Up to Vienna

Today was basically a travel day, with the highlights being a non cold cut breakfast, spending some time in Zagreb, and a culturally enriching train ride. I have been going through lots of pretty countryside, but also some absolutely dilapidated areas in primarily Hungary. However, even in Zagreb, there were areas that downright devastated and poverty stricken. The pictures below show a beautiful park in Zagreb. I have had a number of boarder crossings and passport checks, although none as exciting as yesterday in Slovenia. At every crossing, all of the other passengers file off as well as the crew. Then, a new engine attached to the train and a new crew comes on board. Basically I have had the train to myself.

I am really loving and appreciating every day of this trip. I think I could keep going and going if it weren't for so many loved ones back home!

Tomorrow is going to be one of my most ambitious days of the trip, as I have decided to squeeze in as much as possible. Since this will be posted at the same time as my post from yesterday, make sure you scroll down and check out my trip to Croatia's Plitvice Falls National Park!

Plitvice: Croatian Paradise

Today had to be one of my favorite places of the entire trip--something absolutely remarkable. Plitvice is one of the most beautiful and fascinating places I have ever been. I have no Internet tonight, but hopefully I will find a connection tomorrow to post this!

I am reminding myself throughout each just how special this trip is. This is truly a once in a lifetime thing, and I am visiting places I never dreamed of going. I mean, I didn't two weeks ago, I had no plans or intentions of ending up in either Slovenia or Croatia. Even more, as much as I would like to revisit many of these places in the future, I know that for some if these places it will be my first and last visit. I guess I am just trying to soak it all in. I am so privileged and blessed to be able to take a trip like this.

I left Ljubljana early this morning on a direct train to Zagreb. The bad news: I finally caved and had to do something overtly American. Over my 10 minute walk to the train station, I did not pass a single open bakery, coffee shop, or other establishment to grab breakfast. Making the problem worse, the only thing open at the train station was a McDonalds. Not knowing when I would get my next meal, I gave in and had McDonalds.

The real excitement of the day came at the Slovenia and Croatia border. First, the train was quickly boarded by sizable number of Slovenian police and military. They searched the train upside and down, and passenger by passenger. I caught it a lot worse than most, I suppose for being an American. For about five minutes, I was thoroughly grilled by a security officer about my trip, followed by him taking my passport and barking all of my personal info into his headset. After the hounding and examination, my passport was then taken to leader of the squad, who also gave me more interrogation and examination. It finally ended, and there was only one other guy in my car who received this treatment. The Croatian's were very mild compared to this, just stamp the passport and continue.

In Zagreb, I hastily made my way ATP the bus station, which was about a mile walk. I picked up some local currency--the first of 3 non euro countries in the coming days. Like Ljubljana, much of the city looks very rough. However, again I saw no squatters, loiters, or shady characters. I encountered one gypsy at the bus station, who was immediately scolded by some very friendly locals who chatted with me. The bus journey was uneventful, and showcased two very different views of Croatia. We went through areas that very clearly showed the conflicts that went on even over the last 20 years. At the same time, much of the countryside was really lovely.

On to the real show stopper: Plitvice Lakes National Parks. This place is an absolute gem, something which the pictures will not do justice to. The park is composed of lake after lake of some of the most clear water I have ever seen in my life. You can see right to the bottom of the lakes, and the water has an glowing blue-green tint. Connecting the 16 or so lakes are an uncountable number of waterfalls, ranging in all sizes, shapes, and forms. There is no fishing or swimming allowed, and the park is preserved in an unbelievably pristine manner. The hiking around the park is fantastic, and very accessible...if you can handle the boardwalks described in the next paragraph. Throughout my time here today, I couldn't help but thing of you all--family and friends who I wish I could share my experiences of today with. I especially kept coming back to how much my mom would love Plitvice. It was a sizable amount of extra travel to get here, but it would do it again in a heartbeat. This place is up there with Supai (Grand Canyon) and Gimmelwald for jaw dropping natural beauty.

Connecting everything are well marked trails and miles of boardwalks. These boardwalks deserve their own description. These things wouldn't pass any kind of building code, inspection, or safety standard. The planks are basically just uneven chopped up tree trunks, with gaping holes between almost all of them. These boardwalks run up, down, and every which way. There are virtually no railings, frequent uneven steps, banked areas, and loose boards. The best though were the many areas where waterfalls bubbled over parts of the boardwalk, now introducing an incredibly slippery element. It was all a lot of fun to me, but I am sure that each year people end up swimming!!!

