An Extraordinary European Expedition

Brussels train station

As hard as it is to believe, it's been six months since I left America for Europe. And what an adventure it's been!

It seems that long gone are the days when I would update this blog on any sort of regular basis. Half the time, I forget it even exists, but I’m thankful for the friends who ask me about it every once in a while and motivate me to return to it. I appreciate your interest in following this once-in-a-lifetime dream of mine.

Castle in Vianden

The European leg of my backpacking trip started like most

of my other travel experiences:: in a rush. Since I was leaving mid-week, I thought it was going to be a bit of a challenge finding a ride to the bus station. However, in the end, a couple of good friends offered to take me all the way to the airport, which worked out well because I'm almost positive I would have missed the bus. Trying to learn from past mistakes, I had started packing days in advance, but the morning of the day I was set to leave, I made the error of believing I had time to spare. I even fed my summer addiction and watched a few episodes of "Law and Order: SVU." What I estimated would take me less than an hour to do took almost three.

Streets of Arlon

As excited as I was to return to Europe, part of me must have been in denial that I was leaving America because I planned next to nothing. Not cities to visit, attractions to see, nor transportation options once I was in Europe. I had a rough idea of the places I wished to go, but looking back, it's almost overwhelming to think about how much of this trip has taken a life of its own. Prior to leaving America, I thought I would visit Luxembourg, Germany and the Czech Republic since I had friends there, but then I intended to travel Eastern Europe, making a route of some sort from the Baltic nations down to Turkey. It wasn't until I looked at this itinerary from a more practical point of view and realized how low the temperatures dropped in some of these places in as early as October.

East Side Gallery

Similar to my last couple entries, I’m relying on my memory for much of this so I’ll stick to the highlights from each country again.

Due to my lack of organizing, I mistakenly made the decision to travel to Luxembourg City from Brussels instead of taking my connection to Frankfurt. Unlike Frankfurt, Brussels had no buses to Luxembourg City so my only option was to take the train, which was considerably pricier and took longer than I had been told. Although Luxembourg wasn't originally on my list of countries to visit, I had a German friend who was working there so I decided to go; however, there was a bit of miscommunication and he ended up finishing his work assignment before I got to Europe. Fortunately, it worked out well anyway because I found a host who took me to her hometown of Vianden, which was where the castle was. We were even allowed on the castle grounds after hours because her childhood friend's dad worked there.

Exploring Eguisheim in Alsace

Since I had flown into Brussels but had left without seeing anything, I felt that if it was possible, I should try to go back and explore even just a little part of Belgium. Luckily, it was easy to catch a short train ride from Luxembourg City to Arlon. Although Mother Nature wasn’t on my side that day as it was rather rainy, I still enjoyed walking around the narrow streets and visiting the beautiful cathedral that was there.

In awe of Lucerne

After leaving Luxembourg, I made my way to Germany, which I had already planned would be the country in which most of my time would be spent. Over the course of about a month, I visited many of the major cities and quite a few of the smaller ones. Berlin was probably my favorite for a variety of reasons but mostly because the history there is so rich. I especially liked walking along the East Side Gallery, which featured an exhibition on the opposite side of walls that exist in our world today, like the ones that divide Israel from Palestine, America from Mexico and Spain from Morocco. However, I also really enjoyed Heidelberg and Dresden, the latter of which was uncharacteristically warm enough to walk around in just a t-shirt.

Pit stop at Vaduz Castle

While I was in Germany, I struck gold when I met a Couchsurfer who had some holiday time to spare so we took a trip together that included bits and pieces of France, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Austria and Germany. We explored a small part of the majestic Alsace, a region of France I knew nothing about before coming to Europe, and even drove up into the Alps in Switzerland, where we experienced our first snowfall of this winter. For an unknown reason, I was pretty keen to visit Liechtenstein so we added Vaduz to our agenda. The most appealing part of the city was the castle, which wasn’t open to tourists since the prince of Liechtenstein lives there with his family, but the mountains in the distance made the landscape extraordinary to see.

The lovely Neuschwanstein Castle

After this “holiday within a holiday,” I spent some time in Munich and then took a day trip with my host to Füssen so that we could visit the fairytale-like Neuschwanstein Castle. Despite the fact that it was absurdly touristy, I can’t say that I regret making the effort to go there. Set in the gorgeous Bavarian Alps, the only way to describe the castle and the surrounding area would be to say that they were stunning.

Impressed with Innsbruck

Following Munich, I continued onto Innsbruck, Salzburg and Vienna in Austria. The first few days I was in Innsbruck, the sky was overcast and the mountains were blocked by thick fog. I was lucky to have flexible hosts who allowed me to stay a couple extra days longer than we had originally agreed so I could enjoy the natural beauty the city had to offer. I saw my first live opera in the grand Vienna State Opera and loved it even if the device for the subtitles wasn’t working properly during the first half. I moved to another seat at intermission so I was better able to follow the story then.

