Europe- Week 1

Ahh, finally some time to empty my mind and camera. I managed to write some stuff down on my train trips, except the night ones.
Also found a place that would hold a lot of photos.


First day Berlin 09.07
First day going out, Jozef and I hopped on our bikes, and went on a bike trip through the city. And, it was all over the city, probably no less than 10 miles, or so it seemed.
First around his neighborhood. Then up to Check Point Charlie. "Checkpoint Charlie was the name given by the Western Allies to a crossing point between East Berlin and West Berlin during the Cold War." Then just keep going around. I took a lot of pictures on this trip which narrates it pretty good at the link above. I took 200 pictures, so you can guess I saw a lot of stuff. Don't quite feel like describing everything. Just look at the pics, ill describe later.
After the ride, we went out to a cool tiki lounge in Jozefs neighborhood. It was a pretty cool dive, with ven a surf board on the wall. Thought I left those in SD!


Berlin 09.08
Second day we didnt hit much, because we were so worn out from the first day. Went to another monument, a church that was destroyed during the war, but they reassembled what they could. Made some time for a little shopping. I found an amazing pair of shoes that I have to go back and get because I cant stop thinking about them.

Berlin 09.09
Went to the Richdag not correct spelling, but I dont have my map with me, and thats how it sounds, :) This was really cool. It is the main Parliament building for Germany. Like where their house/senate meet. The dome goes into the meeting room on the members, so the people can view anytime, their legislators and meetings. Its a really amazing building, with the mirrors, and mixture of old and new architecture, really stimulating. After that was the Holocaust museum. Unfortunately, the day we went the info center was closed. But it was still neat to visit and interpret what they were meaning, and trying to say.
Oooh, then we went on a canal ride. We caught the last tour of the day. It turned out to be 3 hrs and about 35 dollars. But still was really interesting and informative. Until the sun went down and we got cold and hungry. Not well planned, but I did want to see the sight at night, so this accomplished that. But i was still cold. We say the last standing parts of the Berlin wall. Which was good, because I wanted to put a sticker up on it for a friend. Reconnaissance completed. This trip lasted pretty late, and were really wiped out by the time we got home.

Berlin 09.10
This day was my outing with Gulie. We went to the Bauhaus museum, which was a big stop on my trip. It was really great. To see the physical artwork created from this movement, was almost holy. They had the original chess set. This set is amazing because it simply illustrates what the movement was all about. Form over function. The pieces are shaped in forms due to their hierarchy and function. Just so simple and obvious, but ingenious. Gulie got me an awesome business card holder there. She is so sweet.
Bauhaus chess set
Then another landmark. Its like a Cultural Convention Center. Lots happend from meetings, conferences to plays and such. Also another war memorial. After that, made it to the train station to set up my trip routes. Turns out I was going to leave on wed night to Amsterdam, stay one night and catch the folowing day (meanind 2 full days in Amsterdam), to then stay 2 nights in Brussels.

First day Amsterdam 09.11
Amsterdam 09.12
I took the night train to Amsterdam. I would take 10 hours. Normally it us only 6, but it was longer because it was night an there were more stops or delays. I dont know, I tried to sleep the whole way. I got a sleeper bunk. Turns out I got stuck in the one with 6 bunks, but there were only 3 people, so it was ok. I was on the top, which wasnt bad because I could almost sit up fully. I did have a dream that I was bunking with someone in an even tighter space, like less than 6 inches above me. This freaked me out enough that I woke up, nd had to remember where I was, and that it wasnt that tight.
Then at 10 I get to Amsterdam. People had told me that Amsterdam folks are very friendly. This was not the case for me when I first got there. I was in the tourist shop looking for a city map. In line was a traveler just finishing up her purchase. She had a suitcase with a small bag strapped to the pull up handle. As she was putting her stuff away, the lady pushed her, just enough the start toppling her bags. The lady reacted by saying in an irish accent "Push me again and Ill bloody slap ya." Then when I was getting on the tram, I asked the driver if this goes to the bibeotek. She didnt know what I was asking, and just barked, Whaaat Whaaat? So I tried rephrasing it and again a rejected – "I dont know" motioning me to hurrry or go away. So I looked at the map again and asked a lady boarding what tram this goes to.
I went to the library because a friend of Jozefs recommended it. Plus is had free internet.
So I went to get my bearings and figure out the public system. Also to locate where the stuff was I wanted to see and my hostel location. After this, I set out to find the hostel, so I could get rid of my heavy, bulky backpack.
I took the tram 2 stops to far (which is far because their stop are spread out). I made it to the 230 block, and I was looking for the 6 block. So it was a long walk. I didnt know where the street numbering started, but it was a good first walk through the center of Amsterdam.
Gosh, on y train ride back, I wrote my travel journey, and it turned out to be 24 pages. But they were only half pages, and big sloppy writing.
Basically, cool places were the Stadelijk Museum. Which was an awesome design museum. Really great shows and installations. Even had a modern interactive video/film computer installations. Great stop. Lots of other cool shops and restaurants. First day was lovely, second day rained.
Anyways, lots happened, I did lots of stuff, exploring and venturing through Amsterdam. I made buddies with a guy at my hostel, and he was a good travel buddy the first and most of second day. I dont quite feel like writing it all down, but it was defiantly an adventure. Museums, Vendelpark for hours, Waterloo Plein flea market, silly guys trying on and investing in full winter body suits because no hostel arrangements, who we chattered the cold away... stuff stuff, blah blah. Until it got too cold and I went to sleep in the train station.
After 2 days, it was time for Brussels.

Brussels 09.13
Brussels was amazing. The architecture here was like a womb in heaven for me. That great. Very cold though. It was 52 degrees though, burrrrrr. I had like 3 shirts on and my hoodie with jacket.
I went on am Art Nouveau tour through the different districts. I was the youngest person on the tour, by about 10 years. Whatever, I still wanted to see it. Take a really good look at the buildings and notice the textures and the details in the buildings. I ran out of money here, so it was time to head back to Berlin till I got more.
It was a long day, with lots of trains. I managed to get myself back to Jozefs house all by myself. Well, I did ask for help a couple times. And an especially cute Irish guy gave me some wonderful help. Too bad he was on his way out...

Although, I was very tired and sore after 4 days traveling, I was glad to get a rest. Kind of glad that I had to make it back so I could rest. Ill take another trip to France hopefully before I head to GB.

I have almost adjusted to the time difference. It was interesting the first few days. Despite not sleeping very well on the 10 hour plane ride, once I arrived in Berlin, and after dinner about 11 I was still ready to go. Because it was 2pm my time. Also when i did get to bed, I didnt wake up till around noon. It was so for a few days. And when I did get up then, I was super drowsy. And my appetite was off schedule. I wouldn't have any higer pains through the day. Would ust eat because its time to eat and I should. Then around midnight, when even after full days of running around, I still had enery left. It was really hard for me to get to sleep too. Because my body still said that it was early afternoon. Ansd also around midnight or just before, I would get hungry then too. But once I started my train trips, I was more aligned with day occurances. Even right now, it is 7.3, and I am hungry. Going to make some potatoes au gratin with bratwurst:)

Well, now to the week stuff. There is a show here in Berlin on the 16th, oh- tomorrow- that I want to go to. A good punk bad from LA. I was bummed I missed the Unseen by a week. They just ended their shows in Germany the week before I came. So this will be my go at the punk scene here. Also the Blue Man group is playing next week. Thinking about that one. Now I have to go to the grocery store. I hear I have a trip in store for me. Well see.
Till later.