Amsterdam by the Seat of our Pants

I always said that I like to go out with a bang, and now I'm sure that if there is a place to do it, it has to be Amsterdam. The three days and nights we spent there rank in the 99th percentile of the craziest times I have ever had. Being able to spend them with my brother and 5 of my best friends from Lage made the experience even sweeter.

The crew from left to right: Sören, Jonathan, Nico, Jan, André, and Niklas.

This picture shows Jonathan in the Buli (as it is called in German) moments before departure. Sören's 1981 VW Bus served as our mobile home in Amsterdam. Our first place of residence was this wonderful parking lot that extended into the bay. After some difficulty scrounging up nearly 20 euros in change to pay for our parking pass we set up shop right there in the parking lot that was to be our home for the next 39 hours. At 5 euro a night per person the price was certainly right! The first time I was in Amsterdam I stayed at an apartment located directly in the redlight district. It was a totally different experience than squatting around the outskirts of the city, and almost as crazy. The main difference was where we spent most of our time. Instead of being in the city center for the entire time we made runs into the city to see the sights and do some shopping, while spending a the majority of the time hanging out in the outskirts of the city. While this may sound less desirable to some, it was its own special experience - there is so much more to Amsterdam than just the touristy areas. All of the pictures displayed below were taken from our little slice of heaven on the asphalt where we parked the Buli.

The only negative thing I can say about Amsterdam is that the weather did not cooperate... You can tell from André's expression how excited he was to be caught in a downpour on the way into the city the day we got there.

As I was saying earlier there is a lot more to the city then just what you see in the city center. These pictures were taken on the far side of the train station.

We spent our second evening in Amsterdam in the city cruising the strip. Amsterdam has an atmosphere like no other city I have ever been to. It is almost impossible to describe and not everyone agrees on exactly what it is that makes this place so special. It is something I think everyone just has to experience for themselves.

Contrary to the prevailing Americans viewpoint on ladies of the night, most of the prostitutes in the red light district are actually beautiful women. There is no where else in the world that I know of that can match Amsterdam for shock value when it comes to open legalized prostitution. At about 2:30 in the morning when we finally got back to the Buli, we experienced a shock of our own. The police were waiting there to tell us that we had to go to a campsite, as you are not allowed to sleep in your automobile within the city limits of Amsterdam. Well, caught between a rock and a hard place we had no choice but to leave in the middle of the night and drive further outside of the city in search of a better place to park. After about 20 minutes of driving, I saw a run down looking road to nowhere veering off to the right that looked suitible enough to deploy the penthouse (our affectionate term for the retractable roof tent) without attracting too much attention. At this point we were left with few alternatives. We woke up in the morning to what we be the first of the days many surprises. As it turned out, the "abandoned road" from the night before actually led to an expansive gypsy squatting ground/trailer park. I woke up to see a full range of dubious looking people milling around as I brushed my teeth on the side of the road. Gutted trailers, and a burned out totaled car lined the road we were parked on. As we were packing up, some fellow Germans driving another VW bus stopped to tell us that if we planned to sleep here again we should pull further into the trailer park so as to not attract so much attention. Apparently there were a bunch of "unsavory characters" living here who we "didn't care to meet". I couldn't resist the chance to explore what I have to admit was probably the weirdest place I have ever woken up in my entire life. I took a chance and managed to snap some pictures to document the experience without attracting much in the way of unwanted attention.

God I love that bus. Shown here with the retractable penthouse where Jonathan and I slept for two nights.

