Vienna

Mel and I arrived in Vienna, Austria on a cold and dreary Wednesday afternoon. We checked into our hostel and went into town to do a little shopping.

The next day Mel and I visited the Summer Palace or Schönbrunn Palace. It is a former imperial 1,441-room summer residence built in 1642 for the Hapsburg family; an Austrian/Hungarian empire who ruled much of Europe up until World War 2. The Palace itself was very elaborate and the surrounding gardens resembled those of Versailles.



















Across the road from our hostel was one of Vienna's most famous markets; Naschmarkt.
Here you can buy fresh fruit and vegetables from around the world, exotic herbs, cheese, baked goods, meats and seafood. There are also a lot of small restaurants and stalls which offer clothes and accessories. Mel an I certainly took advantage of this opportunity, shopping for a range of ingredients and cooking meals back at our hostel. If ever in Vienna Naschmarkt is well worth checking out.

On Friday we visited Vienna's Museum of Modern Art which housed a Salvador Dali exhibition. It was interesting to say the least.



















We grabbed some vodka on the way home and planned for a big night out. Instead I ended up forcing Mel to drink water from a tea cup before she passed out at the hostel.

The Czech Republic

A new country, a new currency and some sterling experiences were waiting for Mel and I in the Czech Republic. We arrived in Prague on Friday afternoon and hit the drink right away.

We started off at a traditional beer hall not far from our hostel; Lokal. There was an abundance of beer, and it was cheap! We then made our was to the 'Beer Museum' which had hundreds of beers on tap. I sampled one of the local pilsners, needless to say it was exceptional. Later, much to Mel's delight we went to a cocktail bar where I tried the spirit of choice in Prague; absinthe. After drinking half a glass of the stuff I was feeling pretty good!

On Saturday we went on a walking tour and got all our 'sight-seeing' out of the way. We went to the Astronomic Clock, the Jewish quarter, a few churches and a cemetery. Later that day Mel and I visited Prague Castle, it really was like something out of a fairy tale; built in the Roman style, but with a Gothic twist. We were also rewarded with a stunning view of the city from the top of the Castle.

That night we visited the famous 5 story club, apparently the biggest club in Europe. Unfortunately like many popular clubs it was full of tourists and dickheads. It resembled something of a sauna, a real sweat-box and the smell was unbearable. When I looked up and saw condensation dripping from the ceiling I knew it was time to get out of there.

The next day Mel and I ventured out of the city to Staropramen Brewery where they served beer and traditional meals. We treated ourselves to some very hearty goulash. That night we went on a 'beer tour', where we taught the rules of drinking in the Czech Republic.

1. Always say cheers (nostrovia)

2. Look people in the eye when saying cheers

3. You must cheers everyone

4. You must put the glass on the table after saying cheers before you can drink

5. Never cross arms when saying cheers

6. Never leave beer behind

7. Don't sip, only big gulps

We also learnt that having a lot of head on a beer is a good thing, contradictory to what I previously thought; apparently a beer with a lot of head is a fresh one.

Our next stop was the beautiful Cesky Krumlov, a town south of Prague, still in the Czech Republic. The highlight was a pub crawl along the river that runs through town; Vltava. Everyone from our hostel was divided up onto rafts about midday. Each raft was given a bottle of traditional Czech moonshine before paddling down the river, stopping at various bars along the way. After 10 hours of solid drinking and falling into the river we made it to the final bar, greeted by some very unfriendly locals who weren't happy to see us walk in drunk and soaking wet.

On our last day we braved the rain and walked up the tower in the centre for town for some magnificent views.

The Czech Republic is certainly up there with my favourite countries in Europe. Prague is an exciting and beautiful city and still has a very traditional culture. Furthermore Cesky Krumlov was a small town, and we didn't know what to expect but with a quaint little village, a river running through town and a messy pub crawl it was nothing short of brilliant.

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!

Through France and Belgium

Mel and I arrived in Paris after a 16 hour commute from San Sebastian. We got in about 11pm and went in search of food. The receptionist pointed out a lovely area in which to get a meal. We jumped on the metro and ended up in the sex district of Montmartre. We didn't mind too much, we had a good meal and a view of the Moulin Rouge!

Paris has some of the biggest flea Markets in Europe, so on Saturday I visited a few. I went to Marché aux Puces and Puces de Vanves. They were full of second hand clothes, antiques, bikes and stolen goods! I was in opp shop heaven!

