Dekuji: Prague

After a couple days in Dresden, it was time to leave the drizzly city and head to Prague. Wandered around lots yesterday with a couple girls I met in the hostel (one is from California and also likes to climb rocks, the other from Germany) and we checked out Prague Castle, Charles Bridge and the Old Town areas.

Castles! Huarrah! 

You think I learned my lesson in Amsterdam, but somehow I ended up doing another pub crawl. The night ended with Petra (the girl from Germany) and I falling asleep on the tram at 3:00am and waking up to the driver kicking us off. Mind you it was 40 degrees outside and raining. Got on another tram, showed our torn up map to a Czech woman and she pointed out where we were - completely off the map. After a solid hour and a half of taking trams, trying to find a taxi (never found one), being completely lost and wandering the freezing cold streets of Prague, we made it back to the hostel. I actually shed a tear I was so happy. All of that and our hostel is only a few miles from town.

Learned about the history today on a little walking tour and ate the best kielbasa. Not sure if kielbasas are a Czech thing, but it was amazing. The hostel I'm at is also amazing - great staff, awesome people, and they have homemade cookies. For anyone planning on visiting Prague, it's called Sir Toby's. And it's only 170 Korunys per night (just under $10). I'm excited to eat some vegetables tonight! I went to the grocery store and broccoli has never looked so good.

Dekuji (thank you) Prague, I'm coming back someday.

I Wish I Could Read German: Dresden

Arrived in Dresden yesterday after FIVE trains from Berlin (the cheapest is not always the most convenient). Walked around a lot today and looked at new buildings that were designed to look like old buildings because somebody thought it was a good idea to firebomb this nice little city.

Also went to the laundromat today and accidentally bought 40 minutes of ironing instead of drying. Bügelbrett or trocknen? How am I supposed to know the difference? Then, I buy some food to make at the hostel kitchen and a bottle of red wine.  Then I taste the red wine and it's really sweet, and I ask someone who speaks German about it, and it turns out it's grape juice. But it had a date on it (2004) and was surrounded by wine (at least I think it was wine) at the store. If only I could read German I would have saved myself at least 6 euros today. 

It's been somewhat difficult to escape this tourist bubble and seems to surround me. I'll admit, it's my choice that I stay in big cities and hostels and take tours, but sometimes I feel like I'm not really experiencing a city. Last night though, I went to this free concert/flea market, and I'm pretty sure I was the only non-local there. The band was a drummer and guitarist (plus electronic beats) and they would randomly shout English phrases. My favorite song was 'Shopping Center', and it went like this 'shopping center, shopping center/put things in the cart/put things in the bag'. And that was the chorus.

Prague tomorrow! Too bad my Czech is worse than my German. 

Graffiti Art and the U-Bahn: Berlin

Arrived in Berlin by bus yesterday morning at 9:00am (we left at 11:30pm) and am happy to be here where the weather is a bit warmer and hostels are half the price. The bus was not a sleeper bus, but luckily there weren't too many people on it so we could stretch out.  We were dropped off on the complete opposite end of the city from my hostel, forcing me to navigate the S-Bahn and the U-Bahn (Berlin's subway system). 

I liked the smiley face

Went on an amazing tour today called the 'Alternative City Tour' and we explored graffiti art, squats (there are a number of quasi-legal self sustaining squats in Berlin), and subcultures. There is graffiti everywhere in the city and most of it is pretty cool. There's this one guy who rides his bike around and paints the number 6 everywhere (walls, construction sites, cans, pieces of garbage, etc.) and apparently he does it for six hours per day...they are everywhere...

Met a nice Australian and might head up to Hamburg for a music festival tomorrow with him. Then probably back to Berlin and Prague after that.

Rainy Afternoon: Amsterdam

What do you do when you have ten hours to kill and it's raining outside? Head to the library with free internet, of course. I'm still in Amsterdam but am catching a sleeper bus to Berlin tonight. Here's a small summary of things I've learned so far:

1. More than one pair of warm socks is necessary. I am currently wearing all possible layers, hence my decision not to travel any further North.
2. Pub crawl = frat party. Luckily I met some fantastic Swedish cheese makers and had an insightful conversation with another American in which we realized we will never escape America. Ever. It's everywhere.
3. People are inherently good.

On another note, I just read a fantastic article in the June 2010 O magazine (one of a few English magazines) while waiting for a computer called Help! about a woman who travels to Japan with no guidebook and no plans and bases her trip solely on suggestions from locals. Quite an inspiration.

Bicycles and Tall People: Amsterdam

Well I made it to Europe, friends! It's quite the city. Everyone rides bikes and dresses super hip - don't think my yoga pants and Merrell's quite fit in here.

Everything is cuter here. Even the coffee.

A friend from the hostel and I just ate some cakes from a coffeeshop (sounds so innocent, right?) and are going on a walking tour in a little bit. Internet time is almost up - will write again from Berlin perhaps? Or maybe I'll be in Brussels. Who knows.

Four Months of Homelessness: Bellingham

As I only have two full days left in this fine city and country, I am just now coming to terms with the fact that I will indeed be homeless for the next four (possibly five) months. Of course, I am excited about this journey and very much appreciate the support and encouragement (and help - monetarily and otherwise) from family and friends, but what have I gotten myself into? Why didn't anyone tell me that I'm crazy?

Next post will be from Amsterdam! Although my to-do list far from checked off, I am off to Boundary Bay for a much needed IPA and good company. Bellingham, I will miss you.