June 21
On my way to Ireland
So I was just thinking about my European adventures and experiences so far on this trip, I have:
run away from a knife in Prague,
took quite possibly the most pleasant nap in the royal palace in Vienna,
slept walked in Croatia and awoke to find myself in the street,
had a few drinks at the number one rated bar in the world (Rotterdam),
'discussed' politics at a communist rally in Barcelona's Las Rambas,
ran and avoided riot police while those around me were being clubbed,
was an inch away from being pick-pocketed in the world’s largest Bazaar in Madrid,
happened to stumble upon an international street theatre competition,
avoided a fight over the BP oil spill on London's tube (subway),
made my own luck on London Bridge,
waded through pro-Palestine, anti-Israeli protests getting shoved along the way (Brussels), fixed major problems with a little imagination and earbud wires,
and experienced some stories that my friends and I will take to the grave.
I have met people from every corner of the globe, of every creed, and numerous occupations, including a professional ballerina, an anti-terrorist expert, micro-biologist, laser scientists, etc... and the thing that I have noticed is that people are all basically the same no matter where you go... Good. People are wonderful no matter where you go and it’s the people you meet while traveling that make your experience that much better. I have picked up on two sayings that very wise men have told me and I really try to live by them when I meet new people. One is to learn something from each person you meet so your brain never goes hungry. This doesn’t mean each person you meet will teach you something earth-shattering, but they could change the way you look at things in a small way. The second is the most important thing: the world can be cruel enough to people, so just be kind. Love them, even if you don’t know them, never yell or bicker. Try to logically figure out problems. You never know how heavy of a load that person could be bearing. So why make it any heavier? As far as I know Atlas doesn't walk the earth anymore.
Anyways I love you all,
stay safe out there,
and, of course, seize the day!
Nathan Reich
June 17, 2010 England Trip
I don’t even know where to start for London. I was enthralled by the city. It’s unbelievably international, with a bustling business center, steady tourism, enough sites and activities to keep me busy for months but relaxing enough so I never felt like I was rushing a thing. It was the first time I had been in an English-speaking country (unless you include the Amsterdam) since March. It was beautiful to hear, read, and speak whenever I was confused or just wanted to chat with locals while rubbing elbows at a pub. I have fallen in love with the city and could be one of the greatest in the world. It topped Barcelona in my own personal book. I would like to go to grad school there.
I stayed with Mark and Elizabeth Donahue, family friends from Florida. They are newlyweds and greeted me with unbelievable hospitality. Liz can cook up a store and whipped up a gourmet meal in minutes while providing a conversation as she cuts, mashes, stirs, etc. all the ingredients together. I ate and felt like a king while I was there and have to thank them for making my London experience exponentially better. They provided me with local tips and took me out to eat to at little pubs where each bite of food tasted like an explosion of flavor. They invited me to watch the World Cup with them and friends. Truly wonderful people.
It’s been very interesting to meet so many people as I have traveled mostly solo throughout Europe. While my plan was to travel solo for eight days in London and the surrounding area. However, I knew a lot of people that were there at the same time and also made new friends along the way. They include a Seattlite that just spent a year in Africa working in orphanages, a Texan that was full of laughter, a soul-searching Canadian, a couple of Kiwis, and group of fun guys from NC State. It’s amazing how flashing a smile and making a little joke can create a travel relationship, but I guess that’s not only for traveling but just building relationships. Traveling solo makes you much more social and pushes you to step outside of your comfort zone (which is where all the fun is.) I think traveling solo for the majority of my trips has been one of the best things as it pushes you to meet new and incredible people where friendships are created fast.
A little piece of advice: there is a company called New Europe (Neweurope.com) that offers free walking tours all throughout Europe where the guides are paid on tips (usually 5 euro.) It’s a wonderful way to see the sites, learn the history, and just listen to the chatty guides fill you with local knowledge and historical facts. For example, I bet you didn’t know a drunk Irish man broke into Buckingham Palace, sat on the throne wearing the crown giving orders to his imaginary minions while drinking the royal wine and even talking to the queen for 30 minutes before being caught. This was in the 80's. The only crime committed by him was petty theft of wine because at the time it was apparently not illegal to jump the fence and break in.
So through the tours, I saw most of the sights in the first two days leaving the next 6 days wide open . I went to the Churchill War Rooms one day which is underground bunkers where England's leaders orchestrated the war below the ground. There was a private tour behind the scenes of VIPS. The tour guide asked 'what was the weather pronounced if London was being blitzed at the moment?' Well, growing up watching the History Channel (I know I’m a bit of a nerd,) I muttered in passing 'windy.' The guide was apparently impressed and asked if I would like to join the tour. I, of course, said yes, and got to go into the rooms that were off limits to others, hang out in Churchill’s office and received a much more indepth tour than an audio guide.
So I have these American sunglasses that I bought in Rotterdam and have picked up the nick-name, ‘The Generals.’ They have taken on a life of its own as they are so tacky and ridiculous that a lot of people like to try them on while traveling. So I try to take a picture of each person wearing the glasses traveling with me as my own way of remembering them. Well, I went to the Royal Guards (the ones with the funny hats and that are not allowed to smile, laugh or move) wearing the Generals and whispered in his ear 'How much do you hate me right now?' I wasn’t expecting an answer, but he replied in an almost unaudible throaty mutter 'a lot.' I laughed so hard that I fell over. In a way I feel bad for that guy wearing that absurd uniform just for tourists. The uniform really serves no purpose but to be verbally poked and prodded. However, as a tourist, I had to at least try.
The museums were awesome. Most of the museums are free there unless it is owned by the royal family. If so, it’s a minimum of 12 pounds to enter (which is a bit pricey for my budget.) So I went to the Tate Museum of Modern Art where I mosied up and down the halls looking at works by Picasso, Dali, and many more. I felt very rich as I stood in front of these paintings that are worth millions of dollars. I also went to the British Museum which holds extensive collections of Van Gogh, Monet, 3 out of the 4 Ninja Turtles, and many more. It’s one of the finest art museums in the world. I am going to have to say Van Gogh is my favorite. I like the way he globs on paint and appreciate the textures that it produces. Monet is a close second. Alex, a Canadian I met in Brussels, and I met up in London and went to a museum (the name escapes my mind) but holds the most extensive and valuable Egyptian collection (the famous Rosetta stone was there), it held Mesopotamian artifacts (known as the 'Cradle of Life'), Greek, Roman, Chinese, and the list goes on. But each room held really cool works that were usually in good condition. It made the history come alive instead of just reading about these old dead people that built old buildings here.
Stonehenge and Bath.
I took a bus that went to nearby Stonehenge (1.5 hrs away from London) and Bath. Stonehenge is weird. It is in the middle of nowhere. The only life around is sheep, some of which are for some reason spray painted! It’s cool to see that these prehistoric people moved these rocks hundreds of miles from Wales to that spot. Historians don’t really exactly know the reason why it was built or the exact method of how it was built. They do know that it took at least sixty people to carry one rock. Imagine carrying that rock hundreds of miles. It was nice to walk around with a new friend, Amanda, from Texas, chat about how cool it was, the places we have been and where we plan to go. It was also nice to hear a southern twang again. While I may not have a twangy accent and it was to hear a little piece of home. So Stonehenge is roped off, so you can’t get to close. I understand that the reason is that too many tourists tried peeing on it. I think she really meant too many Americans. Anyways, Amanda and I also stuck together in Bath.
Bath is beautiful. All the buildings are built from ivory limestone and are really old. The city is cradled in the hills and has large Roman influences. That is actually where it got its name. There are hot springs located there which are said to have healing powers (just mineral water) so the Romans built a huge “state of the art” Roman Bath which still stands and is in excellent shape. We power walked through the bath stopping only to take pictures as we had just a few hours in the city. The sun was shining and barely a cloud was in site for the first time in England. Enjoying the weather, we made the decision to split a bottle of wine in a park and just stroll around the city with coffee cups of wine soaking up the sun and sights. I do think this was the best way to see Bath. That night I remember Mark and Liz talking about how there was an authentic BBQ restaurant in London. So Amanda and I checked it out and ordered the pulled pork sandwich. It was delicious, but not nearly as good as home. There wasn’t the grease and the rub, nor the smoked flavor (I think it was an electric smoker) but still very good and filled with flavors that reminded me of home.
Pub Culture in London is awesome. I have not yet been to a bar in Ireland (soon I will - June 22-26) but it’s just so relaxing in there. People from all over the world come in there grab a beer, watch the game, rub elbows with every demographic and good conversation and beer is easy to find. Pubs got their names from Public house because that’s where people hung out in their free time in the villages across England. It still has that feeling. It is awesome that they were able to preserve it for so long.
Watching the World Cup in London was an experience as America vs. England was played. I stopped by a pub near where I was staying to grab a pint before the game and participated in some friendly banter. Then we went to Mark's and Liz's friends to watch the game with a crowd split evenly between Americans and Englishmen. It was fun to listen to the jeers and cheers from both sides. The tension rose as America equalized after England’s keeper made a fatal mistake. The next day the newspapers ripped the goal keeper and even managed to rip the BP oil spill. It’s absurd that the English think Americans are making a big deal out of nothing. So the Headline was 'One disastrous spill the Yanks won’t be complaining about' (in reference to English keepers poor performance).
Amsterdam.
First of all, I have gotten a couple of messages questioning whether everything in these blogs are true. Absolutely. I feel no need to lie about my journey as I write this for me and to express what I see, do, and feel while I am abroad. I have just been lucky to experience everything that I have and meet some of the most wonderful people on the planet.
I stayed in Amsterdam for a few days, and I have mixed feelings about the city. I met Shiv (a fellow UNF Osprey) and Larissa (an Aussie I met in Barcelona) in Amsterdam. Our hostel was in the heart of the Red light district. This seemed like a great idea at first but then you begin to realize the whole district is all the same. The red light district is made out of coffee shops (places where Marijuana can bought and consumed), chinese food (for munchies I assume,) head shops (where you can buy marijuana pipes, bongs etc), sex stores, and of course the infamous ladies in the red windows. You begin to realize there is no cultural value about the redlight and the district's coffee shops are filled with only tourists and locals don’t participate with the ladies of the night. In fact, the Netherlands, has the lowest percentage of people that smoke marijuana because it’s legal. They smoke it when they are in high school and then decide its time to grow up. Just thought that was interesting as the only country in Europe where it is legal to purchase weed is also the country with the lowest percentage of consumers. I understand that they are cutting down the red light district because locals are tired of dealing with the ever present smells. Also tourism may be hurting (there are 240 coffee shops in Amsterdam a bit excessive in my book.) Bottom line, going to the redlight district for cultural value is equivalent to going to I-drive (Orlando's tourist street filled with hotels, restaurants, and tacky t-shirt stores) for the real Florida experience. It’s a amusement park for adults.
Since I was in the red light district and it took about 25 minutes to walk out of it, I really didn’t venture out to the real Amsterdam until the second day. Now that’s the best part of Amsterdam. It’s gorgeous, boats navigate through the maze of narrow canals. Tall Buildings are built directly upon the edge of these canals. Most of the buildings are hundreds of years old and are incredibly narrow. The stairs in these buildings are incredibly steep, as there is such little room in these buildings. In fact, the bathrooms were so small that my knees were smashed against the door. Shiv and I went on a free walking tour and we were amazed by the history of the people and the humor of their history. Fun fact: when Napoleon conquered the Netherlands, he created a law that each person must have a last name (before it was Jim the Baker, Dutch are practical) in order to keep track of his subjects. The Dutch begrudgingly agreed; however, many of them thought it would be funny to make funny last names like 'Jim Pubichair, buttwipe, long live the king etc...now one out of ten Dutch people have jokes for last names. I guess their ancestors didn’t think that far in advance.
The people of Amsterdam and the Netherlands are incredible open-minded. Their motto is 'If you can contribute, you’re welcome to come.' It all started with William the Orange, a Medieval king that saw that there was money to be made helping those religiously persecuted. He thought that if he opened the doors to all those persecuted as long as they could contribute whether it be business men or an officer in another army you were welcome. Ever since then, those that were being persecuted fled there for equal rights (Jews from the Nazis until they conquered Amsterdam, homosexuals, even the French noblemen ran there for protection during the French revolution.) They were the first country to legalize gay marriage, prostitution (fun fact: it was in order to fight Sexually Transmitted Diseases), marijuana and they promoted women’s rights.
Also the language of Amsterdam is officially Dutch, but unofficially English. 94% of the Dutch people in Amsterdam can pass an English fluency reading, written and speaking exam. I am not quite sure if some states in America can boast such a literacy rate. The people are unbelievably kind. When I was on the train, I met a giant Dutch man (the Dutch are the tallest in the world) with weathered skin and hardened hands. He was a goat and olive farmer outside of Barcelona. He had this perpetual friendly grin that made you feel welcome and I couldn't help but flash my smile back. He thought it would be a shame for me to not enjoy Amsterdam the way the locals do, so he wrote down a list of things that he used to do when he was my age and lived in Amsterdam (another fun fact: the waiting list to buy a house in downtown is around 17 years.) He also then walked me directly to my hostel. I hadn’t asked him to, but he just said 'Once again, it would be a shame for you to be lost. I would hate for this to put a bad image on us.' This was also his first time home in 10 years. He put off seeing friends and family for me, a complete stranger. I touched by his gesture. However, this was not the only time that I was impressed with the Dutch generosity and hospitality. I did as my farmer friend recommended and bought a couple bottles of wine, sit on the canal’s edge, and call out to boat locals and ask if I could join. I did this on my last day there and on the first boat I was welcomed aboard and spent a few hours cruising the canals, sharing laughter and beautiful conversation. They went out of their way to drop me off at the place closest to bus stop as I was leaving straight from there to Brussels. There we parted with hugs and smiles. It’s just the Dutch way. It strengthens my belief that people are generally good, especially the Dutch.
I briefly talked about the bike culture in the Netherlands in my Rotterdam entry. However, in Amsterdam, it’s even stronger. There are so many bikes there locked up that people forget where they put them. In fact, there are four bikes for every one city native. Also, drunk dutch people find it fun to throw bikes that are not locked to objects like trees or a pole and throw them into the canals. It’s a little sport they call 'chuckin.' 20,000 bikes are in the canals and there is a layer of bikes 4 deep and it provides numerous locals with full time jobs to go around in boats with cranes and just pull out bikes 10 at a time. Now people are not only throwing bikes bin the canals, but also small ‘smart’ cars that are parked next to the canals. An average of two smart cars per week are being pushed into the canals. I also can’t tell you how many times I was almost hit by a bike while wandering around the city. It’s pretty dangerous, I must say.