Upon arrival at about 2:00, I tossed down my bag, bought a hiking map (absolutely necessary), and immediately got adventurous. In keeping with the common theme of the trip, I was about as ambitious as possible. I figured I had about 6.5 hours of daylight, and the map said it takes 10 hours to hike all of the trails. The challenge was then set, and successfully completed as I strolled into my hotel at the park entrance at 9pm. No worries, I didn't rush! I probably took more pictures today than any other day of the trip. I did however move exceptionally fast...something that Andrew appreciates and an advantage of traveling solo! Another thing that Andrew loves are my hiking snacks. Understanding my timetable, I chose to pack my dinner for the hike: two apples,
various American and Austrian granola bars, and the old standby--butter cookies!

All in all, I would guess I plowed through about 20 miles of hiking--basically the whole park. It was as magnificent and stunning as can be. Turn after turn, boardwalk after boardwalk, there were more and more waterfalls. It seemed simply endless as the trails led everywhere but under the falls. It constantly reminded my of Supai, but with very different geography.

Tomorrow is back up to Vienna, in what should be a very calm day! From Vienna, I have yet to decide how adventurous I want to be. We will see!

Like I said, these pictures really don't do this place justice, but here are quite a few!

Greetings from Ljubljana!

Unexpected pleasures are always the best!

My day began in Hallstatt, and while there more tourists today, it was still "out of this world" with charm. I chose to sleep in and forego a mine tour, instead preparing for my trips into lesser known lands: Slovenia and Croatia. For the first time since the start of the trip, I am carrying a sizable number of snacks. I did check out one of the most interesting things I have seen my entire trip--Hallstatt's Bone Chapel. The name describes it exactly as it is; a chapel FULL of human bones.

Early in the afternoon I started my journey to Ljubljana, not knowing what to expect. It was a journey with 5 quick train connections, and I needed everything to go right. Things went smoothly, and I was impressed by the beauty of the Slovenian countryside. Upon arrival in Ljubljana, I was a little nervous looking out the train window. Graffiti is everywhere, and the buildings look like something out of Gary, Indiana. However, upon stepping into the city, I felt completely safe. The city has rough edges, but is loaded inside with character and people taking pride in improving their city. After throwing down my bag, I headed out to the town center. As I strolled, I found myself wildly impressed. The town center was pedestrian only and absolutely bustling with locals. Clearly not overly touristy, cafes lined the streets, with their tables spilling out into the squares. Along the Ljubljanica River, more upscale restaurants were alive with patrons enjoying a nice dinner and riverside view. In the main town square a music festival was taking place, with people enjoying a band playing on the main stage with several street musicians also adding to the flavor. The city center also had some very impressive buildings, and it was clear that the city has been investing in the area. What an unexpected treat, a fantastic cultural experience, and a fun mid-sized capital city!

Had I judged this book by its cover, I would have really missed out. Rough edges, but this feels just as safe as Germany or Switzerland. What a little hidden gem!

Tomorrow I am out the door early headed for Plitvice Lakes National Park, in Croatia. This natural wonder of the world is the reason why I came through Ljubljana in the first place. While I only have 1 train tomorrow, I will instead have fun navigating the Croatian bus system...wish me luck!

If Plitvice is all it is cracked up to be, I should have some stupendous pictures tomorrow!

Finally, the rumors are true! I have a visitor coming over for the last week of the trip. It will be an absolute treat to spend my last week here with my Dad!!

The hills are alive...with the sound of Hallstatt!

Another really great day! While I miss everyone back home, I am having a blast just trekking around over here.

Ah yes, it was the Sound of Music day! The SOM tour was surprisingly good, but by no means was that the highlight of the day.

The morning started way too early with a long walk across Salzburg to begin my SOM tour. The tour guide was fantastic, and we got to see all of your favorite SOM sights: the convent, church, gazebo, yellow walls, do re mi parks, palaces, lakes, fountains, and.so much more. The guide was very informative with information about both the movie and the real family. Along the way, we even stopped for a luge ride and some world renowned sachertorte (my breakfast--MC would be proud). Of course, there was lots of SOM music, with some do mi mi, mi so so, re fa fa, la ti ti...(go fa).

