Prague, Czech Republic

I flew from Brussels to Prague because it was fairly cheap. I had no checked baggage and also because the train ride was going to be 12+ hours and an easily accessible night train was not available. I'm glad I flew.

...I'm also glad I didn't cross Prague off my list!

It was quite a sight flying into Prague at 10:30pm. As the airplane came down you could see outlines of all the main streets. It was lit up beautifully. It put London Heathrow and Chicago OHare to shame.

On the way in, my taxi driver asked if I was a tourist and I hesitantly said yes. I mean, it's pretty obvious when I have a backpack on. It's something that you can't hide and I sure can't speak any Czech to cover it up. He was very nice and told me that he would point out spots in town as we headed to my destination. It was dark out so I got to see the city in lights. We drove past the mini Eiffel Tower and after seeing the real one I can tell you that it is definitely a joke. I saw the Charles Bridge all lit up at night and I can say this is one thing that I wish I had a picture of. It was beautiful. We drove past a long line to get into a bar and he said that the area was popular with younger people who go to Charles University and "you go, you nice, you fit in, pretty girls in Prague." Haha. He was not lying though, there certainly were lots and lots of pretty girls in Prague!

I noticed that the Czech language sounded very harsh. Almost like they were mad at you! Before I go any further, you have to be careful in Prague if you decide to take a taxi. I did all my research beforehand and found reputable taxi companies (AAA Radiotaxi) because I knew I was going to come in late and I did not feel like learning yet another public transit system when it was dark out and partially shut down. I never had a problem. From the research I did, any taxi you order inside the airport will be a reputable company and you won't be scammed. Being ripped off by taxi drivers in Prague is well documented on the internet. I'd recommend taking the public transportation as it is cheaper and actually very easy to use. (except late at night...read on) There is a subway and also a tram system that you can use. You can buy many different types of passes and use both with the same pass.

It took about 25 minutes to get to my hostel. The cab ride was pretty cheap at about 20USD. Also, make sure you are carrying some Czech Korunas as well as Euros. Even though Prague is part of the EU, Euros are not excepted everywhere. Be glad of it too, it makes for a better exchange rate! In Prague I got the best bang for my USD. Everything was cheaper compared to other parts of Europe.

I checked into my hostel. The Czech Inn. I'd highly recommend this place. It is a bit off the main area, but it was hands down the nicest place I stayed on my entire trip. It actually felt like a hotel and people were so nice there. The wifi was great so I decided to grab a Czech Pilsner at the bar and fire up the Skype app on my iPhone to make a few phone calls back home. It was the first time I tried to use it internationally and it worked pretty well. Definitely worth the 12 dollars.


I woke up the next morning and my friend Megan and I hunted down the Prague Castle. It was guarded by soldiers and it was huge! We got poured on before we could make it there and I thought the weather looked nice in the morning so I didn't take my umbrella. Luckily it only rained for about an hour. After the weather cleared up, we walked into Old Town Square later that afternoon. This was the most architecturally beautiful thing I saw on my trip. The streets in Prague never really feel like they intersect. The roads seem to always just have a rounded edge and they always seem like they fork and it is easy to get lost. It is a good lost though, there is plenty to see. I remember turning on the road the led into the square. It felt awesome! It is nothing like you have seen anywhere else. Words and pictures don't do it justice. Just go see it!!


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We got lunch at a restaurant on the square and then we had to find a store. She needed a jacket and I needed a belt. We wandered around for a bit and then found a Tesco. I forgot my belt at home and with all of the walking I had been doing I ended up needing one by the time I got to Prague. I'm telling you, finding a belt in Prague was a pain in the ass! I went into all kinds of stores and even the one I bought was not your typical American plain belt. I had a choice of looking like I was blinged out or one with a bigger than usual belt buckle. I went with the bigger than usual belt buckle. Lesson learned. Don't forget your belt.