Brussels.
I went to Brussels directly from Amsterdam to meet Larissa. I'm not really a big fan of the city. I stayed there for two days and saw everything the first afternoon I was there.
They have a giant square in the heart of city. It is the grandest square I have seen yet. Three or four story buildings made with the same design as the canal houses in Amsterdam. The tops were plated with gold, glistening in the sun, creating an awe-inspiring view. Also there were other fantastic buildings with ornate carvings of saints, knights, and other important figures with the smallest details of the person’s facial features shown. It was truly a spectacular square. I met a girl named ‘London’ who was a ballerina (brings the count to two now) in NYC before she tore her ACL and shifted focus to film. I was interviewed for a documentary. I forgot the name, but she seemed pleasant enough so she tagged along with us. Anyway, there were a lot of wonderful architecture, monuments (Europe is just one giant monument meca), churches, gardens, and of course EU's parliament is located there. The city is primarily a business city, so there are large glass skyscrapers, etc. The exciting part of the trip came when there was a large, but peaceful, protest of Palestinians against the Israeli floatilla blockade. I had to walk through to get to where I needed to go. I was shoved and things were yelled at me a few times, but I felt safe. It was nothing compared to the communist rally in Barcelona.
The next day I enjoyed the parks around the city and stopped in for a few pints of Belgian beer. The belgian beer was everything I expected, and then more.
When I went to Brussels (about a month ago,) a lot of college grads were just starting to make their big trip through Europe with friends. In the hostel the first night, I encountered a lot of weird and common sense questions by these travelers (including two UF grads.)
Here’s a list:
1.Q. Can you use a debit card to book hostels and flights online?
A. Really?! Of course you can.
2. Q Where do you eat to save money?
A: Shopping at grocery stores
Q:You can do that?
A:rolling of the eyes.
3.Q:Where do you get a good haircut in Europe by a proper stylist. A:Rolling of the eyes again.
And my favorite:
4. Q. Did you see a place to get Prada sunglasses today?
A I couldn’t help but laugh.
They all talked about doing Europe through the backdoor, but good luck wearing Prada, designer haircuts, and just showing up to hostels hoping for vacancy. I was happy to help, but I felt that this was very common sense stuff, not just beginner traveler ignorance. I wish them the best of luck. They were also very depressed when it rained that night. They left with expectations of Europe being like Candyland where everything works out and you will be entertained every moment. I told them a lot of the time, things don’t work, you miss trains, you jump on the wrong train, the weather is awful, etc. But how you deal with these situations will make or break your European trip. You have to entertain yourself and be disciplined with money to ensure yourself a long and enjoyable trip. Also, many of my trip highlights resulted from bad situations. It takes an optimistic attitude to find something to do. I think most people would agree with that statement. I don’t say this like I'm a world class traveler, I am not. I still look and ask for tips from others, but I just found the questions funny.
Sorry I don’t have much else to say about Brussels, I just thought it was bit of a let-down. I just stayed too long. I would feel different if I was just there for a night. Wonderful city though.
Sorry this took me so long to write and post but I have been basically non-stop traveling for basically a month now, and I just forgot to write it.
As always I love you and miss you all,
stay safe out there,
and, of course, seize the day.
Nathan
Croatia, Rotterdam, etc.
Wow, how beautiful is the world we live in! That’s all I can say. I feel like I have seen so much of Europe but have barely even scratched the surface. I think I would have to spend 2 years of just straight traveling to see everything. There are micro-cultures in each country where different interests thrive, counter cultures etc. Actually Germany has quite a big population of punks (late 20's people that keep fighting against the man), emos (14-19yr), and Goths (not unusual to see them on rollerblades). They all hang outside the central station. The punks play music and drink while asking for change. The emos just hang out like mall rats in America playing music on boom boxes dancing to the music (give these kids a mall Germany!). I completely understand why they feel the need to rebel. The German people as a whole are very disciplined, rigid, and reserved. (These are not bad qualities to all of my dear German friends that may or may not read this) I have only heard one temper tantrum since being here and that lasted about 20 seconds until the mother shushed the child. Even the dogs are trained and act like people. Dogs can go into stores (some grocery stores) they are like trained and act like police dogs. The few times I have tried to pet a dog while walking along or hanging out at a park. I was not greeted with wagging tail or lick on the hand but the dog looked at me, then his master, then me and gave me a look like ''what the hell is wrong with this guy, right?” The dog brushed me off like I'm the mangy mutt. The way they play is even rigid; it’s not as free and open. It’s unbelievable. It’s just a different culture, not better or worse. But I feel myself missing the chaos of America where jaywalking in the middle of the night on an empty back road is not grounds for being yelled by a grouchy old German woman. She literally gave me a disapproving look and shook her cane at me ( I did not succeed in holding back the laughter.) Don’t get me wrong - I LOVE GERMANY! However, I miss not waking up and know what will happen, what jerk will cut me off etc so I can understand why the there is such a large counter culture.
Rotterdam
Wow, this seems forever ago. Rotterdam was the most modern city I have visited hands down. It makes NYC look like ancient and historic Rome. The architecture there is unbelievable. When Germany invaded the Netherlands, it took them a extra day then expected to take over the city. So they decided just to fire bomb the city to make an example of the city. The entire city center except two buildings, the town hall and I believe a hotel, were all destroyed. The people from Rotterdam take pride that they stood up and fought against the Germans when other cities did not (their rival city Amsterdam did not.) There are small red lights in the sidewalk that illuminate the circumference of the area that was firebombed. They really cling to this and we were actually there on the anniversary of the day when the city was in flames. These folks still to this day are not huge fans of Germans. I would compare Germany and Netherlands relationship to America-Canada’s, maybe a bit more heated.
Stu and I were lost on our first day; we had no clue where we were. We tried calling to get people’s attention in German (most people there speak English and German) and they just walked past us so we went into a bar to order a beer and then ask for directions we talked in German and they were nice but not overwhelmingly warm. However, we told them we were American, then old men bought us beers and told us 'NEVER ask for directions in German here or you will never get home. Speak in English.' In contrast to the rest of Europe after the war, Rotterdam decided to rebuild the city, not the way it was, but build it better and more modern. Every building looks like if you took a modern art sculpture and a traditional sky scraper, threw it in a blender and that’s Rotterdam. Weird modern columns jut out in the middle of these boehemith structures. Ah, it’s to hard to describe, I lack the architectural vocab to accurately describe these buildings, but I have heard that architects from around the world flock here to study these buildings.
Stu and I couchsurfed ( a website where you can crash on people couchs across the globe for free) with a great host named Ted. We enjoyed a beer at a acid jazz bar, and he showed us what to see, what to eat (pancakes best in the world), where to drink (Weiss Ape, the number one bar in the world according to Lonely Planet (Heineken, a beer brewed in the Netherlands and is completely different from the tap, strongly recommend it if you get the opportunity, haven’t seen it stateside) while in Rotterdam. There was a gay French clothing designer that subleased a room in Ted’s historic (I believe it was from the early 1800's) canal house. He said that Rotterdam will surpass Paris as the greatest city in the next ten years and could be poised to take the top spot as fashion and culture capital of the world. Also bikes are everywhere in the Netherlands. I love it. Children at the age of 6 or 7 bike and are competent enough to bike around the bustling downtown. There is just a vibe about this city. I know I have used this line before, but its a city like no other. It’s really modern in the city center, but there are old buildings in the residential area.
We went to their Sunday market which takes place downtown. It’s weird because usually these markets take place where gothic buildings topped with Gargoyles glare from high above. The only glaring down was a few office workers that were unlucky enough to work on that Sunday. I love the Netherlands and look forward to heading to Amsterdam tomorrow. If I had to move any country in Europe, it would be the Netherlands. The people are well educated (most speak 3 languages,) they are more open and out going and very polite. I love this country.
Croatia-Sleep Walking through Europe for 3.5 days.
Beautiful. It was everything I expected and more. To be honest, the only expectations were beauty and warmth; however, I found a back door to paradise that was rough around the edges. Croatia was at war in the 1990's; so if you branch out away from the tourist district, you will find buildings scarred by bullets that whizzed by missing their human targets and marks where molotov cocktails were hurled . That being said, I felt very safe and I found the people unbelievably welcoming. The majority of the population either speak German (Croatian TV is in German) or English, so there was not that terrible language barrier . The first day was a day of recuperation from sleeping in the airport, exploring a little around are immediate area etc. We had a pretty awesome 'hostel' which was more like a flat, 3 rooms and 3 beds, 1.5 baths,a kitchen, and balcony where the beach could be seen - all for 15 euro a person per night. Fantastic for four weary travelers. So Zadar the city in which we spent most of our time in, is located along the coast and there are numerous ancient ruins. The city itself is older than Rome, and was conquered by Rome. The city is littered with ancient statues and columns so much that in a park, authentic Roman columns were used pushed on their sides and used as benchs. At this park there was a Roman lookout upon a hill that covered in vines and looked wild. The marble stairs were originals from the Roman era and were cracked and spun around the mountain like crooked and cracked teeth (aka Like your average Englishman’s smile) and overlooked the Adriatic. The city was completely enclosed by an old medeival wall. I spend at least half of a day of every trip at or in a park. It’s a nice place to unwind plan your day, eat a picnic and just enjoy life. I will miss them deeply when I go back stateside. While they do have their old sections, they also look forward to future and do contain modern aspects. The most interesting is called The Sea's Organ. Along the sea wall in old town, hundreds of small holes are drilled into the concrete and when swells hit these holes in the bottom air is pushed up creating a flute like noise. So all of these holes each create a different pitch, and the rhythm of the ocean created quite a joyful noise. Croatia is famous for its islands. What I was told to do was go explore the islands in the area. So we had to do it. We bought a tickets for a tour that shuttles tourists through a national park refuge of islands for 5 hours. The day was a bit cloudy, so the sun didn’t peak out until around midday. From that moment on, you could soak up the rays on the top deck, enjoy good company, and strike up conversation with different travelers. They served you typical Croatian 'breakfast', lunch and dinner. Breakfast consisted of 3 dixie cups filled with the cheapest vodka and a few cookies I can only presume are suppose to be chasers. I guess not a bad way to start the day at 10, „breakfast of champions“ as they say. Anyway, the islands were beautiful, they are not lush but are speckled with brush and trees. They jut out of the water rising to their small 'mountainous' peaks drop off immediately into the abyss. The water was a different type of blue to anything I have seen in Florida on a sunny day. It just faded into the horizon to a point where it was almost impossible to differentiate. We had the opportunity to explore one of the islands on foot. It was wild, and different than anything I have experienced. The plants were unique and many of them had spikes on them so the only way to walk around was on the path or jump from rock to rock. Truly a spectacular day.
That night was just was as strange as the days was wonderful. I went to bed, then I woke up freezing cold (it gets quite cold and windy at night) standing in the middle of the street that runs along the Adriatic Sea. Why am I here? What time is it? IT’S SO COLD? It took me about 10 minutes to realize I was a little over a quarter mile away from my house. I soon realized that I slept walked. No, I was not drunk or on drugs (my Dad assumed I was drunk, my sister said ‚shrooms; glad they think so highly of me.) This was the first time in my life I have ever slept walked. So I stumbled back home and realized, I was locked out. I had the presence of mind to open one door walk down a flight of stairs, and open another as I slept walked through the streets. I arrived at the door, banged on the door for about 30-45 minutes, and no luck. Nobody woke up. The next morning my hands were bruised. I was thinking, well sleeping on this stoop might be my only option right now. Then I saw a way out. I stepped on to the curb that is on the stair. Somehow I jumped over a hedge, grabbed onto my balcony ledge, and was able somehow (I don’t think I could do it again) to get a finger grip on a ledge of the balcony. I climbed my way up the balcony, threw myself over, and was able to open the balcony door (glad we didn’t lock it that night). So that was my most absurd story from being in Europe so far. Waking up a few feet away from the Adriatic. Second place is almost getting stabbed in Prague.
Some funny things about Croatia.
One, they can’t do math. Not being rude, but its true. I got into a 10 minute argument with a woman about giving correct change which equaled out to a dollar. I wrote down the math and even used my hands to calculate that she was stealing 10 kronen (their dollar) when I gave her a 20. She just couldn’t understand; I finally gave up. This was not an isolated case, it happened quite frequently, maybe once a day. I don’t think they were trying to take advantage of us because the amount usually was minimal - usually a few cents. I just think they are awful at math because they couldn’t understand that I gave them enough money etc..I’m not saying Croatians are stupid or that they are not competent. I am just saying you should be able to add together small coins if you are going to work with cash. Bottom line - invest in a calculator.
Another thing
Public transportation is all buses. No trains. Coming from Germany where trains weave throughout whole country and are used on a daily basis by many Germans (including me) was a bit suprising. Also, don’t be surprised if you find yourself in Croatia where buses are always late and may not even come. So, never catch the last bus. Overall, I loved Croatia and want to head back to soak up the sun.
Monday, July 5, 2010
Monday, June 28, 2010
Ireland 2010
Ireland Posted June 26, 2010
Simply stunning. I was amazed by how beautiful Ireland is. If I had to describe Ireland and its beauty, it would be as if God had too much green paint and mountains when he created the world so he decided to drop the mountains in Ireland and slather them in an emerald green with pockets of wild flowers everywhere.
I really didn’t do all that much research for this trip. I just planned a basic itinerary; however those plans were thrown out the window after day one. The pictures I took give Ireland no justice of what the landscapes are like. And, unfortunately, photographs can not give an indication of the people's character which was rough around the edges, warm, funny, and sincere. It was an entirely different trip than I had done before. Instead of spending time in cities, I tried as hard as I could to avoid the cities, and really just soak up the scenery. I was tired of seeing urban areas and this trip was perfect. I did a lot of hiking and it reminded me of being home, being surrounded by nature and hiking around Ft. Collins, CO.
