Bittersüß

You know, I realized that most of my blog entries are about my travels. And yes, according to the title of the blog, that's what it's supposed to be about, but in reality I haven't talked about my actual experiences in Germany in a long time. And since I am leaving tomorrow, I feel like this is a good time to start!

This hasn't been a perfect semester. Things have gone wrong almost every day, just like they do in real life. (Yeah, I refer to life in the US as real life, because this still seems surreal to me.) When it comes to traveling, I've: missed trains, gotten lost, almost missed trains, woken up too early, spent hours being uncomfortable, slept in strange beds, gotten a parasite, carried extremely heavy bags, and nearly frozen to death. When it comes to culture shock, I've: accidentally insulted people, cried from homesickness, caused a scene at a grocery store, yelled in frustration because my language skills suck, confused people, gotten confused, and stayed in bed trying to avoid the world. When it comes to school, I've: spent entire classes where I have no idea what's happening, cried from nerves for all-German presentations and tests, doubted myself countless times, and used Google translate way too often. When it comes to my social life, I've: doubted myself, gotten annoyed with people, had to walk home alone a lot, had to worry about how I would get home because the only thing I could use was public transportation, and felt uncomfortable standing around in clubs.

That is the "sweet" part about going home. I might face many similar problems, but at least: everything will be in English, I won't have to walk home in the cold, I can actually drive a car, I can sleep in my bed, I can relax, and I will be comforted by family and friends I've had for years. And, my dog. And, burritos. But I know that, despite those wonderful comforts, the most amazing experience of my life is coming to an end. So, that's where the "bitter" part comes in.

When it comes to traveling, I've seen absolutely beautiful things from buildings to ruins to museums to mountains to lakes to landmarks and entire cities. I've gotten the opportunity to go somewhere new almost every weekend. I had delicious food and bought some great souvenirs. I've met new people, grown up, and became independent and responsible. When it comes to culture shock, as much as I say otherwise, I really did improve my language skills. I can get around any city in Germany with my knowledge of the language and I believe I'm brave. I know that there's only room for improvement. I challenged myself daily, and now I am a stronger person and not the same over-coddled, spoiled, and entitled American I used to be. When it comes to school, I actually have gotten some pretty good grades so far, met people of all different cultures, and, once again, challenged myself. When it comes to my social life, well, I had the most fun ever. I am still just perplexed by how amazing the people in my program are. I made so many spectacular friends, most of whom actually live in New England with me. I learned how to drink for real, I went to bars and I finally enjoy clubs. I've learned to relax and I love to party. I know, I never thought I'd say that, but I'm smart about the things I do and I never made any bad decisions that hurt me or anyone else. I promise.

So, bittersweet. That's the word that best describes my situation. I am leaving behind an uncomfortable world full of unexpected turns, new experiences, and beautiful things to go to a comfortable world full of boring normality, people I love, and my favorite things. As you can tell, I don't really know WHAT to feel. I almost wish that I could just leave for a week, or maybe a month, and come back. That's the thing that really bothers me the most, I think, that I'm not going to be coming back to Europe for a while. What will I have to look forward to? When I was an underclassman my escape from too much school was home, and my escape from too much home was school. On the cusp of junior year my escape from too much home was Europe, and in Europe when I was feeling down I knew that I'd be going home in a few weeks or months. Now what? I guess that's the question, isn't it?

I was in China this year, can you believe it? And then I was in Europe this semester, obviously. China, Germany, Italy, France, Czech Republic, Switzerland, and Austria. That was my year. What IS next? I would like to think there's more, but I still have to finish school before I can figure anything out. And that seems dauntingly close and terribly far away.

Okay, yeah, I know this is turning out to be a pretty depressing blog post. Don't get me wrong, I am excited to go home. But now all I can do is sit and be sad and reflect and just wait for tomorrow to come. I'm halfway done packing, but I know that tomorrow morning I have to clean my room and check out and go to the airport and wait there forever and then take a looong flight and then a long drive home at night. So that kind of sucks a bunch. And yesterday was my last night with everyone. AJY threw us a small pizza party which was fun, and then we ALL went out to a bar. Some of my closest friends here have already left, or are leaving soon. We hugged and frantically waved and shouted goodbye as we ran to catch our buses. So that's why I don't think I'm going to the Altstadt today. I feel like I should go see it one last time, and I feel like I should maybe see my remaining friends one last time, but then again I don't know if that's a good idea. After all, how will it help? Either way it's just another tearful goodbye. I thought last night's ending was so perfect that I don't want to break my heart with another one.

Despite all of this I don't even think it has sunk in yet that I will never go to Bismarckplatz again, will never cross the Altebrucke, climb the steps to AJY, etc etc etc. Sigh. I wish I could be more excited, because a mere few weeks ago I wanted to go home so badly. But the bittersweetness is hard to overcome. Sorry again that this is so depressing, but I think honesty is always a good thing. This won't be my last post, either, so don't worry. But, for now...

Ich werde mein Herz in Heidelberg verlassen.

Just like the song says. And now, for your reflective pleasure,

Meine Lieder, meine Träume in Salzburg

Sweet, isn't it?

Once upon a time, I was watching ABC Family and a commercial for The Sound of Music came on. Julie Andrews told me that the hills were alive with the sound of music and then I changed the channel because I don't like commercials. Plus, every time I had seen that movie being referenced, it always seemed super corny. Doe, a deer, a female deer? These are a few of my favorite things? I am 16 going on 17? No, not my style. I like musicals, but I tend to stay away from the cheesey ones where everything is sunshine and smiles all of the time. (As a reference, my favorite musical is Phantom of the Opera.)

That's why I had never watched The Sound of Music. So when I went to Salzburg, Austria this weekend, I didn't really know what to expect. All I really knew about Austria is that it's not Australia, they speak German there, and, according to my freshman year German textbooks, they like eating cake. But it is only a five hour train ride away (which, in the scheme of things, isn't really all that far) and a few friends from AJY had gone there on separate occasions and I only heard good reviews, so I decided to go for it and make it my last international trip of the semester.

I did end up going alone, but it was kind of by choice. I knew it was a bit too expensive for train tickets, but I just really wanted to go, and I didn't want to force anyone to do the same. I almost didn't go because of the price and because of the schoolwork, but at the last minute I found some slightly cheaper tickets and bought them on a whim. And honestly, just like Basel, I kind of wanted to go myself. I definitely liked traveling with other people and I do love my AJY friends but there's something slightly magical about being alone...at least, in my opinion. In retrospect, though, I kind of wish I went with someone because a surprising number of things went wrong on this trip.

First of all, I missed my train there. I know it's technically my fault but the tram I usually take to the train station should've gotten me there 10 minutes before the train left. I know that doesn't sound like a lot but I had a reserved seat so I didn't care. It should've been fine. But no, the tram was 5 minutes late picking me up and took extra long because of all of the kids getting out of school...something I didn't factor in. So I got there like one minute before my train was supposed to leave. I figured it was hopeless but I thought maybe the train would've been a couple of minutes late so I sprinted all the way inside and down to the track--only to see the train pulling away just as I got there. Of course, trains are only late when I need them not to be and vice versa.

I thought I was going to have a mental breakdown, but I talked to the guy at the info center and he informed me that I didn't have to pay for another ticket. However, the next train was scheduled to come two hours later. To pass the time I walked around the cold train station, drank weird bubble tea milk, and called my mom...so you know, the usual. When the train finally came I found a seat and took one of my "train naps" which consists of me closing my eyes, leaning back and sort of losing consciousness for about an hour until something jolts me awake and I can't fall back asleep the rest of the time.

