Prague Fairy Tales

When first arriving in Prague I thought I was in a Walt Disney fairy tale. Seriously this place is completely gorgeous with the medieval architecture, beautiful Vltava River and the endless cobble stones roads leading to the famous Charles Bridge. On arrival our Contiki bus took us straight up to the Prague Castle which offers the most beautiful view over this picturesque city. Although the weather was gloomy and it drizzled a lot, which in turn had quiet the impact on my amateur photography so I must apologise for the images.

Within the first few hours of being in this fairy tale, the story took a huge page turn from Cinderella at the ball into Alice lost in Wonderland. Suddenly I was lost in Prague and late for a very important date - getting back onto that Contiki bus before it left. 
A girl on my tour and I really really had to use the ladies. So we quickly told another girl on the tour that we were going to duck into a restaurant to use the bathroom. A few minutes later we come out of the restaurant and everyone was gone. An instant flush of worry slapped me in the face. I had nothing; no phone, wallet, map, nothing. Although my friend did, not that this helped in the moment.
I quickly decided that we should run in the direction everyone had been walking. Then we came across intersections, never ending alley ways and a lot of people speaking a foreign language. After running around trying to find our group we arrived in the Old Town Square (beautifully enchanting minus the thousands of tourists), we were puffed and worried but to our relief we here this "Oi" in a familiar Australian accent. It was a friend that I came on the tour with. Boy were we glad to hear his voice. Moral of the story - always make sure someone knows where you're going.

For the rest of our time in Prague we explored the medieval city and what it had to offer. We watched a man blow a glass vase in only a few moments, drank a few too many of the local beers, watched the Astronomical Clock do its thing, witnessed some Czech style puppet shows and danced our nights away in some local dance clubs.

I fell in love with Prague before stepping off that bus and I defiantly wasn't ready to get back on after only 48 short hours in this mystical city.

Prague Cathedral

Seriously talented local art work.

'If we were meant to stay in one place, we'd have roots instead of feet, he said' Rachel Wolchin 

Dachua Concerntration Camp

Dachau Concentration Camp is a place that everyone needs to see and experience. I have been trying to think of words to describe my experience but honestly there aren't words. It's something that you're just going to have to go and see for yourself.

Although I won't leave you in the dark, I will attempt to explain...
Taking in my first glimpse of the entrance gate I had this disturbing feeling. Walking through those gates I instantly felt a rush of emotions. Wondering what this place would have looked like when it was up and running. Picturing what the people would have been doing and what they would have looked like. Imagining the pain and sadness that these people would have been experiencing. You're instantly forced onto a roller coaster ride of these emotions and thoughts.

This place is packed full of information on what occurred the entire time the camp was open (while not leaving out any detail). The entire camp is being restored which really helps paint a picture of what it would have looked like during the war. Having read about these camps while in Berlin and the small amount I learnt while at school, seeing this place really has opened my eyes to the unbelievable cruel behaviour of human beings. As the saying goes 'seeing is believing'. This whole experience made the picture a bit more real in my imagination.

I walked out of here feeling horribly sorry for those who had lived inside this camp and wishing that something could have been done to stop what had happened. I walked away appreciating my life a lot more than I did before entering that gate.

Taking a step back into History while in Berlin.

Extravagant Berliner Dom.

I have to be honest, during my schooling years I wasn't well educated about World War one, World War two or even Hitler. I'm not sure if it was the teaching method or my lack of interest in school, but either way I am defiantly uneducated about these topics. It's sad really, I know nothing about these important history movements that have occurred in the world I live in. During my visit to Berlin I felt extremely lucky to have been taught a few things about these issues rather than from across the other side of the country in a class room.

For those who don’t know me well, I am extremely gentle at heart. I don’t like anything to do with blood, killing, pain or even scary movies or gross stories. For some unknown reason these things make me abnormally squeamish and give me nightmares or just interrupt my sleep, so I try to avoid them at all costs. Before arriving in Berlin it would have been nice if I was warned that in all these museums, they aren’t the slightest bit conservative of the images and information they put out there for the public. It is beyond confronting, it’s horrifying and disturbing in a very sad way.

We went to the Terror Museum and it was exactly that. You could feel and see the terror these people would’ve gone through when Hitler was in control. There were images of men that had been shot trying to escape, men and children that mimicked skeletons and piles of deceased people in pits. The information was equally as shocking. The detail that they went into was confronting and it really hurts to think that these people just like me and you had to go through this experience. 