On Sunday we wanted to get all our 'sight seeing' done so we got up early and started with the Louvre. We saw everything we needed to see, including the Mona Lisa. After that we went walking through Tuilleries park, down the Champs Elysee and eventually made it to the Arc de Triomphe.
Later that night we took the metro to the Eiffel Tower and watched the sun go down as the tower lit up. We finished off the day with a walk up to the church at Mon Martre to get a beautiful view of the city.

On Monday, much to Mel's delight we went to Disneyland Paris. We went on a few rides, went to see a show, watched the parade and did as any good tourist would do; bought souvenirs.
That night we returned to an interesting situation. An underage American had been sculling beers and I made the mistake of sitting in front of him. Seconds later vomit was spilling down my back. I made sure to had a shower that night.

The next day we went to Versailles with a friend from the hostel; Anthony. We enjoyed a sunny Parisian day laying in the endless gardens. On our final day in Paris we relaxed with a few baguettes at a park nearby our hostel with fantastic views of the Sacré-Cour.
Later we visited the Latin Quarter, made out way to Notre Dame and finished off the day with a delicious Vietnamese meal in China Town.

Overall Paris was so-so. It is all you expect it to be, and then again it isn't. There are of course all the beautiful sites and parts of the city but this is contrast with the dirty sidewalks and evident poverty on other areas. Paris is also very expensive.

Notre Dame

The Eiffel Tower

On Thursday our bus took us on a short journey 3 hours east to Brugge, Belgium. We checked in about midday and later that afternoon hired bikes. We rode past windmills and visited some parks before trying some traditional Belgium chocolate, fries and of course beer.

Frites

We had read about a city near Brugge; Ghent. Lonely planet had once dubbed it the most under rated city in Europe. They weren't wrong, it was scattered with medieval buildings and free flowing canals. That night Mel and I enjoyed a pizza and some beers by a canal back in Brugge.














Saturday was our final day in Brugge, but before we left Mel and I braved the 366 stairs to the top of Bell tower. When we made it to the top we were greeted with beautiful view of the city, a good way to spend our last moments in Belgium.

Viva España

Spain is on a different level to the rest of Europe. It's vibrant, full of colour and down to earth.

I'll start with the food and drink.

Alcohol is cheap. The beer of choice is San Miguel. For a pint of cerveza (beer) from a supermarket I'd only have to pay a mere €.60, and if I wanted it from a bar it would set me back about €1.50 but this would normally include some tapas such as chorizo or olives to nibble at. 

Tapas is very popular in Spain. Most commonly it's some sort of meat in a small dish, such as chorizo. Another popular tapas is 'patatas bravas'. They are basically wedges covered in a red and white sauce. Tapas hoping from bar to bar, eating one dish at each place is definitely the way to do eat tapas!

In the north of Spain it was more likely to see Pinchos served; very similar to tapas only smaller and eaten with toothpicks. Mel and I certainly ate our fare share of Pinchos in San Sebastian. We found a seafood bar; 'Mejillones', meaning mussels in English and ordered 'Tigres'; mussels covered in a spicy sauce served with bread. It was the best seafood I'd ever eaten. To me the bar opitimised the Spanish way of dining; people yelling over each other trying to order, loud, lively, fast and served with beer.

Now for the people and their way of life. Spain is on another schedule. People get up late, work for a few hours, sleep some more then work until about 8 or 9pm before eating dinner at about 10 or 11pm. It wasn't uncommon for Mel and I to walk down almost deserted streets during the middle of the day while the rest of Spain was having a siesta.

Spain also knows how to party, and of course they do this very late. Mel and I would go out for a meal at midnight, have a few drinks then head to a bar about 2am and before we knew it the sun would be coming up. The pub crawls in Spain don't even start until 1.30am! The Spanish are a very proud people. Wine is the best example of this. In Australia as you know we drink wines from all over the world, but the Spanish refuse to drink anything but Spanish wine. Even though they know its terrible wine, they still serve it everywhere but drink it with lemonade to make it taste better, even at the most fancy restaurants!

Finally Barcelona has some of the worlds best skate spots. I took a day off sight seeing to go skating. I traveled along the yellow metro line and went to 6 of the best spots Id ever skated in about 4 hours. I'm looking forward to skating a lot more of Barcelona with Joe and Ali!

Spanish cities are trying to be trendy or stylish, they are effortlessly cool and have more style than any other place I've ever been to. You walk down any street in Spain and hear chatter, the clinking of glasses, see bars pouring out on to the street with people and the smell of coffee brewing. Its a very lively country.

With trips to Barcelona, Madrid, San Sebastian and San Vincente Spain has been my highlight so far!

Local football, Madrid

Mel's Truffle 

San Miguel Markets 

Bull Fight, Barcelona

Barcelona

San Vicente 

Cafe boredom

San Vicente