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Fall Holiday 2012!

Greetings everyone! They are finally finished! My blog posts that I kept from my Fall holiday are finished and I cannot wait to share it with you! I do apologize that I have been postponing this post for such a long time. With co-op, I have been quite busy for the past 2 weeks where I am mentally exhausted at the end of the day and on weekends, I just simply want to relax and sleep. However, I felt that I should really put the time and effort into putting this together and sharing with all of you the amazing experiences that I had while travelling alone for 11 days to 4 new countries; to 4 new cities; changing currencies twice and having the time of my life! Many cheers for all of your constant support & encouragement! Without it, I would not have the motivation and momentum to update this blog daily for your interest & curiosity. Please feel free to share your comments and thoughts as they are always welcomed and please note that the following posts are written in a different manner to accommodate the multiple posts in this one enormous post. Unfortunately pictures were not included due to technical difficulties and I hope you all understand and I apologize for the inconvenience. Many thanks & enjoy!

(10.18.12)

This day marked the beginning of my 11-day Fall holiday where I will be traveling alone to 4 new cities and 4 new countries, two of which where English is not the national language. Having packed the night before, I woke up early, packed and then made my way to Bremen’s Hauptbahnhof to take a train from Bremen, Germany to Copenhagen, Denmark (my 1st destination). The trip from Germany to Denmark was absolutely amazing because not only did I take the train, I also took a ferry which carried the train through the North Sea! I have never travelled that way before and it was definitely a once in a lifetime experience for me. The scenery (which I always love) was absolutely stunning!

When I got to Copenhagen, I was first off relieved that I made it in one piece but then I struggled to find the hostel. After wondering around for a while, I decided to ask people for directions, which I later learned to do multiple times as I was travelling alone. Having found the hostel and checked in, I left everything and went to a bike rental shop to rent a bike. I was told that biking in Copenhagen is highly recommended hence I had to get a bike for myself to get around.

Having rented the bike for the next 48 hours, I biked around for the first time in Copenhagen & it was quite safe in my opinion. The sights and scenery were simply amazing. I only biked around my neighborhood as I have only arrived in less than 2 hours and did not want to get lost so soon. After a short bike ride, I biked back to the hostel, went to dinner at this small cozy eatery called, “Mad Glad Cafetaria” and the food was absolutely delicious! It had a small buffet where you pay a flat rate in the beginning and then you can have all the food you want and the food options were quite delicious. Having had a relaxing dinner by myself, I made my way back to the hostel and went to bed early. I wanted to get enough sleep as I had planned a full day of activities and sightseeing the following day.

Thoughts/Comments:

•Hostel employees were very friendly and nice

•Had a short conversation with the owner of “Mad Glad” and having told him that I was recommended by the hostel, I had a discount on the meal-how nice is that?

(10.19.12)

Today was a full day for me in Copenhagen. Having planned everything last night, I was going to be biking the entire day around the city and doing a lot of sightseeing. I woke up extra early to ensure that I have time to get ready, eat breakfast and be out exploring as early as possible. My biking adventure around Copenhagen then began with several moments where I got lost but managed to find my way using the map. Looking back now, I did quite a lot of sightseeing as most of the things were free and since they were free, why not take advantage of them right?

The first item on my list was the National Museum in Copenhagen. On my way to the museum, I passed by Copenhagen’s public library as well as the Stock Exchange building. When the National Museum opened, I went it and viewed the many exhibits that were inside. The exhibitions and the museum itself was absolutely amazing and it was relaxing to walk around enjoy what was on display. I am the type of person who loves museum so if I could go to a museum for free, it will definitely be done. Not soon after the visit to the museum, I was on my bike again for quite some distance as I wanted to see the changing of the guards at the palace take place. It was a sight that I will never forget as I got it on film as well as on video. I spent quite some time there before I biked to the harbor coast to see the infamous “Little Mermaid.” I took several pictures with the mermaid and you would not believe the mass of people that is there to take a picture of that statue. I then left on the bike and biked pass the King’s Garden and Castle, which I went and took some pictures of. Soon it was back to the hostel where I decided that I must have some Danish pastries and that was exactly what I did at a local bakery called Brod.