At the opera house in Prague

If there’s one thing I love more than meeting new people while traveling, it’s catching up with old friends along the way. This is exactly what happened when I journeyed to the Czech Republic. There are many reasons I’m glad I transferred universities, but one of them is that I not only met someone with a passion for traveling that matches mine, but I was fortunate enough to live with her for a year. It was excellent reconnecting with my college roommate and exploring the magic that is Prague and the rest of the Czech Republic. In addition to seeing a ballet form of “Sleeping Beauty” and a comical opera called “The Devil and Kate,” we cooked a delectable vegetarian mini-feast for Thanksgiving. It was definitely a good time all around.

The Blue Church in Bratislava

Next on my travel agenda was Slovakia, but if I’m going to be honest, it was mostly because it seemed like a nice place to stop on my way to Hungary. The capital, Bratislava, was a small city, and coupled with the cold and fog, it was difficult to enjoy it. Although I met some kind people there, I feel that if I would return there in a warmer season, I would see it in a more favorable light.

There aren’t enough positive things to say about Hungary, especially the capital. Despite the hazy weather, I found Budapest to be an incredibly striking city that was full of people always willing to lend a helping hand. I also saw “The Nutcracker” and a musical version of “Gone With the Wind,” both of which were spectacular. Anyone who has known me for a while is aware of how much I love, love, love musicals. I have yet to see one that I haven’t absolutely adored, but

The Chain Bridge in Budapest

what’s not to like about people, even in the toughest times, randomly breaking into song and dance? At the suggestion of some fellow travelers I had met while in Oman, I ventured down to Pecs after Budapest and spent a few days there. Again, I was greeted by some hospitable Couchsurfers who welcomed me into their homes and showed me around their city. Regrettably, my last host overslept on my last full day there :o) so we missed going to one of the highest points of Pecs to catch the best views……. but I guess that’s just another reason to visit again in the future.

Christmas Nativity in Osijek

That brings me to Osijek, Croatia, which is where I spent my first European Christmas. In many countries in this region, Christmas is celebrated over two days, the 25^th and 26^th of December. It was a true blessing that I was able to find not one but two families with whom to share the holiday season. I loved decorating the Christmas trees, which is something I hadn’t done in years. Aside from Osijek, I also took some day trips to surrounding smaller cities, which was a treat. It was the first Balkan country I visited, and I felt so welcome wherever I went. When most travelers picture Croatia, the cities near the Adriatic Sea may come to mind, but I’m so happy I had the chance to go somewhere less explored. Although some popular tourist destinations do attract me, I prefer mixing in some areas that are not as well known, too.

New Year's Eve concert in Novi Sad

After several days in Croatia, I took a bus to my next destination, Serbia. My hope had been to spend a little time in Novi Sad and then bring in the New Year in Belgrade, but that wasn’t in the cards for me. Instead, my host and I attended a concert in the downtown area of Novi Sad, which was entertaining. In retrospect, I would say it worked out for the best because I actually preferred the smaller city over the capital. In both cities, I enjoyed visiting the old fortresses the most, if only for the magnificent views from them.

Stari Most in Mostar

Due to its interesting and sadly, rather tumultuous history, Bosnia and Herzegovina was a country I was looking forward to visiting. The capital, Sarajevo, surprised me with its rolling hills that made for a brilliant backdrop to the old city. I was unsure if I wanted to make the trip down to Mostar, but when everyone you meet tells you that a trip to Bosnia isn’t complete without going to this little gem of a city, what choice do you have? They were right as there was a lovely old town and an impressive 14^th century Ottoman bridge called Stari Most [Old Bridge] there that has always served as a symbol of the city. Unfortunately, it had to be rebuilt since it was destroyed during the Bosniak-Croat War in 1993, but despite that fact, it was still quite a spectacle to see and made it well worth it to visit Mostar.

Bluest skies over Dubrovnik

After my day in Mostar, I took the bus to Dubrovnik since it wasn’t that far and I had read that it was one of Croatia’s most exquisite coastal cities. I couldn’t agree more with all the travel guides! I had a nice host there who drove me around to some scenic points that I never would have gotten to without a car. I loved walking around the old city walls and watching the sunset over the sea. I didn’t find this out until later, but it was awesome to learn that some scenes from King’s Landing in Game of Thrones have been filmed there.

Cousins in front of the Acropolis

My goal had been to travel around the Balkans and slowly make my way down to Greece for an appointment I had in Athens, but I ran out of time so I had to book a flight instead. Since my mom was born in Sparta, I grew up hearing little anecdotes about her life in Greece. It was a bit of a difficult choice to not explore areas outside of Athens because I know the rest of the country has so much to offer, but it felt strange to do it without my family, especially my mom. It’s been in the “talks” stage for a long time, but I’m hoping we’ll all take a trip there together within the next couple years. On the plus side, I got to spend a lot of time with relatives I had never met. Our days were spent visiting the Acropolis, exploring the Ancient Agora and wandering around Monastiraki, and our evenings were filled with copious amounts of Disney movies, board games and episodes of “I Love Lucy.” Never much of a partier, that’s my idea of a perfect night; I’m glad my cousins agreed.

