Europe 2019
Long time no see on here. Not really intentional but I have hovered over this blog a few times trying to think of what to say and I never really knew. At least now I have something to share with you. Luke knew I have always wanted to visit Germany, as I always had a love for the country I had never been to. He also knew I wanted to visit Auschwitz concentration camp memorial once in my life, for the humbling experience and the fact I am a history university student. I have been to Turkey when I was 15, and then Spain a few years later, but they were both more relaxing holidays and I went with family. My 21st birthday was on July 22nd and so Luke surprised me weeks before by saying we were going away together. He played charades with me so I had to guess where we were going. I knew Germany would be one, but he told me there were two more. Turns out we were going to Germany, Poland and Italy from the 11th to the 20th of July!
Germany was very modern and reminded me of London a fair amount. We stayed in Berlin, in the area of Kurfurstendamm in the Hotel Bristol Berlin. In Berlin we did the most sightseeing and touristy things. We took the train a lot, and now all I remember from that is the man on the train yelling NACHT SPANDAU... We ate at the Hard Rock Cafe which was not far from our hotel which was right on the parade of shops. If you go, you must try the Moving Mountains burger! Best burger I have EVER had, (it is veggie).
The Kaiser Wilhelm memorial church was also nearby so we paid a visit to the entrance, as it was 20 Euros to go inside... We then walked through the Tiergarten which was very pretty, and right by the Berlin Zoo. Luke and I love seeing animals, but we researched the zoo and found it was allegedly unethical so we ruled this off, as we won't pay to see suffering animals. We then visited Checkpoint Charlie, which is not as grand as some people may think, but it is a great landmark for history and is a good reminder of how the segregation of countries and places were so extreme and enforced during the war. We also visited the Berlin Wall museum which was very insightful. After we trekked to the Brandenburg Gate, which was very majestic in the sunlight and in an open space which made it feel very relaxed. We then went past the TV tower, into a random church and then into the Alexanderplatz square which was for shopping and eating. We spent the last day in Germany walking through Kurfurstendamm and went to a random Christmas shop?? (Btw do not go to Vincenzo in Alexanderplatz...read my TripAdvisor review if you want to know why.)
Next we flew to Poland, and we were met with Polish signs, people and the language in general, as they obviously speak Polish...in Poland...but I suppose with German and Italian it is easier to guess or assume what things mean, at least for me, but I found Polish impossible to understand. I felt guilty a lot for not being able to communicate with people and read things better, but I don't have a talent for languages. We stayed at the Niebieski Art Hotel and Spa in Krakow and it was so lovely. It was a good price, delicious room service which we ordered every night as it was so nice, and the staff were friendly and offered an hours free spa treatment a day, and we had a view of the Vistula River.
We went to Auschwitz- Birkenau the day after we arrived. We were tired and everything was shut on the Sunday we arrived. We also ran into trouble with the tram people regarding tickets and they tried to give us a serious penalty but I wasn't having it, so we stayed inside that night. Auschwitz was on a set tour that also included the Wieliczka salt mine, and so it was a very long day in hot weather but I am so thrilled I did it with Luke. Auschwitz and Birkenau was very very humbling, thought provoking and upsetting. People all deal with things like this differently, and I have found I have reflected more since I left whereas Luke was very overwhelmed during the experience. We both agree everyone who is able to go, should.
Wieliczka was so interesting and fun to do. I didn't have very high hopes for it at first, as I have been to the Black Country Living Museum about mining which is only interesting in areas, and I also had never heard of it before. Let's just say the BCLM is absolutely nothing like the Wieliczka salt mine...in fact it made the BCLM look like some small camp site. The Wieliczka mine was so large, that our 3 hour tour only showed us 1% of the whole mine. We really enjoyed it, and Luke bought me some beautiful earrings for my birthday there too, as well as a lot of other souvenirs. On our last day, as we stayed in Poland for the shortest amount of time, we went into the Krakow Old Town which was very beautiful. We visited the Barbican which is a historical fortified outpost in Krakow. We had a lovely last day there. It is also helpful everything is very cheap, as 1 Zloty is 21 GBP, so for example, 20 ZL is 4.20 GBP.
Our last stop was Italy, where we stayed in Naples. We stayed at an apartment called Casa Mamelu which is owned by Francesco, who was so lovely to us and we really enjoyed making friends with him and learning more about the culture from him, and the apartment was lovely. Our view from the balcony was just breathtaking. We could see the whole bay, Amalfi, Mount Vesuvius and more.