I flew into Cork early in the morning and immediately looked for a bus to Doolin which is where the Cliffs of Moher are located. Doolin is on the west coast of Ireland just a bit south of Galway. I had a four hour bus layover in a small town called Ennis. There wasn't really much to do in the town. After you walked around it once, there was no need to walk around it twice. Please keep in mind I was running on less than 4 hours of sleep (sleeping in airports will do that to you). So, I sat and watched hurling, a sport similar to field hockey but the ball can be lifted in the air and hit like a baseball. The game moved incredibly fast and I was told it was the fastest sport in the world. A coach of a 17 year old girl’s team saw me watching with interest. He walked over and asked if I wanted to join. Who am I to turn this down? So I walked out there having no clue of the rules or even the name of the sport. I was wearing jeans and my sneakers. I was confused and sleep deprived. The girls thought it was funny to see me out there running around like a chicken with its head cut off. They also thought it would be funny to 'miss' the ball and 'accidently' hit my shins numerous times. I did not find this funny. On several occasions I was found on the grass writhing in pain after being smashed by a very heavy and thick wooden stick. Also numerous times, I was called a word which I do not wish to type as my mother reads this. Tiny Tim looked less pathetic as I hobbled off the field swearing under my breath in pain as each step brought on a new shock of pain. A few of the dads chuckled and invited me for a couple of pints at the local pub. I agreed. To my amazement, Guinness healed me. So my first impression of the Irish was outgoing, mean enough to destroy your legs and then nice enough to buy a few pints of Guinness at 11 in the morning.
I arrived in Doolin in the early afternoon. This is a place where goats, sheep, cows, and horses all outnumber the people. It is spread out through the rolling countryside. The town looks like a quilt from on top of any hill. The seams of the quilt are white stone walls keeping the livestock in their emerald green pastures. Gorgeous. I chatted with the bus driver as I was the only traveler heading to Doolin for the majority of the way there. She provided me with local town gossip about the town drunk, and so on This provided even more color to this beautiful town. I stayed at a fabulous hostel which was rated the number one hostel in Ireland five years running. It was an experience, to live in a 300 year old farm house. Most of the interior in the common rooms still have the original stone and dark woods.
Karl, the owner drew me a map of a 8 kilometer hike to the cliffs. So I set off, not really expecting a lot besides a few big cliffs. I was wrong. On the way I chatted with an Irish farmer who invited me to help slaughter and prepare a lamb for a roast the next day to celebrate his daughter’s wedding. I would love to have done it because when else can I say 'ya I killed a lamb and prepared it for a Irish farmers wedding and joined in on the celebrations'. I however had to decline as I had already booked a hostel in Cork for the next night.
The hike was gorgeous. There was not another soul in sight. To the left of me were rolling green hills and livestock. To the right of me were dramatic views of the Atlantic and wild flowers growing along the cliffs. It was one of those moments that you say 'I am alive in this moment' I don’t think anyone could say otherwise. So the adventure on this hike came when I was taking photos of a herd of sheep, I must have gotten a little too close and a ram looked at me and stood its ground. I kept walking, and then the thing I feared happened. It charged me. I don’t think I have ever run so fast in my life. If this ram hits me, I’m falling 600 feet to the waters below. So I sprinted for about 20 or 30 yards and literally dove over a barb wire fence separating two different pastures. I doubt Rick Steves ever had such an adventure. If I had to run another 10 feet, there is no doubt in my mind that ram would have hit me. So I laid on the other side of the fence, laughing at what just happened and thought 'Well this sure isn't Florida is it?'. The views of the Cliffs were great. The scent of the ocean filled my nostrils bringing me back to home. When I closed my eyes I could see myself lying on a Florida beach wiggling my toes in the loose sand and feel the sun beat on my face. When I opened my eyes, I was not there but somewhere maybe even more beautiful. Puffins and seagulls flew around in search of food. They were dive bombing and leaving small splashes hundreds of feet below in the sea. The soft and thick grass consumed your legs and flowers were everywhere along the edges of the cliff. There was also some type of plant that looked like grain but had small flowers on it. This plant grew in very large patches. The wind blew them and it looked like waves the way they moved. They even crested. This was truly an awe inspiring place. I feel lucky to say I have been there. It’s in the running for the ' Seven New Natural Wonders of the World' at least for today on my list.
I went to a couple of pubs in Doolin but found them to be very cliché. They played 'traditional' Irish music for the tourists and I did not see one local in the pub. I, of course, ordered a pint though and watched a world cup match and met a couple of great Germans there.
The next day, I went to Cork as it is known as Ireland's 'people's capital' so I went there with high expectations and what I found was a city that smelled and had trash strewn throughout the city. Drugs were prevalent. I was offered cocaine no less than 4 times in the night, and also saw some one tie off and shoot up heroine. I’m sure it is a wonderful place. It’s just hard to enjoy the city when you are offered lines of coke while at a pub with new friends. Then on the walk home we saw someone tying off. Needless to say, Cork is not my favorite place. I did, however, meet three girls(two Americans and a Swede) that wanted to rent a car and drive around the Ring of Kerry. This sounded good so I went in on a tiny little car with them and we set off enjoying the views and the adventure of driving on the wrong side of the road. The Ring of Kerry is breath-taking. Every moment you are surrounded by large mountains covered in lush vegetation. Sometimes I thought I wasn’t in Ireland but the Pacific north west. However, the character of the villages and people were authentic Irish. This was not just the tourist version where tourists heavily outnumbered the locals. We passed through valleys and we really didn’t have a map. We just asked locals along the way. This is not a problem because the Ring of Kerry is really only a few roads unless you get off the main track which we did. While lost, I stopped and asked directions from the stereotypical Irish man ever. He was walking along side of the road with a cane, wearing a wool sweater, and that hat they are famous for, while his sheep dog walked along. I asked for directions and all I understood was garbled English. No clue what he was saying. It’s funny to think he spoke the same language.
We made it to the quaint village of Killarney which is the base camp of the Ring of Kerry. I said my goodbyes to my road trip partners as they were heading to Galway and I wanted to do some hiking around the ring. So I dropped my pack at the hostel and asked where I could find a couple of long hikes. They gave me a trail map. There were about 35 kilometers of ground to cover to get to them.. I decided to try my luck at hitchhiking and it worked out great. I met an Irish man that had two lucky charms in his car, a couple from Tasmania on their 40th anniversary, two Germans on a honeymoon, and a hilarious group of Aussies. I never had to wait more than three cars before someone would pull over. It was fantastic.
The hikes were gorgeous. Not another soul in sight, just cruising through narrow footpaths that weaved up through the large valleys surrounded by trees. Wild flowers covered the forest floors. There was an ever-present aroma of wet earth, flowers, and just the general smell of nature. It was completely silent besides the wind blowing through the trees and the crunch of moss beneath my feet. It was truly wonderful to be away from the sounds of cars and the noises of cities. I think this is the first time I have experienced complete silence since arriving in Europe. I close my eyes and now and I can feel the cool breeze and the sponginess of the moss. It is sublime. I want to head back as soon as possible.
My last day in Ireland, I flew out of Dublin at 10pm. It was ok if I didn’t spend that much time in the city. So I took another morning hike, and then hopped on a train to Dublin. On the bus from the train station I met a gay couple that invited me to join them in a gay pride parade. While I am not gay, I have friends that are and I support them. I marched with them for about 30 minutes until I said my goodbyes and explored the city to see the main spots as I only had a few hours. I found the city surprisingly nice. I saw a lot of diversity there. In each section of the town I saw little differences in the people in the way they acted or dressed. Temple bar was a pretty cool little area. It is very eclectic and I would compare it to Riverside, Jacksonville, however Temple bar is more rugged. As I was walking around, I also ran into another parade, of course, a zombie parade. Hundreds of college students were protesting something. I don’t know what. They dressed up like zombies, put on makeup and ran around the city. They stormed into stores, mobbed cars and ran up to people just to scare them. So I can say I participated in a gay pride parade and a zombie parade all in the same day.
This next is the best story I have in Europe and probably the most interesting and eye opening night of my life.
While I was road tripping through the Ring of Kerry we stayed in a tiny fishing town. It was off the beaten path and supplied us with authentic Irish culture. The girls were too tired to head out to the pubs but I wanted to see what they were like. So I walked down the street, opened the door, and found a small pub with dim lights decorated with old fishing nets, weathered stools, and weathered, retired fisherman. When I opened the door and stepped in, the whole bar turned around. Their faces were tan and wrinkles from the weather. Their eyes were kind but Im sure they thought 'What is this guy doing here?' I pulled up a stool between two guys and ordered a pint.
I started talking with them and the conversation moved to fishing. I told them about fishing in Florida. We swapped fish tales. I explained American football to a former professional rugby player and so on. These men were full of laughs, stories, and just jokes. The bartender invited me over for breakfast the next day but, once again, I had to respectfully decline as I did not know what the girl’s plans were. The two men and I talked to the most were Neville and Billy. Neville 64, a retired lighthouse keeper, had curly black hair with touches of grey. He had smile lines as deep as the Grand Canyon. Billy, his first cousin, was in town from up north and was a mackerel fisherman. He was around the same age and he had silver white hair and piercing ice blue eyes and a smile that could light up a room. Both of their hands were gnarled from the hard work they had done in their life. Their hands were the size of a baseball glove. They loved America, they said. Kennedy and Clinton made Ireland what it is today and 'without the help of those great men we would be impoverished and be miserable'. I had no idea. We talked about the IRA, but Billy quickly changed the subject.
He asked if I had a woman stateside. I said no. I asked if he was married. He was married many years ago. I didn’t want to bring up any bad memories so I dropped it but he continued. He told me this story that will stay with me forever. Years ago, he walked his newly wed wife, Shannon, to the car and opened the door for her. He kissed her and said he loved her. Billy closed the door and started walking away. He figures he walked away about 10 yards when he felt heat on his back. Billy was thrown off his feet. His newly wed wife was in a terrorist attack. His world had just been a victim of an IRA car bomb. She was dead after a year and a half of marriage. They had been sweethearts since childhood. The car had been rigged to explode when the key was turned. As he was telling me this, his voice shook, his lip trembled and his iceberg blue eyes began to swell. He continued with tears freely rolling down his leather like cheeks. He said that every morning since the day she died he writes her a letter telling her how much he missed her. Then Billy burns it to send it to her. I tasted salt on my lips and felt my own tears slowly slide down my face for this man. You could just tell how much pain this man had gone through. His world, his love was gone. It was random terror. Someone chose her car instead of another. I hugged him and he called me son for the rest of the night. Billy and Neville referred to me as their American Son. Billy showed me the burn marks on his neck. I have goose bumps and feel my heart drop for him still when I think about it.
They paid my tab when I went to the bathroom. I protested, but he said 'you are my American son'. He gave me a wink and said 'let me take you out for a meal'. I felt very uncomfortable allowing them to pay for everything. They said it would be very insulting if I tried to pay. So here I am in a tiny fishing village with two retired men that worked long hours their whole life. They take me out to a five course meal. We talked until we were kicked out. We said our goodbyes. We hugged. We exchanged emails. Billy looked at me and said in a serious voice, 'remember my wife?' I said of course. He made me promise to tell everyone that I loved how I felt each time I said goodbye because you never know when your time will run out. I made that promise and intend on keeping it so I start today. I love you all out there with all of my heart. Stay safe out there and be good to one another. Live with a zest and a smile.
Seize the day.
Nathan
Simply stunning. I was amazed by how beautiful Ireland is. If I had to describe Ireland and its beauty, it would be as if God had too much green paint and mountains when he created the world so he decided to drop the mountains in Ireland and slather them in an emerald green with pockets of wild flowers everywhere.
I really didn’t do all that much research for this trip. I just planned a basic itinerary; however those plans were thrown out the window after day one. The pictures I took give Ireland no justice of what the landscapes are like. And, unfortunately, photographs can not give an indication of the people's character which was rough around the edges, warm, funny, and sincere. It was an entirely different trip than I had done before. Instead of spending time in cities, I tried as hard as I could to avoid the cities, and really just soak up the scenery. I was tired of seeing urban areas and this trip was perfect. I did a lot of hiking and it reminded me of being home, being surrounded by nature and hiking around Ft. Collins, CO.
I flew into Cork early in the morning and immediately looked for a bus to Doolin which is where the Cliffs of Moher are located. Doolin is on the west coast of Ireland just a bit south of Galway. I had a four hour bus layover in a small town called Ennis. There wasn't really much to do in the town. After you walked around it once, there was no need to walk around it twice. Please keep in mind I was running on less than 4 hours of sleep (sleeping in airports will do that to you). So, I sat and watched hurling, a sport similar to field hockey but the ball can be lifted in the air and hit like a baseball. The game moved incredibly fast and I was told it was the fastest sport in the world. A coach of a 17 year old girl’s team saw me watching with interest. He walked over and asked if I wanted to join. Who am I to turn this down? So I walked out there having no clue of the rules or even the name of the sport. I was wearing jeans and my sneakers. I was confused and sleep deprived. The girls thought it was funny to see me out there running around like a chicken with its head cut off. They also thought it would be funny to 'miss' the ball and 'accidently' hit my shins numerous times. I did not find this funny. On several occasions I was found on the grass writhing in pain after being smashed by a very heavy and thick wooden stick. Also numerous times, I was called a word which I do not wish to type as my mother reads this. Tiny Tim looked less pathetic as I hobbled off the field swearing under my breath in pain as each step brought on a new shock of pain. A few of the dads chuckled and invited me for a couple of pints at the local pub. I agreed. To my amazement, Guinness healed me. So my first impression of the Irish was outgoing, mean enough to destroy your legs and then nice enough to buy a few pints of Guinness at 11 in the morning.
I arrived in Doolin in the early afternoon. This is a place where goats, sheep, cows, and horses all outnumber the people. It is spread out through the rolling countryside. The town looks like a quilt from on top of any hill. The seams of the quilt are white stone walls keeping the livestock in their emerald green pastures. Gorgeous. I chatted with the bus driver as I was the only traveler heading to Doolin for the majority of the way there. She provided me with local town gossip about the town drunk, and so on This provided even more color to this beautiful town. I stayed at a fabulous hostel which was rated the number one hostel in Ireland five years running. It was an experience, to live in a 300 year old farm house. Most of the interior in the common rooms still have the original stone and dark woods.
Karl, the owner drew me a map of a 8 kilometer hike to the cliffs. So I set off, not really expecting a lot besides a few big cliffs. I was wrong. On the way I chatted with an Irish farmer who invited me to help slaughter and prepare a lamb for a roast the next day to celebrate his daughter’s wedding. I would love to have done it because when else can I say 'ya I killed a lamb and prepared it for a Irish farmers wedding and joined in on the celebrations'. I however had to decline as I had already booked a hostel in Cork for the next night.