While in Berlin I also visited the Holocaust Memorial for the murdered Jews of Europe, which was an intense but strange experience. This memorial consists of concrete slabs all different heights built onto uneven ground. Walking through the memorial was so strange because these slabs kind of replicated coffins which was really uncomfortable. Also the fact that there was nothing explaining the reasoning for this memorial leaves the place feeling slightly empty - but still very full at the same time. Each to their own interpretation.

Berlin has more cranes than a Crane Shop, if that's even such a thing but you get the point. Berlin is still being rebuilt as it was absolutely flattened during WWII. Some of the buildings are being replicated which is great because they are so beautiful. Europe architecture really takes it to another level. I have found a new appreciation for architecture after witnessing some of the most beautiful buildings.

One thing you really must try in Germany is Currywurst. At first, I wasn’t at all inclined to try this to be honest. It didn’t look great and it isn't healthy. But I felt that I should experience some of the local cuisine, since I was here to indulge in new things. It is a pork sausage (steamed then fried), then it’s sliced up and mixed with this tomato sauce and then sprinkled with this curry powder on top. To my surprise this was actually pretty tasty.

Vibrant art on the Berlin Wall.

Part of the Berlin Wall.

Holocaust Memorial for the murdered Jews of Europe.

Brandenburg Gate.

"When the power of love overcomes the love of power, the world will know peace". Sri Chinmoy Ghose.

Hi(gh) Amsterdam

Amsterdam is one of those places that everyone wants to visit. Mainly for its well known law regulations. But Amsterdam has so much more to offer other than smoking a joint in a Coffee Shop and wandering through the Red Light District.

First thing you must know about Amsterdam (before you cause an accident) is that there are bike lanes everywhere! Everyone here gets around by bicycle - therefore you must rent one! It's the best way to see the city, but just be careful to stay to the right side of the path/roads. I know that I still have an issue with this being Australian as we drive on the left side of the road. You'd be surprised how embedded this is in your head.

Amsterdam was the first stop for my Contiki Tour. This tour was great for me because it allowed me to see all the main attractions with extremely helpful tips and tricks from our Tour Manager Steve. 

Our first Amsterdam experience was the well known Red Light District. It's defiantly a must do simply because it's an eye opening experience and holy moly it was an eye opener or a 'eye closer' (depending on how conservative you are). We were all booked into watch a Sex Show. Yep take that literally, that's exactly what it was - enough said. I walked away from it feeling somewhat violated and rather squeamish, but hey I guess it's one of those things you've got to experience in the Red Light District.

Moving on... The next stop was to experience some of the nearby Coffee Shops. Just a little heads up, in the Netherlands 'Cafe's' are where you purchase coffee products and 'Coffee Shops' are where you purchase marijuana products. Also, if they say 'only eat a quarter', for your sake only eat a quarter.

The next morning I woke with some seriously sore feet. NOTE TO SELF: Do not wear high heels in the Netherlands, this place is layered with cobble stones.

Although that didn't stop me from exploring this wonderfully picturesque city.
We went to the Van Gogh Museum which had no waiting line if you purchased your tickets from the right stall (thanks Steve). On arrival we purchased audio headsets, which was the best 5 euro I ever spent as it tells the emotional story of Van Gogh's life.

We then made our way to The Anne Frank House. It is by far the eeriest place I have stood inside. The history and the story of Anne is absolutely heart wrenching and standing inside of her house just takes you to another place. Unfortunately we waited in line for 2 hours and only had 15 minutes to get through the house before missing our meeting point - but we weren't going to wait all that time to not get inside.

While in Amsterdam I experienced the most amazing cheese flavours I have ever encountered! Along with the most amazing sweets called "Stroopwaffles" which translates as syrup waffles. You have got to try these but I promise you - you won't be able to control the intake of these tasty little suckers! If you're wanting to experience a 'foodgasm' get yourself either or both of these.

A photo of tourists... oh and the I Amsterdam sign.

Bike Tour = Amsterdam Must Do

People in the Netherlands are still wearing their clogs, I'm not kidding.

"Great things are not done by impulse, but by a series of small things brought together" Vincent Van Gogh.