Next to me on the tour was a great couple from Indy...add them to the list of incredible people I have met on the trip, from places like Tennessee, Missouri, Canada, Romania, Florida, Ireland, England, Washington, plus all the native folks in the countries and so many more! Although I will never see any of these people again, it has been a very memorable aspect of the trip.

I had not thought about it at all prior to today, but the tour constantly reminded me of how I got into singing, I guess about 12 years ago. A pair of lederhosen, a little goat herder, the SOM, and the rest is history! What a road it has taken me down...

A note to anyone who ever goes to Salzburg and does the SOM tour: take a mini bus tour, NOT the mega bus tour. I paid only 5 extra €, and I can only imagine how much better my experience was. We had 8 people to 1 guide verses 50 to 1. Plus, we had the sights to ourselves and extra things like the luge.

Other than that, Salzburg will go down as beautiful but a bit bland to me. I headed off to Hallstatt. Even with a botched train connection, the trip was exceptionally beautiful. It is a scene I have described before; the Alps, rushing rivers, glacier fed lakes, picturesque towns, etc. However, when I got my first glimpse of Hallstatt, my mouth about hit the floor. Hallstatt sits embedded in the side of a cliff as it drops directly down into Lake Hallstatt. The town is about as quaint as can be, coupled with this "out of this world" setting. Hallstatt immediately jumped to my list of favorite places on the tour, with the likes of Vernazza, Gimmelwald, Bruges, Bacharach, and Munich.

Getting to Hallstatt is half the fun. It has a "train station", which is merely a place the train stops on the opposite side of the lake. There is no platform or anything, you just jump out! From there a small boat is waiting to ferry you across the serene alpine lake with the mountains surrounding you in all directions. There sits Hallstatt waiting, a mere dot in the distance with its storybook buildings running fight down to the water's edge. Upon landing, the town is top notch to boot and as cute as can be. No doubt about it, I now see why Rick Steve's says people fall in live with Hallstatt even with a quick visit. Better yet, the town is currently empty of tourists!

Hallstatt is another place dripping with history--I guess you could say it is salted over with it. The town was tremendously important for millennia since like 800BC because of he amount of salt produced in the vast salt mines.

Tonight I am in the town Hostel, where i have a room to myself as the place is basically empty! (This is a big deal...no roommates!) For the whopping total of 30€, I paid for my one night lodging, plus a large pizza, chocolate cake, and a beer. You can't beat that!!! Yet another reason why so many of my favorite places on the trip have been the small towns: cheap prices, less tourists, the cutest towns, and the nicest people!

Tonight I took a great hike up the mountain that Hallstatt is embedded in. It as a spectacular hike up to the salt mine, and it was loaded with steep switchbacks. This is the type of place I could spend a week just hiking and taking it in.

Lots of pictures from today! Beginning tomorrow is the most adventurous and unique leg of the trip: Slovenia, Croatia, Hungary, Slovakia, and the Czech Republic! I am very excited...when else will I get to do something like this!?!?

Last and definitely not least, happy Memorial Day. Thank you to all of you veterans and those currently serving. Special shout out to Marie King! One of the most meaningful things on this trip still remains my visit to the American WWII cemetery in Luxembourg.

So long, farewell, auf wiedersehn and goodbye!

Oops, I forgot!

Today I journeyed from Munich to Salzburg to many sights near Berchtesgaden and back to Salzburg. It was a day of a lot of difficult public transit transfers to say the least!

My big news is that I may have a visitor coming from East Lansing...evidently Dad has been reading the blog and thinks it looks fun! After getting this news tonight, I have spent about 4 hours trying to get everything planned out. Plus, I actually have a good wifi connection...and I really have no clue when I will next find another (with Slovenia and Croatia up in a day). So, yes, I kind of forgot to write about today. Here is a breeze through:

Salzburg is one of the music capitals of the world, but catching music is expensive. My guide said the best bet for fantastic free music was Mass at the Cathedral. The Cathedral is also Mozart's former Cathedral, and he also headed the music there. So I left Munich at 7:00 only to arrive at the Cathedral for 10:00 Mass to find a massive youth festival. While it is good to see they have such things, the music was horrendous. It was like bad German praise and worship music. I was very disappointed, and even more so when after an hour of Mass, we still had not reached the creed. Not only was the music distastefully poor in hope it was done, but there was also so much of it that it completely overtook any semblance of a Mass. Oh well...I decided just to continue with the day.