I then biked to Tivoli, which is the second oldest amusement park in the world. Since it was close to Halloween, that was the theme at the park where it was well-decorated and there were people from young children to seniors enjoying themselves at the park. There were live performances, booths, food, and awesome rides. At night the entire amusement park lights up and it is a sight that one will never forget. I had dinner at this noodle shop and I then return to the hostel, packed for my departure the next day and went to bed early.

Thoughts/Comments:

•A random woman talked to me about how nice the weather was today. Apparently the weather for the past few days has been not so good yet today was sunny, warm and amazing!

•When I was on my bike, lost and looking at my map, a random man went out of his way, stopped and asked if I needed help. He pointed out where I needed to go and then went on his way again. How nice is that? Afterwards, he followed me and then realized that he was going the wrong way and then went about his business

•People are super nice when asked to take pictures

•Bikes are simply locked on the street and they’re safe. There is no need for an extra lock and people seem to be ok with it

•Biking is safe and the paths are good but it is difficult to stop, turn or get off whenever you want

•Had a horrible nightmare about giving a tour once I returned (don’t know why lol)

(10.20.12)

Today I left Copenhagen to go to London (my 2nd destination). I woke up extra early as usual, ate my breakfast and then went to return the bike I rented. I packed, checked out of the hostel and then made my way to the Copenhagen’s airport to catch my plane to London. The flight was not too bad but once I got into the U.K., going through customs and security took quite a while. As I made my way to the hostel using London’s tube for the very first time, I realized that the line (Victoria line) I was suppose to take was under construction over the weekend and that I had to take a detour. Luckily, everything was in English and everyone spoke English so after a long and tiring detour, I finally made it to my hostel. I was too tired to wander further for food hence I ordered Thai from the restaurant at the hostel and soon went to bed.

(10.21.12)

As I have 2 full days in London, I wanted to take advantage of this opportunity and do all the touristy things whether it be sightseeing or exploring local neighborhoods where there are not as many tourists. Let’s be honest, London is such a big city that 2 days is definitely not enough but I made sure that I was constantly on the move, seeing things and dong things to make sure that I got the full “London” experience while I am there. At my hostel, I met this person, Laura who was staying in the same room I was. Traveling and staying in hostels is by far the best way to meet new people and make new friends. Laura and I ate breakfast and explore London for a little bit together before we went our separate ways as she was leaving London later that evening. We went to Buckingham Palace and took some amazing pictures at that location. I told myself to return the following day as the changing of the guards only occurs every other day in the Fall. We then walked along St. James’s Park and stopped in front of the Horse Calvary Museum for a while.

Afterwards we went our separate ways and I made my way over to Trafalgar Square. Every year, there is an annual parade for the Sea Cadets in celebration of the Battle of Trafalgar. It was amazing to be there and see an event that only happens once a year! The performances from the sea cadets and all the other individuals were simply amazing! Since I was in London, I was able to meet up with one of my friend’s mom who lives in London. She was so kind as to take me around Camden as well as her neighborhood, showing me the “non-touristy” sights. Camden, I have to say in my opinion is crazy! The atmosphere, attitude, lifestyle and pretty much everything is so different than central London! After walking around for quite some time, we went to Pembroke, a pub where people get together to socialize and play games on the weekends, and had my 1st Sunday roast. It was so delicious and fulfilling, definitely enough for a late lunch/early dinner meal. As it was drizzling that evening, I walked around on my own for a bit and wandered over to Westminister where I saw Big Ben, the London Eye, as well as the House of Parliament. Because of the rain and darkness, I wandered back to the hostel where I planned what I wanted to do the next day.

(10.22.12)

This was my last full day in London before I have to leave the following day in the afternoon for Scotland. The weather was much better than what it has been so far despite a light drizzle. As always, I got up early and because it was quite foggy, I decided to skip the London Eye and save it as my last ‘to-do’ item before I leave tomorrow. I took some more pictures around the area and then made my way back to Buckingham Palace where I saw the changing of the guards. It was quite the sight and unless you were there, you would not believe how packed the entire entrance and surrounding areas were with visitors and spectators. There was live music, marching of the guards and of the Calvary and everyone was excited to see the changing of the guards. One must really be there early enough to get a good spot and view. After such an intense event, where it got so crowded that one cannot move around, I decided it was lunch time and what better meal to have while in London than to have “Fish & Chips.”