Eventually I arrived safely in Salzburg, but since it was two hours later than I anticipated, my plans were kind of ruined. I had hoped to grab dinner at the legendary Weihnachtsmarkt there and shop for a while there before going back to my hostel and making it an early night. Well by the time I tiptoed across the ice to get to my hostel, the Christmas markets were already closed. I was still determined to get something to eat even though the girl at the front desk of the hostel told me everything was likely closed. Of course, I was frustrated, since it was only 8:45 and that's not all too late in the scheme of things. So I put my stuff in my room and went on a trek to find food. This did not go all that well. I managed to find a cafe and I tried to ask the waitress if the pumpkin creme soup had meat in it, but I don't think she understood me. It was a confusing conversation in which I ended up getting a slice of apple pie that wasn't that great.

So I marched on, hoping maybe there would possibly be somewhere else. I did find another place that was full of Austrians and I even had to wait a few minutes to get a seat. And, can you believe it, I had the exact same confusing nonsense conversation about the pumpkin creme soup. I decided to order potato pancakes, so you can imagine my confusion when they brought me pumpkin soup. I had to go back and explain that I did not order the soup, I just had a question about it. It's funny, you know...they always assume that I'm relieved if there's meat in something. They always say "Ja!" with a smile as if to reassure me that I'll survive. Vegetarianism still isn't a thing, I guess. But eventually I ate the potato pancakes which were quite good, and made sure to get out of there ASAP to avoid the wrath of the scorned waitress.

Rather frustrated by the fact that my German seemed to suck, I marched back to the hostel. I made a plan for the next day, befriended my Australian roommate, and had a good night's sleep. When I woke up I was determined to have a better day. My plan was to climb (not ride the train, but walk) up the mountain to get to the Salzburg Fortress, then walk to the famous Augustiner brewery that Rick Steves recommended so highly. Then I'd do a little walking tour of Salzburg, truly explore the Christmas market, and get something to eat there before heading back to the hostel and watching The Sound of Music for the first time. I know I said it wasn't my thing, and it's not, but the hostel plays it every day at 7 and I figured that I had to see it.

All of this started off well and good. I walked through the town to the other side of the river, getting a preview of the Christmas markets along the way. I got a little lost on the way up to the fortress and was definitely out of breath...but it was nothing compared to the breathlessness I felt when I saw the view. The fortress/castle itself was cool enough, but the view of Salzburg below and the Alps in the distance was absolutely amazing. The only view that could compare was the view from the Eiffel tower, but I think this was even better. It was seriously like I was looking at the wrapper for a water bottle. I know that sounds strange, but it's true! As it turns out, mountains are my favorite. They're so massive and impressive. Man, I still can't get over it. As much as I love all of the buildings and cathedrals and art and architecture in Europe, nature's beauty will always be my favorite.

Perhaps this is why I wasn't totally upset by the fact that when I arrived at the Augustiner brewery, it didn't open for another two hours. I got there at 1 and it opened at 3. I took a walk through the mountains to get there and it was quite a long way, at least an hour of walking. And yet, maybe it's because I wasn't that hungry or maybe it's because I had just experienced something beautiful, but I was not totally upset that I just went on a trek to find something that technically wasn't there. Instead, only slightly disgruntled, I marched down the mountain and back to the center of town. I eventually ended up finding a nice little cafe where I got a veggie sandwich and some apple strudel. Of course, after I got my food, I noticed there was a specials menu in which I could've gotten a veggie strudel...d'oh! I know, I'm the only one who would be upset for missing out on such a thing.

But, it was okay, because afterwards I fully explored the Salzburg Christmas market! And boy, the Salzburg markt certainly puts the Heidelberg one to shame...no offense, HD. But it's true! The Salzburg one is called Christkindl Markt and it is basically the same thing, but much more extensive. There are ornaments upon ornaments upon ornaments and good food and Gluhwein all over the place. It's such a simple way to gain weight and lose money at the same time. And, even better, it's so pretty! I walked all around it a ton of times. I went inside the Salzburg cathedral as well, which was in the same platz, and the ceiling was gorgeous! I know I say that about all of the thousands of cathedrals I've been in, but the paintings in this one had really vibrant colors. And on my walk back to the hostel I stopped to take pictures of Mozart's birthplace and residence, both of which were rather underwhelming from the outside. I know I could've gotten a tour, but I was trying to save money, and unfortunately I'm not all that interested in seeing Mozart's old bed and whatnot.

After a quick break in my hostel, I visited the Christmas market again with the sole intention of getting a baked potato with cheese. Naturally, when I got there, they were out of cheese...but it was still a good potato! That and some Gluhwein were all I really needed...did I mention that Salzburg was absolutely FREEZING? It was 20 degrees or under the whole time. I wasn't uncomfortably cold until I'd go inside and realize I couldn't feel my legs...but still!

And then it was time for the inevitable: watching The Sound of Music at the hostel. The hostel was actually really nice. It had a kitchen and a bar, and a dining room which was the perfect place to watch a movie. The staff there was obviously beyond sick of this movie, and I could see why. I laughed at the opening scene just because it was so ridiculous. I laughed multiple times when I probably shouldn't have, actually. But the movie wasn't all that bad. It was charming and happy and enjoyable enough...but it was just ridiculous how they were supposed to be Austrian with their perfect English accents. I'm glad I saw it, though. It made me wish I could see Salzburg in summer and frolic in the mountains, but seeing it in winter was absolutely magical as well.

The next day (Saturday by this point) I had signed up for a salt mine tour. I could've taken the Sound of Music tour where they take you to the locations from the movie, but I figured I might freeze to death, so I went for the less conventional option. The tour company picked us up at our hostel and we had a guide tell us a little about Salzburg's history as he drove us through the mountains. We stopped on the mountain for about 10 minutes and it was a little foggy so the view wasn't great, but it was still so cool. Our next stop was a little Bavarian village (I know, right when I thought I was taking a break from Germany for a weekend) on the mountainside. It was called Berchtesgaden and...as I Google it now, I see these amazing pictures of it in the summer and I'm jealous, but it was snowing while we were there which was still cool! Their baby Weihnachtsmarkt wasn't open yet for the day, so my hostel friend from Australia and I went to a recommended cafe where I had hot chocolate and something new called a Germknodel. It's a German dessert that I've seen the name of in multiple places, but never tried it. And honestly...I don't recommend it. I'm still to this moment not sure what it even was. As I was eating it I had no idea what it was. It didn't taste bad, but it was really weird. Googling now...

Apparently, it "is a fluffy yeast dough dumpling with a mix of poppy seeds and sugar, filled with spicy plum jam and melted butter on top, often eaten with vanilla cream sauce." Now I realize that this may sound intriguing, but don't order it. Really. Your tongue will be super confused. However, it was fun to try to guess what it was. I knew there was jam involved, so that's exciting.

Anyway, we departed from the small town after about 45 minutes to go to the actual mines. Unfortunately we couldn't take pictures inside, but it wasn't the actual salt education that was the exciting thing. First of all, I should mention that the most prominent people in our group were Americans from Tennessee, so you can just bet how weird those accents were for me to hear. I haven't heard a Southern accent in a looong time, especially not in Europe. But they were really nice all the same. I was just glad there weren't a bunch of screaming little kids. 

So yeah, first we had to put on these silly, bulky mining suits. Then, we got to ride a little trolley down to the inside of the mine. I felt like I was in Gringotts from Harry Potter, it was awesome. Down in the mine it was surprisingly warm, which I was grateful for. Our guide spoke German, but we had audioguides...but once again, the mining of salt is not the most fascinating topic. It was just really cool to walk around underground. Oh, and did I mention we got to ride down a cool wooden slide? When we went down it I kind of messed up by not holding onto the person in back of me so I was kind of too terrified to enjoy it. I realized when I got to the bottom that that was silly, because it was totally safe. Even though it feels like you'll fly right off the end, you slow down just in time. Then we got to a mirror lake, which was also beautiful, and we got on a little boat that took us across it while they displayed a light show on the walls. Luckily we got to ride another slide, which I was able to enjoy, and learned some more things about salt. At the end we took a little tram car up a bit and then took our adorable trolley back to the entrance. It kind of reminded me of Disney World for some reason, like a fake mine ride they'd have...but it was the real thing! And despite my general lack of interest in salt, it was definitely a unique and cool experience.