The hike was gorgeous. There was not another soul in sight. To the left of me were rolling green hills and livestock. To the right of me were dramatic views of the Atlantic and wild flowers growing along the cliffs. It was one of those moments that you say 'I am alive in this moment' I don’t think anyone could say otherwise. So the adventure on this hike came when I was taking photos of a herd of sheep, I must have gotten a little too close and a ram looked at me and stood its ground. I kept walking, and then the thing I feared happened. It charged me. I don’t think I have ever run so fast in my life. If this ram hits me, I’m falling 600 feet to the waters below. So I sprinted for about 20 or 30 yards and literally dove over a barb wire fence separating two different pastures. I doubt Rick Steves ever had such an adventure. If I had to run another 10 feet, there is no doubt in my mind that ram would have hit me. So I laid on the other side of the fence, laughing at what just happened and thought 'Well this sure isn't Florida is it?'. The views of the Cliffs were great. The scent of the ocean filled my nostrils bringing me back to home. When I closed my eyes I could see myself lying on a Florida beach wiggling my toes in the loose sand and feel the sun beat on my face. When I opened my eyes, I was not there but somewhere maybe even more beautiful. Puffins and seagulls flew around in search of food. They were dive bombing and leaving small splashes hundreds of feet below in the sea. The soft and thick grass consumed your legs and flowers were everywhere along the edges of the cliff. There was also some type of plant that looked like grain but had small flowers on it. This plant grew in very large patches. The wind blew them and it looked like waves the way they moved. They even crested. This was truly an awe inspiring place. I feel lucky to say I have been there. It’s in the running for the ' Seven New Natural Wonders of the World' at least for today on my list.
I went to a couple of pubs in Doolin but found them to be very cliché. They played 'traditional' Irish music for the tourists and I did not see one local in the pub. I, of course, ordered a pint though and watched a world cup match and met a couple of great Germans there.
The next day, I went to Cork as it is known as Ireland's 'people's capital' so I went there with high expectations and what I found was a city that smelled and had trash strewn throughout the city. Drugs were prevalent. I was offered cocaine no less than 4 times in the night, and also saw some one tie off and shoot up heroine. I’m sure it is a wonderful place. It’s just hard to enjoy the city when you are offered lines of coke while at a pub with new friends. Then on the walk home we saw someone tying off. Needless to say, Cork is not my favorite place. I did, however, meet three girls(two Americans and a Swede) that wanted to rent a car and drive around the Ring of Kerry. This sounded good so I went in on a tiny little car with them and we set off enjoying the views and the adventure of driving on the wrong side of the road. The Ring of Kerry is breath-taking. Every moment you are surrounded by large mountains covered in lush vegetation. Sometimes I thought I wasn’t in Ireland but the Pacific north west. However, the character of the villages and people were authentic Irish. This was not just the tourist version where tourists heavily outnumbered the locals. We passed through valleys and we really didn’t have a map. We just asked locals along the way. This is not a problem because the Ring of Kerry is really only a few roads unless you get off the main track which we did. While lost, I stopped and asked directions from the stereotypical Irish man ever. He was walking along side of the road with a cane, wearing a wool sweater, and that hat they are famous for, while his sheep dog walked along. I asked for directions and all I understood was garbled English. No clue what he was saying. It’s funny to think he spoke the same language.
We made it to the quaint village of Killarney which is the base camp of the Ring of Kerry. I said my goodbyes to my road trip partners as they were heading to Galway and I wanted to do some hiking around the ring. So I dropped my pack at the hostel and asked where I could find a couple of long hikes. They gave me a trail map. There were about 35 kilometers of ground to cover to get to them.. I decided to try my luck at hitchhiking and it worked out great. I met an Irish man that had two lucky charms in his car, a couple from Tasmania on their 40th anniversary, two Germans on a honeymoon, and a hilarious group of Aussies. I never had to wait more than three cars before someone would pull over. It was fantastic.
The hikes were gorgeous. Not another soul in sight, just cruising through narrow footpaths that weaved up through the large valleys surrounded by trees. Wild flowers covered the forest floors. There was an ever-present aroma of wet earth, flowers, and just the general smell of nature. It was completely silent besides the wind blowing through the trees and the crunch of moss beneath my feet. It was truly wonderful to be away from the sounds of cars and the noises of cities. I think this is the first time I have experienced complete silence since arriving in Europe. I close my eyes and now and I can feel the cool breeze and the sponginess of the moss. It is sublime. I want to head back as soon as possible.
My last day in Ireland, I flew out of Dublin at 10pm. It was ok if I didn’t spend that much time in the city. So I took another morning hike, and then hopped on a train to Dublin. On the bus from the train station I met a gay couple that invited me to join them in a gay pride parade. While I am not gay, I have friends that are and I support them. I marched with them for about 30 minutes until I said my goodbyes and explored the city to see the main spots as I only had a few hours. I found the city surprisingly nice. I saw a lot of diversity there. In each section of the town I saw little differences in the people in the way they acted or dressed. Temple bar was a pretty cool little area. It is very eclectic and I would compare it to Riverside, Jacksonville, however Temple bar is more rugged. As I was walking around, I also ran into another parade, of course, a zombie parade. Hundreds of college students were protesting something. I don’t know what. They dressed up like zombies, put on makeup and ran around the city. They stormed into stores, mobbed cars and ran up to people just to scare them. So I can say I participated in a gay pride parade and a zombie parade all in the same day.
This next is the best story I have in Europe and probably the most interesting and eye opening night of my life.
While I was road tripping through the Ring of Kerry we stayed in a tiny fishing town. It was off the beaten path and supplied us with authentic Irish culture. The girls were too tired to head out to the pubs but I wanted to see what they were like. So I walked down the street, opened the door, and found a small pub with dim lights decorated with old fishing nets, weathered stools, and weathered, retired fisherman. When I opened the door and stepped in, the whole bar turned around. Their faces were tan and wrinkles from the weather. Their eyes were kind but Im sure they thought 'What is this guy doing here?' I pulled up a stool between two guys and ordered a pint.
I started talking with them and the conversation moved to fishing. I told them about fishing in Florida. We swapped fish tales. I explained American football to a former professional rugby player and so on. These men were full of laughs, stories, and just jokes. The bartender invited me over for breakfast the next day but, once again, I had to respectfully decline as I did not know what the girl’s plans were. The two men and I talked to the most were Neville and Billy. Neville 64, a retired lighthouse keeper, had curly black hair with touches of grey. He had smile lines as deep as the Grand Canyon. Billy, his first cousin, was in town from up north and was a mackerel fisherman. He was around the same age and he had silver white hair and piercing ice blue eyes and a smile that could light up a room. Both of their hands were gnarled from the hard work they had done in their life. Their hands were the size of a baseball glove. They loved America, they said. Kennedy and Clinton made Ireland what it is today and 'without the help of those great men we would be impoverished and be miserable'. I had no idea. We talked about the IRA, but Billy quickly changed the subject.
He asked if I had a woman stateside. I said no. I asked if he was married. He was married many years ago. I didn’t want to bring up any bad memories so I dropped it but he continued. He told me this story that will stay with me forever. Years ago, he walked his newly wed wife, Shannon, to the car and opened the door for her. He kissed her and said he loved her. Billy closed the door and started walking away. He figures he walked away about 10 yards when he felt heat on his back. Billy was thrown off his feet. His newly wed wife was in a terrorist attack. His world had just been a victim of an IRA car bomb. She was dead after a year and a half of marriage. They had been sweethearts since childhood. The car had been rigged to explode when the key was turned. As he was telling me this, his voice shook, his lip trembled and his iceberg blue eyes began to swell. He continued with tears freely rolling down his leather like cheeks. He said that every morning since the day she died he writes her a letter telling her how much he missed her. Then Billy burns it to send it to her. I tasted salt on my lips and felt my own tears slowly slide down my face for this man. You could just tell how much pain this man had gone through. His world, his love was gone. It was random terror. Someone chose her car instead of another. I hugged him and he called me son for the rest of the night. Billy and Neville referred to me as their American Son. Billy showed me the burn marks on his neck. I have goose bumps and feel my heart drop for him still when I think about it.
They paid my tab when I went to the bathroom. I protested, but he said 'you are my American son'. He gave me a wink and said 'let me take you out for a meal'. I felt very uncomfortable allowing them to pay for everything. They said it would be very insulting if I tried to pay. So here I am in a tiny fishing village with two retired men that worked long hours their whole life. They take me out to a five course meal. We talked until we were kicked out. We said our goodbyes. We hugged. We exchanged emails. Billy looked at me and said in a serious voice, 'remember my wife?' I said of course. He made me promise to tell everyone that I loved how I felt each time I said goodbye because you never know when your time will run out. I made that promise and intend on keeping it so I start today. I love you all out there with all of my heart. Stay safe out there and be good to one another. Live with a zest and a smile.
Seize the day.
Nathan
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Amsterdam and Brussels
Amsterdam.
First of all, I have gotten a couple of messages questioning whether everything in these blogs are true. Absolutely. I feel no need to lie about my journey as I write this for me and to express what I see, do, and feel while I am abroad. I have just been lucky to experience everything that I have and meet some of the most wonderful people on the planet.
I stayed in Amsterdam for a few days, and I have mixed feelings about the city. I met Shiv (a fellow UNF Osprey) and Larissa (an Aussie I met in Barcelona) in Amsterdam. Our hostel was in the heart of the Red light district. This seemed like a great idea at first but then you begin to realize the whole district is all the same. The red light district is made out of coffee shops (places where Marijuana can bought and consumed), chinese food(for munchies I assume,) head shops (where you can buy marijuana pipes, bongs etc), sex stores, and of course the infamous ladies in the red windows. You begin to realize there is no cultural value about the redlight and the district's coffee shops are filled with only tourists and locals don’t participate with the ladies of the night. In fact, the Netherlands, has the lowest percentage of people that smoke marijuana because it’s legal. They smoke it when they are in high school and then decide its time to grow up. Just thought that was interesting as the only country in Europe where it is legal to purchase weed is also the country with the lowest percentage of consumers. I understand that they are cutting down the red light district because locals are tired of dealing with the ever present smells. Also tourism may be hurting (there are 240 coffee shops in Amsterdam a bit excessive in my book.) Bottom line, going to the redlight district for cultural value is equivalent to going to I-drive (Orlando's tourist street filled with hotels, restaurants, and tacky t-shirt stores) for the real Florida experience. It’s a amusement park for adults.
Since I was in the red light district and it took about 25 minutes to walk out of it, I really didn’t venture out to the real Amsterdam until the second day. Now that’s the best part of Amsterdam. It’s gorgeous, boats navigate through the maze of narrow canals. Tall Buildings are built directly upon the edge of these canals. Most of the buildings are hundereds of years old and are incredibly narrow. The stairs in these buildings are incredibly steep, as there is such little room in these buildings. In fact, the bathrooms were so small that my knees were smashed against the door. Shiv and I went on a free walking tour and we were amazed by the history of the people and the humor of their history. Fun fact: when Napoleon conquered the Netherlands, he created a law that each person must have a last name (before it was Jim the Baker, Dutch are practical) in order to keep track of his subjects. The Dutch begrudgingly agreed; however, many of them thought it would be funny to make funny last names like 'Jim Pubichair, buttwipe, long live the king etc...now one out of ten Dutch people have jokes for last names. I guess their ancestors didn’t think that far in advance.
The people of Amsterdam and the Netherlands are incredible open-minded. Their motto is 'If you can contribute, you’re welcome to come.' It all started with William the Orange, a Medieval king that saw that there was money to be made helping those religiously persecuted. He thought that if he opened the doors to all those persecuted as long as they could contribute whether it be business men or an officer in another army you were welcome. Ever since then, those that were being persecuted fled there for equal rights (Jews from the Nazis until they conquered Amsterdam, homosexuals, even the French noblemen ran there for protection during the French revolution.) They were the first country to legalize gay marriage, prostitution(fun fact: it was in order to fight Sexually Transmitted Diseases), marijuana and they promoted women’s rights.
Also the language of Amsterdam is offically Dutch, but unofficially English. 94% of the Dutch people in Amsterdam can pass an English fluency reading, written and speaking exam. I am not quite sure if some states in America can boast such a literacy rate. The people are unbelievably kind. When I was on the train, I met a giant Dutch man (the Dutch are the tallest in the world) with weathered skin and hardened hands. He was a goat and olive farmer outside of Barcelona, He had this perpetual friendly grin that made you feel welcome and I couldn't help but flash my smile back. He thought it would be a shame for me to not enjoy Amsterdam the way the locals do, so he wrote down a list of things that he used to do when he was my age and lived in Amsterdam (another fun fact: the waiting list to buy a house in downtown is around 17 years.) He also then walked me directly to my hostel. I hadn’t asked him to, but he just said 'Once again, it would be a shame for you to be lost. I would hate for this to put a bad image on us.' This was also his first time home in 10 years. He put off seeing friends and family for me, a complete stranger. I touched by his gesture. However, this was not the only time that I was impressed with the Dutch generosity and hospitality. I did as my farmer friend recommended and bought a couple bottles of wine, sit on the canal’s edge, and call out to boat locals and ask if I could join. I did this on my last day there and on the first boat I was welcomed aboard and spent a few hours cruising the canals, sharing laughter and beautiful conversation. They went out of their way to drop me off at the place closest to bus stop as I was leaving straight from there to Brussels. There we parted with hugs and smiles. It’s just the Dutch way. It strengthens my belief that people are generally good, especially the Dutch.
I briefly talked about the bike culture in the Netherlands in my Rotterdam entry. However, in Amsterdam, it’s even stronger. There are so many bikes there locked up that people forget where they put them. In fact, there are four bikes for every one city native. Also, drunk dutch people find it fun to throw bikes that are not locked to objects like trees or a pole and throw them into the canals. It’s a little sport they call 'chuckin.' 20,000 bikes are in the canals and there is a layer of bikes 4 deep and it provides numerous locals with full time jobs to go around in boats with cranes and just pull out bikes 10 at a time. Now people are not only throwing bikes bin the canals, but also small ‘smart’ cars that are parked next to the canals. An average of two smart cars per week are being pushed into the canals. I also can’t tell you how many times I was almost hit by a bike while wandering around the city. It’s pretty dangerous, I must say.
Brussels.
I went to Brussels directly from Amsterdam to meet Larissa. I'm not really a big fan of the city. I stayed there for two days and saw everything the first afternoon I was there.