Views from Saranda

The next stop on my journey around the Balkans was Albania, a place more than several people told me to avoid for one reason or another. Now that I’ve been there, I can say with absolute certainty that it’s an underrated travel destination, and I’m glad I followed through with my plans despite all the opposition. There were many charming cities to visit, like Berat and Gjiroskaster, both of which featured some of the most well-preserved Ottoman houses in existence today. However, my personal favorite was Saranda, a growing city on the Mediterranean that has terrific views of the Greek island of Corfu. It was the most attractive, and I have some of the best and most random memories from there. I mean, where else can you find cows that aimlessly wander around and eat rubbish out of the bins?

Climbing to the fort in Kotor

After spending a couple weeks in Albania, I took a bus to Montenegro. Without a doubt, my favorite city was Kotor as the old town was just lovely and following the wall up to the castle awarded some of the best views of the area. While on the bus from Budva to Kotor, an Australian and I struck up a conversation and then ended up spending the day together, which was unexpected but enjoyable. He happened to be from a suburb of Melbourne so it was fun talking about places we both were familiar with in Australia. To top off a great day, there was a Carnival celebration in Kotor’s center with people in costumes and masks, traditional music and free food in honor of the Venetian festival.

Views from the monastery in Trebinje

When I was in Dubrovnik, I had looked into visiting Trebinje; however, the bus timetable and my schedule weren’t compatible so I had to postpone that trip. Luckily, I visited Niksic in the northern part of Montenegro, which had a bus that connected the two cities. One of the most noteworthy things about Trebinje is that although it’s in Bosnia and Herzegovina, it’s located in the political entity called the Republika Srpska [Bosnian Serb Republic] and is primarily populated by Serbs. There was an old Ottoman bridge there that was comparable to the one in Mostar but considerably larger. It was a bit of hike up to the monastery, but it was a peaceful place with a breathtaking view of the scenery.

In the city center of Prizren

A comprehensive trip around the Balkans wouldn’t be complete without a stop in Kosovo, even if it’s on the small side and lacks many attractions. Similar to my experience in other countries in this region, the capital wasn’t overly exhilarating; however, I found little pockets that I enjoyed. Mitrovica was interesting because it’s divided between Kosovo and Serbia. There were a couple bridges that connected the two territories, one of which has more or less been a symbol of the city and has been a common setting for violence between the two ethnic groups over the years. When I first arrived in Kosovo, I was told that the most picturesque place in Kosovo was Prizren, and now that I’ve been there, I would have to agree. From both the city center and the old fortress, snow-capped mountains could be seen in the distance. A stone bridge and the main mosque in the downtown area added to the aesthetic atmosphere of the city.

Lake Ohrid from Samuil's Fortress

After leaving Kosovo, I made my way to Macedonia, where I spent a couple weeks. I enjoyed walking around Skopje’s city center, where it was impossible not to stumble upon several statues, one of which was an impressive fountain with a warrior on a horse. Many claim it’s Alexander the Great, but officially….. it’s just a massive warrior on a massive horse. After spending a few days in the capital and some of the surrounding smaller cities, I took a trip to the southwestern part of the country to visit Bitola, Ohrid and Struga. Bitola and Struga were pleasant to explore and it was inspiring to meet a couple Peace Corps volunteers there, but there’s a reason Ohrid is called the crown jewel of Macedonia. Sometimes referred to as the "Jerusalem of the Balkans," it’s also a city that once had 365 churches, one for every day of the year. Some of the most picturesque views in that region were from St. John’s Monastery, Samuil's Fortress and Sveti Naum, which was near the southern part of Lake Ohrid.

On Vitosha Mountain

Well before I had even booked my flight to Germany, I had told an English friend I had worked with in Australia that I would be traveling around Europe. Due to his work schedule and my apparent inability to calculate where I would be more than a few weeks in advance, it took a while for us to make official plans, but we eventually agreed to meet in Sofia, Bulgaria. It had been a while since I had seen a familiar face so I was beyond happy to see him. It was unfortunate that his time here was limited, but we tried to make the most of it. We enjoyed exploring the city, visiting the different monuments and churches, but my favorite part of Sofia was taking the cable car up the mountain. There was a fair bit of snow on the ground and true to my clumsy self, I even slipped once. In retrospect, we probably should have spent more time wandering around the nature trails, but at the time, I wasn't feeling up to walking in such damp weather. In addition to getting to know a tiny corner of Bulgaria, we learned that "pavement" and "cot" have different meanings in British and American English. Even after living in the UK, Ireland and Australia, it's still rather amusing to discover how different the dialects are.