It was very hot in Italy, as expected, so we spent a large amount of time in the apartment until the evening, when it was cooler. We shopped at a local place which was really helpful and only 50 Euros. The beach was so pretty, and you could see our balcony view but up close, and the beautiful sea and the castle.
The third day we went into Pompeii which was interesting and the trains were hard to understand but we figured them out and the actual trains were very nice. We went to see the Vesuvius archaeological park which was a total trek as we walked to it and it was beating down sun. I needed to wee and so we stopped at a petrol station and the toilet seat had no lid?! So we moved on and I asked at a food place and they also, had no toilet seat???? So I ended up working with this, with good pelvic floor muscles and precise aiming, but what the hell?? I was saying our toilet seat in the apartment was smaller than normal but honestly I was just glad we had one at all!! Despite this odd setback, we arrived and went into the park and it was so SO huge. It was so incredible in many different ways. The view was so extraordinary and the park itself was preserved so so well. The victims of the eruption can be seen inside and outside, as the ash made a plaster cast of their bodies, which still holds their skeletons inside. It was quite sad actually, as many looked like they had been terrified and there were babies and a dog too. It is said there is loads more they haven't discovered from the disaster. We met stray dogs there and there was a cafe too which was great for water and food. We got a bit lost but I am so glad we did it, even in the heat, which I really hate, (ironic).
On our last day Luke was sadly quite unwell, as he had made plans for us to go to Capri which he had paid for and everything, but it was not fair to make him go and I was unwell in Spain and I remember how awful being ill in hot weather was, so we stayed in the flat and went for dinner at 50 Kalo which Francesco recommended to us as a pizza place worth trying. We had a lovely evening, and we honestly did not eat proper cuisine anywhere during our travels, and we ate a lot of McDonalds which was not something we did on purpose, but I suppose being vegetarians in foreign countries and the only thing you know is McDonalds then you are going to get it aren't you...? We did have the Italian Pizza though!
We came home and celebrated my 21st birthday and then the next day Luke had his graduation where he got a first in his degree. Overall our trip was so amazing and successful. Luke is an ideal travel partner, as he is well travelled, plans everything and enjoys seeing sights...essentially he is a true Virgo- (if you're into zodiacs you will understand). I can't thank him enough for the trip and I am so grateful to have gone with him, as holidays abroad is not something my family are really able to do so I was blessed to go to these places, and so many too! I can't wait for our next trip together. Thank you Luke, I love you! :)
Germany was very modern and reminded me of London a fair amount. We stayed in Berlin, in the area of Kurfurstendamm in the Hotel Bristol Berlin. In Berlin we did the most sightseeing and touristy things. We took the train a lot, and now all I remember from that is the man on the train yelling NACHT SPANDAU... We ate at the Hard Rock Cafe which was not far from our hotel which was right on the parade of shops. If you go, you must try the Moving Mountains burger! Best burger I have EVER had, (it is veggie).
The Kaiser Wilhelm memorial church was also nearby so we paid a visit to the entrance, as it was 20 Euros to go inside... We then walked through the Tiergarten which was very pretty, and right by the Berlin Zoo. Luke and I love seeing animals, but we researched the zoo and found it was allegedly unethical so we ruled this off, as we won't pay to see suffering animals. We then visited Checkpoint Charlie, which is not as grand as some people may think, but it is a great landmark for history and is a good reminder of how the segregation of countries and places were so extreme and enforced during the war. We also visited the Berlin Wall museum which was very insightful. After we trekked to the Brandenburg Gate, which was very majestic in the sunlight and in an open space which made it feel very relaxed. We then went past the TV tower, into a random church and then into the Alexanderplatz square which was for shopping and eating. We spent the last day in Germany walking through Kurfurstendamm and went to a random Christmas shop?? (Btw do not go to Vincenzo in Alexanderplatz...read my TripAdvisor review if you want to know why.)
Next we flew to Poland, and we were met with Polish signs, people and the language in general, as they obviously speak Polish...in Poland...but I suppose with German and Italian it is easier to guess or assume what things mean, at least for me, but I found Polish impossible to understand. I felt guilty a lot for not being able to communicate with people and read things better, but I don't have a talent for languages. We stayed at the Niebieski Art Hotel and Spa in Krakow and it was so lovely. It was a good price, delicious room service which we ordered every night as it was so nice, and the staff were friendly and offered an hours free spa treatment a day, and we had a view of the Vistula River.
