Ahoy,
Our latest international foray was finally going to be Germany. We never can get that far East into Europe. There are too many good places before we ever get there. We flew into Sweden because it is a direct flight. So we opted to stay 1 night in Sweden. I was very pleased to find out Swedish households have a shoes-off policy.
With just a little bit of trouble coordinating, we were able to gain access into our airbnb. A was insistent on getting airbnbs, but for a 1 night stay, I think we should go with a hotel next time. The guarantee of having someone at check-in and luggage storage is worthwhile. We unloaded our things and went straight out otherwise we would have fallen asleep. We got so sleepy in a park, and there were so many benches everywhere that were hobo-friendly
(suitable for laying down). Along our walk, we saw some of old town, the palace, grand buildings, waterfront views. A tried to navigate us to an island park, but we did not make it and only got to the tiny island in between.
I saw Ikea food on a dinner menu, but we veered away from it. We went to sleep when the sun was still out, but sunset is at something close to 10pm. We woke up so early and made it to the big island park. There was a Disney-esque portion and a lot of very forested portions. Nothing was open so A couldn't get coffee right away. He loaded up on candy at the airport before our flight to Berlin.
For whatever reason, we got the first 2 seats on Easyjet. Let me tell you, sitting in the front is entertaining. The flight attendant was very friendly and funny. There was a group of rowdy uni students he scolded during the safety demo. Our stay in Berlin was in a quiet neighborhood. When we stay with airbnbs, I'm looking for places that have a neighborhood feel and off the tourist circuit.
We walked out so early in the morning. We saw Checkpoint Charlie, the Holocaust Memorial, the Tiergarten, and so many other things before we saw other people. There was a glass dome atop an administrative building that you need reserved tickets to enter. We weren't able to go up, but you should get the tickets if you go.
German customer service is the worst I've experienced in a developed country, and most developing countries. I'm sure they have other ideas of what customer service means. German food is not something I'm trying to go back for either. Two nights in Berlin and we were onto Munich. I was excited to meet up with our friends.
Munich felt like a smaller city, but still urban. There are a lot of things to see and do very close together. However, A opted to have us walk an hour out to the summer palace. Upon arriving, I was so sleepy and over it. Had we known there was a lot of garden behind the palace to explore, I would have insisted we take transit there so I wouldn't be so grumpy upon arrival.
To get back, we had a spat out on the street when he insisted we not board the tram because he didn't know how tickets worked. I had us board the next one and got us tickets by asking the conductor and asking the other riders for change for the machine. The brazenness of a grumpy and determined tourist!
At the English Gardens, we heard a hit and run between a cyclist and a dog off-leash. Everyone seems to be very confident about their dogs being off-leash in Germany. We spent a day walking around the tourist traps with Glu and then a day out to Neuchwanstein. It is the castle that inspired Walt Disney's Cinderella castle at the Disney parks. According to A, it was the only thing he wanted to do in Germany. It is somewhat disappointing as far as castles go. It never really saw battle or conflict, and was never complete. The guy knocked down a castle to build his more opulent, extravagant medieval castle during the industrial revolution.
The next day, we were onto Heidelberg. A last minute change in our itinerary took us from Frankfurt to Heidelberg. No one told us any good things about Frankfurt, so we cancelled our Frankfurt plans at the airport before we left the States. Heidelberg is like the Cambridge or Harvard of Germany. It's a little college town with a lot of history. There is a run down castle, that they market as ruins so they don't have to make repairs or maintain (in my opinion). It got wrecked during some battles and struck by lightning. Real action.
Our last stop on this trip would be Paris, which I don't particularly care for. We'd been before, and it was fine, but we were going for the direct flight back to LAX. Upon circumstance, A's bestie from grade school would also be there. All 3 of us made the pilgrimage out to Versailles. It really does feel like it because everyone is on the same trek. The palace was really opulent but on a totally unimaginable scale as far as how daily life goes about. There are some smaller residences behind that are much more realistic. And the village and farm all the way in the back of the property were really the highlights. I would have liked to have more time back there. It was so cute!
The air quality in Paris was worse than I had remembered. Everywhere was cigarette smoke or fuel exhaust. But the food in Paris was sooo delicious. Especially after Germany, I appreciated it so much more. We flew Norwegian again for this trip, and had no problems this time. Probably not going to make it to Germany again if given the choice. But there are so many other places to go to!
happy trails,
jt
Our latest international foray was finally going to be Germany. We never can get that far East into Europe. There are too many good places before we ever get there. We flew into Sweden because it is a direct flight. So we opted to stay 1 night in Sweden. I was very pleased to find out Swedish households have a shoes-off policy.