From Mass I headed up to Berchtesgaden, where I eventually made my was to Hitler's former mountain top hideaway, the so called "Eagles Nest". The thing is basically a massive chalet on top of a sheer cliff and mountain. To get there required a bus ride zig zagging up the side of this cliff on a narrow one way road. From there, the rest of the journey was made in Hitler's personal elevator that runs through the middle of the mountain. Although the top is rather limited I what you can see, it is a great view!

Beneath it all are miles and miles of interconnected Nazi compounds burrowed deep within the mountain. These might have been the most interesting thing I saw today. It is incredibly vast in its nature, designed as a place where Hitler and his followers could function during the Allied advance.

Getting to these sights was a huge debacle due to a bus station being closed. It is a fantastic story, but you will have to ask me when I am back home! Too late now to start typing it all!

Next I headed to the postcard like Konigsee. This beautiful alpine lake is surrounded by cliffs and glowing green pine forests. My goal was to make it to the famous red domed Church of St. Bartholoma, but the boats headed that direction were sold out. Instead, I caught lunch and ice cream by the lake!

And so it was back to beautiful Salzburg. It seems like a great little town, with the rushing river and nice views of the Alps. I meandered along the banks of the Salzach to my hotel, where as I said, I have spent my night planning away!

Tomorrow is the Sound of Music Tour followed by heading to Hallstatt, which should be FANTASTIC! I know some of you reading this did the Sound of Music tour, and so i followed your recommendation with the same. As for Hallstatt, only way to reach town is via a little tiny boat, so I have no doubt the day will be interesting!

Goodnight and have a great week!

Munich day 2

I love Munich! Two fantastic days here with great sights, fun loving people, and an overall fantastic time. I would come back here in a heartbeat. The Internet in my hotel is still horrible...I am sorry I haven't been able to really call anyone in the past week...just terrible web connections!

I started off today with a little trip planning (as I actually had an Internet connection) followed by heading to the Residenz. It follows in the pattern of what I saw in Wurzburg and also Versailles. While this was huge and impressive, I didn't care for it as much. This is in large part due to that it was all rebuilt post 1945. While they have done an excellent job with it, it is still clearly an imitation at once was spectacular. I guess I am spoiled, having seen more impressive palaces elsewhere...

From there, I arranged a tour of the Bayerische Staatsoper, the biggest opera house in Germany. On top of its size, it is one of the most reputable houses in the world. Many important operas have been premiered here, and the house is know for its beauty. The tour was 4€, so I figured it was worth a shot. Other than being on a tour with a bunch of ignorant and oblivious Norwegians, it was an absolutely magnificent tour! We were able to go virtually everywhere in the Theater: the stage, backstage, below stage, all levels of the house and boxes, they lowered the chandelier for us, etc. The guide was very worthwhile and informative. After a rather rowdy last night, I had also decided that if I could get a cheap student ticket to tonight's opera, then that I would go.

In the afternoon, I took in some of Munich's finest sights. With another day of perfect weather, the city was alive and bustling. The squares were full of markets, street musicians, and people of all types just out to relax. It could not have been a better and more fun loving environment. I picked up some picnic food and took to the main square (Marienplatz) for lunch while listening to an awesome Klezmer trio rock the square. This group of seasoned citizens had the place grooving with upbeat versions of all your favorite Klezmer hits. Later on when walking by, I even heard a little Fiddler on the Roof.

Following lunch, I headed over to St. Peter's Church to climb the steeple--home to the best view in town. I could write a novel on the ridiculous stair cases I have had to climb here--narrow, steep, slippery, banked, basically ladders, etc. This staircase won the award for narrowest two way passage. Had it been anymore narrow, I think people going the opposite directions would have been crawling over each other. Ridiculous, yes--but the view was a good as promised.

