Germany, Czech Republic, Lichtenstein, & Switzerland: European Nicolette
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Describing a trip to 23 cities in 11 countries, is not an easy feat. But here I am giving it my best shot. I’ve listed my daily itinerary--where I stayed, what I saw, and what I did, as well as a list of recommendations of things that I wasn’t able to get to. Peep this picture of my girls, because I miss them and their crazy selves every day!
Berlin:
My first time in Germany, and wow was I awestruck by its stunning architecture, rich culture, and impressive preservation of its dark history. Back in my elementary school days I remember learning of the days of the Holocaust and the Berlin Wall. As a child it’s hard to imagine such evil and destruction, but seeing the remnants of such is so life changing. Unlike most, Germany does not hide from its sad history, rather it embraces it head-on, showcasing what it once was, and pushing for a better future.
Where we stayed: Meininger am Hauptbahnhof, this was one of the smaller hostels that we stayed at, but it was just a short walk from the nearest train station!
Where we went: My most memorable stop was at the East Side Gallery, the world’s LARGEST open air art gallery, a social demonstration of beautiful and impactful paintings directly on a remnant of the Berlin Wall. We visited the historic site of Checkpoint Charlie, which in the times of the wall was the only legal crossing point to get from the East to the West. We spent time wandering through the Alexanderplatz, which was a beautiful main square of the city which had a magnificent fountain smack dab in the middle. With so many museums to check out we had to narrow our schedule down to see the Museum of the Berlin Wall, the Jewish Memorial, and the Topography of Terror Museum (aka the former headquarters of the SS & the reich). Sadly the wind was so unpredictable that we weren’t able to ride the Berlin HiFlyer--a huge hot air balloon ride overlooking the city, but we will definitely be back to check it out.
What we ate: Besides the usual liquid diet of beer and more beer, Berlin is well known for their meat delicacies. Kebap and Currywurst are city treasures, and I can tell why. Full of flavor and seasoning, currywurst was a fan favorite that sounds scarier than it tastes.
Where we partied: After learning about dark history morning through evening, the last thing I personally want to do is go out...so this made for the perfect excuse to sleep and play catch up on some ZZzzz’s.
Dresden:
On our drive to Czech we stopped in the beautiful city of Dresden. With only a couple free hours, we walked amongst the Dresden Castle, and did some exploring through the city square. A great city for a pitstop with beautiful architecture and landscape.
Checkin’ out the Czech Republic
Prague:
Before taking this trip I didn’t think much of Prague, but now I think about it all the time. This beautiful city is full of art, history, architecture, and beer. While Germany often brags about their beer consumption, the Czech Republic actually leads in beers per capita.
Where we stayed: We were in a beautiful hostel, the Mosaic House. It was beautifully decorated, had a bar on site, and was right in the heart of this bustling city.
Where we went: Lots and lots of walking. We did a walking tour of the city, seeing the Prague Castle, the infamous Astronomical Clock, and the historic Charles Bridge. We ended the tour at a must-see site, the John Lennon Wall during the times of communism and lack of outside communication, people of all ages decorated this wall (and still do to this day) to commemorate the assassination of John Lennon. After lots of walking, we obviously decided to do more and wander through Park Kampa (a green space known for their thought provoking art installments, we got to see oversized statues of faceless babies?! Weird but cool), and wander the city, stopping to see the unimaginable twisted architecture of the Dancing House.
Where we partied: Day drinking was a commonality while we were in Europe. Janeth and I took part in a beer tasting, where we tried at least 8 different local Czech beers, my favorite of which was Budvar! 3 weeks into traveling, constantly being on the road or walking and then ending the night out really wears on you. While my friends checked out M1 Lounge (a 5-story club with an ice bar in tact) and, Bed Lounge (literally a bar with bed like lounging areas), I slept for at least 10 hours...and it was amazing.