Having had such a fulfilling meal, I had to walk it off and what better way to do that than to make a visit to the National Gallery? I definitely loved that place as I spent 2.5 hours and saw the entire gallery. Soon after I made my way over to the British Museum and spent only 30 minutes since they were closing but at the end of the day, I definitely had my fair share of appreciation for art. Before I called it a night, I just had to make my way over to the Towar Bridge where the 5 Olympic rings were placed during this year’s Olympic Games. It was definitely a sight to appreciate when one sees it during the day and during the night. Despite the rain, I was able to walk from one end of Tower Bridge to the other. I slowly made my way back to the hostel as I was exhausted from exploring and wet from the weather. I decided to just simply have dinner at the hostel and before I knew it, I was in bed.

Thoughts/Comments:

•London’s Tube is somewhat similar to Boston’s MBTA

•Realized that I have a hole in my shoe which caused my entire shoe to be soaked-luckily I was able to air it out and got it to dry

•Thought I was getting sick early in the day but luckily I wasn’t

(10.23.12)

I decided to sleep in today as it was my last day in London but shortly after breakfast, I made my way over to the London Eye. The experience being on the London Eye and the sights that one sees is indescribable. It was absolutely breath-taking and stunning. I got some amazing snapshots and it was absolutely fun! I then visited St. Margaret’s Church before heading back to the hostel where I checked out and headed to the airport. I got there extra early thinking that everything was going smoothly until I realized that my flight from London to Edinburgh was delayed for 1.5 hours. Since I did not eat lunch, I got some food at the airport and after 1.5 hours, I boarded my plane only to realize that we had to wait another 30 minutes due to technical difficulties. After a quick journey, I finally arrived in Edinburgh in the evening. I settled into my hostel and because most of the pubs have closed their kitchens, I just stayed and relaxed before heading off to bed. One thing that I got to do was skype with Nicole, a Scottish friend, from home. It was so great to have talk to her since I have not talked to her in almost 3 months. For the two full days that I was in Edinburgh, I was going to meet up with 2 friends of Katie, another Scottish friend from the U.S., and they were going to show me around Edinburgh as well as Glasgow, both the touristy and non-touristy sights and experiences.

Thoughts/Comments:

•The hostel had a very cozy atmosphere with its own fireplace and couches in the common area

(10.24.12)

I was super excited for today because I finally get to meet 2 friends of Katie and I knew that it was going to be an eventful and fun day in Scotland for me. After an early breakfast at the hostel, I walked around the neighborhood for a bit before meeting up with Andrea, Katie’s friend. She was such an amazing person and friend as she brought me around Edinburgh and showed me things such as delicacies, sights and history around the city. We walked along the Royal Mile where there were many stores and shops and amongst all that-I tried on my very first kilt! Our next stop was the infamous castle in Edinburgh. Neither of us has even been in there so it was a special treat for the both of us. The view of the city from the castle was definitely breath-taking. In the castle, we got the opportunity to see the 3 crown jewels of Scotland and they were absolutely beautiful!

Having walked around for such a long time, we decided to take a break and have a hearty Scottish meal and that was exactly what we did. We had Haggis, Scotch eggs and black pudding and homemade stovies-what a delicious meal it was, definitely hearty indeed! Next we walked around and made our way through the National Gallery as well as the National Museum of Scotland, which was amazing. The museum was super interactive with its many activities for all visitors and it had so much to offer in each of its exhibits. I then had to say bye to Andrea and shortly afterwards, I met up with Alice, Katie’s sister who is currently attending the University of Edinburgh. She brought me to her uni (university) and then both of us hiked up Arthur’s Seat which was amazing! The sight was absolutely amazing and indescribable. We hiked up about ¾ the way to the top but had to return as the sun was setting which meant less light to navigate around. Even walking down, the scenery of the city in the horizon with the sunset was magnificent! We then had another hearty Scottish meal for dinner where I had the beef ribs pie and we shared the Cullen Skink as an appetizer. We had long and multiple conversations which was great as we got to know one another better. I then walked her home as it was somewhat late, walked back to the hostel and fell right to sleep. It was definitely a day full of Scottish culture, food and experiences and I was definitely looking forward to the next day as Andrea was going to show me around Glasgow and more of the country side with more scenery.