With just a little bit of trouble coordinating, we were able to gain access into our airbnb. A was insistent on getting airbnbs, but for a 1 night stay, I think we should go with a hotel next time. The guarantee of having someone at check-in and luggage storage is worthwhile. We unloaded our things and went straight out otherwise we would have fallen asleep. We got so sleepy in a park, and there were so many benches everywhere that were hobo-friendly
(suitable for laying down). Along our walk, we saw some of old town, the palace, grand buildings, waterfront views. A tried to navigate us to an island park, but we did not make it and only got to the tiny island in between.
I saw Ikea food on a dinner menu, but we veered away from it. We went to sleep when the sun was still out, but sunset is at something close to 10pm. We woke up so early and made it to the big island park. There was a Disney-esque portion and a lot of very forested portions. Nothing was open so A couldn't get coffee right away. He loaded up on candy at the airport before our flight to Berlin.
For whatever reason, we got the first 2 seats on Easyjet. Let me tell you, sitting in the front is entertaining. The flight attendant was very friendly and funny. There was a group of rowdy uni students he scolded during the safety demo. Our stay in Berlin was in a quiet neighborhood. When we stay with airbnbs, I'm looking for places that have a neighborhood feel and off the tourist circuit.
We walked out so early in the morning. We saw Checkpoint Charlie, the Holocaust Memorial, the Tiergarten, and so many other things before we saw other people. There was a glass dome atop an administrative building that you need reserved tickets to enter. We weren't able to go up, but you should get the tickets if you go.
German customer service is the worst I've experienced in a developed country, and most developing countries. I'm sure they have other ideas of what customer service means. German food is not something I'm trying to go back for either. Two nights in Berlin and we were onto Munich. I was excited to meet up with our friends.
Munich felt like a smaller city, but still urban. There are a lot of things to see and do very close together. However, A opted to have us walk an hour out to the summer palace. Upon arriving, I was so sleepy and over it. Had we known there was a lot of garden behind the palace to explore, I would have insisted we take transit there so I wouldn't be so grumpy upon arrival.
To get back, we had a spat out on the street when he insisted we not board the tram because he didn't know how tickets worked. I had us board the next one and got us tickets by asking the conductor and asking the other riders for change for the machine. The brazenness of a grumpy and determined tourist!
At the English Gardens, we heard a hit and run between a cyclist and a dog off-leash. Everyone seems to be very confident about their dogs being off-leash in Germany. We spent a day walking around the tourist traps with Glu and then a day out to Neuchwanstein. It is the castle that inspired Walt Disney's Cinderella castle at the Disney parks. According to A, it was the only thing he wanted to do in Germany. It is somewhat disappointing as far as castles go. It never really saw battle or conflict, and was never complete. The guy knocked down a castle to build his more opulent, extravagant medieval castle during the industrial revolution.
The next day, we were onto Heidelberg. A last minute change in our itinerary took us from Frankfurt to Heidelberg. No one told us any good things about Frankfurt, so we cancelled our Frankfurt plans at the airport before we left the States. Heidelberg is like the Cambridge or Harvard of Germany. It's a little college town with a lot of history. There is a run down castle, that they market as ruins so they don't have to make repairs or maintain (in my opinion). It got wrecked during some battles and struck by lightning. Real action.
Our last stop on this trip would be Paris, which I don't particularly care for. We'd been before, and it was fine, but we were going for the direct flight back to LAX. Upon circumstance, A's bestie from grade school would also be there. All 3 of us made the pilgrimage out to Versailles. It really does feel like it because everyone is on the same trek. The palace was really opulent but on a totally unimaginable scale as far as how daily life goes about. There are some smaller residences behind that are much more realistic. And the village and farm all the way in the back of the property were really the highlights. I would have liked to have more time back there. It was so cute!
The air quality in Paris was worse than I had remembered. Everywhere was cigarette smoke or fuel exhaust. But the food in Paris was sooo delicious. Especially after Germany, I appreciated it so much more. We flew Norwegian again for this trip, and had no problems this time. Probably not going to make it to Germany again if given the choice. But there are so many other places to go to!
happy trails,
jt