After another gorgeous ride back through the mountains, we were back in Salzburg. Even though I'd checked out of the hostel due to my 5:00 train, I left my stuff in a locker, so I went on my laptop in the lobby to look up a good restaurant for lunch. I found two, both with vegetarian friendly options, so I was satisfied. Of course, when I got to the first one, it was closed until the next day. And by the time I finally got to the other one, it was full, and I may have possibly tripped down the stairs. I am uninjured, but still sad, because it looked like a really awesome restaurant. I didn't realize reserving a table for lunch was the norm. So instead I trekked back to the Christkindlmarkt and got myself a potato...with cheese on it this time. See? It wasn't all bad. 

In the end I explored the market a little more because it was snowing that day, which made it even prettier. Did I mention Salzburg is beautiful? Yes? Okay, well I'm just making sure you know. Eventually I made it to the train station...early this time. Unfortunately this train trip had a bunch of transfers, so my first train was a regional one, which meant it was overcrowded, uncomfortable, and loud. But I did get a seat, so I can't complain. I was definitely glad to transfer to the cozy ICE where I met up with my friend Brad, who was in Munich. That was a nice, comfortable train ride. But then we had to transfer again in Mannheim where the train was a bit held up because of the weather. By this point it was 11 and I just wanted to go home to go to bed! So honestly, traveling is just not as glamorous as it seems.  

I had really bad luck with finding food in Austria and walking in the cold could be a hassle. Despite such annoyances, I just had to remind myself it was worth it. It REALLY was. Definitely in my top 3 places along with Venice and Paris. It was unimaginably beautiful, which I say all of the time, but I really mean it. Just check out my pictures--they'll be up soon.

Meanwhile, I have a bunch of work to do before I leave next Friday. I'm trying not to have a heart attack about all of the things I have to worry about, so I should probably get started on them.

Talk to you soon!

Fröhliche Weihnachten!

So I've mentioned it a couple of times and you've probably already seen some pictures of the Basel one. That's right, I know you're dying to know what Weihnachtsmarkt is.

Weihnacht (pronounced vine-acht) = Christmas
Markt (pronounced...markt) = Market

Suddenly it's all coming together!

Actually it's funny, one of my friends asked if Christmas was as important here as it is in the US. I was shocked. Do people really not know how many of our Christmas traditions come from the Germans? Christmas trees (O Tannenbaum, anyone?), Kris Kringle, nutcrackers, advent calendars, those windmill things that are propelled by candles, candy canes...phew, sorry, getting a little too enthusiastic all of a sudden. But anyway, the point is, no one does Christmas like the Germans. (Unless you count the Swiss and the Austrians...)

They don't have Halloween here, really, and Thanksgiving is unheard of. So what do they do? They go on Christmas overload to make up for it. Honestly, that's quite alright with me! The last few years I found it hard to get into the Christmas spirit while studying for finals and writing papers. But now, ever since the week of Thanksgiving, I see Christmas stuff everywhere. There are lights that are hung all over the main street and ornaments, too. And that's all thanks to Heidelberg's Weihnachtsmarkt.

Weihnachtsmarkts are scattered about the center of town in most cases. In Heidelberg's case there is one in every major Platz (square) in the Altstadt. I think there are a total of 3, maybe 4. They are all about the same, but that doesn't stop me from visiting them all. Each little market has a bunch of wooden stalls in the shapes of cabins, kind of, and each stall is decorated with Christmas stuff. Some have little trees, some have big lights, and others have little snowmen or Santas on top. (You'll see in my pictures.) There are perhaps five types of stalls total:

Food Stalls are the most popular. You'll find them selling stuff like schnitzel, sauerkraut, sausage, flammkuchen (sort of like flat bread pizza), knoblauch (sort of like garlic bread with toppings), and potato pancakes. All unhealthy, but all delicious! I have yet to discover if there are any gems I'm missing, but so far I've only actually tried the potato pancakes which are really yummy. And, I almost forgot, they sell dessert too. All kinds of crepes, waffles, and I've even seen pies. What more could you possibly want?

Possibly something you can pick up at a Drink Stall. This is the most important part. Sure you can get some hot cocoa, egg nog or apple cider, but the real treat is the Gluhwein (pronounced glue-vine) aka sweet wine. It's mulled red wine with cinnamon, sugar, and a little citrus syrup. It might sound really sweet, but it is absolutely delicious. There are other flavors, and non-alcoholic versions, but if you can get the original you'll definitely be satisfied. The best part about the drinks is that they serve them to you in adorable little decorated mugs. In Germany you always have to pay a deposit for stuff, and those mugs are no exception. But if you feel like you don't need those 2 euros anyway, go ahead and take the mug home as an awesome souvenir. It feels like stealing, but technically it isn't!

And if maybe you're hungry but not too hungry, you can always check out the Candy Stalls. They're definitely the prettiest. Lebkuchen hearts are basically gingerbread with icing and you'll see them hanging around everywhere. I don't actually like lebkuchen because it's not as flavorful as gingerbread, but you have to try it at least once. There is also plenty of chocolate, whether it's just chocolate candy or chocolate covered fruits. They also have a bunch of types of chocolate covered marshmallows that are wonderful. And they also sell popcorn and lots of varieties of candied nuts. Once again, what more could you possibly want?

And once your healthy diet has been ruined forever, you can do some shopping at the Craft Stalls. There are more types of crafts than I can remember. It's like your typical craft fair, actually. There are plenty of handmade Christmas ornaments and decorations, but there are even soap and candle stands. There are toys and puzzles for little kids. There are hand-made windmill thingies, too! The Christmassy stuff is often carved from wood, which looks simple, but it's really intricate. In Basel there were glassblowers, too.

In case that's not enough for you, there are the Outlet Stalls. They are basically stalls that sell goods from German stores, hence the name I just came up with. They are cool too because they are usually the bigger stalls (occasionally they're big enough to walk inside) but I prefer the local handmade stuff.

And, that's basically what the market consists of. There is the occasional carousel as well, but unfortunately I'm too big for those now. Heidelberg's has a little ice rink, but my ice skating skills are definitely not up to snuff, so I'll stick to the Gluhwein for now.

I wondered if Germans get sick of the markets, since they are in the way and bring in a lot of tourists, but according to my Sprachpartnerin, they never get old. And I admit, I do kind of enjoy the influx of tourists. It's nowhere as touristy as Italy or Prague, but I hear enough English daily that I feel slightly better about my own German skills. My favorite is when people say "danke schön" and pronounce it as "dawnkuh shane" because of that one song. I don't know why they mispronounce it in the song, but if you want to avoid looking silly, remember that it's actually pronounced "dawnkeh schune." In a similarly humorous instance, a guy pronounced Käthe Wohlfahrt (a very popular Christmas store) as "Kathy Woolfort." For future reference, it's pronounced "Kay-ta Vole-fahrt." See? I instantly made you into a German. You're welcome.

Anyway, I'm going to Salzburg, Austria tomorrow afternoon and returning on Saturday night, and they apparently have a very famous Weihnachtsmarkt, so I'm really excited! It's supposed to be snowy too, which is perfect. I wonder how far I can get with my steadily improving German. Wish me luck!

And don't forget to check out my Shutterfly to see Heidelberg's Weihnachtsmarkt! They should be up soon and I'll keep adding more.


Keeping the spirit of things, enjoy this NSFW Christmas fun!

Teddybär Himmel in der Schweiz

Just because I'm in a good mood!