Thoughts/Comments:

•The weather in Edinburgh was perfect-clear skies, sunny and warm!

(10.25.12)

Today was going to be yet another exciting day. I was going to meet Andrea in Glasgow, travel to Largs and then explore the island nearby called Cumbrae. I got up extra early, got ready and went to the bus station where I bought my round trip ticket to Glasgow. I have a few friends back in the States who are from Glasgow so I was super excited to see what that city has to offer. The bus ride was about an hour which gave me time to appreciate the scenery of the country side between Edinburgh and Glasgow. Once I arrived, Andrea was there to pick me up and we immediately made our way to the Glasgow station to catch the train to Largs. We were fortunate to have caught the train because as soon as we ran and jumped onto the train, the doors closed and started its departure for Largs. The train ride was absolutely stunning with the scenery of the sea and country side. Before I know it, we had arrived in Largs. We walked around for a bit and then took the ferry to the Island of Cumbrae. We then took the shuttle bus to the city of Millport on the island, where we rented bikes and biked around the entire island, which had the circumference of 10 miles! That nearly took about an hour and a half and then we decided to make our way back to Largs where we were to have lunch. We both ordered fish and chips and it was delicious, seeing that we had a physical workout from biking around the island.

After lunch, we both took the train back to Glasgow where I did some souvenir shopping while Andrea went back to her flat for a bit. Tonight, Andrea had invited me to attend a ceilidh that her Shinty team is hosting at her Uni. I was to meet her after shopping at her Uni, which I did, and then we made our way to her Uni. I had no idea what a ceilidh was and how it was going to go that night but ultimately, it was a lot of fun. It was super great that I got to meet her teammates and friends at the Uni as well as partake in some of the Scottish dancing and music that went on that night. Surprisingly I got the hang of one of the dances, “Strip the Willow” and looking back, it was the best decision I made while in Scotland to attend this ceilidh. I was at the ceilidh for about 2.5 hours before I had to leave as it was 11pm. I said my good-byes to Andrea and headed back to Edinburgh. By the time I left Glasgow and arrived back in Edinburgh, it was about 1am. Luckily, I had packed in the morning so I simply went to bed and got whatever sleep I could get before getting up extra early to make my way to Amsterdam on the same day.

Thoughts/Comments:

• It was super great to have met Andrea and Alice while I was in Scotland. I really had a great time with them and I really appreciated that they took the time to show me around the in and outs of Edinburgh, Glasgow and Scotland

• Scotland is such an amazing place. I would definitely return in a heartbeat and spend more time exploring and getting to learn more about the culture

• I have never experience so much of a culture until now-I absolutely love Scotland!

• On our train ride from Glasgow to Largs, I realized that I had a sweet in my bag that had exploded. It was all over most of my stuff but luckily I was able to get it off. Andrea and I could not stop laughing on the train. I still cannot believe that happened to me

(10.26.12)

Today I had to wake up extra early so that I could check out of my hostel and then make my way to the airport via an express shuttle bus around 5am. Everything was going well at the airport until the last moment when I was about to board the plane. I was told that my bag was too big and was charged a fee so that I could board and that my bag was to be checked. This was absolutely ridiculous as it was never stopped at any of the airports or check points in the airport until this last one. Anyways, I boarded my plane and then made my way to my last destination-Amsterdam, the Netherlands. I was able to find the hostel quite easily after asking for directions. The hostel I stayed at was a Christian hostel so it was quite interesting to see how my two nights there would be like. I rented a bike from them and decided to venture out on my very own on my Dutch bike.

I biked to the Public Library, which was quite astonishing inside and that was also where I had lunch. I decided to bike around a bit longer as the weather was amazing. As I bought some discounted tickets back at the hostel, I decided to do one of those canal tours which ended up being very fun. It was very nice to see the city on the water and see the many different things that I would not have known or saw if I was biking on my own. The canal tour lasted for about an hour and afterwards, I bought some souvenirs to get those out of the way before making my way back to the hostel. For my first night in Amsterdam, I really wanted to have something Dutch for dinner and that was exactly what I got. I went to the “Pancake Bakery” and the food was delicious! I had the traditional Dutch pancake which was bacon and apples. I returned to the hostel shortly after, planned for my next full day and went to bed early as I was going to be biking around the city non-stop.