They have a giant square in the heart of city. It is the grandest square I have seen yet. Three or four story buildings made with the same design as the canal houses in Amsterdam. The tops were plated with gold, glistening in the sun, creating an awe-inspiring view. Also there were other fantastic buildings with ornate carvings of saints, knights, and other important figures with the the smallest details of the person’s facial features shown. It was truly a spectacular square. I met a girl named ‘London’ who was a ballerina (brings the count to two now) in NYC before she tore her ACL and shifted focus to film. I was interviewed for a documentary. I forgot the name, but she seemed pleasant enough so she tagged along with us. Anyway, there were a lot of wonderful architecture, monuments (Europe is just one giant monument meca), churches, gardens, and of course EU's parliament is located there. The city is primarily a business city, so there are large glass skyscrapers, etc. The exciting part of the trip came when there was a large, but peaceful, protest of Palestinians against the Israeli floatilla blockade. I had to walk through to get to where I needed to go. I was shoved and things were yelled at me a few times, but I felt safe. It was nothing compared to the communist rally in Barcelona.
The next day I enjoyed the parks around the city and stopped in for a few pints of Belgian beer. The belgian beer was everything I expected, and then more.
When I went to Brussels (about a month ago,) a lot of college grads were just starting to make their big trip through Europe with friends. In the hostel the first night, I encountered a lot of weird and common sense questions by these travelers (including two UF grads.)
Heres a list:
1.Q. Can you use a debit card to book hostels and flights online?
A. Really?! Of course you can.
2. Q. Where do you eat to save money?
A: Shopping at grocery stores
Q:You can do that?
A:rolling of the eyes.
3.Q:Where do you get a good haircut in Europe by a proper stylist.
A:Rolling of the eyes again.
And my favorite:
4. Q. Did you see a place to get Prada sunglasses today?
A I couldn’t help but laugh.
They all talked about doing Europe through the backdoor, but good luck wearing Prada, designer haircuts, and just showing up to hostels hoping for vacancy. I was happy to help, but I felt that this was very common sense stuff, not just beginner traveler ignorance. I wish them the best of luck. They were also very depressed when it rained that night. They left with expectations of Europe being like Candyland where everything works out and you will be entertained every moment. I told them a lot of the time, things don’t work, you miss trains, you jump on the wrong train, the weather is awful, etc. But how you deal with these situations will make or break your European trip. You have to entertain yourself and be disciplined with money to ensure yourself a long and enjoyable trip. Also, many of my trip highlights resulted from bad situations. It takes an optimistic attitude to find something to do. I think most people would agree with that statement. I don’t say this like I'm a world class traveler, I am not. I still look and ask for tips from others, but I just found the questions funny.
Sorry I don’t have much else to say about Brussels, I just thought it was bit of a let-down. I just stayed too long. I would feel different if I was just there for a night. Wonderful city though.
Sorry this took me so long to write and post but I have been basically non-stop traveling for basically a month now, and I just forgot to write it.
As always I love you and miss you all,
stay safe out there,
and, of course seize, the day.
Nathan
First of all, I have gotten a couple of messages questioning whether everything in these blogs are true. Absolutely. I feel no need to lie about my journey as I write this for me and to express what I see, do, and feel while I am abroad. I have just been lucky to experience everything that I have and meet some of the most wonderful people on the planet.
I stayed in Amsterdam for a few days, and I have mixed feelings about the city. I met Shiv (a fellow UNF Osprey) and Larissa (an Aussie I met in Barcelona) in Amsterdam. Our hostel was in the heart of the Red light district. This seemed like a great idea at first but then you begin to realize the whole district is all the same. The red light district is made out of coffee shops (places where Marijuana can bought and consumed), chinese food(for munchies I assume,) head shops (where you can buy marijuana pipes, bongs etc), sex stores, and of course the infamous ladies in the red windows. You begin to realize there is no cultural value about the redlight and the district's coffee shops are filled with only tourists and locals don’t participate with the ladies of the night. In fact, the Netherlands, has the lowest percentage of people that smoke marijuana because it’s legal. They smoke it when they are in high school and then decide its time to grow up. Just thought that was interesting as the only country in Europe where it is legal to purchase weed is also the country with the lowest percentage of consumers. I understand that they are cutting down the red light district because locals are tired of dealing with the ever present smells. Also tourism may be hurting (there are 240 coffee shops in Amsterdam a bit excessive in my book.) Bottom line, going to the redlight district for cultural value is equivalent to going to I-drive (Orlando's tourist street filled with hotels, restaurants, and tacky t-shirt stores) for the real Florida experience. It’s a amusement park for adults.
Since I was in the red light district and it took about 25 minutes to walk out of it, I really didn’t venture out to the real Amsterdam until the second day. Now that’s the best part of Amsterdam. It’s gorgeous, boats navigate through the maze of narrow canals. Tall Buildings are built directly upon the edge of these canals. Most of the buildings are hundereds of years old and are incredibly narrow. The stairs in these buildings are incredibly steep, as there is such little room in these buildings. In fact, the bathrooms were so small that my knees were smashed against the door. Shiv and I went on a free walking tour and we were amazed by the history of the people and the humor of their history. Fun fact: when Napoleon conquered the Netherlands, he created a law that each person must have a last name (before it was Jim the Baker, Dutch are practical) in order to keep track of his subjects. The Dutch begrudgingly agreed; however, many of them thought it would be funny to make funny last names like 'Jim Pubichair, buttwipe, long live the king etc...now one out of ten Dutch people have jokes for last names. I guess their ancestors didn’t think that far in advance.
The people of Amsterdam and the Netherlands are incredible open-minded. Their motto is 'If you can contribute, you’re welcome to come.' It all started with William the Orange, a Medieval king that saw that there was money to be made helping those religiously persecuted. He thought that if he opened the doors to all those persecuted as long as they could contribute whether it be business men or an officer in another army you were welcome. Ever since then, those that were being persecuted fled there for equal rights (Jews from the Nazis until they conquered Amsterdam, homosexuals, even the French noblemen ran there for protection during the French revolution.) They were the first country to legalize gay marriage, prostitution(fun fact: it was in order to fight Sexually Transmitted Diseases), marijuana and they promoted women’s rights.
Also the language of Amsterdam is offically Dutch, but unofficially English. 94% of the Dutch people in Amsterdam can pass an English fluency reading, written and speaking exam. I am not quite sure if some states in America can boast such a literacy rate. The people are unbelievably kind. When I was on the train, I met a giant Dutch man (the Dutch are the tallest in the world) with weathered skin and hardened hands. He was a goat and olive farmer outside of Barcelona, He had this perpetual friendly grin that made you feel welcome and I couldn't help but flash my smile back. He thought it would be a shame for me to not enjoy Amsterdam the way the locals do, so he wrote down a list of things that he used to do when he was my age and lived in Amsterdam (another fun fact: the waiting list to buy a house in downtown is around 17 years.) He also then walked me directly to my hostel. I hadn’t asked him to, but he just said 'Once again, it would be a shame for you to be lost. I would hate for this to put a bad image on us.' This was also his first time home in 10 years. He put off seeing friends and family for me, a complete stranger. I touched by his gesture. However, this was not the only time that I was impressed with the Dutch generosity and hospitality. I did as my farmer friend recommended and bought a couple bottles of wine, sit on the canal’s edge, and call out to boat locals and ask if I could join. I did this on my last day there and on the first boat I was welcomed aboard and spent a few hours cruising the canals, sharing laughter and beautiful conversation. They went out of their way to drop me off at the place closest to bus stop as I was leaving straight from there to Brussels. There we parted with hugs and smiles. It’s just the Dutch way. It strengthens my belief that people are generally good, especially the Dutch.
I briefly talked about the bike culture in the Netherlands in my Rotterdam entry. However, in Amsterdam, it’s even stronger. There are so many bikes there locked up that people forget where they put them. In fact, there are four bikes for every one city native. Also, drunk dutch people find it fun to throw bikes that are not locked to objects like trees or a pole and throw them into the canals. It’s a little sport they call 'chuckin.' 20,000 bikes are in the canals and there is a layer of bikes 4 deep and it provides numerous locals with full time jobs to go around in boats with cranes and just pull out bikes 10 at a time. Now people are not only throwing bikes bin the canals, but also small ‘smart’ cars that are parked next to the canals. An average of two smart cars per week are being pushed into the canals. I also can’t tell you how many times I was almost hit by a bike while wandering around the city. It’s pretty dangerous, I must say.
Brussels.
I went to Brussels directly from Amsterdam to meet Larissa. I'm not really a big fan of the city. I stayed there for two days and saw everything the first afternoon I was there.
They have a giant square in the heart of city. It is the grandest square I have seen yet. Three or four story buildings made with the same design as the canal houses in Amsterdam. The tops were plated with gold, glistening in the sun, creating an awe-inspiring view. Also there were other fantastic buildings with ornate carvings of saints, knights, and other important figures with the the smallest details of the person’s facial features shown. It was truly a spectacular square. I met a girl named ‘London’ who was a ballerina (brings the count to two now) in NYC before she tore her ACL and shifted focus to film. I was interviewed for a documentary. I forgot the name, but she seemed pleasant enough so she tagged along with us. Anyway, there were a lot of wonderful architecture, monuments (Europe is just one giant monument meca), churches, gardens, and of course EU's parliament is located there. The city is primarily a business city, so there are large glass skyscrapers, etc. The exciting part of the trip came when there was a large, but peaceful, protest of Palestinians against the Israeli floatilla blockade. I had to walk through to get to where I needed to go. I was shoved and things were yelled at me a few times, but I felt safe. It was nothing compared to the communist rally in Barcelona.
The next day I enjoyed the parks around the city and stopped in for a few pints of Belgian beer. The belgian beer was everything I expected, and then more.
When I went to Brussels (about a month ago,) a lot of college grads were just starting to make their big trip through Europe with friends. In the hostel the first night, I encountered a lot of weird and common sense questions by these travelers (including two UF grads.)
Heres a list:
1.Q. Can you use a debit card to book hostels and flights online?
A. Really?! Of course you can.
2. Q. Where do you eat to save money?
A: Shopping at grocery stores
Q:You can do that?
A:rolling of the eyes.
3.Q:Where do you get a good haircut in Europe by a proper stylist.
A:Rolling of the eyes again.
And my favorite:
4. Q. Did you see a place to get Prada sunglasses today?
A I couldn’t help but laugh.
They all talked about doing Europe through the backdoor, but good luck wearing Prada, designer haircuts, and just showing up to hostels hoping for vacancy. I was happy to help, but I felt that this was very common sense stuff, not just beginner traveler ignorance. I wish them the best of luck. They were also very depressed when it rained that night. They left with expectations of Europe being like Candyland where everything works out and you will be entertained every moment. I told them a lot of the time, things don’t work, you miss trains, you jump on the wrong train, the weather is awful, etc. But how you deal with these situations will make or break your European trip. You have to entertain yourself and be disciplined with money to ensure yourself a long and enjoyable trip. Also, many of my trip highlights resulted from bad situations. It takes an optimistic attitude to find something to do. I think most people would agree with that statement. I don’t say this like I'm a world class traveler, I am not. I still look and ask for tips from others, but I just found the questions funny.
Sorry I don’t have much else to say about Brussels, I just thought it was bit of a let-down. I just stayed too long. I would feel different if I was just there for a night. Wonderful city though.
Sorry this took me so long to write and post but I have been basically non-stop traveling for basically a month now, and I just forgot to write it.
As always I love you and miss you all,
stay safe out there,
and, of course seize, the day.
Nathan
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
May 12, 2010
May 12
The American dream.
So I just went to see Iron Man II, and I walked out a little sad. It was the first time I truly missed America. Of course, I have missed friends, family, petting my dog on the couch (sorry, Suse it happens), BBQ and of course Reeces peanut butter cups, but I didn’t really miss America as a whole. I missed aspects of things I loved but not really the American culture as I am not exposed to it. I sometimes watch tv on my computer, but it is not often. As I sat there with friends completely enthrawled in each explosion. It lit up the giant screen and cheesy one liners came more often than I blinked. I could not help but think, I’m proud to be American. A country where you can make a meal with powdered cheese and noodles and it be staple of your diet. Where peanut butter is affordable and in large containers. Where pyrotechnics outnumber nude women in the media, and where it is still considered lame to have a man purse or a mullet. Ah, now, that is my American dream.
Off to Rotterdam in the morning.
Love you all
Seize the day.
Nathan
The American dream.
So I just went to see Iron Man II, and I walked out a little sad. It was the first time I truly missed America. Of course, I have missed friends, family, petting my dog on the couch (sorry, Suse it happens), BBQ and of course Reeces peanut butter cups, but I didn’t really miss America as a whole. I missed aspects of things I loved but not really the American culture as I am not exposed to it. I sometimes watch tv on my computer, but it is not often. As I sat there with friends completely enthrawled in each explosion. It lit up the giant screen and cheesy one liners came more often than I blinked. I could not help but think, I’m proud to be American. A country where you can make a meal with powdered cheese and noodles and it be staple of your diet. Where peanut butter is affordable and in large containers. Where pyrotechnics outnumber nude women in the media, and where it is still considered lame to have a man purse or a mullet. Ah, now, that is my American dream.
Off to Rotterdam in the morning.
Love you all
Seize the day.
Nathan
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
May update
May 10, 2010
All right so this is my first real spring that I have really lived. We have springs in Florida, but they can not hold a candle to those of Germany. Life is truly a million times better in spring. All the trees are covered in flowers that look as if they were from a Doctor Seuss book. Many trees have balls of flowers at the end of them. As I walk to class, I am overwhelmed by this aroma, and it truly is fantastic. I could have never expected such beauty in Dortmund. The weather has been indecisive. One week it will be in the 70 or 80 with a bright sun over head, the next a high of 45ish and raining (that’s what this week was.) A German saying is that April does whatever it wants. However, it’s May; I should not have to wear a scarf. It’s as cold as it was when I first got here in March. An old Swedish saying is: no such thing as bad weather, just bad clothes.
This trip has made me realize how lucky I am, as well as, how small the globe is with high tech transportation. This has led me to find new ways of seeing the globe. I have emailed Kate Mattingly (study abroad advisor) and have asked her whether or not the program in China would fit into my schedule and whether or not I would get behind. I feel, if my major is international business, this would be a great thing to put on my resume. I could say I have lived and studied in the steady European market, as well as the booming Asian market. I want to go to Asia because it is so different than America. It’s fun to adapt to these new cultures. I think that humans are meant to adapt in the core and I think we get pleasure from it. For example, when you solve a very tough problem at work, you get satisfaction and you enjoy solving it. I think it’s the same way. I always want to be out of my comfort zone, and I never want to stop exploring! It creates growth in new ways. For me it also brings about an inner self-realization. I believe I have also told you about the job I applied to in Nepal? I applied to a Buddhist monastery nestled in the Himalayans to teach English. As you struggle through the grammar, you may wonder 'How are you qualified?!' I thought the same thing. I emailed them about this, they responded back stating 'Nepal is a very poor country and needs any resources it can get. As a native speaker, I could do more than they have right now'. I could take an online course to help solidify myself as a teacher, which to me seems a bit dodgy. However, I think this would be an eye opening experience for me.