On the way back into town we were met with yet another surprise. The bus was running strangely, and by strangely I mean that it would stall out every time Sören tried to shift into 4th gear. Stress levels were running high after two days and nights of bumming around Amsterdam with unforseen consequences, especially once Sören declared that he and Jan could not afford to stay in Amsterdam any longer considering the shape of his vehicle. Jonathan and I were scheduled to fly out the next day, and it seemed that we would be left high and dry with no place to stay, and nowhere to put our stuff in meantime. Our party was effectively split between two competing dilemmas. We needed to ensure that we could catch our flight and find a place to sleep and they had figure out how to get back to Germany with nothing but a failing 27 year old Volkswagon Bus to help them do it. I for one couldn't fathom why Sören was so keen to leave when the Buli was obviously not road worthy, but I can also understand how he felt that it was his only option. After what seemed like an eternity we manged to make it back to our starting point, the parking lot where we had spent the previous night. I managed to talk Sören into staying there long enough to formulate a plan but I could not dissuade him from trying to leave Amsterdam. In the end it was decided that Jonathan and I would try to lock our things up at the train station and then spend the night in the airport terminal. With our future set I was finally able to relax to some degree despite the terrible pit than began to form in my stomach once I was confronted with the fact that I had less than 20 more minutes to spend with some of best friends in the world after going through so much together. Moments away from the station, Sören changed his mind and decided correctly that there was no way they could leave Amsterdam as the Buli strained onwards through the city. It was tempting to just carry out our side of the plan but Jonathan and I couldn't justify leaving our friends in the lurch. We spent the better part of three hours at our wits end trying to find some way to avoid the inevitable - that they would have to stay in Amsterdam another night. We helped them find a place to stay, and locked our things up in the station while the Buli lay prostrate on the side of the road halfway between downtown and their budget hotel. I can't deny feeling some degree of Schadenfreude at their situation because it allowed me to spend just a few more precious hours with these people I care so much about but in the end we still had to say our goodbyes. We had a last supper together and then parted ways at the Buli. I have no idea when I will see them again but there can be no disputing that we did in fact go out with a bang.

From left to right: Jan, me, and Sören

In the end, words and pictures cannot truly describe what we experienced in Amsterdam. This blog entry only scratches the surface of what our trip was really like. So much of what happened there will have to stay locked up in our memories and in our hearts. So many stories will have to remain untold, but one thing I can say for certain is that it was one of the best times of my life and I wouldn't have had it any other way. Thanks to everyone who made it possible, and for the record, they did manage to fix the Buli. It is currently safely at home in Lage, Germany.

Germany: My Second Home

It was truly an amazing feeling to be back in Germany for the first time since I left after my senior year abroad. All of my frustrations seemed to melt away as I crossed the border at Görlitz. For the first time in my life I was almost excited to get my passport checked just for the simple fact that I could use my German again. After a grueling 20 or so days on the road through eastern Europe, I knew it would be a welcome change to stay with family and friends for two weeks. I could finally get some much needed rest and forget about locking all of my things up, and starting from scratch every couple of days. I had booked a bed at Wombat's Hostel, one of Munich's top rated party hostels but I ended up just taking it easy. I was exhausted from a full day of travel and I honestly just needed a break from the craziness. As it turned out, I ended up with a free day in Munich. This was my third time in the city and I had seen most of the sights, so there was no real pressure to hoof it all over the city. I headed down to the Marienplatz where I ended up randomly joining onto "Lenny's Free Bike Tours." Believe it or not, it really was free (he accepts tips) even though it was certainly worth money. He was a certainly a funny and entertaining tour guide, but my favorite part of the trip was the 1 hour stop at a beer garden in the middle of the English Garden which is actually larger than New York's Central Park. Also worthy of note is the nudist section of the English Garden where our tour group met a famous local nicknamed "Tripod." If you still don't get the picture, lets just say his family must own stables!

Having been in Munich several times before I was surprised to find out that I had overlooked the standing wave in the middle of the park that locals have been surfing since 1972. There was a line of surfers who would patiently wait their turn to hop on and shred as long as they could before being carried rapidly downstream.

After a surprisingly decent nights sleep in the Munich airport I met my brother who had just arrived from Atlanta. I hadn't seen anyone in family since I left for Oxford and I couldn't have been more excited for this chance to show him how Germany really gets down. On the train to Appenweier on the border of Germany and France, I decided to score us a few beers to celebrate his arrival - we will conveniently overlook the fact that it was only 10:00 in the morning.