One great thing about Germany is its central location. Honestly, Europe isn't as small as everyone makes it out to be and traveling places within Europe definitely takes a long time. But Germany is probably one of the best home bases for traveling...if only I had more time! And because I lack time (and tons of money) I haven't gotten to go everywhere I want. But this whole time I was confident I'd at least go to Switzerland and Austria because they are both German speaking countries that are just next door. 

And can you believe it, I only JUST went to Switzerland yesterday and I haven't even been to Austria yet. In fact, I'm not totally sure I will anymore, because the train costs so much! I know it's not the end of the world, but I love going places if you couldn't tell. 

 So, yes, I used the last day of my BahnCard to go to Basel, Switzerland. It's only two hours away, right near the French and German border of Switzerland. It's not as well-known as, say, Zurich, Bern, Interlaken or Geneva, but apparently it's Switzerland's third most populated city. And so I figured, hey, why not? I went alone this time because I wanted to. I'm not totally sure why, but I just didn't feel like traveling in a group. It has been almost two months since I was in Italy, so I figured another solo trip would be refreshing...and it was! It was also easier because one day is not a lot of time to explore a whole city. But, I tried my best to see the sights.

Rick Steves doesn't even mention Basel, which made me uncomfortable, but I did some research anyway and wrote down some of the main attractions. I even looked up a vegetarian restaurant that seemed promising. So after my relaxing train ride, I arrived in a land where they don't use Euros. I know, it's hard to believe. The Swiss Franc is worth a little less than the Euro, but since I didn't know the exact conversion rate, I was a little confused now and then. One thing DID become extremely clear: Switzerland is EXPENSIVE. I'll rant a little more about that later, though. As I was saying, I got off the train and did the most important thing of all: I acquired a map. And hey, here's a spoiler alert, I didn't get lost once! It was kind of a miracle. Switzerland is too cool to be confusing like Italy, obviously.

My main goal was to walk all the way to the main market square, stopping at a few churches along the way. That's almost exactly what I managed to do, except I forgot one thing: it's Christmastime! So I took some pictures inside the Elizabethan church, which is apparently underrated but important, since it was "the first new Protestant church building in Basel following the Reformation and is considered the most important neo-Gothic church in Switzerland." I thought that was pretty cool. And it had some awesome stained glass windows, of course. I also made it to the Basel Muenster, the main landmark in the city. Ironically I did not spend a lot of time there because my camera battery ran out (even though I thought I charged it) and I couldn't climb the top because I was unaccompanied. I read later that it's because there's a risk of people jumping off it. That's cheery, isn't it? The gardens weren't really garden-y since it was winter, either, so instead I just took pictures of the outside and the view of the Rhine. I didn't really mind though, because to be quite honest, I have already seen some of the greatest cathedrals of Europe, so I'm a bit spoiled.

To spoil myself a little more, I went through Basel's Weihnachtsmarkt(s) on the way to the city center. I hadn't even thought Basel would have them, which is silly, because I've heard that they exist in Switzerland and Austria as well as Germany. But there they were: the little huts smelling delicious next to the little huts looking shiny and awesome. I know I haven't made a Weihnachtsmarkt blog post explaining what they entail, but I have really been waiting for the right opportunity. You see, it has been cloudy and rainy all week, and I figure if I'm going to take some good pictures it'll either be on a clear night or a snowy day...neither that have existed in a while...until NOW! That's right, when I woke up this morning it was snowing and it is STILL snowing! I haven't been outside, but I can see it blanketing the trees and the ground, and I know that when I go into town tomorrow it'll be picturesque. At least, I hope so...I want some awesome photos! (You can never have enough!)

Anyway, I digress. I still plan to have a post all about Weihnachtsmarkt, because it's awesome. And basically at the Basel Weihnachtsmarkt I had a delicious blueberry crepe, and some even more delicious Gluhwein. And it was awesome, and possibly even better than Heidelberg's! I spent a lot of time looking at everything, and before I knew it it was already 1pm. I rushed off to go to the vegetarian restaurant I researched, and when I got there I was totally confused. I had thought it was a sit down restaurant but it was apparently a buffet. So I shrugged and put some interesting veggie treats on my plate, including a yummy tofu avocado salad. I know that sounds gross, but it actually wasn't. In fact, all of the food (even though I wasn't totally sure what it all was) was yummy. Buuut that doesn't excuse the PRICE! I had NO idea it was going to be as expensive as it was. I'm embarrassed. But I know it's not just me...I saw some other guy's receipt and almost passed out. I mean it didn't ruin me or anything, I just didn't realize what it would cost. All part of the Switzerland experience, I guess, because EVERYTHING was expensive there, as I've mentioned.

While walking down the main street to the market place, I looked in the store windows and didn't even bother going in. They were displaying thousand-dollar watches. That's all you really need to know. Switzerland, you see, is classy. They don't have cheesy souvenir shops everywhere. They had one, and it was fancy, and a Christmas ornament that wasn't even particularly special was 30 dollars. I don't know if that's normal but it sure didn't feel like it...so I just stuck with a keychain. Trust me, I know I can be frugal and people tell me I can splurge when I visit a foreign country, but I am not exaggerating. At the end of the day I didn't even have enough money for McDonald's with the budget I gave myself, and I barely bought anything. Still, window shopping was enjoyable. The one thing I DID buy was chocolate. It was interesting...thin, kind of like peppermint bark, and there were multiple flavors. I got gingerbread, and it was amazing. Somehow this thin chocolate had a sweet gingerbread flavored filling. While savoring the chocolate I just looked around at all of the decadence surrounding me and thought, "Switzerland, you've done it again!"

Aha, and I haven't even told you the most important part of the trip. Through my research I found that Basel has art museums, history museums, and...a teddy bear museum. Can you guess which one I went to? It was four floors of teddy bear displays. Okay, that's not entirely true. There were many detailed dollhouses and one section was dedicated to origami creatures that were, I believe, made out entirely of napkins. I don't totally know why this place exists, but it was AWESOME. I was basically jumping up and down like a little kid because it was SO COOL. I apologize in advance, because I took a million pictures. By that point I realized that when I turned off my flash, the camera saved battery, so they're not all great quality. You just have to go yourself to experience the pure delight that is the Spielzeug Museum. Of course, all of this joy came to a screaming halt when I went to the gift shop and saw how much a little teddy bear cost. It made absolutely no sense to me. I guess the bears were replicas of some famous bears from the 20s or something, but STILL. I don't even want to talk about it. 

Anyway, despite going broke, I had a lot of fun. It was a really cold day, but it felt good for some reason. The city was pretty, elegant, and extremely classy. The overpriced food was, of course, amazing. And do you know what? I spoke German the whole time. Okay, it's not like I was talking that much, but I only communicated in German. I spoke it at the tourist center, the restaurant, the stores, the Weihnachtsmarkt, the museum...everything. Swiss German is definitely different. They have totally different words for things, so hearing "Gruetzi" instead of "Hallo" definitely threw me off. But I did quite well for myself, I think! Not that anything I had to hear or say was particularly challenging, but it was nice to know that I could hold my own!

Well, that's really all I have for this post. If you were wondering, I am not homesick anymore. I feel a lot better. I'm just trying not to stress about the papers I have to write. For now I will try to get some work done, watch the snow, and listen to Christmas music. Tschuss!
Yeah...Ron Swanson would not have approved of my lunch.

Ein Berliner in Berlin

I know, I'm a punk.

(PS, the title of this post does not directly translate on Google, but it's a reference to JFK accidentally calling himself a donut when he called himself a "Berliner")

After three months in Germany, I finally visited the capital! Kind of funny that I visited the capitals of three other countries first, yes, but Berlin was definitely worth the wait.