Later that night I decided to go on a Pub Crawl. What an adventure that was! Everyone who wanted to go was told to meet under the astronomical clock (see my pictures) in Old Town Square. I ventured up that way and met some Aussies, Canadians and a couple Irish guys. The first place we went to felt kind of touristy. I met all kinds of nationalities but it never felt like it was "true" Prague. We all stuck together for the night. The Irish guys dominated the alcohol as myself and the Aussies sat back and watched them down shot after shot after shot. For every 3 they did, we took 1 shot. If it were the alcohol Olympics, Ireland would take home gold. It's true what you see in the movies. Those cats can drink! We sat at the bar for an hour and politely poked fun at each others countries. It was a great time! They rounded us up and we went to another bar where I did my first shot of Absinthe. Why was this stuff illegal in the United States? (It's legal now) Who wrote that law back in 1912? Oh that's right, probably somebody who never tried it but decided it was bad for you. At this point we were all having a good time. We met Adalie and Marianne (hopefully those are spelled right.) from Sweden and we all learned a bit about Sweden.

We then went to this club. It was definitely more a club than it was a pub. I walked in and they were playing one of my favorite DJ Tiesto songs. They played it all. Bonobo, Sasha, Oakenfold and even some Timo Maas. I felt like I was at a bar and I finally fit in. I'm a huge fan of electronic music and Prague did not disappoint. In order to enjoy a club like this in the states you have to be in a big city. Nothing like this place would even survive in Indianapolis because people live and breathe the crappy Billboard Hot 100 here. Needless to say, I took advantage and lived it up.

A few more beers later and we all had to say goodbye. This is where it got interesting for me. I wouldn't say I was drunk, but I'd have to say the level of being impaired should be increased by default being that I'm in Prague. I speak English, they speak Czech. I never made a mistake on a transit system up until this point. I got on the Metro 22 back to Francouzská 240/76. It's the same line that I used to get there so why not take it back right? It makes logical sense even after a few beers. I was wrong. Prague changes their line numbers at night. I got on the wrong line and went to the opposite side of Prague. Awesome. I was just glad I didn't have my backpack so I could be flagged as a tourist just by looking at me. I wouldn't say I felt unsafe, I just felt awkward. One girl who you could tell was just as lost as I was stopped and asked me how to get somewhere in Czech. I just shrugged my shoulders and said "English." I felt like a jerk because the local people I met were always so helpful. She just kind of looked at me like a dog does when you say its name. A little back and forth curious head tilt. I told myself that I would give myself a set time of 15 minutes to find a metro stop. If I couldn't find anything within 15 minutes, I'd just flag a cab. I google mapped it but couldn't find anything near. Remember, the streets make no sense. I watched for a cab from a company that I knew was legit. At this point I thought I was a genius for researching it earlier. A $20 cab ride later and I was back at the Czech Inn. Honestly, I felt safe. I'd actually feel more unsafe walking the streets of the Indianapolis ghetto at night and I know the roads and the language. This was verified later, more shootings were committed in Indianapolis than Prague that night.


The next afternoon, that's right, I had a hard time getting up at my usual crack of dawn that day in Prague. It's a vacation, damn it! :) I ventured into town again and got some food at an outdoor patio. I had to catch a train to Munich, Germany later in the day so I wanted to at least stick near the train station.

When I left Prague I just kind of listened for certain words in the crowd standing under the train board. The departure board never actually displayed what dock that the train would be arriving on. The ladies in the information booth were pretty unhelpful because they only saw as much information as we did. I ended up following this older German couple. On the train I rode next to Peter who was also 25 and grew up in the Czech Republic. We talked the entire train ride because he wanted to practice his English with me. He was well aware of the two Indianapolis sports teams. I was shocked to find out that he knew who the Pacers were. He only knew Reggie Miller, but he is really the only Pacer you need to know. Shoot, I couldn't even tell you the current starting line up. He was very into the Colts. He was able to name several starters and he said he did not like the Patriots, so he and I got along just fine.

Prague pictures are here.