Our main reason for traversing Germany all the way to Appenweier was to visit the Salenbachers, removed family on my mothers side. I say removed because it is technically true but when we are together, I feel just at home as I do in my own house. Although Günther had to work, Petra and their son Felix took us on a day trip to Gengenbach, Günthers home town.

The Church of Saint Mary in Gengenbach was rebuilt in the 17th century and decorated in a romanesque style that was fashionable in that time period. During my travels I must have visited over 100 churches so I wasn't overly excited to visit this one but it turned out to be worthwhile. The frescos that cover the walls are truly amazing.

Appenweier lies in the Schwarzwald (Black Forest) a region famous for its wine, ham, and other culinary delicacies but what most people don't realize is that these mountains that Germany is so famous for also extend across the French border albiet under another name, the Vosges. Günther suggested a day of hiking in the French countryside and Jonathan and I were loath to pass up this chance to venture back into France. It was a wonderfully beautiful day and the hike was just as nice. The real price of my free day in Munich and Lenny's Free Bike Tour was one less day hanging out with the Salenbachers. They are truly some of the most generous and wonderful people I know in the world. I would have loved to spend more time with them and if I could do everything again, I may have reduced the time I spent in adventuring around eastern Europe to spend more time with my German relatives and my friends from my year in Lage.

Before heading up north to Lage, (where I lived for a year) we made a stop in Mosbach, where the Marmans live. Mosbach is famous for its Fachwerkhäuser (half-timbered houses) and its small town charm. Even though we only had 2 nights to spend in Mosbach we really relished the time we did have enjoying Christel and Dieters hospitality. From there it was finally time to head back to Lage! I had been looking forward to seeing my host family and friends again since the day I left in 2007, but weirdly enough, I hardly began to anticipate being back in my old home town until I was almost there. I remember waking up the day we were set to leave and thinking, "wow, it's so strange to think that I will actually be back in Lage in about 8 hours." It was such a trip to start seeing places I recognized as I passed through Warburg and Altenbecken on the way there. I guess it was just one of those things that is hard to really wrap your head around until it slaps you in the face, and that is exactly what happened when I arrived. 6 of my best friends (Sören, Jan, Nico, Niklas, Christian, and Thore) were waiting at the train station with a case of beer. They tried to scoop me off to party immediately but my host sister Regina and her boyfriend Anton were also there, and the first order of business was seeing the family that had done so much for me . Almost instantly I felt at home and that would be a feeling that wouldn't leave until I had to leave. Everything was just like old times from partying in Jan's cellar to skinny dipping in the local Freibad (outdoor swimming pool) and grilling out at 4:00 a.m. on the roof of my old school. I got to see almost everyone I really cared about and it was with a truly heavy heart that I left 7 days after my arrival - even if it was for Amsterdam!

I hate to admit it but this picture of Jonathan and Laura was the only picture I took during my stint in Lage worth posting. I was so busy having the time of my life that all of a sudden I didn't want to capture every moment but to live them instead. I guess it is fitting that the best times I had during the entire trip would also turn out to be the worst worst blog entry. In light of that, here a few photos from back when I lived there to make up for it.

Posting up in Poland

The train ride from Prague to Krakow was about 8 hours and I will just be up front and say that long distance travel is much more fun with company. I was sad to have separated from my friends but at the same time I was extremely excited to be on my own again. It is a neat feeling to know that you are no longer accountable to anyone. Taking that small step out of your comfort zone rewards you with ultimate freedom. I spent a good portion of the trip talking to a nice Polish guy named Max who wrote down a long list of useful Polish phrases for me to learn. In the end I only managed to learn one. I want to buy (point). After arrival I headed to the hostel I had booked, the Flamingo Hostel which was voted the worlds number one hostel of 2007. It lived up to the hype, and I instantly felt at home. Krakow turned out to be everything that Bratislava wasn't. After a wild night out I was woken up at 8:30 a.m. The next thing I knew I was sprinting across the town square with three Canadian girls I met the night before. We were headed for a little town in the Polish countryside called Oświęcim but you may know it by Auschwitz.

