and then caught a train to Salzburg. I am staying in an HI hostels, but its HUGE! The view from the bar area is actually of the Hohensalyburg Fortress...which I am going to check out tomorrow! If you didn't know, 'The Sound of Music' was filmed here in Salzburg (the Van Trapp family actually lived just outside of the city) and so most every hostel shows the film once a day. I watched it last night with a couple of people staying here...so funny...worth the second (thousandth) viewing! Tomorrow I am actually going to take the tour, so stay tuned for pictures and stories from that!
Today I rented a bike from the hostel and rode around the city...oh, but I forgot to mention the crazy Swiss lady that shared my room last night! She was alseep when I arrived (at 6pm) and continued to sleep until around midnight when I decided to go to bed. Then she woke up, opened a bottle of champagne, and started talking on her cell phone. She didn't know that I spoke french, so I got a real earful! I guess she was trying to track someone down through information because she kept spelling a name...over and over again! Apparently it was someone named Vettoria. I assume that's the last name, but not so sure. Then she started to talk to someone about not being married and loving that she doesn't have the ties associated with marriage...all the affairs! So rediculous! And SO loud! Finally I feel asleep, but she woke me up this morning when she was trying to pack her stuff up...thank goodness!!!
Anyway, so I rented a bike for the day and it was great...however I ended up with a male bike, and being short, I had a hard time swinging my leg over the bar...add to that the fact that I was wearing a skirt...and fell over once...on a busy street...tones of Austrians stoped in their tracks and just stared, then jumped into action to make sure I was alright...all I could do was laugh... unfortunately I wasn't able to get a picture of the whole thing to send back home, but I'm sure you all have the image in your mind (especially you Audra..who I know is giggling really hard now remembering all my other spills...the Patch to name one!).
So beyond the amusment I brought to some people on the street...I also saw some actual attractions, including the Cathedral, the Prince-Archbishops' Residence, St. Peter's Abbey, Mozart's birthplace, and Collegiate Church. It was all really beautiful, and each church so different from any other ones I have seen before...however I think that I am all churched and religioused out for a while.
I don't know what I am going to get up to tonight...but hopefully not another viewing of The Sound of Music...once was enough! I might try and round up a few people and go and check out a monestery that makes its own beer...apparently its really good!
That's about it for now...I am going to go back to watching Gilmore Girls in German...I have no idea what they are saying, but am laughing anyway because I remember the situations! So fun!
Sending love to everyone!

Ode to a Cheese Saussage

It was late,
and I had not ate.
The opera was long, so long,
and I didn't understand a song.
So as we walked down the street,
I searched for a treat,
when Vanja suggested a Käsekrainer.

'A Käsekrainer?' I questioned,
never having heard of such a suggestion.
'It is so yummy' Vanja said,
'without a doubt within my head!'
And so I agreed to try this thing,
whose praise Vanja did sing.
And so I ordered a Käsekrainer.

The first thing the old man did,
from inside his roadside rig,
was cut off the end of a bun,
which he kept when this was done,
and placed the bun on a rod,
to create within it a sort of pod.
This is how it started, my Käsekrainer.

Next he chose a wurst,
although, really it was just the first,
and he placed this inside the hole,
with a squirt of ketchup for the soul.
The piece of cut bun was added back,
and I was handed it all in a nap(kin).
My first Käsekrainer.

The first bite was devine,
I couldn't believe it was mine.
The pork juices and cheese,
mixed to bring a smile of please.
I savoured each bite,
of my bread, pork, and cheese delight.
And soon it was gone, my first Käsekrainer.

**Pictures are real pictures of Mandy enjoying a real Käsekrainer...no alterations have been made...she is also really in Vienna...no digital changes have been made**

Buses, Tubes, Trains, and Planes...so many forms of transportation!