Let me rewind a little bit. On Thursday, our program, aka American Junior Year (AJY), hosted a Thanksgiving dinner for all of us. I have to say, AJY is an amazing program. They really know what they're doing. For example, this dinner was so nice. It was free for all of us, and it was held at an actual restaurant. We had a whole banquet room reserved, all of us were dressed up, and the food was served buffet style...it kind of reminded me of prom, except I actually had fun. A few people in our group wrote prayers to say before we ate, and they were all pretty touching. Then it was time to dig in! I don't eat meat, so I skipped over the turkey, but I got corn, sweet potatoes, cooked carrots, and mashed potatoes. While it was a bit different from Thanksgiving meals I'm used to (for instance, it was corn on the cob and the sweet potatoes were simply chopped and cooked rather than mashed and covered in marshmallows) it was still delicious. Plus, the free beer and wine refills were pretty awesome. The pumpkin pie was weird...it was very thin, almost as thin as pizza, which was not really appealing. However, despite that little slip up, it really was the perfect night.

Early the next morning it was time to catch a 7:00 train to Berlin! Naturally I woke up late and was a total mess when I arrived at the train station. I was on time but I had a bunch of stuff in my arms because I had to run to the tram stop and couldn't fit it all in my bag. I definitely overpacked, as it was the first time I brought my laptop, and I still didn't use it. Oh well, despite my haggard appearance, we all made it on the train on time. The fun thing about ICE trains is that, while they may be high-speed, they are also in high demand. A lot of the seats were reserved, and we decided against doing that for some reason, so it was a bit difficult to find seats. We managed in the end, though, and the five and a half hour trip went rather smoothly. Of course, my can of Pringles popped open and spilled all over the floor, but other than that...it was all good.

Let me tell you a little bit about the group I went with. Michael, one of my friends in the program, invited us to stay with his family in Berlin over Thanksgiving weekend. His dad works for the embassy, so they've lived in multiple places. Michael actually lived in Berlin as well for a few years, so he knows the area really well. I was really grateful for that--not only was the train free with our BahnPass, we didn't have to pay to sleep somewhere. And there were six of us with Michael as kind of the leader, so I did not have to worry about getting lost five billion times every day. I traveled with some friends I had yet to travel with, and thankfully we're even better friends than before.

So, when we arrived at the beautiful main station in Berlin, I was super excited to see a Dunkin Donuts. I have seen Burger King, Pizza Hut, Starbucks, Chipotle, and McDonald's overseas, but this was the first time I found a Dunkin Donuts. Being from CT and going to a school in MA where the only chain we have on campus is a Dunkin Donuts means that I am quite familiar with the establishment. While I do not drink coffee often, it was still comforting, and I made it a plan to get a donut there later. Germany is good at making donuts but they're just not the same! Anyway, after I got over this excitement, we went outside and walked around and looked at some nearby government buildings. I admit that even though Michael told us what they were, I kind of forgot which one was which. But we kept walking along (I tried to pretend my backpack wasn't killing my back) and made our way to the Tiergarten. It's a park (Tiergarten actually means animal garden--subtle, Germany) with a Soviet War Memorial. I believe it's the first memorial building I've seen thus far, and it was a bit depressing, because obviously Berlin was the center of a lot of problems in the 20th century, and I was already getting a taste of its sad history.

Going to the Brandenburg Gate cheered me up a little, knowing that Berlin has since been rebuilt and still has beautiful structures in place. Of course, there were a bunch of people in wacky costumes, ranging from Predator to teddy bears, so that helped too. As we walked along (and passed another Dunkin Donuts) I was grateful for the nice weather, but my back was killing a little bit, so I was happy when we stopped at a Doner  Kebab restaurant. The guys I was with are obsessed with Doners, so it was sort of the main thing of the trip because Berlin apparently has the best ones. I got a falafel wrap, which wasn't that special, but I was just grateful to sit and relax. When we were done, we walked down to the nearby Holocaust Memorial. While the Soviet Memorial was a bit depressing, for some reason the Holocaust Memorial was not. I know it would have been if I went inside the museum (or visited any concentration camps...something I still do not want to do), but instead we just walked through the pillars, and it was almost like a labyrinth. The architect built it to be disorienting, confusing, and even inhuman to symbolize the treatment of the Jews in WWII. It was certainly one of the most unique landmarks I've seen in Europe so far.

Afterward, we went to Potsdamer Platz, which is kind of like Berlin's own Time Square. And you know what? Berlin really did remind me of NYC. Maybe it's just because so much of it was destroyed in the 20th century and it had to be rebuilt, but the buildings were really modern. We got to see the Sony Center, and the Theater am Potsdamerplatz where a lot of American movies actually premiere. We went inside the Sony building and got to look at all of the latest technology (and take a break on some couches while watching random movies I've never heard of). Then we met Michael's parents who graciously took our backpacks in their car and took them home for us. That was certainly a relief. Before going back ourselves, we went to Checkpoint Charlie (one of the most important Berlin Wall crossing points where part of the wall still exists) and saw some more government buildings. Most importantly, we went into an amazing (and expensive) chocolate shop. The pictures I took can pretty much describe how awesome it was, so be sure to check those out.

After maneuvering through a bit of public transportation and about a 15 minute walk, we finally made it to Michael's house. It was a typical German house, and since I've never really been inside a German house, I thought it was awesome. There was room for all of us, and I was happy to get my own room. We hung out on his couches, played with his dogs, and talked a bit with his family until we finally started Thanksgiving part 2. His family was nice enough to invite us to their Thanksgiving dinner, and it was just as good as the one at AJY. But, even better, the pumpkin pie was actual pumpkin pie! It was delicious, and I was so happy. We lazed around for a bit more afterward, and all tried the massage chair in the living room. Everyone was in love with it except for me, because my experiences in China made me realize I don't like massages...but that's a story for a rainy day. They just make my back feel so weird!

We went out that night, and it was really chill and fun. We went to a few different bars and played an interesting drinking game that was a bonding experience if you ask me. We didn't get home until 4am, but I think that's just because Michael's house was on the outskirts of the city. I didn't mind, of course, because staying in their house was worth it. But I was so tired the next day! After eating a fabulous breakfast spread, (Skippy peanut butter!) we headed over to East Berlin. His parents set up a tour for us to see the Hohenschoenhausen Memorial, a Soviet Prison from the good old days. Read that link I posted for some really interesting information. It was certainly a depressing and even freaky tour, but I liked it because I've never really learned about the Stasi for real before. After about a two and a half hour tour, we decided to cheer ourselves up by finding food. Shockingly we couldn't find much in East Berlin, but after a lot of walking we ended up at a fabulous Mexican restaurant! Obviously all of the discomfort I was feeling before was gone because of this reasonably priced Moes/Chipotle knockoff. My veggie burrito leaked all over the place, but it and the chips I got with it were so delicious. Now I think I'll be able to survive until winter break.

We went back to Michael's place for a really quick nap, and just like that we were out in the city again. His parents reserved us a tour of the Reichstag Dome, which is a big dome on the top of the main government building in Berlin. It was really cool inside, as you will see in my photos. But, we didn't get the best view because it was a foggy night. We got free audioguides though, and even though I couldn't always see what they were talking about, it was a good learning experience. I gotta say, I did feel pretty lucky to be able to see all of that. And I'm even more lucky to have eaten two donuts at Dunkin Donuts: one star shaped one and one classic strawberry frosted. Absolutely delicious!!

And when the tour and the donuts were done with, we were officially ready to "go out" even though we were already out. We had some beers while playing the same fun drinking game in the train station, and there was plenty of laughter to be had. The rest of the night was definitely interesting. We went to another Doner place and laughed some more. We hung out at the Berlin Wall and ranted about communism. We weren't allowed in a club, and ended up going to a crazy hardcore rock club instead. I mean it. We walked in and everyone was pierced with crazy hair, and headbanging to hardcore rock music blasting from the speakers. We walked through a couple more rooms and found a Rammstein cover band. It was so ridiculous that our group had two general opinions: "let's get out of here!" and "THIS IS AWESOME!" I was part of the latter group. I don't listen to hardcore music and I often find it laughable, and that's why this was so fun. I got to headbang like an idiot and I just didn't take it seriously. Plus, I felt like an awesome punk in East Berlin. If only I had remembered to put The Ramones on my iPod before I went to East Berlin! Darn.

