Brighton

brighton is called the London by the Sea.  It is very fitting because it very similar to London, but more in a Jersey pier kind of way, but way less people, even though it is crowded. The down side of this city is that it very hilly, so if you walk down, you have to walk up!  We did a lot of walking and exploring yesterday.  It was our last day so we wanted to enjoy it.  We went to the Royal Palace.  I love looking at the architecture of the buildings.  

  

 We hadn't planned anything in Brighton so we were just winging it.  We did a hop on hop off bus tour.  These aere great because you get to see different parts of cities and decide if it is an area to explore or not.  We went and walked around the marina area and ate lunch.  Later we went to the pier area again and rode up on the British Airways i360.  Such a cool way to get a Birdseye view of the city.  

 

   

(Backup) Brussels

We are only in Brussels over night but wish we had planned more time here.  We got in to town about noon on the train.  Got to the apartment and dropped our bags off and thewent walking around exploring.  This is the first city we're there aren't a lot bike riders,  in all the other city bike riding is much more common than car for transportation. Here we only seen a couple people riding bike.  It might be because of the cobblestone streets, they are hard to walk on, I can't imagine riding a bike over them.  

The smell of chocolate is everywhere in this town.  Chocolate shops on every block.  Enjoyed getting to sample the different Belgium chocolates and of course buying some.  I ended up buying a large suitcase today to put my backpack inside of then it leaves me room to put all my extra goodies in it also.  

  

The statue of Everard t' Services, it is customary to rub the hand of the statue which is said to bring you good luck!

 

Man keen-Apis a legendaryBrussels figure.  The man peeing! 

Madison du Roi (house of the king)

 

 

Brussels was an unexpected place that we really enjoyed.  The architecture of the buildings here is amazing.  

I am realizing as our trip is ending, I really want to come back on an extended vacation and ride the train, but spend more time in different cities and not in just the major cities.  In talking to others as we have traveled, I realize that I need to broaden my horizons.  I have never thought about traveling to Budapest or to Austria, but I continually have heard of how those areas are everyone's favorites.  I think I will need to be planning my next adventure sooner than later.  

Amsterdam

I was really enjoying Amsterdam today, yesterday I was feeling like it was dirty and just not really feeling it, but today I awoke with a different perspective.  We got up early and hoped on a bus tour around the city to figure out where we wanted to go and what to see.  We went through the holicoust museaum and Jewish memorial.  It was really interesting but very depressing reading the stories of the children and families.  After that we went to see nd old windmill that was used to purify water.  

We went to Van Gogh Museum and stopped to take our pictures by the I am Amsterdam letters.  

   

On the way be back to hop on the bus we had to stop and play in the sprinkler.  This is a cool sprinkler outside the Rijksmuseum.  It shuts off when you walk towards it then once you standing inside of it, then it goes back up.  Kind of fun to stand inside a sprinkler.  

 

Last night we went to the Red Light District. I came to the conclusion that some things re just better not shared with others.  I understand that there is a different, more open attitude here about sex and everything, but walking around seeing those women standing in those windows, but watching men and even women talking about them like objects just made me feel icky.  Even watching families walk through there left me feeling really uneasy.  

To understand how open they are here about things, in The US we fight about transgenders going in the same bathroom.  Here the cleaning guy comes in the bathroom and is cleaning stalls and everything while women are going to the bathroom.  It is like it is nothing and no one seems to even notice they are going to the bathroom while there is guy in the next stall.  

Tomorrow morning we get up and head to Brussels for 1 night before heading back to U.K.  Hard to believe we are on the. Tail pend of our trip and that we fly home this weekend.  

Berlin

Today we got out and explored Berlin.  We hoped on the bus early and rode around to different things we really wanted to see.  We went to check point Charlie, the Berlin Wall, the sea aquarium (nothing like ours.  This was so not impressive. 

 

 We went all over the city looking at the different museums and buildings. The Stories at the Berlin Wall where amazing and heart breaking at the same time.  The Jewish holicoust memorial didn't do anything for me.  It was just a bunch of different size cement squares in rows.  I guess I was expecting something more touching with stories and pictures.  I didn't see plaques or anything, just didn't make sense to me.   This afternoon, we hoped on a boat ride in the canals and just chilled.  

 

The day was crazy as the city was swamped with people in town for the German Cup soccer "futball" match.  They sure know how to do the pregame tailgating parties.  The city set up public viewing areas around the city for people to watch the game on large screens.  There were so many people, parting all day.  It was beyond crazy, I can't imagine what it would be like if their teams were playing in the World Cup.  

 

    

 

I posted these pictures because I thought it was interesting that their water lines are run above ground in parts of the city.  These blue and pink pipes are their water they run up and over the streets are painted to fit in with the decor throughout the city.  

This trip has also made me realize how lucky we are in so many ways and take it for granted.  The cost of a postage stamp here is .90 Euros.  That would be close to a buck in dollars. 

 

Munich to Berlin

No picture really today.  It was a travel day for the most part.  We got up early and got on our train to travel to Berlin.  We had to change trains 1 time in between.  I really enjoy the train rides and just looking at the countryside.  We arrived in Berlin mid afternoon, got on the underground, and then met the owner of the apartment we are renting for the next couple days to get the keys and let into the comple.  Very nice apartment, Megan learned about heated tile floors in the bathroom!  