This next section is from my journal when I wrote it on my plane to Barcelona
I must be unbelievably lucky. That’s all I can think as I sit in my seat looking at the window and have a delightful conversation with an English teacher from the Netherlands. It is her first flight and her husband asked if I would partake in scaring her when she left her seat momentarily. Every once in a while, He or I will say 'Well that just doesn’t sound right', and she looks back at us with paniced eyes and a death grip on the chair. I feel bad, but who am I to ignore this man’s wish?
I just can’t help it; I have this perpetual smile. I am FLYING through Europe as if it is no big deal. It’s wonderful. I am forced to adapt to a new and interesting culture daily. Sometimes things get lost in translation, but they always end in a laugh. It’s wonderful.
Right now as I look outside my window, we are literally approaching the French Alps. They sit alone behind large lakes and rolling hills. They are jagged like snow covered sharks teeth rising high above the clouds. The sun shines down upon the mountains producing a glint that can not be described. The valleys are cloaked by a deep blanket of clouds. Truly awe-inspiring but each day someone or something takes my breath away. I feel as if I am the richest man. Even though I slept in a crowded airport to avoid taking a taxi, and have been rationing out a Twix for breakfast; I feel so fortunate to be here…In this moment
I woke up yesterday and realized that half of my time in Dortmund experience is over. It broke my heart a little. It is a shame. I think it takes about a month to get settled in and one semester is not enough. To any prospective study abroad students out there. Go for a year; a semester is to short, everyone here agrees. I think you will get the same advice from everyone that has studied abroad and enjoyed their time.
I have been told to always plan your next trip before you come home from the one you’re on. I told you a little about Nepal but I have other options I’m seeking. My second option is to backpack through either South America or South East Asia. Not sure on which I will choose, but I look forward to walking the road least traveled. I want to experience something completely different; learn to adapt and enjoy it. Let me know if you are interested. I have invited Travosourous Rex already but I think there is always room for another person with a little adventure in their heart and a smile on their face.
Written on the plane from Barcelona to Madrid.
The past three days were fantastic. I went through a roller coaster on Barcelona. On the first day, I wasn’t really feeling the city. I thought it was a little over rated and I was unbelievably sleep-deprived and hungry. I walked around the city with my pack enjoying the nice weather. I was seeing the sights, but wasn’t really enjoying the city. It was just so crowded and I needed to relax for a bit. I headed to check into the hostel which is perched in the mountains covered in deep vegetation. It was a trek to get there, but it was beautiful. Just what I needed a little time to just enjoy nature and the moment. At dinner, I met an Aussie named Larissa. I asked where she had been and I was taken aback when she said replied 'just got back from seeing most of South America, second week in Europe.' I almost coughed up my food. I was expecting, England or Ireland not another continent. She is 18 and is traveling around the world solo for a year. I can’t imagine that. How awesome to get bitten by the travel bug so young (I’m only 21, but I know I wish I did something like that). We both had a good time and decided to explore and get lost in the city together.
I don’t think I can accurately describe Barcelona. It seems to be a lost city. It has a metropolitan area, but it is also has a hippie beach vibe in some areas. Art is everywhere, from the graffitti to modern monuments to funky art. All over the city, it just flows from each corner and building and it consumes you. I felt a revival of energy and creativity as if happiness was pouring out into the streets, it could have been the sun. Even it was raining, you saw many locals smiling with umbrellas or hurriedly running down the sidewalks with a brief case of their heads. However, all the tourists were huddled inside like cows awaiting slaughter, frowns were on each face with a deafening cloud of silence cast on them…waiting for the rain to stop so they could go outside and be happy. Kind of ironic, huh, the people that live there are having fun and the people on holiday, are miserable.
Anyways so you have all of these old buildings everywhere gothic and hundreds of years-old with gargoyles staring down at you, large medieval squares with traditional inscriptions in each building. But then you have the complete opposite, there are these buildings designed by Gaudi, who ignored all of the rules and just comes up with funky designs…round buildings with no right angles covered my mosaics. I mean just wild stuff especially compared to the neighboring buildings that stands there disapproving. Gaudi designed a church called Sagrada Familia which is stunning. It’s not even done yet; but when it is finished, I want to make a trip back and see it. I have seen a lot of cathedrals since being here and this one takes the cake. Look it up. It’s a masterpiece, there are just so many small things that just contradict normal cathedrals, just fantastic.
I really enjoyed the chaos of Barcelona, as I strolled along the crowded market with people selling any and every type and part of an animal you could think of. Selling fruit that is unbelievably vibrant and just as delicious. The stands honestly look like rainbows. I think I enjoyed this so much because there really is no chaos in Germany. The people are so disciplined and so reserved. For example, there may not be a car coming in sight, but they wait till they have the green walking man. And if someone does cross, well, I have heard a old couple yell some not so nice things after than young 'wild child.' But in Spain, it’s different. They think, “Well, I have a 50-50 chance of getting hit if I go now...Well I better walk fast.” It’s great. I needed a break from everything be so organized. This being said I enjoy living in Germany and their culture more, but Barcelona was great to visit.
We stumbled upon a communist rally in Las Rambas which is the heart of tourism in the city. It was interesting, we heard drums, trumpets, and shouting and we said “hey, let’s go check it out.” It was huge, the whole street was packed with people, shoulder to shoulder, in most spots. They were waving flags, holding banners, balloons (not sure why balloons I was expecting to have them folded into an animal but nope). There must have been seven thousand people, but it is impossible for me to give an accurate number, but it was interesting. I scoffed at the large Che posters with Cuban flag in the back round... Read a book, Castro abandoned him while he was on a mission in Bolivia where the lack of support led to his eventual death. Yes, he did help bring communism to Cuba but he also went to fight capitalism in other countries. Just looked ignorant, that’s all. However, I completely understand why they are so frustrated. The country’s unemployment rate is around 20%. It differs from source to source, I actually just looked it up, and one government agency said 7% and another said 21%, so not that much congruency. The people are tired of living in poverty and they want change.
Stepping away from politics, I think my favorite time in Barcelona was not seeing all of these magnificent buildings or stunning architecture, but it was getting lost. I loved it. It was the only way to feel the heartbeat of the city. Get away from the tourists, find your own way. It was seeing what the city was actually like, outside of all the souvenir shops. Also, when Larissa and I just hung out in a park that overlooked Barcelona's Arc de Triumph had a Cola (each country tastes just a little different) and ate an ice cream and just relaxed soaking up the sun. It was truly marvelous and could be the most relaxing day in Europe yet. Larissa and I have decided to meet up in Amsterdam next month as we both enjoyed exploring the city together. Amsterdam is high on both our lists to visit. So I have started looking at trains and buses to get me there. I look forward to meeting with her again she was truly a magnificent travel partner and if I’m ever in Gold Coast, Australia, she can expect a phone call from me.
Madrid.
Ah, Madrid was great. However, it was not as chaotic or not as vibrant as Barcelona. It seemed like many of the buildings were grand old banks, the GOB if you will, or large town squares.
I spent most of my time just wandering the city looking at and figuring out the map and what there was to do. I think I saw the majority of the city in one day. It’s gorgeous but it begins to run all together the clear lines of architectural differences. I stayed with my friend, Carly, a fellow Osprey, who was an unbelievable gracious host and fed me more than I could have expected. Lots of needed vegetables. Delicious. We taught another Osprey, Shiv, how to SWOOP (like the gator chomp but for UNF.) He’s getting the hang of it, but still has a bit to go. Carly took me to a bazaar which is the largest in Europe. Before we went, she said 'Nathan I would wear your back in the front people here are sneaky.' I thought, eh, I know Europe well enough and ignored her advice. Bad call. An hour into the day trip I took off my back pack and realized that it was completely unzipped. Gypsies got to it. However, luckily, nothing was taken. I learned my lesson and looked lame for the rest of the day, but I had peace of mind as I walked down the crowded and narrow roads of Barcelona. So, if you go to a market in Spain, take Carly's advice, gypsies do not play around.
I spent a lot of time in Parks in Madrid. They have great parks and I think are better than Central Park in NYC. It’s very nice; however, don’t make eye contact with sketchy looking people unless you want to buy drugs... I learned my lesson a few times and had to explain: No Grasias pero oferta (no thanks, but thanks for the offer).
Where am I off to next!
I have an awesome 30 days ahead of me. I am traveling to Rotterdam, Croatia, Amsterdam, London, and Dublin. I will try to update my blog as often as I can.
I have met a lot of people while traveling in Spain. To be honest, it was great. I had a beer and shared a cigar with a Russian professor at a hostel as we talked about politics. He offered me his house if I ever journey up to St. Petersburg (I might take him up on that) and too many others to name. However in the beginning I met an Italian around 3:30 in the morning in a train station. While we waited for our connecting train to take us to the airport, we talked. And he had and interesting quote 'the most beautiful and important moment is now' I love it. Just a great quote. Maybe it was because I was so tired, but it stuck out. You meet fascinating people while you travel.
I love you all; stay safe
Find the adventure in the small things, and seize the day.
Nathan
All right so this is my first real spring that I have really lived. We have springs in Florida, but they can not hold a candle to those of Germany. Life is truly a million times better in spring. All the trees are covered in flowers that look as if they were from a Doctor Seuss book. Many trees have balls of flowers at the end of them. As I walk to class, I am overwhelmed by this aroma, and it truly is fantastic. I could have never expected such beauty in Dortmund. The weather has been indecisive. One week it will be in the 70 or 80 with a bright sun over head, the next a high of 45ish and raining (that’s what this week was.) A German saying is that April does whatever it wants. However, it’s May; I should not have to wear a scarf. It’s as cold as it was when I first got here in March. An old Swedish saying is: no such thing as bad weather, just bad clothes.
This trip has made me realize how lucky I am, as well as, how small the globe is with high tech transportation. This has led me to find new ways of seeing the globe. I have emailed Kate Mattingly (study abroad advisor) and have asked her whether or not the program in China would fit into my schedule and whether or not I would get behind. I feel, if my major is international business, this would be a great thing to put on my resume. I could say I have lived and studied in the steady European market, as well as the booming Asian market. I want to go to Asia because it is so different than America. It’s fun to adapt to these new cultures. I think that humans are meant to adapt in the core and I think we get pleasure from it. For example, when you solve a very tough problem at work, you get satisfaction and you enjoy solving it. I think it’s the same way. I always want to be out of my comfort zone, and I never want to stop exploring! It creates growth in new ways. For me it also brings about an inner self-realization. I believe I have also told you about the job I applied to in Nepal? I applied to a Buddhist monastery nestled in the Himalayans to teach English. As you struggle through the grammar, you may wonder 'How are you qualified?!' I thought the same thing. I emailed them about this, they responded back stating 'Nepal is a very poor country and needs any resources it can get. As a native speaker, I could do more than they have right now'. I could take an online course to help solidify myself as a teacher, which to me seems a bit dodgy. However, I think this would be an eye opening experience for me.
This next section is from my journal when I wrote it on my plane to Barcelona
I must be unbelievably lucky. That’s all I can think as I sit in my seat looking at the window and have a delightful conversation with an English teacher from the Netherlands. It is her first flight and her husband asked if I would partake in scaring her when she left her seat momentarily. Every once in a while, He or I will say 'Well that just doesn’t sound right', and she looks back at us with paniced eyes and a death grip on the chair. I feel bad, but who am I to ignore this man’s wish?
I just can’t help it; I have this perpetual smile. I am FLYING through Europe as if it is no big deal. It’s wonderful. I am forced to adapt to a new and interesting culture daily. Sometimes things get lost in translation, but they always end in a laugh. It’s wonderful.
Right now as I look outside my window, we are literally approaching the French Alps. They sit alone behind large lakes and rolling hills. They are jagged like snow covered sharks teeth rising high above the clouds. The sun shines down upon the mountains producing a glint that can not be described. The valleys are cloaked by a deep blanket of clouds. Truly awe-inspiring but each day someone or something takes my breath away. I feel as if I am the richest man. Even though I slept in a crowded airport to avoid taking a taxi, and have been rationing out a Twix for breakfast; I feel so fortunate to be here…In this moment
I woke up yesterday and realized that half of my time in Dortmund experience is over. It broke my heart a little. It is a shame. I think it takes about a month to get settled in and one semester is not enough. To any prospective study abroad students out there. Go for a year; a semester is to short, everyone here agrees. I think you will get the same advice from everyone that has studied abroad and enjoyed their time.
I have been told to always plan your next trip before you come home from the one you’re on. I told you a little about Nepal but I have other options I’m seeking. My second option is to backpack through either South America or South East Asia. Not sure on which I will choose, but I look forward to walking the road least traveled. I want to experience something completely different; learn to adapt and enjoy it. Let me know if you are interested. I have invited Travosourous Rex already but I think there is always room for another person with a little adventure in their heart and a smile on their face.
Written on the plane from Barcelona to Madrid.
The past three days were fantastic. I went through a roller coaster on Barcelona. On the first day, I wasn’t really feeling the city. I thought it was a little over rated and I was unbelievably sleep-deprived and hungry. I walked around the city with my pack enjoying the nice weather. I was seeing the sights, but wasn’t really enjoying the city. It was just so crowded and I needed to relax for a bit. I headed to check into the hostel which is perched in the mountains covered in deep vegetation. It was a trek to get there, but it was beautiful. Just what I needed a little time to just enjoy nature and the moment. At dinner, I met an Aussie named Larissa. I asked where she had been and I was taken aback when she said replied 'just got back from seeing most of South America, second week in Europe.' I almost coughed up my food. I was expecting, England or Ireland not another continent. She is 18 and is traveling around the world solo for a year. I can’t imagine that. How awesome to get bitten by the travel bug so young (I’m only 21, but I know I wish I did something like that). We both had a good time and decided to explore and get lost in the city together.
I don’t think I can accurately describe Barcelona. It seems to be a lost city. It has a metropolitan area, but it is also has a hippie beach vibe in some areas. Art is everywhere, from the graffitti to modern monuments to funky art. All over the city, it just flows from each corner and building and it consumes you. I felt a revival of energy and creativity as if happiness was pouring out into the streets, it could have been the sun. Even it was raining, you saw many locals smiling with umbrellas or hurriedly running down the sidewalks with a brief case of their heads. However, all the tourists were huddled inside like cows awaiting slaughter, frowns were on each face with a deafening cloud of silence cast on them…waiting for the rain to stop so they could go outside and be happy. Kind of ironic, huh, the people that live there are having fun and the people on holiday, are miserable.