But, some people really wanted to leave, so we ended up walking around in the rain. Tempers flared a bit, but half of us decided to go home while the others stayed out. Because I'm not a fan of the clubbing scene, I opted to go home. And it wasn't exactly early--it was 3:30 by the time we got back. This time, I absolutely passed out as soon as my head hit the mattress and didn't wake up once until 11:30. This was a shock for me considering I usually wake up a few times during the night. The other guys I went home with were up already, and we ate breakfast together. When everyone else woke up, my friend Steve and I made our plans to go home. We weren't sure if we wanted to skip class and stay until Monday, and in the end we decided against it. This was a smart idea, but we absolutely ran into some problems on the way back. First of all, we missed the train we had reserved tickets for. Luckily there are a bunch that run, even though we didn't have seat reservations. But I made a stupid decision to try to get a pastry for the train home even though I only had 8 minutes to do so. Steve said he'd watch my stuff and I told him to get on the train if it came, and he said he'd wait for me. Little did I know that buying a postcard and waiting in line for a pastry would take forever. I looked at my ipod and saw that I only had two minutes before the train left, so I got out of line and ran up to the track. I ran around and couldn't find Steve, so I made the decision to jump on the train just before it left. I was having a bit of a panic attack because I didn't know if he was on the train or not, and like an idiot I left my backpack (and German phone) with him, so I couldn't call him. The train was quite long and people did not appreciate my pushing through but I finally found Steve and collapsed in relief. I say collapsed because he was sitting on the ground, as there were no available seats. We both apologized and told each other what crazy plans we were making in our heads in case we couldn't find each other. After breathing a sigh or two of relief, we decided to sit in two seats that were reserved. The reservation didn't start for a stop that was three hours away, so we got to relax a little before being kicked out of the seats and (luckily) finding other ones.

The rest of the trip was fine, and I made it home before 10. I went to bed almost immediately because I was so tired, had a pretty uneventful day, and now here I am.

Thanks for reading all of this, and I definitely recommend Berlin to all of you! It was possibly one of the most unique cities I've visited so far, and it was a lot of fun. I'm going to be posting about Weihnachtsmarkt some time later this week, so stay tuned! Until then, stay warm!



My family and I always watch this movie before Thanksgiving, and now I have to wait until Christmas to see it!

Prahahahaha

Words of wisdom, Matt and Kim!



So, what do you know about Prague?

Because, before I went to Prague, I pretty much didn't know anything. I have heard its name, I know it exists, and characters on Gilmore Girls would reference it from time to time--most notably its history of great composers and overpriced taxis. (So hey, don't tell me that TV doesn't teach you anything!) But when I found out how cheap it was to get to, I thought, well why on Earth would I not go?

Okay, true, I had to use two of my five German Rail Pass days to get to Dresden, but from there it was only a 15 euro train to Prague. Plus our hostel was only 15 euro a night, and we stayed for two nights so...I'd say I saved some money, especially compared to Paris! It's funny, too, because the trip there seemed a lot longer. It's only six hours away by car, I believe, but by train it was basically a 10 hour journey. We left early Friday morning at 6am, transferred trains in Frankfurt at 7am, and arrived in Dresden around noon. Maybe it's because it was irreparably bombed at the end of WWII, maybe it's because it was part of the GDR, or maybe it's because it was a cloudy day...but boy, Dresden is depressing. Okay, to be fair, we didn't actually leave the train station during our one-hour "layover" but the view from the windows seemed gloomy. And when I thought of its history I just felt gloomy. I'm sure it's not so bad, but it's not some place I'd want to actually go. But after finding a blueberry muffin at a coffee shop and hanging out with my friends, we boarded the 1pm train to Prague. The train had compartments, just like the ones I'd always see in Harry Potter (and A Hard Day's Night, naturally) so that was kind of exciting. My legs were stiff, however, my iPod battery was basically dead, and I just wanted to GET THERE.

And finally, at 3pm, we arrived in Prague...known to the Czechs as "Praha." As it turns out, I do not know Czech. I admit, Slavic languages all look like gibberish to me...so I was a bit worried. I felt bad, because I did not know how to pronounce a single thing, so I basically just spoke English to everyone there. I was really grateful that they could all speak English there, but I think people might've been a little ruder to us because we barely attempted to speak Czech. But...it's really hard!

That was the only real problem we came across though, especially because it made finding out way around a bit harder with all of the crazy street names. Luckily our hostel was right in the middle of the Old Town, and it was only maybe a 10-15 minute walk to the Charles Bridge. I know it's not, but the way we traveled around Prague it seemed like a pretty small place. We did most of our sightseeing in the Old Town Center, on the Charles Bridge and gazing up at the buildings, especially the Astronomical Clock. On Saturday we went to the Prague Castle, but saved money by not going to any museums. It was basically the same idea on Sunday when we went to the Jewish Quarter. I wish we had gone to museums, but I was with a bigger group of people this time, and they didn't seem entirely interested in learning about the history. It was kind of a bummer, but at least it was cheap. I guess that's one of the compromises you have to make when you're with a big group! The others were more relaxed. I'm probably just the crazy one because I usually wake up at 8 and I'm out the door as soon as possible when I travel.

But, it was still fun. Prague was beautiful, the food was filling and delicious (thanks to Rick's recommendations of course), the beer was great, and it was nice being with friends. The "Czech/check" puns flowed like Pils and they never got old. The main highlights of the trip, I think, were the concert and the club. What concert? What club?

Okay, I know Prague has got quite the classical music scene, and RSS that I should try to go to a concert because they have them nightly. So my friend and I were on the lookout for one, and lo and behold we got a great deal. RSS they're anywhere from 300-800 Czech Crowns ($15-40 USD) and we were about to get ones that were 300. They were for a string quartet that spent an hour playing the big hits: Vivaldi's Four Seasons, Eine Kleine Nachtmusik, Pachelbel's Canon, etc. But my friend Selma is Bosnian (she was born there but lived in America her whole life) and apparently she looks it, because the guy selling us tickets was Russian and could tell she was from Eastern Europe. So they actually started talking in Bosnian, or something like it (she told me he said all of the languages were really similar so they could understand each other) and he discounted our tickets by like 100 Crowns. Worked for us! The show was inside, small, and we were definitely the youngest people there, but it was really sweet and relaxing. I'm glad I finally got to do a cultural activity rather than just seeing sights, perusing museums and staring at souvenir shops.

As for the club, well, everyone knows I don't like clubs. I don't like dancing with strangers, I feel claustrophobic, and I never have enough self confidence to "let loose" as the kids say. I knew we were going to have to go to one though (and I will two weekends from now when we go to Berlin...sigh...) because I seem to be alone in the belief that bars are more fun than clubs. And it was the epitome of clubs, too...apparently it's the biggest one in central Europe. (We thought Prague counted as Eastern Europe...whoops.) It had five floors, each one playing a different style of music. After spending too much time on the dance music floor (about 10 minutes) I decided to go to the floor I was actually intrigued by--it said "oldies." And, what do you know, it was awesome! They really were playing oldies music. Mixes of the Beach Boys, 50s rock and rollers, and some Beatles here and there. Now I must be crazy because no one seems to agree, but in my opinion THAT'S the music you can really dance to. The over-sexualized pop songs of today can often be catchy, but I never feel comfortable dancing to it. When you dance to the Beatles you get to be as lame as you want. So, I had a lot of fun on this particular floor. Of course, this particular phase ended when everyone wanted to go the R&B floor, but hey, if there are any oldies clubs in Boston, you can bet I'll be checking them out. (Shh, let me keep the illusion!)