This picture shows the entrance to Auschwitz-Birkenau II and part of the railway platform where countless Jews were sentenced to death by the S.S. During the tour I took, I learned that these train tracks were some of the only ones constructed by the Nazis solely for the final solution. Oddly enough, I found Auschwitz to be much less depressing than Dachau despite the fact that Auschwitz was the the centerpiece of Hitler's final solution. It was such a hot and beautiful day that it was hard to truly connect with the suffering of those who lived through the horror.

Hundreds and hundreds of Auschwitz prisoners were executed standing against this wall.

I was sort of shocked to see a big group of Israeli soldiers in uniform touring Auschwitz. I can see how it is important to see things like that first hand but that is a pretty intense history lesson if you ask me.

Before Auschwitz was liberated by the Red Army in January of 1945 the Nazis destroyed the remaining gas chambers and crematoriums in an effort to hide their crimes from the allies. I could not help but feel a morbid fascination as I stood next to the ruins of gas chambers where more than one million people were murdered. I can't imagine what it would have been like to experience Auschwitz from the inside.

The pictures displayed above were taken in the Rynek Główny (Main Market Square), one of Krakow's main attraction. At 200 m by 200 m it ranks as Europe's largest medieval square.

Another one of Krakow's main attractions is Wawel Castle, which stands on Wawel hill. According to recent excavations, Wawel Hill was been inhabited as early as 50,000 years ago during the Paleolithic Age. Following my visit to Wavel Castel I ventured out into Kazimierz, Krakow's historic Jewish quarter.

I ended up leaving Krakow what seemed to be one day too soon. Wianki, the annual Polish festival celebrating the summer solstice was going to take place the day I was set to leave for Warsaw. I hated to miss out on something so big and unique but as it turned out, Warsaw also observes this holiday in a big way. Polish bands, T.Love and Kayah in addition to the British band Level 42 headlined the event which was followed by an amazing fireworks show over the Wistula River. For a You Tube video of the fireworks, check out this url:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vOuQLJ9yu78&watch_response

Otherwise, Warsaw was simply a beautiful place to spend time in. It was far cheaper than Krakow and it seemed, at least to me, to be more authentic if less trendy than its southern neighbor.

After 2 nights in Warsaw I headed back west across Poland to a smaller and less well known city called Wrocław. I had heard it was nice and one of the cool things about traveling like this is that you can just decide to go somewhere and then show up. Most of the time you are rewarded handsomely for taking a chance but the huge drawback of traveling by the seat of your pants is that it can be extremely frustrating when things don't go your way. Part of the reason I decided to stop in Wrocław in the first place was because it was halfway between Warsaw and Munich, and I just needed a way to break up the trip before turning up in Germany to meet my little brother. The first thing I wished I would have realized was that distance on a map does not directly correlate to travel time. As it turned out there are only a few border crossings from Poland to Germany and the shortest connection to Munich was more than 10 hours requiring 5 different trains. If I had just taken the train strait from Warsaw to Berlin instead of to Wrocław I could have cut 4 hours off my trip. The second and more fatal error was the result of a misunderstanding. I told my Mom that Jonathan should arrive in Germany on the 25th of June, and naturally one would think to book a flight leaving on the 25th but what was lost in translation was that flights to Germany are overnight, and a flight leaving on the 25th would actually arrive in Germany at 7:45 in the morning a day later. Now I knew he would be arriving early in the morning already so I had planned to arrive at the Munich airport around 2:00 a.m. and then just sleep there. That way I could enjoy a half day in Wrocław and save money on lodging. Well imagine my surprise when I realized at about 12:30 in the morning on the 24th that my brother wouldn't actually arrive until the 26th meaning I would need to find a place to stay for one night in Munich. I managed to book a hostel but you can't check into a hostel at 2:00 in the morning which meant that I had to catch a train literally less than 6 hours later to arrive in Munich early enough to get a room. I was so frustrated and angry that I just wanted to scream. Even though I left Poland on a bad note, it was quite the experience. I had some amazing times there and learned some valuable lessons, even if I did have to learn them the hard way...