Please excuse any rambling or non-sensical things that I write because I am going on very little sleep which will be explained momentarily.
My time in London was a really great break from the constant moving around of travel. Although it was only 3 nights, I feel so refreshed, and almost 100% again.
My day of rest and relaxation continued with dinner with Justine and Rachael at a pub. I wanted to get real English Fish and Chips but they were out (what english pub runs out of fish and chips I ask you...WHO??) so I settled for Bangers and Mash, and it was well worth the sacrifice! We had a great visit, and chatted about everything and anything. After dinner we went on the hunt for a cup of tea, but could find no cafes around that were serving it, or desert, so instead called it a night. When Justine and I got back to her place she went to bed, and I crawled into my bed and watched the season finale of CSI from last season (SO GOOD!).
My second day in Jolly old London, I met up with Fay for lunch and some shopping...although there was no purchasing going on. I did find a few things I liked, but nothing I loved. After my afternoon out, I met with Susan and we went to the Rainforest Cafe to celebrate her birthday (which had been the day before). Dinner was good, and the staff made her stand up while they sang Happy Birthday...so fun! After dinner we went to see Pride & Prejudice. I loved it...Kiera Knightly wasn't as good as the original Elizabeth from the BBC miniseries, but the guy that played Mr. Darcy was quite broody and very convincing. It was sad to miss some of the parts, but it was really well done for 2 hours...and to my future husband, please watch the last scene between Darcy and Elizabeth in the field to get tips on how to propose...seriously, copy and you will SO get lucky...by marrying me...of course! Where we saw the movie though, in Lester Square (SO not spelled that way, but its the way it pronounced and I don't remember exactly how its written!) and it was a movie watcher paradise. Around 4 different theatres with 3-4 movies each...so fun!
Yesterday was my last day in town, so I did a little shopping in the morning and then met Justine for lunch. On the way there, the bus I was ridding actually got side swipped by another bus that was turning left while we were turning right. It was really weird because the other driver just got out of the bus, checked from afar, then got back in and drove away, while we sat in the middle of the intersection for like 10 minutes before moving again. I guess there was nothing wrong with the bus because no one said anything about it.
After lunch with Justine, did a little more browsing in the shops before catching the tube to the Coach station. My plane left at 7pm, and so I planned to take the 3:30pm bus, but shopping/browsing got in the way (PS I did end up finding a great new jacket to keep me warm! NEXT is my new fav store! I'll post a picture of it later on) and so I didn't get to the bus station until 4:30pm for the bus. When I had come into town from the airport, the bus had taken around an hour and 15 minutes, with a little bit of traffic, so I had assumed that 2 hours would be enough time to get me to the airport on time. Unfortunately I thought wrong, and my bus hit some major traffic in London, and I didn't end up getting to the airport until 6:52pm. Needless to say, I missed my flight. Of course, the next one didn't leave until 6:30am today, so I spent the night in the airport. It wasn't too bad, I got a nice bench, and had my sleeping bag, and was able to get around 4 hours of sleep before waking up and panicking because I didn't want to miss my flight again. I see it as a bit of a rite of passage as a traveler to have now spent the night in a terminal. There were so many others doing it as well. So after a flight, a bus ride, and a train ride, I am safely back in Vienna, probably until Monday morning now. Tonight I am planning on going to the opera with Mandy, but not before catching some shut eye because all of a sudden it is starting to catch up with me. I had a fabulous time in London, and thanks to everyone there, especially Justine!
I am looking forward to seeing more of Vienna over the next 2 days, and hopefully doing some laundry! Love to everyone at home!! Keep the emails and comments coming...nothing makes me smile bigger or laugh harder or just make me love knowing you guys are out there thinking of me!

Crystals and Snakebits

This is apparently the largest cut crystal in the world...there was also a huge rough crystal in the Swarovski exibit that was 50 million (or was it billion) karats...it was as big as me...tried to steal it but it didn't really fit up my sleeve!
One of the branches of a tree made from crystals...it was like the most sparkly christmas tree ever! Loved it!
I really, really tried to steal this ring for my grandma because I know how much she loves and appreciates the spark, where else would my mom and I have inherrited our love of shinny objects? But the ring was a part of an exhibition called the 'Traveling Giant' and the ring could have fit around my waist...tried to put it on and wear it out like it was my belt, but some kids started to cry and scream that the giant would come get me, so I put it back...sorry grandma...no luck.
These are the views of the mountains around Innsbruck. I am actually out of town at the Crystal worlds, but this is what it is like everywhere...Love it.

This is the centrepiece of the Crystal Worlds. Some head made out of dirt and grass, barfing water...I don't get the tie to crystals. But the water is crystal clear, so maybe that's the relation...who knows?!
Shhhh...this is Dad's Christmas present...sorry boys, even from far away I can still pick em! A crystal-encrusted lawn mower for all that land they are going to have up in TBay (or as I like to call it, Danger Bay!)
I bought this outfit because it is clearly made for me. It didn't cost much and I will totally get tones of wear out of it. I have actually taken to wearing the Tiara (which is on the red pillow) everywhere I go...you can't imagine the amount of respect and quality of service I have been getting!
The view from my hostel in Innsbruck...yes, those are mountains...you are jealous...I know...its ok...most everyone else reading this is jealous too!
When I was in Vienna for one day (going back after London) Mandy and I went out for dinner at an Asian restaurant. This is one of the Spring rolls we got. Really good, but HUGE! For a second I thought I was back in North America...but no...still in Austria!
Me and Susan at the BusAbout reunion in London. It was on Halloween so that is why I am wearing the head band...Apparently the day isn't too big in the UK or Australia, so my costume was NOT up to my typical standards.
I was drinking a 'Snakebite' which is beer, cider, and red currant stuff mixed in a glass...apparently very Australian, and since it's mostly Aussies that do BusAbout, and the reunion was held at the 'Walkabout', an Aussie bar, I felt the presure to drink one...not bad...really sweet...but it does turn your tongue red which is pretty fun...and they were cheap...£1.50....amazing!
Racheal and I toasting our 2nd or 3rd Snakebites...we are clearly having a great time.
'Look, my tongue is red!' Racheal, Venessa, and Justine having a good time
Greek Explorer Possee! Venessa, Justine, Racheal, Claire, and Fay. I forget the guy in the back...Claire and Fay met him in Croatia...really nice guy though.
The only downfall (if you can call it that) is that the bar was PACKED and as a result, many Snakebits were spilled. Never one to waste free alcohol, I thought I'd just lick myself clean after one suck tragedy.
I made it till around 10:30pm (12:30am for me who was still on Austrian time) and since I had been up since 6am, Justine took pity on me and took me home. This is the two of us with our fabulous halloween head gear, waiting for the bus back to her place. An absolutely fabulous night!!!