From St. Peter's I headed to the Viktualienmarkt, the main open air market which was even more full of life than the other areas. After taking it in I headed to the most famous church in town, Frauenkirke. While I found it to be a bit bland on the inside, this church was once the home to now Pope Benedict. From this under decorated cathedral I headed to the overdone Asam Church. The Asam brothers thought it would be fun to have their own church, decorated in all of the grandest fake stuff you have ever seen! It looks good until you get close and see that it is all a cheap facade.

My time was running low before I had to get back to the opera to try to acquire a student ticket, so I hustled and dug my "dress clothes" out from the bottom of my bag. They are about as wrinkled as possible, but they are better than nothing. The opera playing tonight was Bellini's "I Capuleti e i Montecchi" (Romeo and Juliet), which I was not overly excited about. However, I still thought it would be great to see another opera in a top tier house. While the performance sold out (meaning no student tickets), I was able to buy a standing room seat off a guy for 15€...a steal of a deal. The guy was wonderfully nice to boot, showing me all the intricacies of the house and chatting it up through all the breaks.

Here is the opera analysis. If you are not an opera fan, then I would recommend skipping the next bit! Being in the top balcony, the acoustics were fantastic. Even so, that stage either has some real hot spots or mics. Take your pick...I will go with the latter. Too much carried way to well and in uneven ways for it to be natural. While Anna Netrebko was originally supposed to be Giulietta, she cancelled last week along with a number of performances (Any surprise?). So unfortunately (or fortunately some of us would say), we didn't get to hear Netrebko. Instead, her understudy stole the show. Top notch lyrical singing, and the audience ate it up. People went nuts at the end. Romeo was mediocre; good when singing on the voice but bad and flat when getting artsy with straight tone. The production was really unique, with the stage forming optical illusions throughout with the use of lights, rakes, and mirrors. Also a big deal, the costumes were done by Christian Lacroix, although they seemed more designed to emphasize the physique of Giulietta. The funniest and most ironic bit of the night had to be the men's chorus. Here we are with an opera that could not be more bel canto, with the male chorus singing like it is The Ring. Clearly some big, fat Germanic school of singing on display in the "not in any way, shape, or form" bel canto style.

I have been teasing a bit about the rest of the trip. Here it is--all subject to change: Salzburg, Hallstatt, Ljubljana (Slovenia), Zagreb (Croatia), Plitvice Lakes National Park (Croatia), Budapest (Hungary), Bratislava (Slovakia), Vienna (Austria), Prague (Czech Republic), Dresden, Stadtallendorf, Leipzig, Berlin, and maybe some surprises at the end or along the way. If you have suggestions in any of the areas mentioned, send me an email!

Tomorrow is going to be a very full day!! Goodnight!

Munich! Still not dead...still without internet.

Another fun day, and the pace of the trip is picking up again! Unfortunately, the hotel wifi is broken.

Starting in Fussen, I found a place serving a breakfast buffet that both Andrew and MC would have thoroughly enjoyed. It had favorites from all over the world: American eggs and bacon, French crepes, German wurst, champagne, a chocolate fountain, and a billion other things. It was good to start the day off right! If there is one thing I have had enough of, it is cold cuts for breakfast every morning...I was dying for a warm breakfast!

On the train I met some great folks--a mother and daughter doing essentially what mom and I did. It has been great to meet folks from all over, and I especially enjoy talking with people from back home or talking with locals--in basic German. More to come below.

In Munich, I tossed down my bag, and headed to the main town square Marionplatz. Munich took the path of rebuilding in the original style after WWII giving it a very unique downtown, where as Frankfort started over, hence the Manhattan look. I quickly found an English bookstore and picked up a travel guide for Croatia, before hopping on a subway and going out to BMW Welt. The BMW complex is quite a sight, as it has a factory, museum, office complex shaped like 4 pistons, and the massive Welt building. The Welt is an incredible building in its own right, with glass and metal twisting in all types of ways. It houses a massive show room of sorts, as well as interactive exhibits showing the past present and future of BMW. If you buy. BMW here, you can go to the Welt and they will parade it out for you in the buildings massive auto show like layout. Being a Michigan boy, it was cool just to check it out.

From there, I was inspired by Scott to walk through the enormous Olympic park. The park was beautiful and bustling on a gorgeous Friday night. I was very impressed to see how the city still utilizes so many things and allows the public to enjoy it. It was a stark contrast from what I saw in Montreal, where the Olympic Park is basically a run down slum that the city can't afford.