Anyways so you have all of these old buildings everywhere gothic and hundreds of years-old with gargoyles staring down at you, large medieval squares with traditional inscriptions in each building. But then you have the complete opposite, there are these buildings designed by Gaudi, who ignored all of the rules and just comes up with funky designs…round buildings with no right angles covered my mosaics. I mean just wild stuff especially compared to the neighboring buildings that stands there disapproving. Gaudi designed a church called Sagrada Familia which is stunning. It’s not even done yet; but when it is finished, I want to make a trip back and see it. I have seen a lot of cathedrals since being here and this one takes the cake. Look it up. It’s a masterpiece, there are just so many small things that just contradict normal cathedrals, just fantastic.
I really enjoyed the chaos of Barcelona, as I strolled along the crowded market with people selling any and every type and part of an animal you could think of. Selling fruit that is unbelievably vibrant and just as delicious. The stands honestly look like rainbows. I think I enjoyed this so much because there really is no chaos in Germany. The people are so disciplined and so reserved. For example, there may not be a car coming in sight, but they wait till they have the green walking man. And if someone does cross, well, I have heard a old couple yell some not so nice things after than young 'wild child.' But in Spain, it’s different. They think, “Well, I have a 50-50 chance of getting hit if I go now...Well I better walk fast.” It’s great. I needed a break from everything be so organized. This being said I enjoy living in Germany and their culture more, but Barcelona was great to visit.
We stumbled upon a communist rally in Las Rambas which is the heart of tourism in the city. It was interesting, we heard drums, trumpets, and shouting and we said “hey, let’s go check it out.” It was huge, the whole street was packed with people, shoulder to shoulder, in most spots. They were waving flags, holding banners, balloons (not sure why balloons I was expecting to have them folded into an animal but nope). There must have been seven thousand people, but it is impossible for me to give an accurate number, but it was interesting. I scoffed at the large Che posters with Cuban flag in the back round... Read a book, Castro abandoned him while he was on a mission in Bolivia where the lack of support led to his eventual death. Yes, he did help bring communism to Cuba but he also went to fight capitalism in other countries. Just looked ignorant, that’s all. However, I completely understand why they are so frustrated. The country’s unemployment rate is around 20%. It differs from source to source, I actually just looked it up, and one government agency said 7% and another said 21%, so not that much congruency. The people are tired of living in poverty and they want change.
Stepping away from politics, I think my favorite time in Barcelona was not seeing all of these magnificent buildings or stunning architecture, but it was getting lost. I loved it. It was the only way to feel the heartbeat of the city. Get away from the tourists, find your own way. It was seeing what the city was actually like, outside of all the souvenir shops. Also, when Larissa and I just hung out in a park that overlooked Barcelona's Arc de Triumph had a Cola (each country tastes just a little different) and ate an ice cream and just relaxed soaking up the sun. It was truly marvelous and could be the most relaxing day in Europe yet. Larissa and I have decided to meet up in Amsterdam next month as we both enjoyed exploring the city together. Amsterdam is high on both our lists to visit. So I have started looking at trains and buses to get me there. I look forward to meeting with her again she was truly a magnificent travel partner and if I’m ever in Gold Coast, Australia, she can expect a phone call from me.
Madrid.
Ah, Madrid was great. However, it was not as chaotic or not as vibrant as Barcelona. It seemed like many of the buildings were grand old banks, the GOB if you will, or large town squares.
I spent most of my time just wandering the city looking at and figuring out the map and what there was to do. I think I saw the majority of the city in one day. It’s gorgeous but it begins to run all together the clear lines of architectural differences. I stayed with my friend, Carly, a fellow Osprey, who was an unbelievable gracious host and fed me more than I could have expected. Lots of needed vegetables. Delicious. We taught another Osprey, Shiv, how to SWOOP (like the gator chomp but for UNF.) He’s getting the hang of it, but still has a bit to go. Carly took me to a bazaar which is the largest in Europe. Before we went, she said 'Nathan I would wear your back in the front people here are sneaky.' I thought, eh, I know Europe well enough and ignored her advice. Bad call. An hour into the day trip I took off my back pack and realized that it was completely unzipped. Gypsies got to it. However, luckily, nothing was taken. I learned my lesson and looked lame for the rest of the day, but I had peace of mind as I walked down the crowded and narrow roads of Barcelona. So, if you go to a market in Spain, take Carly's advice, gypsies do not play around.
I spent a lot of time in Parks in Madrid. They have great parks and I think are better than Central Park in NYC. It’s very nice; however, don’t make eye contact with sketchy looking people unless you want to buy drugs... I learned my lesson a few times and had to explain: No Grasias pero oferta (no thanks, but thanks for the offer).
Where am I off to next!
I have an awesome 30 days ahead of me. I am traveling to Rotterdam, Croatia, Amsterdam, London, and Dublin. I will try to update my blog as often as I can.
I have met a lot of people while traveling in Spain. To be honest, it was great. I had a beer and shared a cigar with a Russian professor at a hostel as we talked about politics. He offered me his house if I ever journey up to St. Petersburg (I might take him up on that) and too many others to name. However in the beginning I met an Italian around 3:30 in the morning in a train station. While we waited for our connecting train to take us to the airport, we talked. And he had and interesting quote 'the most beautiful and important moment is now' I love it. Just a great quote. Maybe it was because I was so tired, but it stuck out. You meet fascinating people while you travel.
I love you all; stay safe
Find the adventure in the small things, and seize the day.
Nathan
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
April 18, 2010
Life is great. I have learned perspective is key in life. There have been some frustrating things that have happened but everything seems to work themselves out and things could always be so much worse than they are, which always puts a smile on my face.
I saw “old Germany” a few days ago. Düsseldorf has an excellent old town district, with the longest bar in the world, etc… Vines grow like twisting brown snakes among these old buildings. Many of these buildings have small memorials carved into them, some ancient and weathered, and some recent. The most stunning one was a mother, father, and child hiding behind a bombed out wall, while uniformed men stormed the house, pushing aside those trying to stop them. I presume that this is a memorial to WWII and the Holocaust. Very touching that the German people would put such an ugly history on display in the heart of the tourist district.
Dusseldorf was having a home soccer game, so the soccer hooligans were out in full force along with riot police. There is nothing like it in America! The whole city comes alive, people drink their beer holding their teams scarves above their head,s and drunkenly sing in unison their team’s chants, scream for victory and you can tell they LOVE their team. I went to a bar with two friends. I happened to run into downtown, n had a 'alt' beer which is famously produced in Dusseldor, and enjoyed the festivities.
I walked along the Rhine taking pictures, with my fellow friends asking directions on what is else to see, with a smile on my face. I have learned “enough in get by” and when to know when someone is trying to take advantage of me. For example, at the market the man at the register tried charging me 2.30 for two apples. Its 2.30 for a kilo at most places. I replied in German, “BS I am American, not stupid.” The guy laughed and gave me the correct amount.
Dusseldorf is the fashion capital of Germany. Small dogs are paraded around, many wearing absurd clothes or bejeweled harnesses or collars as a fashion accessory instead of a companion, their owners move with as if they are on the catwalk and dress like it as well, wearing expensive oversize sunglasses. Ferraris, Porsches, high class Audi's, BMW, and Mercedes gently purr while waiting for the green light. There is incredible wealth there. I walked along a street nick named 'Germanys rodeo drive' where Prada, Gucci etc all have over priced stores. Its amazing how different the culture of the city is compared to Dortmund, where a sweater, t-shirt, and jeans is fashionable enough to go to the bars.
It was warm here for a few days (today it is snowing quite hard). I took full advantage of the sun for that limited amount of time. I sat in the grass wearing a t-shirt and jeans, I laid there and napped. I soaked up the sun like a sponge. I took off my shoes for the first time. For the first time since Florida, my feet felt the earth and it was wonderful. I would be lying if I said I didn’t giggle with joy of reuniting of these senses. It was like a seeing an old friend again. I talked to a friend from the south of Spain islands a few days ago, and we talked about how we missed the sun and the sand. It’s weird how much more I miss it than from those up north or where sun is not prevalent. I busted out my flip flops, it was still a little cold that day (70degrees.) A few Germans called me crazy, but they don’t understand, I'm from Florida. In Florida you will find people wearing sandals 365 days of the year. I think we just have tougher feet from playing outside barefoot year round growing up.
So this is my spring break blog. It is hard to write down a week of new experiences, gut-busting laughter, meeting new people, and the absurdities that come along with travel. I don’t even know where or how to begin.
I started off by meeting a few friends, that are studying in Brussels, in Koln (must say that Koln is a little overrated) and Dusseldorf (is underrated and so far my favorite city as it is unbelievably relaxing.) That was really nice to see a familiar face and share a laugh and a beer. We went to the Dusseldorf early on Good Friday morning. I showed them around the city. I took them to grab an alt beer (of which the city is fiercely proud) in a authentic German bar in the historic district. However, it was Good Friday around noon, and the only bar with such little morals to be open on such a day was - you guessed it… Hooters! So we sat in Hootersm shared a plate of wings (yes, meat on Good Friday, Whoops!) and laughed at the irony.
My next trip was to Prague, Brno (for a night) and Vienna. I left with my friends, Alex and Marie. I must say that first day was an absurd amount of traveling. We took planes, trains, and a bus all to get to Vienna. However, we got there safe and sound and were greeted unbelievably warmly by Marie’s friend, and our host and tour guide, Kathrine. We went out to a famous bar in Prague and on our way home some man lifted up the skirt of one of the girls that went out with us. She, of course, slapped him and yelled at him. Then next thing I know, there is a knife in his hand and walking back toward us. A few other things happened, but the important thing to know is that everyone is safe.
Prague is beautiful. It’s what you imagine Europe to be. Hitler gave the orders for the ‘red roofed city’ not to be bombed so all the buildings still remain intact and it is gorgeous. The ‘new’ district is still very old and are still around three hundred years old. I have never seen anything like it. Apparently most American movies filmed in Europe are actually filmed in Prague because it is beautiful and “authentic” European.
Prague has a very interesting culture. It is the first former communist country I have visited. Even though the communist’s rules are gone, it has left its print. People over their mid 20’s are hardened by communism and are much more conservative, while the youth are unbelievably outgoing. The communist work ethic of “doing little to get by” is very prevalent. Their food is as diverse as their people. I ordered duck liver one night, a local specialty. However, the real Czech food is located on the streets. It is said that the best food in Prague is street food. I find it hard to argue with that. I had a fried cheese sandwich. Every bite of that heart clogging cheese was fantastic. I was surprised how good it was. They literally deep fried delicious mozzarella cheese, slap it between a bun, put some type of sauce, and that’s what you sink your teeth into and regret it later. I ate more junk food on this trip than any other week in America. Someone always wanted chocolate, and who was I to make them eat one alone even if it was for breakfast and then another for brunch. However, we walked everywhere, so I like to think it cancels itself out.
We went to Brno for a night, which is the Czech Republics second largest city. To be honest was nothing all that special and was basically a pit stop with a old church (you have seen one you have seen them all) and a crypt. However, at our hostel we met and went to an Irish pub with a British man who just received his doctorate in lasers, which I thought was pretty cool and shared an original Budweiser. So, Budweiser is actually a Czech beer that Busch stole and went to Americ. It is actually illegal to order a Budweiser in Europe and receive a American beer; you must ask for a Anheuser Busch. We went out to ea; t no one really wanting anything all that special, just some grub. We ate inside a KFC and it was fantastic. Just as good as I remembered. It was also the first time I received unlimited refills on soda (soft drinks here are very small and not refillable at fast food joints,) I took full advantage of that privilege.
After Brno we took a bus to Vienna. It was fantastic. I have never seen such a skyline filled with grand buildings everywhere. It was just utterly beautiful. I can’t put it into words. It was such a nice day as we strolled along the cobblestone roads that made me enjoy is so much. I do not know but it was absolutely stunning. We walked around and entered museums with very famous works of art (you can call me uncultured if you like but I was just as happy to take a quick nap in the grass and enjoy the sights and sounds around me) as well as a war museum which I found fascinating. I really enjoy the life style of the Austrians; it seems to be much more laid back then the German,s but they still have a work ethic. I am envious, if I was to move to a country in Europe, it would be Austria without a doubt. On the last night my group and I went out to eat Schnitzel. So we all ordered Schnitzel. Not realizing how big this restaurant serves, we each ordered one. They come out and my stomach whimpered a little and my heart cried a little not only for the countless pigs that were probably slaughtered for mea,l but also for fear of heart-attack upon completion. If this was in America this place would be called ‘World Famous Schnitzel House: Home of the GIANT SCHNITZEL’. It would honestly be a gluttonous eating challenges where if you finish you get a t-shirt and your picture on the wall. Apparently it is usually split among 3 or 4 people. We didn’t know that. However, we all finished the Schnitzel in a time of around two hours with a few breaks thrown in there. However, time is not the real measure of excellence. I have been told but the amount of times you push through pain. If this is true, I deserved a gold medal in eating. I had a wonderful time on my trip seeing old cities that have been preserved in time and just living in a concrete jungle. I love living in the city, but I miss seeing the horizon, seeing water, and the sunset. I don’t know if it is because I am being denied these desires that makes it me want it more. Some of my friends feel the same way, so we are go to a place that is away from the tourists where we can just relax and enjoy natural beauty. I’m thinking Croatia after Spain (hopefully I can still fly out).
Birthday weekend.
On Friday, April 16, some friends and I decided to go to the Netherlands for a day, as a student we get to travel to anywhere in the “state” for free. So we took a train to the border and bought a ticket to Enchnede (I believe that is the spelling) for two Euros. It was marvelous. The city was beautiful and the weather superb to the cloudy train station we left and 1.5 hours earlier. We strolled down the towns square where bikers were everywhere and pedestrians were a rarity. The culture of the city was just relaxing. It was such a nice day. It seemed as if every business man decided to take the afternoon off and head to town square, order a beer and bask in the sunlight. There were little shops that we walked around in. Buildings had their date of completion year most of them over three hundred years old, but it was more of quaint relaxing city not over-powering traditional city like Vienna or Prague. We ate lunch in the town square, loved each bite of that delicious club sandwich with potato chips (it’s hard to find Lays potato chips.) On the way home, we came to a stop in the middle of the track. We figured ‘O small delay.’ A small delay meant six hours to get home and were re-routed to travel basically the North Rhine Westphalia area. We believe that someone jumped in front of a train in a train station ahead of us as a drunk German busted into our car and gave us an idea of what happened. However, we made the best of the very long trip.