(back to…) Germany
Dachau:
Dachau concentration camp was the first of the Nazi concentration camps used to imprison innocent people during the times of the Holocaust. We took a short bus ride with a tour director that explained and walked us through the grim history that happened on this camp site. Walking on these grounds shook me to my core, made me weep as I saw the place that brutalized groups of people so deeply, and kept me in silence as I thought of such terrible treatment of human life. This was a simply an indescribable life changing visit.
Munich:
Where we stayed: we stayed at the Geiger CB, a bit tight of living conditions, but we were so close to public transportation and local shops and restaurants making it all worth it.
Where we went: You can’t visit Munich without seeing, hearing, or listening to the Glockenspiel in Marienplatz. Since the early 1900’s this Glockenspiel (similar to a “cuckoo clock”) has played its tune at 11:00, 12:00, and 5:00. A crowd of people gather round to watch this spectacle. As you’re walking through the Marienplatz, you will soon run into the Viktualienmarkt--a popular daily market selling food, homemade goods, and of course, beer.
What we ate: Schweinebraten and Kässpätzle. They both sound pretty scary, but are entirely delicious. Both of these plates are traditional German dishes, that are nearly impossible to pronounce as English-Americans, luckily as a tourist I got pretty good at pointing at the menu and smiling in shame. Schweinebraten is roasted pork season with beer, served with red cabbage, and Knödel, a type of dumpling. Kässpätzle is ooey gooey cheesy deliciousness, Topped with fried onions and more cheese, what more do you need?
Neuschwenstein Castle:
An actual fairy tale location..really, it’s the setting of the beloved Disney movie, Sleeping Beauty. I’m going to let the pictures do the talking on this one because it was truly breathtaking.
Lichtenstein: The smallest country there ever was
Lichtenstein:
Driving from Germany to Switzerland could not be completed without stopping in a country in between, and not a well-known one--Lichtenstein. So small that they charge you 1€ to stamp your passport, so small that we were able to see nearly the entire country in the hour that we were there for. Despite the small proximity, it was full of nice people and pretty buildings, and it was one more country to add to my list!
Switchin' to Switzerland
Off to the land of the Swiss! Truly the most beautiful, aesthetically pleasing, green countries we visited. After visiting large, high population, bustling cities one after the other, it was relaxing to be in a country with fresh air and landscape.
Engelberg:
Where we stayed: A quaint little Ski Lodge in this adorable town. My room had the PERFECT view of the Swiss Alps...can a girl really complain when waking up to that view every morning?!
Where we went: While the rest of the group took a day trip to Lucerne for a ski lift ride up the Swiss Alps, a friend and I had other plans. Amber and I jumped off the Swiss Alps and paragliding through the mountainous landscape. It was one of the most memorable, spontaneous experiences of my entire trip, and I absolutely recommend it to anyone and everyone that spends the day in this country. After literally running off a mountainside, flying at an insane height, doing flips and curves, and run landing….we were both windburnt and beat. We showered and let our topsy turvy stomachs settle before we explored the town and the shopping that it had to offer.
What we ate: Swiss chocolate, of course. Other than all the sweets, expect to spend quite a bit of Francs. It is commonly ranked as one of the most expensive countries to visit in Europe; as a point of reference a Burger King meal was equivalent to $30 USD.
Where we partied: Engelberg, Switzerland is surely a hotspot during the winter time, summer time...not so much. Restaurants, shops, and bars close fairly early, we were able to stumble into one little gemstone, Gletscherspalte. It was a quaint bar, full of billiard tables, the stump game (hammer and nail drinking game), and a dance floor...which was heavily used because of the 90’s jams that they had on repeat.
8 countries down! The more I write about this trip, the more I reminisce and start to plan more and more future trips--Australia, India, Israel, Iceland, and the list goes on. Thanks for keeping up with part 3 of my European adventure, part 4 will wrap up the rest of my trip. Leave a comment below and let me know what country is next on your must travel list. Wait and see what we'll do next.
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