My walk took me to the Alte Pinakothek, home to masterpieces by artists such as Raphel, Leonardo da Vinci, Botticelli, Titian, Durer, Rubens, Rembrandt, Altdorfer, and many more. It was a great museum to visit with some very fine works. From here, I continued my stroll to the English Gardens--basically Munich's version of Central Park, only much bigger! It was bustling with all kinds of people soaking in the fantastic Friday night. I took a trip to the Chinese Tower beer gardens before heading back downtown. On the way, I got another classic "go green"!

I paid a visit to the Staatsoper, and while I don't particularly care for what is playing right now, I might try to snag a student or standing ticket for tomorrow night's Bellini opera. If not, maybe a tour.

From there, I did what I think almost all tourists do at some point--I headed to Hofbrauhaus for dinner and beer. I quickly made many new friends; first with a couple of hockey loving Canadians and then with a bunch of Americans. All of us were about the same age and out to have a good ole time. It was a blast! I made it safely and soundly back to my room, and unlike some of the others in our group, I will have no issues or regrets tomorrow! Now that I have experienced Hofbrauhaus, I am looking forward to continuing to check out the sights of Munich tomorrow.

Enjoy your weekend!

I'm not dead, just without internet!

There seems to have been a little excitement in East Lansing when I didn't post anything yesterday night! I am fine...just at a hotel without internet. Due to the size of the town, there are not a lot of options, but after a lot of looking I found an open network. The catch is that I have to walk about 10 minutes from my hotel and stand on a street corner. In other words, don't expect any phone calls via Skype right now. As of finishing writing this, it has started to pour outside, which will make going out to the street a bit more interesting!

As promised, today I hiked to and toured "Mad" King Ludwig's castles. They were everything they were hyped up to be--huge, jaw dropping, and full of tourists from every area of the world. I first toured Hohenschwangau, which was Ludwig's childhood home and more practical of the castles. From there it was on to the castle that everyone would recognize, Neuschwanstein. This fantasy castle was Ludwig's own creation, and and the building went on for 17 years until Ludwig was declared mad and driven out of power (and to his death). When designing the castle, Ludwig did not go to an architect, but rather to a stage designer. Even with 17 years of work, only 1/3 of the interior of the castle is completed. However, you would never realize this from a tour. The tour was very expansive, and the 1/3 of the castle that you were able to see felt ridiculously large. It is easy to see why these castles inspired Walt Disney and gave way to all of his castle creations. Not only are the outsides loaded with dreamy turrets and towers, but the inside is decked out with gems, art, and precious decorations fit for a King. The rooms are an unbelievable sight, as this is the type of place you usually only read about in books or see in movies. It is truly outlandish when you realize that someone built this just for fun and his own amusement! In the pictures, you can see that a bit of the castle is scaffolded (a 13 year rehab project), but I think you will get a good feel for it.

For those classical music fans, Wagner and Ludwig were best buddies. Wagner was a frequent guest, Ludwig kept him busy writing. They were two peas in a pod, both with over the top imaginations. Today I saw painting that inspired Wagner operas, as well as paintings inspired by Wagner operas.

Upon seeing the area around the castles, it is not hard to see why Ludwig wanted his creation here. The cliffs of the Alps, blue-green glacier fed lakes, pine forests, deafening waterfalls, and beautiful meadows surround the castles. This evening, i hiked about 20km in the surrounding area. Absolutely beautiful hiking...this is one of the things I will miss most back home. Another thing to be missed will be the food. Sure, it is loaded with butter and other unhealthy things, but it is delicious!!! Tonight I had a fantastic steak with German pan potatoes and salad...of course followed with eis!

I even hiked into Austria, marking the 10th country I have been to on this trip (I will be returning to Austria in a few days). 10 down, 5 more to go...at least that is the current plan! To find out the next five, you will have to stay tuned...or just get out a map and start guessing!

The Disney connection is not limited to just the castles, but also in the way the tour groups are led around like cattle. Lots of waiting in queues, following the person and front of you, and time wasted. It reminded me of how glad I am to be doing this trip independent of any tour group!

Tomorrow it is Munich for 2 days followed by Salzburg and hopefully Hallstatt. Then things will get interesting!