Havent had a chance to write a blog entry for ages, now I have a bit of time here now in Berlin to sit down and write down about the last crazy week or so.
Left Barcelona with a little bit of a bad taste in our mouths. Not once had we had any experience with pickpockets or anything of that matter. We arrived at the train station to take a train to Barcelona El Prat airport. We spotted a guy who was clearly a bit suss, eyeing off peoples bags, thought nothing more of it other than stay away from him and his mate. Got on the train, I sat down and Ella and Hamish were standing up (you snooze you loose). He was standing behind them, obviously realising they wernt easy targets as we were pretty cluey. Ella and Hamish got off the train first and as I was getting to the door about a metre away from me he pushed a group of asians out the door and centered on one which he put a knife to her throat trying to steal her bag, then threw her to the ground pointing the knife in her face. Then a heap of people got her away and they closed the doors of the train locking him inside. Just shows how desperate these people are, and I guess she would have been an easy target, small asian girl with probably a lot of money and a valuable passport. Kind of shit but its the reality of it all. I should have helped since I was one of a few people pretty close to it happening, but in reality what could I have done, got myself stabbed. Dont particually fancy being killed in Spain. Seconds later security guards and others were helping anyway. Shook us all up. Even so, Spain was awesome and I will definately go back! You cant judge a city on one Wanker prepared to ruin it for everyone, otherwise the Spaniards seemed to love tourists!
We got on the plane to Italy, it was on time which was nice =D
Arrived in Rome, found out there was no train from Fiumcino to Rome that day so we caught a shuttle bus. Arrived at our hostel, it was NOTHING like it was portrayed online and the owner was LESS than helpful. It shitted us off and added to a bad day. Went and saw the Colleseum which was great to see. The next day we went to book train tickets to Paris finding out because of French air and rail strikes we only had one choice, take a night train. We were all sick of Italy and Rome already, everyone looked suss and the citizens were sick of tourists. It just sucked to be honest. And Rome aint all that flash. So we booked the night train, leaving a day earlier than planned. That day we went and saw the trevi fountain and the vatican, the trevi was awesome. By the time we got to the railway station we were ready to get the hell out of Rome. Definately dont suggest it. But I guess on every trip there is always somewhere someone or something you wont enjoy. I just wanted to get to Paris. The train was disgusting, it was good to meet two Americans who were siblings, infact they were siblings with 8 other brothes and sisters, and home schooled. Interesting pair, was good to chat.
Arrived in Paris late, but that didnt matter, we couldnt check into the hotel until 3pm anyway. We decided since money was good we would treat ourselves in Paris, Hotel and Taxis. Trust me, that was living for us. We got into our room, showered and de-smelt ourselves!!!! Went to an internet cafe and got our facebook and email fix. Got ourselves ready and headed to the Eiffel tower where we took pics then went and had tea at this awesome cafe, tipped the waiter heaps because he was a good bloke. Actually found the Parisiens to be accomodating!!!!!!! Then we went and climbed the tower to the top, well, the lift. The stairs were closed at night, would have actually been keen to climb it. Was loving Paris at this point, last time I really didnt enjoy myself, it was dirty and the people were unfriendly. This time, it was (I hope your sitting down) CLEAN, the metro was dirty and shoddy, the streets were not full of cigarette butts and the people were very helpul. I really enjoyed myself, it was great fun! Next day we packed jam full. Started at the Palace of Versailles, which is epic to say the least. I learnt about it in year 12 history, and it was amazing how much I remembered about it, Mrs McCall, BE PROUD!!!! I really enjoyed it. Except I wasnt to impressed with the japanese conceptual art exhibition going on inside the palace, it took away from the history, unimpressed!!!!!! Then we headed back and booked our tickets to Amsterdam, no direct train seats left!!! We had to go through Lille and Antwerp!!!!!! Oh well. We then went and saw the Arc De Triomphe, which is awesome at night just like the Eiffel tower, bought some souveniers then headed to the hard rock cafe for tea!!!!!!!!! Bought myself a tshirt as I have done in every other hard rock cafe. Went back to the hotel and went into a deep sleep pretty damm quick. Woke up the next morning early. Train was at 12 and we still wanted to see the Louvre and the Basteille. Hamish was sick so he stayed but, me and Ella went to the Louvre but didnt have time for the basteille. We rushed back to the Hotel checked out grabbed our bags and raced to the train station. We quite literally JUST caught the train to lille by a small miracle! Thankyou speedy Parisien taxi driver. Hamish tried to bribe him to go fast, shame the bloke didnt speak english to understand!!!! Got into Lille, waited a bit for our train to Antwerp. Got to Antwerp and ran to our train to Amsterdam. Half way to Amsterdam the train stopped at a random station, we were told due to railway works there was no driver, we had to change trains. The train we had to take was in the opposite direction to Amsterdam, Hertstogenboosch or something like that, then to Utrecht, then somewhere else. We had to change trains 3 times to get to Amsterdam. Note to self, Dutch railways are unorganised!!! Oh well, we finally got to Amsterdam!!!!!!!!!!
Good to be in Amsterdam, it was familiar!!! Since I had been there with Mara not long before. I knew how to get to the hotel which was cool. The Hotel was an old dutch house, it was simple, not all that clean and not all that nice but fun. Note to self, when going to Amsterdam on a weekend make sure you book WELL in advance. Amsterdam didnt end up being as cheap as once planned. We went out to tea, had a couple of beers, smelt the woft of weed smoke which was not all that fun. Even the hotel smelt of it. We went to sleep as Ham and Ella were feeling rather ill. Woke up late the next day, had Manneken Pis, Hollands no. 1 fries!!!!! Damm they were good. Infact we ate them for tea. Went to the Anne Frank House and the Hard Rock Cafe and the Sex Museum which was rather weird. Amsterdam is just weird. Small town capital city drug loving weird weird place. Never seen so many rastifarians. We went to sleep rather early after discovering MTV and Jersery Shore, Ella was rather ill. Ham and Ella both got bad colds, probably got them from the Americans on the train from Italy. Woke up the next day, checked out and made our way to Amsterdam Centraal station to get a train to Berlin. Was excited to go back to Germany, almost like going home!!!!!! Second home anyway, it was all familiar again and it was nice to be able to speak and understand the language. Took a regional train to Hilversum then Hilversum to Berlin. Got in to Berlin lateish, so we jumped in a cab went to the hostel offloaded and went out for tea. Had a dandy dinner at the Sony Centre in Potsdammer Platz, came back and went to bed!
Yesterday we did a tour of Berlin where we saw the essential sights like Checkpoint Charlie, had an awesome tour guide named Finn who made the tour a lot of fun! That night we met up with someone Ella's cousin knew for tea and a few drinks. Went to a few cool bars and had some nice indian food =D Boosted back to the hostel around 1 and slept pretty damm well after a couple of beers. Today, we did a tour to Sachsenhausen Concentration camp which is something that is not really enjoyable but you have to do. It just makes you open your eyes to what happened and places like that hopefully make sure it never happens again. Now, I am sitting here at the hostel, about to go to the hard rock cafe, loving Berlin but even happier to go back to Dusseldorf tomorrow, it is like going home. I made it home for a month and a half and spent so much time with Mara its weird not to be in Duss with the German. Auf Wiedersehen!!!!!! Talk when I am in Dusseldorf next!
You are truly living the dream.
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