Brussels, Belgium

Before going to Brussels, I had to activate my Eurail pass. I ended up taking an earlier train out of Amsterdam as well which was a bad idea in hindsight. I got to Brussels in mid afternoon on the 9th. This was the first place that the language barrier kind of worked against me. In Belgium they speak French. I can't even really read it, much less speak it. Once I got to the train station I just started walking towards the hostel I was staying at. I didn't have the address but I knew it was north of the central station. My wandering around eventually got me about two blocks away and then I had to pull out the trusty Google street view. The crazy thing was that I walked totally around Grand Place. I didn't even notice it! I stayed at 2G04. It was a pretty nice hostel. The internet they had was total garbage though. I ended up meeting a few more Canadians and went out for some Belgian beers with one of the girls. It was fun sharing travel stories and definitely interesting comparing our schedules.

The next morning I got up and hunted down some Belgian waffles. Those things are great! They are nothing like the Eggo waffles you buy back home. I have to admit that in general, I have not eaten many healthy things on this trip because later that day I ate some Frites. They are basically just a plate of French Fries. Really, I did not eat anything healthy in Brussels!

I walked over to Grand Place later that afternoon. The architecture was pretty amazing. Brussels has different districts and skyscrapers as well. One of the experiences I got was trying to find a post office to mail postcards back home. Let's just say that they are not labeled clearly. I walked past so many of the drop boxes because they were covered in graffiti. So if you are in Brussels, just look for unlabeled red boxes covered in graffiti if you need to mail something.

One thing I noticed was everything pretty much shuts down at 6pm. Unless you want to go drink at a bar, you are out of luck in Brussels. I'm just glad I met somebody to go out with and have some great conversation with for the one night I was there! Brussels can easily be done in a day. Everything was within walking distance and really, there is not much there. I don't mean to insult the city, it's just that it's not for everyone. I'm glad I went because I have family history that goes back to Brussels. I've been telling people I went to Brussels to send my Great Grandma back in the states a postcard from my visit there.

I must also say that I THOUGHT Paris, France would be the rudest place out of the eight countries I visited. Not by a long shot. Brussels wins that award. (I'm putting together a ratings list I'll post later.)

Brussels pictures are posted here.

Amsterdam, Netherlands

I arrived in Amsterdam via overnight ferry and train from London to Harwich and on the Holland side, Hoek van Holland through Rotterdam. The customs guy was quizzing the crap out of me. Where you goin? Where you been? What are you doing here? Where else you going? He just smiled at me when I kept on rambling off all of my places. "Is this documented" he said. I told him to check my blog. On the way in I noticed a ton of graffiti and shanty houses everywhere. Business buildings and all were just covered in graffiti. The countryside had fields just like the states, but they have creeks of water running through them everywhere. They also have brown sheep everywhere. Nothing like the midwest.

Spent the first part of the day in Amsterdam just walking around. I met a few other travelers on the overnight ferry we took from London. They just happened to be from the US (Chicago, Miami and San Diego) and we decided to just walk around together. We went into one of the many cafes for lunch. I had a goat cheese sandwich and an ale from one of the local breweries. The cafe was cool. The place was full of bean bag chairs and low tables. We scheduled up a bike tour for three hours. One thing we all noticed was the amount of pot smoke in the air. It was totally unavoidable. It was Monday afternoon and every coffeehouse was open and had people in it. I wonder how Amsterdam has a functional economy? Oh yea, weed and prostitutes. Apparently, Amsterdam used to also have legal heroin usage but it was banned. The crazy thing is that the government still gives heroin to about 500 addicts simply because they cannot break the habit (according to the tour guide, I've not verified this.)

On the bike tour, we visited several different parts of the city including the Vondelpark (locals call it fondelpark) where public sex acts are legal and the Amsterdam Zoo, the many breweries Amsterdam has and eventually stopped at a cafe for more beer and some homemade falafel's. The tour lasted about 3 hours. It was booked through orange bike, if you are interested. We got to see an old jail where they used to put prisoners back in the day. When the water levels would rise, it would flood and the weak prisoners would drown.

FACT of the day: New York Central Park is modeled after the Amsterdam Vondelpark.