Saturday some friends and I went to Dusseldorf for my 21st to celebrate in the Old town. Each bar in this area has their own specialty micro-brew. They take great pride and beer is poured out of a wooden cask where all the old traditions are preserved. Some of the world’s highest ranking beers are brewed and bottled only in this region. Beers are served like McDonalds fast. One bar sells over 2,000 pints of beer in an hour on a the average Saturday. Old town on weekends is transformed into a huge bar. People walk around or stand at a table if so lucky to find one and enjoy the weather. The beers here are dark beers but like nothing really offered in America and hard to describe. My favorite moment of the day came when we ordered a liter of beer sat by the Rhine river and slowly sipped on it, ate a baguette and just enjoyed our company. I went out to a club later that night but it was very crowded and the music was from the 90’s as it was 90’s night which consisted of Back Street Boys, N Sync etc. They had a catalog of music you could request which I looked for 1990’s old school rap. Nothing. So I smiled and danced with my German friends but felt like my poor ears were in their own personal purgatory as I heard ‘I’m a Barbie Girl’ twice in a row. I did have a wonderful night though so don’t let the poor music selection think that I did not thoroughly enjoy the moment.
Well I must go off to write a paper. To the chagrine of my professor, I am not writing about the culture differences of America and Germany but rather the culture differences between the Emos and the Hipsters (two counter cultures). I wish I could see my poor German professor’s face as he reads it. It should be very funny to read the feedback and the questions.
I love you all, stay safe
And as always seize the day,
Nathan.
I saw “old Germany” a few days ago. Düsseldorf has an excellent old town district, with the longest bar in the world, etc… Vines grow like twisting brown snakes among these old buildings. Many of these buildings have small memorials carved into them, some ancient and weathered, and some recent. The most stunning one was a mother, father, and child hiding behind a bombed out wall, while uniformed men stormed the house, pushing aside those trying to stop them. I presume that this is a memorial to WWII and the Holocaust. Very touching that the German people would put such an ugly history on display in the heart of the tourist district.
Dusseldorf was having a home soccer game, so the soccer hooligans were out in full force along with riot police. There is nothing like it in America! The whole city comes alive, people drink their beer holding their teams scarves above their head,s and drunkenly sing in unison their team’s chants, scream for victory and you can tell they LOVE their team. I went to a bar with two friends. I happened to run into downtown, n had a 'alt' beer which is famously produced in Dusseldor, and enjoyed the festivities.
I walked along the Rhine taking pictures, with my fellow friends asking directions on what is else to see, with a smile on my face. I have learned “enough in get by” and when to know when someone is trying to take advantage of me. For example, at the market the man at the register tried charging me 2.30 for two apples. Its 2.30 for a kilo at most places. I replied in German, “BS I am American, not stupid.” The guy laughed and gave me the correct amount.
Dusseldorf is the fashion capital of Germany. Small dogs are paraded around, many wearing absurd clothes or bejeweled harnesses or collars as a fashion accessory instead of a companion, their owners move with as if they are on the catwalk and dress like it as well, wearing expensive oversize sunglasses. Ferraris, Porsches, high class Audi's, BMW, and Mercedes gently purr while waiting for the green light. There is incredible wealth there. I walked along a street nick named 'Germanys rodeo drive' where Prada, Gucci etc all have over priced stores. Its amazing how different the culture of the city is compared to Dortmund, where a sweater, t-shirt, and jeans is fashionable enough to go to the bars.
It was warm here for a few days (today it is snowing quite hard). I took full advantage of the sun for that limited amount of time. I sat in the grass wearing a t-shirt and jeans, I laid there and napped. I soaked up the sun like a sponge. I took off my shoes for the first time. For the first time since Florida, my feet felt the earth and it was wonderful. I would be lying if I said I didn’t giggle with joy of reuniting of these senses. It was like a seeing an old friend again. I talked to a friend from the south of Spain islands a few days ago, and we talked about how we missed the sun and the sand. It’s weird how much more I miss it than from those up north or where sun is not prevalent. I busted out my flip flops, it was still a little cold that day (70degrees.) A few Germans called me crazy, but they don’t understand, I'm from Florida. In Florida you will find people wearing sandals 365 days of the year. I think we just have tougher feet from playing outside barefoot year round growing up.
So this is my spring break blog. It is hard to write down a week of new experiences, gut-busting laughter, meeting new people, and the absurdities that come along with travel. I don’t even know where or how to begin.
I started off by meeting a few friends, that are studying in Brussels, in Koln (must say that Koln is a little overrated) and Dusseldorf (is underrated and so far my favorite city as it is unbelievably relaxing.) That was really nice to see a familiar face and share a laugh and a beer. We went to the Dusseldorf early on Good Friday morning. I showed them around the city. I took them to grab an alt beer (of which the city is fiercely proud) in a authentic German bar in the historic district. However, it was Good Friday around noon, and the only bar with such little morals to be open on such a day was - you guessed it… Hooters! So we sat in Hootersm shared a plate of wings (yes, meat on Good Friday, Whoops!) and laughed at the irony.
My next trip was to Prague, Brno (for a night) and Vienna. I left with my friends, Alex and Marie. I must say that first day was an absurd amount of traveling. We took planes, trains, and a bus all to get to Vienna. However, we got there safe and sound and were greeted unbelievably warmly by Marie’s friend, and our host and tour guide, Kathrine. We went out to a famous bar in Prague and on our way home some man lifted up the skirt of one of the girls that went out with us. She, of course, slapped him and yelled at him. Then next thing I know, there is a knife in his hand and walking back toward us. A few other things happened, but the important thing to know is that everyone is safe.
Prague is beautiful. It’s what you imagine Europe to be. Hitler gave the orders for the ‘red roofed city’ not to be bombed so all the buildings still remain intact and it is gorgeous. The ‘new’ district is still very old and are still around three hundred years old. I have never seen anything like it. Apparently most American movies filmed in Europe are actually filmed in Prague because it is beautiful and “authentic” European.
Prague has a very interesting culture. It is the first former communist country I have visited. Even though the communist’s rules are gone, it has left its print. People over their mid 20’s are hardened by communism and are much more conservative, while the youth are unbelievably outgoing. The communist work ethic of “doing little to get by” is very prevalent. Their food is as diverse as their people. I ordered duck liver one night, a local specialty. However, the real Czech food is located on the streets. It is said that the best food in Prague is street food. I find it hard to argue with that. I had a fried cheese sandwich. Every bite of that heart clogging cheese was fantastic. I was surprised how good it was. They literally deep fried delicious mozzarella cheese, slap it between a bun, put some type of sauce, and that’s what you sink your teeth into and regret it later. I ate more junk food on this trip than any other week in America. Someone always wanted chocolate, and who was I to make them eat one alone even if it was for breakfast and then another for brunch. However, we walked everywhere, so I like to think it cancels itself out.
We went to Brno for a night, which is the Czech Republics second largest city. To be honest was nothing all that special and was basically a pit stop with a old church (you have seen one you have seen them all) and a crypt. However, at our hostel we met and went to an Irish pub with a British man who just received his doctorate in lasers, which I thought was pretty cool and shared an original Budweiser. So, Budweiser is actually a Czech beer that Busch stole and went to Americ. It is actually illegal to order a Budweiser in Europe and receive a American beer; you must ask for a Anheuser Busch. We went out to ea; t no one really wanting anything all that special, just some grub. We ate inside a KFC and it was fantastic. Just as good as I remembered. It was also the first time I received unlimited refills on soda (soft drinks here are very small and not refillable at fast food joints,) I took full advantage of that privilege.
After Brno we took a bus to Vienna. It was fantastic. I have never seen such a skyline filled with grand buildings everywhere. It was just utterly beautiful. I can’t put it into words. It was such a nice day as we strolled along the cobblestone roads that made me enjoy is so much. I do not know but it was absolutely stunning. We walked around and entered museums with very famous works of art (you can call me uncultured if you like but I was just as happy to take a quick nap in the grass and enjoy the sights and sounds around me) as well as a war museum which I found fascinating. I really enjoy the life style of the Austrians; it seems to be much more laid back then the German,s but they still have a work ethic. I am envious, if I was to move to a country in Europe, it would be Austria without a doubt. On the last night my group and I went out to eat Schnitzel. So we all ordered Schnitzel. Not realizing how big this restaurant serves, we each ordered one. They come out and my stomach whimpered a little and my heart cried a little not only for the countless pigs that were probably slaughtered for mea,l but also for fear of heart-attack upon completion. If this was in America this place would be called ‘World Famous Schnitzel House: Home of the GIANT SCHNITZEL’. It would honestly be a gluttonous eating challenges where if you finish you get a t-shirt and your picture on the wall. Apparently it is usually split among 3 or 4 people. We didn’t know that. However, we all finished the Schnitzel in a time of around two hours with a few breaks thrown in there. However, time is not the real measure of excellence. I have been told but the amount of times you push through pain. If this is true, I deserved a gold medal in eating. I had a wonderful time on my trip seeing old cities that have been preserved in time and just living in a concrete jungle. I love living in the city, but I miss seeing the horizon, seeing water, and the sunset. I don’t know if it is because I am being denied these desires that makes it me want it more. Some of my friends feel the same way, so we are go to a place that is away from the tourists where we can just relax and enjoy natural beauty. I’m thinking Croatia after Spain (hopefully I can still fly out).
Birthday weekend.
On Friday, April 16, some friends and I decided to go to the Netherlands for a day, as a student we get to travel to anywhere in the “state” for free. So we took a train to the border and bought a ticket to Enchnede (I believe that is the spelling) for two Euros. It was marvelous. The city was beautiful and the weather superb to the cloudy train station we left and 1.5 hours earlier. We strolled down the towns square where bikers were everywhere and pedestrians were a rarity. The culture of the city was just relaxing. It was such a nice day. It seemed as if every business man decided to take the afternoon off and head to town square, order a beer and bask in the sunlight. There were little shops that we walked around in. Buildings had their date of completion year most of them over three hundred years old, but it was more of quaint relaxing city not over-powering traditional city like Vienna or Prague. We ate lunch in the town square, loved each bite of that delicious club sandwich with potato chips (it’s hard to find Lays potato chips.) On the way home, we came to a stop in the middle of the track. We figured ‘O small delay.’ A small delay meant six hours to get home and were re-routed to travel basically the North Rhine Westphalia area. We believe that someone jumped in front of a train in a train station ahead of us as a drunk German busted into our car and gave us an idea of what happened. However, we made the best of the very long trip.
Saturday some friends and I went to Dusseldorf for my 21st to celebrate in the Old town. Each bar in this area has their own specialty micro-brew. They take great pride and beer is poured out of a wooden cask where all the old traditions are preserved. Some of the world’s highest ranking beers are brewed and bottled only in this region. Beers are served like McDonalds fast. One bar sells over 2,000 pints of beer in an hour on a the average Saturday. Old town on weekends is transformed into a huge bar. People walk around or stand at a table if so lucky to find one and enjoy the weather. The beers here are dark beers but like nothing really offered in America and hard to describe. My favorite moment of the day came when we ordered a liter of beer sat by the Rhine river and slowly sipped on it, ate a baguette and just enjoyed our company. I went out to a club later that night but it was very crowded and the music was from the 90’s as it was 90’s night which consisted of Back Street Boys, N Sync etc. They had a catalog of music you could request which I looked for 1990’s old school rap. Nothing. So I smiled and danced with my German friends but felt like my poor ears were in their own personal purgatory as I heard ‘I’m a Barbie Girl’ twice in a row. I did have a wonderful night though so don’t let the poor music selection think that I did not thoroughly enjoy the moment.
Well I must go off to write a paper. To the chagrine of my professor, I am not writing about the culture differences of America and Germany but rather the culture differences between the Emos and the Hipsters (two counter cultures). I wish I could see my poor German professor’s face as he reads it. It should be very funny to read the feedback and the questions.
I love you all, stay safe
And as always seize the day,
Nathan.
Thursday, March 18, 2010
Hey guys,
So I have gotten a couple of emails asking me about what’s it like living over here? What is your set up like etc.? I share an apartment with three others, two Turkish, and one Chinese students. The place is a little small but I don’t need much. However, there are many things that are very different than the states. Smoking is “not allowed” which really means open the window when you smoke (one of my roommates smokes quite often). The showers here are unbelievably small it is like a 2.5 foot square where you cant move at, the bed is a giant piece of hard foam. Pillows come in large squares which are awkward to sleep on. The things I really miss about America is BBQ, Jazz, and old school rap those are really the only three things I have trouble finding over here (got peanut butter today after along trek after I heard a rumor that a small store sold it)
The food here is much better than in
Classes also are much different here. The number one difference is that students talk in class, not just whisper every once in a while but for the whole class is in constant murmur. The murmur continues to grow until the professor stops because he feels disrespected that it has gotten to loud (which I laugh behind the logic that it has gotten to loud). I don’t really like it. If this was to happen at UNF I am almost positive the professor would just walk out. After talking to a couple of American students we agreed that the reason why they talk in class is that they really only pay 200 Euros per semester. However, the students are great. They seem to have taken this American under their wing. They invite me to go to something almost everyday, whether watching a soccer game at their house, to go see a movie, etc. They have been more than welcoming. One of my classes is called “Management Project” and that’s exactly what it is. We were assigned into groups of five and are given information on a campsite in the
I love the culture as you know from the previous blog entries. But each day I honestly meet another five new people each day that are unbelievably welcoming. It changes the way you look at the world. Where a stranger isn’t really a stranger but someone you haven’t met before. You are bound to have at least one thing in common and you grow a bond on that one thing. I have learned to find beauty everywhere and honestly it is around every corner and under every rock here. Just life is great and it is our jobs as humans to find that beauty in life even when things look bleak. Enjoy life, love all, and be kind to each other in the process because life can be tough enough some times and a helping hand goes a long way. I know I sound like a hippy or some really cliché t-shirt or some poster that a freshman girl would hang up on their dorm wall (For example, Live. Laugh. Love) but I have learned to love this new outlook on life, of never letting a moment pass with out recognition because a moment waste is a travesty because never again will that moment come back. Time is our only non-renewable resource.
I have started thinking of new solutions to dilemma of not really being able to travel while I am here. I am buying a bike with a friend German friend Mara. I think she wants to bike parts of German including the
Until next time seize the day!
Nathan
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