Berlin

Germany is a country with some grim history but it's capital, Berlin is fast becoming one of the most cultural cities in Europe. In 1961 Germany was divided into East and West by the Berlin Wall, but since it's destruction in November 1989 Germany and Berlin were given a chance to start over, to reinvent themselves, and it was evident that this took place.

Germany is no longer trying to forget their history; there are memorials scattered through Berlin, namely the memorial to the murdered Jews of Europe and the East Side Gallery. It was surprising how tolerant and friendly everyone was. Also Berlin knows how to party and has an incredible nightlife. If your in Europe Berlin is a must.

Mel and I arrived in Berlin on a cold Tuesday afternoon. We checked into our hostel and went for a walk around the local area (Hackescher markt). We found a cheap sushi place and had a few beers.

On Wednesday we went on another free walking tour. Our guide took us to the Brandenburg Gates, past the massive TV Tower and to parts of the Berlin Wall. After the tour we went to the Pergamon Museum, which has one of the worlds largest collections of ancient art and sculptures from Greece and the Middle East.

Later that afternoon we went to visit the East Side Gallery; the longest part of the Berlin Wall still standing, it's covered in peace messages painted by various artists from around the world. That night we had a few drinks at out hostel before eventually making it out. 

On Thursday we went looking for a tent, which we needed for Oktoberfest. It took us the whole day, but we finally found one for 50 euros. On Friday we woke early and boarded a bus bound for the Czech Republic!

The Netherlands

I've been to Amsterdam twice now so I think it deserves a post.
Mel and I arrived there on a busy Saturday afternoon and got caught up in all the riff raff right away. Mel and I hit a few 'coffee shops' before feasting on the best thing Amsterdam has to offer while under the influence; Chinese, terrible I know, but as far as food goes Amsterdam doesn't have much.

We later checked out the Red Light District and the infamous Skinny Lane. It's an odd place, at Disneyland people line up to go on rides, in Italy people line up to get into museums, in Amsterdam people line up to have their way with women. Its sad, but it works.

Prostitution is legal in the Netherlands and most of it is concentrated in Amsterdam's Red Light District where it has enjoyed a long tradition of tolerance. Since October 2000, prostitutes have been allowed to legally ply their trade. Today, prostitutes in The Netherlands are also taxpayers. The Government makes money off prostitution, as they do with marijuana. They put tax on the drugs that we buy as tourists and therefore can raise revenue. It makes me wonder how they will do without it. Apparently as of 2016 tourists will no longer be able to purchase marijuana in The Netherlands. A bill passed earlier this year which explains that only people who have a membership to a coffee shop will legally be able to purchase drugs from there, and to gain a membership you have to be a local, much like that of a video store. Luckily I made it there a few times before this all comes to fruition.

The Red Light District 

Mel and I enjoyed a few days in Amsterdam visiting coffee shops, watching live sex shows, eating greasy food and sharing joints with people from all over the world.

I recently returned there with Joe. We soon realised that sitting in coffee shops all day was a waste of time and the relentless crowds of tourists were doing our head in. We went to a local skate shop and asked about parks we could skate. Later that day we caught a free ferry over to what Joe dubbed as 'skate island' and skated Amsterdam's indoor park. The park was perfect, fully equipped with a shop and bar. For the next few days we skated the park, and a gnarly pool which the locals had built , until we couldn't handle Amsterdam anymore. We then jumped on a train headed west for Rotterdam.

Rotterdam was much like Amsterdam with its beautiful canals and abundance of coffee shops, but without the hordes of tourists. Joe and I dropped our stuff off at our hostel and went skating. Within a few minutes at Rotterdam skate park we were chatting with the locals. They took us out street skating all day, and even offered to house us for free. Joe and I skated Rotterdam for the next few days, visiting various parks, filming clips and meeting up with different skaters and photographers.

After 3 days at our hostel we took up on the free accommodation offer. Joe and I caught a train 20 minutes north of Rotterdam to Delft. That morning we met up with Pep, who we previously skated with in Rotterdam. In the afternoon he took us to his house, which turned out to be a mansion that he'd been squatting in for the past year. He lived in an old nursing home which had about 30 different rooms. He allocated Joe and I each a mattress in the corner of a room in the bottom level of the house and that was that. For the next few days we slept until early afternoon, went skating, had BBQ's and learnt a lot about the Netherlands.

My Bed

Joe's Bed

Pep was broke and we didn't have much money but things worked out, he let us stay there for free, all we had to do was buy his weed and food. We enjoyed wandering around the huge house, watching his weed plants grow and coming across various people which turned out to be living there at the time. It was certainly an experience and one that Ill never forget, I can't thank Pep enough for his friendly and accommodating nature.

Pep himself

On Thursday Joe and I said our goodbyes to Pep and boarded a train bound for Metz, France.

Am I poor?

You know your poor, or at least look as such when your sitting on the ground and people throw you money.

We arrived in Prague a few weeks back. I felt a little tired so I decided to sit against the wall while Mel figured out where our hostel was. The next thing I knew, and old man had thrown me a coin! He smiled, almost showing pity. Never the less I laughed, put the 20 cents into my back pocket and carried on with my day.

Yesterday at a skatepark in Rotterdam some local kids shouted out "are you poor"? At first I was almost offended, but then I looked down and realised I had no shoes on, was sitting next to a plastic bag full of rubbish, my clothes were filthy and I had a joint in my left hand. Today I checked my bank account; they were right to assume I have no money. But as Shakespeare once wrote, "Poor and content is rich and rich enough", and God knows I am certainly content!