I met some more backpackers at the hostel from France, UK and Australia. We decided to venture out to the famed Red Light District. Holy crap, that was interesting. I wish that I could have taken more pictures but there is a no picture zone in place. (cmon, did you think this place had NO laws???) We were in the middle of the place and felt very safe actually. I've never seen so many sex shops in one place either. 8 way vibrator you say? This place has it! Pretty much everything on both sides of the street and in each alley was either a bar, strip club, coffeehouse or a red glowing window with a practically naked girl in it pointing at you saying come here baby! To be perfectly honest, most of the girls were not even all that attractive. Probably the most insane thing I saw was at the top of this building with the windows wide open and for all to see this guy was having sex with two girls and they were not trying to be discreet. Everyone was just looking on from below with their jaws dropped.

...and that was when I realized I was definitely not in America anymore.


I woke up on the second day in Amsterdam and walked around the market. I had to hunt down a McDonalds to verify something on the menu. Allen, there was only a "Chicken Royale." ... and what is up with not serving hashbrowns? What kind of crap is that? Burger Kings have been everywhere. No taco bells, but I've seen KFC. I didn't really see that many fast food places in Amsterdam though. The food at the street shops is way better and about as cheap anyway.

I walked back to the Amsterdam Centraal station and stumbled into Nate from Arizona. Another solo traveler. We met two Canadian couples who were all over 68 years old and have been backpacking, yes, I said backpacking for the last 42 days. So we are all on our way to Brussels now. I'm typing this on the train and will upload when I get some wifi. I'm already at 17MB of my 50MB of international data plan. Google Maps with street view rocks!!

My Amsterdam pictures are here.

London, England

London was my first stop on my trip. Looking back now, I think it was a smart move for any person who's native language is English. Heathrow airport was massive but it was easy to navigate. I arrived at terminal 3 and went through UK customs. It was fairly easy. They just asked you the usual questions. Here on business? How long are you staying type of questions.

My overnight flight arrived around noon and my goal was to make it to the Tower Hill tube stop at 2:00pm for the "This is London: The flash-bang-lightning" tour. I found the entrance to the London tube and picked up an Oyster card. I'd highly recommend this card. It is rechargeable and I used it the entire time I was in London and added more funds so I would be ready to go when I had to come back to London from Paris on my last day. I made it with about 15 minutes to spare. Which from what I hear, is good time to Central London.

The tour guide was great! Judy was fantastic and very informative. Our group walked past the Tower of London and then went on a cruise down the River Thames. We got on near London Bridge and got off near Westminster. We visited Big Ben, St. Pauls Cathedral, St. James Park, Buckingham and St. James Palaces, Whitehall and Trafalgar Square. Needless to say, you can't just come to London and see it all on that tour though. I'm glad I had more time.

After the tour, I found the nearest tube station and hopped on. London had probably the easiest transit system to learn. There are many different subway lines but if you know Piccadilly and the Circle line to start, you should be fine. Just grab a tube map. I had to hunt down the Great Portland Street exit to check into my hostel. I found it funny because when I got off I knew exactly what the streets and buildings would look like. Google Street view helped me out big time. I checked in and then went to find a pub to grab some food because by that time, I was pretty hungry.

I got back and decided that I should stay up for a bit to get my body adjusted to the time change. I grabbed some beers and chatted with other people in the hostels. I traveled solo but I was never alone. I always met other solo travelers and we'd just go out in groups. The hostels in Europe are nothing like what you've seen in movies. Most of the places were very nice and the Central London YHA hostel is no exception.

The next day, I got up crazy early because my body was still adjusting to the time difference. I actually made it to the tube stop about 15 minutes before it opened. I was glad also. It was raining a little bit so I bought an umbrella and about an hour later it stopped. I never got rained on until a week later in Prague.

I wanted to check out Piccadilly Circus and get a better look at London Bridge and Buckingham Palace. I decided to head to the south bank and the London Bridge tube stop. I got off and took some pictures and then headed back to the north side over London Bridge and took some nice pictures of the castle. I walked along the River Thames and crossed back over to the south bank on the Millennium walking bridge. I was running on perfect timing again. Pretty much out of luck. It was 9:45am and the Tate Modern art gallery opened at 10am and it was just on the other side of the walking bridge. Big Ben signaled 10am and the doors opened. It did not cost a single pence to get in either. I spent about an hour checking out Tate Modern and then walked further down the south bank. I saw the London Eye but the line was just ridiculous and I did not want to wait in line. I continued on down and saw Shakespeare's Globe theater. I crossed back over the river and back into Westminster on the hunt for Buckingham Palace. I found it just in time for a changing of the guards which I caught in high def video. :)

I was getting hungry after I ventured into SoHo (think shopping). I decided to find a pub for some fish and chips. What you have to understand about this trip was that not much was planned. Myself or the groups I was in just kind of walked around until we found something that looked nice. I found The Crown at 64 Brewer Street.