Oh yeah, I forgot, we also went to the John Lennon wall. It's really just a wall that young people graffiti'd like crazy, especially to rebel during the Communist rule. John Lennon's face is on it, and so are about a billion peace signs. While I was quick to inform my friends that John Lennon was not actually a good person (he neglected and abused his first wife and son and bullied his gay manager who later OD'd) I managed to keep my mouth shut while we were actually there. I know he's an overrated jerk, but hey, he made some pretty awesome music, so that makes it okay, right? No, not really, but I didn't want to make everyone sad. I know, I'm so nice.

Wow, I almost didn't mention it--but I finally bought boots! They were still expensive, but they're real leather so they should last a while. Prague had a really fancy shopping street (Wenceslas Plaza or something, I believe?) that we unfortunately didn't really get to see, but I'm just happy that I finally got myself some boots. Bring it on, weather!

So, well, I think that's all I have to say about Prague! Not my favorite place so far, but it was pretty and I was impressed by the food and the beer. I wish we went to a museum or something, but instead all I really learned from this trip was: it's impossible to take pretty pictures at night, mulled wine bought on the street probably won't taste good, and it's impossible to take good quality pictures in a cathedral. My camera is really awesome, but the night photos still stink. Sorry about that.

Anyway, there are things about Germany I could write, but this entry took me forever and it's not even that long. Also it's mainly stuff about being really stressed out and a bit homesick, and no one wants to read about that. I wish I could get myself to stop feeling like this, because I know I should be doing nothing but enjoying every second I spend here. It's nice to think about sleeping in front of the fireplace with my dog, but I can do that whenever, and I'm only here for a limited time! Yet even thinking that doesn't totally convince me, and the cloudy weather only increases my gloom. It's silly, I know. And there's also another personal issue I've been having, and I don't want to go into detail, but it's simply my anxiety that makes me paranoid of something that might not even exist. Vague, I know, but I don't want to depress anyone or even seem more depressed than I actually am. I'm honestly fine. And next week we're having an AJY Thanksgiving, and the Christmas Market will start, and everything will be amazing. I just have to get through a really tough presentation on Monday, a tough quiz on Wednesday, and then I'll be smiling 24/7. So don't worry about me. I just figured I might as well be honest in my blogs, so anyone who plans to study abroad in the future can relate.

In case you're worried about me, just take a look at this cell phone picture I took on a walk to class on Tuesday. And Czech out the pics on my Shutterfly. Everything will work out!

If only this were what trains were really like...

La Valse d' Christina

This is me in France, obviously.


 I am not totally sure how it happened.

Maybe because I wasn't expecting it, or maybe because it was strange to think that it was a reality...

 But either way, going to Paris was absolutely and totally amazing, and this took me by surprise.

 Okay, of course it wasn't all smooth sailing. My friend Selma and I took an overnight bus from Heidelberg to Paris. 11pm to 6am for around 7 hours in all. As I've probably stated numerous times on here, I am super bad at falling asleep sitting up. It was kind of the same on the flight to Germany--I had a 7 hour plane ride to try to get a good night's sleep, but I couldn't fall asleep at all. But actually, I managed to at least get a few hours of sleep on this bus ride, though I don't know how many, because I was drifting in and out. The bus was kind of crowded so it was hard to really be comfortable, and it was also rather cold. Every couple of hours they'd give us a 15 or 20 minute break at a rest stop, but those just annoyed me because they woke me up and made the bus even colder. And then there's the fact that I was in the bathroom when we crossed the French border so I missed it...but hey, it was cheap, and brought us where we needed to go. And man, we were really disoriented when we got there.

I had just fallen into a comfortable sleep when I was startled by the lights turning on. I looked around to see that we were in some kind of parking garage. I was so confused and, well, not ready to leave my seat that suddenly felt really comfortable. For a 7 hour bus ride, it was too quick. But we stumbled off and grabbed our luggage, realizing we had no idea where we were. We tried finding a place to sit but there was none, and McDonald's wasn't even open for another hour. So I stood and tried to decipher the Metro map in Rick Steves's book. Yes, thank goodness we had a Rick Steves: France book, because he's a genius and helped us out almost a billion times. By the end of the trip we'd just be saying, "hey, can I see Rick?" if we needed to refer to the book. Anyway, yeah, it was freezing and we were exhausted, so we figured out the metro and decided to find our hostel.

 The Paris metro is actually rather efficient. There are tons of lines, which was helpful, and whenever we got to a stop we'd only have to wait 3 or 4 minutes for the next train to come. It was a bit smelly and really annoying how random people would come on a train and play music right in my ears (fun at first, yes, but I can't imagine dealing with that every day!) but otherwise it was really helpful. Of course, when we got off of our metro stop we wandered around lost because that's just what I do best. Unfortunately we found our way into the red light district of Montmartre, the happy neighborhood our hostel was in. Luckily nothing was open yet so we were able to turn right back around without any problems. Montmartre itself wasn't that bad, but it's where the Moulin Rouge is...so that should tell you all you need to know. We eventually found our hostel and got ourselves slightly more oriented before leaving our luggage to go explore.

I had seen something amazing on one of the free maps: the Cafe from Amelie was nearby! Amelie is one of my favorite movies, and it has a fabulous soundtrack that I've been listening to for years. I had no idea that the cafe from the movie existed in real life, but of COURSE I had to go see it. We got there and there was a big poster of Amelie in the window, so it was kind of obvious that it was a gimmicky place, but I didn't care. It didn't look exactly like it did in the movie, as I'm a nerd who knows these sorts of things, but it was still awesome. We had cappuccinos and croissants as we were desperately in need of energy.Selma was so tired that she even dozed off for a bit in the cafe...oops! Oh well.

 After getting a second wind, we decided to go visit Notre Dame. The fun thing about Paris is that it rained. Well, actually that wasn't fun at all, but it kind of defined our trip. We waited in line outside the massive cathedral, wondering why we had to deal with getting soaked. Of course, it was around that time that we realized we were waiting in the wrong line. So much for getting a second wind! We decided to come back later, and we walked around near the Hotel Deville, which was actually beautiful despite the precipitation, and found a cheap restaurant thanks to Rick. It's funny because it was actually a pizza restaurant, and I felt lame for having PIZZA in Paris of all things, but then the pizza arrived. This is when I learned something very important: The French are the best at making food. It was better than any pizza I had in Italy, honestly. The crust was very thin like I like it, and the cheese was absolutely delicious. Walking aimlessly in the rain trying to find a restaurant was suddenly worth it. This was the first of many amazing meals in Paris...and yes, it was pizza.

Anyway, we gathered up our courage and went back to Notre Dame, waited in the correct line, and went inside. Of course, it was beautiful and impressive. I don't think it was as impressive at Saint Peter's Basilica, but I don't think anything could ever top that. My favorite part was the stained glass windows, which were huge and beautiful, of course. After doing some more walking around, we decided to finally go back to our hostel and take a much-needed nap. I felt a little homesick (and soaking wet, of course) for some reason, but after waking up, I was totally ready to see more of Paris. We took the metro and found another Rick-ommended restaurant near the Eiffel Tower. We were excited because we had yet to catch a glimpse of the tower. We thought that when we exited the metro, we'd just see it immediately...but we didn't. We thought that after turning a corner we'd see it...but we didn't. We finally just gave up and went to the cute little restaurant for a late dinner. It was simply delicious, and the price was right. I got salmon, with a really good salad to start with and an amazing cheesecake for dessert. It wasn't the typical kind of cheesecake--in fact, it wasn't a cake at all, it was more of a pudding...but it was simply delectable. I'm telling you, those Parisians know how to cook.