We walked around to familiarize ourselves with the area and to make a game plan of what we are going to do tomorrow.  When we first to get to new communities, we both find it a little overwhelming till we get on the subways and then get settled into our apartment.  It seems like once we are settled and walk around a little, we both feel familiar and able to figure out where we are going.  

Today, I got some roasted nuts.  Yummy!  So good, one was just regular and the other was strawberry covered.  This afternoon I went to a little bistro near us and got some Kuchen,  so yummy!  I am enjoying trying different things.  Tomorrow we are taking in lots of the sites.   So ready for bed, expect lots of pictures tomorrow.  

Munich Germany

It was a long day but a great day.  We boarded a train this morning for a two hour train ride, then rode a bus to get near the Neuschwanstein castle.  We walked up to it and did the tour through it.  The walk up was steep, like doing the switchbacks into Makoshika 3 times.  It was so beautiful once we got to the castle.  The views over the valleys below were amazing. The views inside the castle were beautiful.  After we finished at the castle we did the bus and then onto the train to get back to Munich.  

    

After we got back tonight we walked to the center square again and went to the Hofbrahaus.  It was so loud and everyone was having fun drinking their beers.  Not just glasses of beer, but big mugs of beer.  We ended up leaving to go find a quieter place to enjoy a meal.  Here they drink early, then eat their meals late in the evening.  

Tomorrow morning we are getting up early to catch our train to Berlin.  Have been enjoying the food here in Germany.  I was even excited to find a McDonald's this morning.  We both crave American food, even though the food has been delicious it tastes so different.  I am about cheesed out, cheese comes with everything and lots of it. French fries are a staple with everything also, breakfast lunch or dinner.  I was excited tonight because We found a place that had baked potatoes.  

Lauterbrunnen

Today was our full day in Lauterbrunnen as we leave in the morning.  I am actually going to be sad to leave this town.  It was absolutely beautiful.   We spent the day up at Schilthorn, which was where On Her Majesty's Secret Service a James Bond movie was filmed.  We ate lunch in the piz Gloria 360 degree restaurant and enjoyed the views.  We took the tram up from Lauterbrunnen, and then when we got to ride on a train, Megan and I both sat in the front with the engineer nd enjoyed the views.  We walked through Mureen, and the continued to the top by trams.  On the way down we went a different route by tram and then did the walk back from Stechelberg to Launterbrunnen.  I even walked on the thrill walk  on the way down.  At times I did grub the wall in fear, but I made it.  I had to focus and not look down much of the way.  I had a wonderful couple from Australia cheering me on the whole way.  The trill walk is a 200 meter walkway, with glass bottom that hangs off the side of the cliff below the Birg cableway station.  It was kind of nerve racking for me since I am terrified of heights.  We even talked on the red phone from the James Bond movies. 

   

We stopped off on the walk and took in Trummelbachfaile.  The falls at Trumbelbach where so amazing.  There are a total of 10 waterfalls inside the cave of the Alps.  The water comes through with such force.  The sound of the running water is just amazing.  

 

We stayed at the hotel Oberland, and our room has French doors that open out onto a balcony.  We left the doors open last night and laying in bed falling asleep to the sounds from the waterfalls and water running in the creek was amazing. I so hope I get to return to this community in my future.  I have really enjoyed Switzerland.  The food here has been absolutely amazing to say the least and the locals go out of their way to help.  Everyone speaks English in the stores and is so helpful.  The one lady said that this town is a big ski resort in the winter months.  

Tomorrow we get to take the train back to Interlocking, then on to Bern, before ending in Munich where we will be for a couple days. 

   

    

Paris/Lauterbrunnen

This morning we woke up early to he'd to the train station.  The train ride out of Paris was so beautiful.  I really enjoyed getting to see so much of France and Switzerland.  We had 4different trains to get us to Lauterbrunnen. Paris to Lausanne, Lausanne to Bern, Bern to Interlocking, Interlocking to Lauterbrunnen.  On the ride to Interlocking, there was a little old man that wanted to communicate with us so bad, but he spoke Dutch and I don't.  All he could say that I could understand was "English?"  So we just kept waving and smiling at each other the whole train ride.  He was just so cute, want to engage with us. We both felt bad because we couldn't talk to him.  

 

     

Lauterbrunnen!  Aww I found my home.  I absolutely love this place and I haven't even been to the big waterfalls yet.  This little town is just breathtaking.  Heaven on earth.  I will be back here again some day. The green fields, snow capped mountains.  All the cows have bells on them and the sound of the bells just echos down the canyon.  There are waterfalls all over as you walk through the town, and town might be an overstatement, because Wibaux is big compared to this place.  I posted pictures of the cemetery.  It is known as being one of the prettiest cemeteries in the world.  Each grave site is spectacularly manicured.  Tomorrow we are going to ride the gondol up to the summit, it will feel like being in the James Bond movie.  Be prepared for lots more pictures tomorrow!