Curveball

So, stuff happens in things change.
Due to a crappy website no person should ever use (www.raileurope.com) Peter and I had to change where we travelled. We decided a little trip to Berlin and Prague were in order. So thats where it is now. Barcelona, unfortnuately, will need to wait for later. But on the plus side we save a lot of travel time going this route.

Amsterdam Part 2

Last night, as you read in my earlier post, we toured the Red Light district and saw all that that has to offer. What we did today was explored the other side of Amsterdam. We went out to the Rijksmusuem, the Van Gogh Museum and we tried to find the Heineken Experience, but as always Peter and I got lost. We eventually found it, but unfortunately it was closed, so that was kinda lame but no big deal.

The Rijksmuseum was cool as it had a lot of Rembrandt''s paintings. Those were cool because I guess he specialized in portraits and such. Van Gogh was cool because he was less restrictive in his painting etc. If you want to know about the paintings just check out the internet.

The thing we found most cool was just walking around the city. It is all very cool. People ride around on bikes all over the place and the canals kind of trace the roads, they follow each other. So while we were lost we probably had our most fun just walking around and taking in the awesome scenery. Another thing is everyone rides the bikes from old women to kids. Its pretty cool but you have to make sure you don't walk in the bike lines. Those people are very serious about those and you may get hit.

Needless to say Peter and I love Amsterdam more for the area outside of the Red Light district. Well we got one more day here then off to Barce.

Amsterdam Oh My

Hey so its been a while since my last update and a few things have happened.

Dublin was a cool city and we hit up Christchurch which was apparently built in the 900's and that was cool. After that we went to the Guiness factory tour and I got a sweet rugby shirt. The thing Peter and I quickly found out about Ireland is that it is usually cold and usually rainy so needless to say that rugby shirt I got was a true Godsend. Another thing about Ireland which was cool was that people really do just start singining in the pubs and in the alleways after they've had themselves a right pint after work. Ireland was very cool.

Then we made our way to Amsterdam where once again we forgot to get the directions to our hostel before we left for airport. So we arrive in Schipol and we are wondering what they hell are we going to do now? We can't really just go to some random train spot and hope that someone will help us. After a tense half hour I find us an internet cafe and things are all good again, after a few gaskets had been blown between me and Peter in frustration.

So we finally get to Amsterdam and oh my is it different. Our hostel is like 2 blocks from the red light district. In the district it is true the hookers are litterally at the window trying to look as attractive as possible and no lies some of them are quite pretty. Also the notorious coffee shops are as advertised. You just walk in and chill out.... or so I hear....

The city itself is built in a giant U shape so getting around isn't so bad. Its all interlaced by canals and is very pretty and a nice change of pace. Today we are going to a few museums to see some Monet and some other cool paintings and having a nice relaxing day. Thats the thing we learn as we travel more and more. Traveling needs to be more for yourself than cramming in every site in a hectic itinerary where your experience is lessened by the stress placed on yourself.

Well thats all for now.

Dublin

Last night was our final stay in London and we went out in style. We went up to Camden with a friend of ours and hit up a bar. Apparently Camden is very punkish so a lot of the people were dressed in leather vests, chains, and giant mowhawks. It was definatly a sight to be seen as the people were defiantly not something I've ever really seen. Last night turned out to be our most fun night in the UK, I'm glad we could go out on a good note like that.

Now we are in Dublin and we flew out this morning and landed. The reputation for Irish weather has held as its very rainy here and there are not great expectations for that to change. But our hostel is up the hill from the Temple Bar district so Peter and I are in a great location. We have big plans to go out to a bar tonight and grab a Guiness and hang out with other cool people. Tomorrow we are going to the Guiness Factory and the Jameson Factory. Needless to say Peter better watch out while he there because we all know he loves his whiskey.

Now its time to go hang out and grab a pint and enjoy Dublin. The atmosphere here is very more relaxed than London, Peter and I are enjoying this change of pace. Dubliners seem to be in less of a rush than Londoners. The difference between the two cities is pretty huge and both are awesome.

1,2,3,4,5 The Rocky Road to Dublin

So London is great and this is our last day here. During our time here we've figured a few things out about the English.
1. Mayo is on everything, regardless. At McDonalds we counted 3 seperate items that didn't have it.
2. London men dress very well, its true, European men are very metro
3. The weather is very blustery and kinda cold all the time

So we've seen quite a few sites including Trafalgar and Buckingham Palace and its been very cool. We're glad we started our trip here because at first all of it was a little overwhelming. But now we are in the swing of things and are having a great time. So we will be in Dublin tomorrow and Amsterdam in a few days where no doubt things will get very interesting.

Buckingham Palace doesn't exist! or at least we can't find it.

Peter and I visited St. Paul's Cathedral. Apparently its the 2nd biggest domed cathedral only behind St. Peter's in Rome. That was fun and educational. After we were done seeing that Peter decided he wanted to go see Buckingham Palace, so you know, why not?

Well Peter and I are bad judges of distance, because we could see the London Eye and some parts of Parilment where we were and we decided we could walk there. So we walked a good long hearty walk, and we get there and see Big Ben and the other features in Westminster.

But there is no Buckingham Palace. So we need to find it. We figure its somewhere along the Thames so we keep walking, and walking, and walking until we get to a poimt where if its further than this we don't care anymore. That is to say we were a far ways out there, I think we were on the eastern edge of Chelsea. So semi-defeated we begin the long journey back and hope to find a subway, because even though they are expensive we were still a ways out. We hop on the tube and head back.

On the way back we stop in a little bodega and get some gatorade and other crap and Peter is getting ready to pay for it. He has his credit card there so when he reaches for it and takes it out some man accuses him of shoplifting and begins patting him down and pointing at him! It was really funny and I guess the man was the store owners elderly father. We have a laugh and pat Peter's belly to explain he has a money belt. Things were ok after that.

One little caveat. Peter and I didn't have a map of the area. Peter figured he knew where it was, well he didn't.
One other thing, dam near everything in England has mayo on it, gross.

In two days, we've learned the same lesson twice. Always bring a map!

London Bridge is Falling Down

Well sports fans its that time of the year were after a long flight and a few trains we get to London Bridge. Once we get there things get interesting. It seems I (Chris) booked the hostel and forget to get proper directions. Me and Peter after a long red-eye flight end up wandering around London looking for a hostel wearing our packs that easily way around 40lbs each. And we're dehydrated. And hungry.

Eventually we come to our wits and ask a nice receptionist at a random hotel for directions and she kindly gives them to us along with a map. I plan on marrying that women who gave the directions to us. She totally did not have to do that and she made my day by being so nice.

So now after all the flying and all the wandering around and being lost and stuff we are at St. Christophers Village hanging out exhausted and happy to have found this place.

Oh and as for London its pretty cool.

So Day One continues.....