And so, we finally found the Eiffel Tower, and we had to stop walking once we caught our first glimpse because it looked so beautiful all lit up at night. It was just so amazing to see. I mean, the Eiffel Tower is the symbol of France. It's always associated with anything French, like in TV shows or movies when characters would go to France, they'd always end up by the Eiffel Tower somehow. I know this isn't really news to anyone, but it was just stunning! We took perhaps a billion pictures, each of slightly differing quality, and watched the hourly blinking lights, totally amazed. Upon walking closer, we found something awesome: BEARS! To celebrate the peace between Paris and Berlin, there were two long rows of large fibreglass bears, each one representing a different country. They were all decorated by artists from that country, and they were so cool! The official description says, "The United Buddy Bear are primarily about their message - a message of peace, international understanding and tolerance among the nations, cultures and religions of this world." Umm...what could possibly be more perfect than that?

 After being hypnotized by the tower, we were ready to go to a party my friend invited me to. She lives in Paris and is pretty cool, so I was definitely interested in going. Unfortunately, when Selma and I got there, we realized quite quickly that it wasn't exactly our scene. Not to go into details or anything, but apparently Parisians are harder partiers than we realized. So, we ducked out kind of early, because we're slightly more laid back...and enjoy getting sleep, of course. Naturally, that wasn't easy. It was raining when we left the club, and we had no idea where we were (lucky us, the metro was closed for the night) so we searched for a taxi. We searched. And searched. I know we could've called, but I read it was more expensive to do that...so instead, we searched. And searched. In the rain! It was kind of sketchy, and not an experience I want to repeat, but in the end we found a taxi and it was all fine. But, we were definitely ready for sleep...kind of awkward though, because our hostel room was a double, which meant we had to share a bed. Negative points for you, hostel!

 Luckily, we woke up without a Planes, Trains and Automobiles situation, and were eager to get the free breakfast that the hostel provides. It was actually pretty good--a croissant, a mini baguette, jam, butter, and your choice of coffee, tea, or hot chocolate. Did I mention that Parisians are awesome at food? Because they really are. Then we took showers. The bathrooms were really what made this hostel less than desirable--there was one toilet per floor, and by toilet I mean toilet. A tiny room big enough just for one person and a toilet. Yikes. And there was only one shower for people who didn't have them in their rooms, so we had to awkwardly go down the stairs in towels to take showers. Oh, culture shock, you fiend. So yeah, this was our really full day in Paris. In short, we went through the royal gardens, the Louvre, down the Champs-Élysées, over to the Arc de Triomphe, and back to our hostel to collapse.

Basically, the gardens were astounding and vast, despite the fact that it was cold and cloudy. The Louvre was amazing, of course, but it was so huge that I feel like we didn't see a lot of it. Of course, we saw the Mona Lisa, and it was just as small as everyone told me but I didn't care! Plus, students get in for free, so hey! Then we walked back through the gardens to get to Champs-Élysées, which is this huge avenue of shops...the biggest shopping area in Paris, to be exact. The road ends at the Arc! At the Champs-Élysées we grabbed sandwiches because we had walked a LOT and were starving, and then treated ourselves to a splurge: fancy pastries! I had a pistachio eclaire. Can you guess how it tasted? And after this little rest, we poked into some stores looking for souvenirs...and that's when I saw them. The shoes, the shoes that I'm in love with! My camera unexpectedly died in the middle of the day so I don't think the pictures I will upload to my Shutterfly soon will have them, but Selma took a ton of pictures, so they will be shown. I'm obsessed with them.

 When we tried to do a picture at the Arc, it was a mess. The best place to take a picture, believe it or not, was right in the middle of the road. Sounds dangerous, but a bunch of people were trying to get pictures. It was actually quite annoying, because some people were just so pushy and rude while Selma and I politely waited our turn. Yikes. But in the end, we accomplished it! And our day was finally complete, for the most part. We were EXHAUSTED. We were thinking of going to a club, but we were simply too tired, so instead we relaxed at our hostel and went to a sketchy McDonald's. I guess after all of the delicious French food, McDonald's was even more disgusting to us, and it simply didn't taste good at all. Oh well, I got over the heartache pretty quickly! After another slightly awkward sleep in our double bed, we tried to wake up early-ish, because we decided to visit Versailles on Sunday.

We really were tired, though, so we didn't get the best head start. We enjoyed another free breakfast and eventually got on the 45 minute train to Versailles. We got there later than we wanted to, around 10 or 11 I think, and it was PACKED. The first Sunday of every off-season month meant free admission, which sounded great to us...until we realized how chaotic it was! We waited in line in the rain for at least an hour, and the line seemingly had no direction, but eventually we got into the palace. I realized instantly that I'd never been in anything similar to a palace, because this was the first time I'd ever seen something so grandiose. You'll see in my pictures (which are a bit crooked for some reason--I'll attribute it to the tons of people jostling me and whatnot) that everything is huge and gold and fancy. As I write, I feel like I keep using the same words over and over again. I don't know how else to describe things that are huge and beautiful and fancy. I can't emphasize it better for some reason. You'll just have to see when I upload them, which is hopefully soon. And the gardens outside of the Versaille were....huge! And beautiful! And fancy! Too huge and too cold to walk through, though, so we just took a bunch of pictures and avoided getting in a fight with a swan before leaving the palace area to find lunch.

Since it was Sunday, a lot of places were already closed, which was annoying. Darn Europeans. So, naturally, we went to an Italian restaurant. I got vegetable pasta, and it was delicious, of course. I'm sorry for saying the same thing over and over, but it's true! And we finished our food just in time to catch the train back to Paris and the Eiffel Tower. We went all the way to the top on the Eiffel Tower, and there are three words than can be used to describe it: cold, windy, astounding. We went right before sunset so we saw the view during daylight, sunset, and night. Paris really is the city of lights. And really, I don't want to go into too much detail about it, because I don't want to spoil it for you. You have to do it once in your lifetime, it's incredible. I was in shock. And it wasn't even scary either, even though I was expecting it to be, because it's so high. But hey, I didn't drop my camera, so it was a success!

Oh yeah, and while we were waiting in line to go up, there was a wacky street performer. This guy was wearing a mask of a creepy old man's face and just walking up right behind people and scaring them. It was hilarious, and I was just glad I wasn't a victim...so if you ever go there, watch out for that prankster. And then just enjoy from the sidelines like we did. After descending, we went across the way to Trocadero, where you can get a great view of the tower from over the river. We got Nutella crepes and just talked about how much we enjoyed life. It was pretty awesome. And finally, to close out the evening, we went to Chipotle. Yes, THAT Chipotle, the American Mexican food chain. And you know what? I was not impressed. I love burritos more than most people, but this was more expensive than Moe's, AND they don't have queso AND their chips have a weird lime flavor. What's up with that?? I guess that's what I get for getting fast food in Paris, sigh.

But anyway, we went back to our hostel and crashed right away after another long but fulfilling day. Our last day in Paris went by really quickly. We spent the morning doing last minute souvenir shopping, which I find super stressful, and seeing Notre Dame again. We ate lunch at the same place we went the first night, and I got a cheese omelette, of course. I wanted to bring some French cheese back with me, but all of the Fromageries are closed on Mondays. Just my luck, but I shall always remember the camembert fondly! And after getting serenaded by a random guy on the Metro, we were ready to board the bus for the long trip back home.

It wasn't nearly as bad as it was on the way there, because the bus was much warmer and there was more room to spread out. And just to top it all off, I managed to catch the last tram back home in Heidelberg. So I'm sorry if this blog seems a little rushed and monotonous, but I'm leaving for Prague very early tomorrow morning. I just knew I had to get my Paris entry out before going to Prague, because otherwise I'd be all sorts of confused.

I hope you enjoy reading this from time to time. And once again, Paris was absolutely amazing in every way (okay, the French ARE a little snobby, but it's forgivable) and I want to go back. It's one place in Europe you DEFINITELY have to go, and I'm really glad I did...with a friend, too, so everything was slightly easier! Until next time, folks, au revoir!