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I walked in and ordered. I instantly gave away my identity when I spoke. I sat down and waited for my food and just kind of soaked in the fact that I was in Europe. The waiter brought out my food and asked me if I was an American. I told him yes and he dug out a photo album and sat down next to me. He proceeded to tell me that the pub I was sitting in was a very popular hot spot for the American Airborne during World War II. "They threw plenty of shindigs in here." He mentioned that the pub had not changed and that the furniture I was sitting in was the same as back then. The wood had only been refinished because the scratches gave it character. I really was kind of set back. He recommended an English Cider and I finished eating.


I decided to head towards the Liverpool Street station tube stop because I had to check in for my overnight ferry to Amsterdam. I had plenty of time so I just wandered around. I found the London Brick Market. It was just a bunch of people selling art and food and clothes. It reminded me of the Indianapolis City Market. Except they had Eel and no corn on the cob. I picked up my first item to haul home. A small picture of London on a small piece of wood. I bought some ice cream from a street vendor and then realized I had no idea where I was. I hit the locate me button on my phone. I am not kidding you, my iPhone helped me out a lot on this trip. I liked it because I could take it out and look at a map without looking too overly touristy.


I found my way back to the Liverpool Street station and boarded a train to Harwich. This was where I met my first group of travelers that were just like me. From here on out, I had no idea I would meet hundreds of new people. It was great!

My London picture gallery is here. Note, I still need to fill out captions.

I'll post Amsterdam and it's pictures in a few days.

Quick Post: Munich

I got to Munich on Friday after a few days in Prague. Prague was very beautiful but out of all the places I have been, I had the hardest time with the language barrier there. Shoot, when I left Prague I just kind of listened for certain words in the crowd standing under the train board. The departure board never actually displayed what dock that the train would be arriving on. The ladies in the information booth were pretty unhelpful as well. I ended up following this older couple. On the train I rode next to Peter who was also 25 and grew up in the Czech Republic. We talked the entire train ride because he wanted to practice his English with me. After a four hour train ride to Nuremberg from Prague, I successfully made my first less than 5 minute train switch to Munich later. I was so damn proud of myself for reading the departure board and navigating the train station. I did not have much room for error!

Anyway, my friend Moritz (Paul) who was a foreign exchange student with me back in high school lives in Munich so he met me at the train station when I came in on Friday. For those of you who know him as well, he is exactly the same. Not changed a bit! We hit up a jazz club, drank a few beers and then met some of his friends out at a dance club. We pretty much watched the sun come up as we were walking home.


On Saturday we took a bus tour of Munich, walked around the city, grabbed some food from the market and then went to the English Gardens. The gardens had quite the eclectic crowd. Between all the naked people, African drum circles, people playing football and the guys and girls surfing the "wave" in the river that flows through. We chilled out for a few hours there just chatting about the old band days. Then we walked over to the world famous Hofbräuhaus and had an authentic German meal and drank a few more beers. I think I've tried about 11 different types of beer just this past weekend in Munich!


Before I forget, there is this pretty good cola drink called Mezzo Mix. The first time I saw it was at the train station in Germany so I don't know if it is sold anywhere else. It is cola mixed with a bit of orange flavor. Pretty tasty!! I also tried the carbonated water and absolutely hate it. If I need to quench my thirst, I'll just stick to something else.

Well, we are off to get some breakfast. Yesterday for breakfast we had these stuffed croissants. Today we are going to get some sausage.

I'm off to Switzerland tonight. The only thing keeping me from the Alps is three measly train switches. I can't wait to spend my birthday in the middle of the Swiss Alps tomorrow.

Later!
http://blog.ryanbirk.com