We went to Auschwitz- Birkenau the day after we arrived. We were tired and everything was shut on the Sunday we arrived. We also ran into trouble with the tram people regarding tickets and they tried to give us a serious penalty but I wasn't having it, so we stayed inside that night. Auschwitz was on a set tour that also included the Wieliczka salt mine, and so it was a very long day in hot weather but I am so thrilled I did it with Luke. Auschwitz and Birkenau was very very humbling, thought provoking and upsetting. People all deal with things like this differently, and I have found I have reflected more since I left whereas Luke was very overwhelmed during the experience. We both agree everyone who is able to go, should.
Wieliczka was so interesting and fun to do. I didn't have very high hopes for it at first, as I have been to the Black Country Living Museum about mining which is only interesting in areas, and I also had never heard of it before. Let's just say the BCLM is absolutely nothing like the Wieliczka salt mine...in fact it made the BCLM look like some small camp site. The Wieliczka mine was so large, that our 3 hour tour only showed us 1% of the whole mine. We really enjoyed it, and Luke bought me some beautiful earrings for my birthday there too, as well as a lot of other souvenirs. On our last day, as we stayed in Poland for the shortest amount of time, we went into the Krakow Old Town which was very beautiful. We visited the Barbican which is a historical fortified outpost in Krakow. We had a lovely last day there. It is also helpful everything is very cheap, as 1 Zloty is 21 GBP, so for example, 20 ZL is 4.20 GBP.
Our last stop was Italy, where we stayed in Naples. We stayed at an apartment called Casa Mamelu which is owned by Francesco, who was so lovely to us and we really enjoyed making friends with him and learning more about the culture from him, and the apartment was lovely. Our view from the balcony was just breathtaking. We could see the whole bay, Amalfi, Mount Vesuvius and more.
It was very hot in Italy, as expected, so we spent a large amount of time in the apartment until the evening, when it was cooler. We shopped at a local place which was really helpful and only 50 Euros. The beach was so pretty, and you could see our balcony view but up close, and the beautiful sea and the castle.
The third day we went into Pompeii which was interesting and the trains were hard to understand but we figured them out and the actual trains were very nice. We went to see the Vesuvius archaeological park which was a total trek as we walked to it and it was beating down sun. I needed to wee and so we stopped at a petrol station and the toilet seat had no lid?! So we moved on and I asked at a food place and they also, had no toilet seat???? So I ended up working with this, with good pelvic floor muscles and precise aiming, but what the hell?? I was saying our toilet seat in the apartment was smaller than normal but honestly I was just glad we had one at all!! Despite this odd setback, we arrived and went into the park and it was so SO huge. It was so incredible in many different ways. The view was so extraordinary and the park itself was preserved so so well. The victims of the eruption can be seen inside and outside, as the ash made a plaster cast of their bodies, which still holds their skeletons inside. It was quite sad actually, as many looked like they had been terrified and there were babies and a dog too. It is said there is loads more they haven't discovered from the disaster. We met stray dogs there and there was a cafe too which was great for water and food. We got a bit lost but I am so glad we did it, even in the heat, which I really hate, (ironic).
On our last day Luke was sadly quite unwell, as he had made plans for us to go to Capri which he had paid for and everything, but it was not fair to make him go and I was unwell in Spain and I remember how awful being ill in hot weather was, so we stayed in the flat and went for dinner at 50 Kalo which Francesco recommended to us as a pizza place worth trying. We had a lovely evening, and we honestly did not eat proper cuisine anywhere during our travels, and we ate a lot of McDonalds which was not something we did on purpose, but I suppose being vegetarians in foreign countries and the only thing you know is McDonalds then you are going to get it aren't you...? We did have the Italian Pizza though!
We came home and celebrated my 21st birthday and then the next day Luke had his graduation where he got a first in his degree. Overall our trip was so amazing and successful. Luke is an ideal travel partner, as he is well travelled, plans everything and enjoys seeing sights...essentially he is a true Virgo- (if you're into zodiacs you will understand). I can't thank him enough for the trip and I am so grateful to have gone with him, as holidays abroad is not something my family are really able to do so I was blessed to go to these places, and so many too! I can't wait for our next trip together. Thank you Luke, I love you! :)
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