(10.27.12)

I woke up extra early as I had a busy day planned ahead of me. At breakfast, I met this American couple who lives in Boston but is originally from New Hampshire. We chatted for quite some time before the three of us ventured over to Anne Frank’s House and viewed the exhibition together. The atmosphere inside was quite heavy and somber. It was very interesting to read and listen to all that had happen during her life when she hid and what she had wrote in her diary. It was definitely an eye-opener and an experience that I will never forget. Afterwards, I biked to this café that had excellent recommendations and I got fresh mint tea and a delicious slice of Dutch Apple Pie. Next I biked to the Hermitage Museum which was also combined with the Van Gogh Museum, as it was under construction at its original site. The artwork inside was stunning. I could never have believed that I would be able to be in a room full of Van Gogh paintings. The feeling that I had while walking around and viewing the art was amazing. I had such a great time and because I bought my entry ticket at the hostel, I was able to skip the long lines and went straight in.

Having had a quick lunch, I biked to the Heineken Brewery and it was a different cultural experience there. It was quite interactive and the visitors quite enjoyed the many activities that it had to talk about the history of this business. I even met some Americans there. How crazy it is that this world is so small that one can meet other Americans twice in one day? I then biked to the famous “I Am Amsterdam” sign, took some pictures before returning to the hostel for the night. I walked around after returning the bike and had dinner at a nearby Thai restaurant. I then went back and packed as I was leaving early in the morning the next day by train to return to Bremen.

Thoughts/Comments:

•Amsterdam is very pretty and beautiful with its canals and bridges despite the typical stereotype that people place on this city

(10.28.12)

Today I got up early, packed and had breakfast before leaving Amsterdam for Bremen. I got up extra early and got ready only to realized that because of the time change, I was actually an hour early so I had to wait around for an hour before I could get breakfast, eat and then check out. I got to the train station extra early, got onto my trains, transferred successfully and made it safe and sound back to Bremen. I cannot believe that in 10 day, I had travelled to 4 different places on my very own! This is still mind-blowing for me to even grasp.

Well there you have it; this was my entire Fall Holiday trip. I do have to apologize that I will not be able to post up any pictures as the number of photos needed to upload into this one post is too large and would require a long period of time. I apologize for that but I do hope that you enjoyed reading my blog and the posts that I have put on here J Cheers!

#Fall Holiday #2012 #Copenhagen #Denmark #London #England #Edinburgh #Scotland #Amsterdam #The Netherlands #Bremen #Germany

Fall Holiday 2012!

(10.18.12)

Thoughts/Comments:

•Hostel employees were very friendly and nice

•Had a short conversation with the owner of “Mad Glad” and having told him that I was recommended by the hostel, I had a discount on the meal-how nice is that?

(10.19.12)

Thoughts/Comments:

•A random woman talked to me about how nice the weather was today. Apparently the weather for the past few days has been not so good yet today was sunny, warm and amazing!

•People are super nice when asked to take pictures

•Bikes are simply locked on the street and they’re safe. There is no need for an extra lock and people seem to be ok with it

•Biking is safe and the paths are good but it is difficult to stop, turn or get off whenever you want

•Had a horrible nightmare about giving a tour once I returned (don’t know why lol)

(10.20.12)

(10.21.12)

(10.22.12)

Thoughts/Comments:

•London’s Tube is somewhat similar to Boston’s MBTA

•Realized that I have a hole in my shoe which caused my entire shoe to be soaked-luckily I was able to air it out and got it to dry

•Thought I was getting sick early in the day but luckily I wasn’t

(10.23.12)

Thoughts/Comments:

•The hostel had a very cozy atmosphere with its own fireplace and couches in the common area

(10.24.12)

Thoughts/Comments:

•The weather in Edinburgh was perfect-clear skies, sunny and warm!

(10.25.12)

Thoughts/Comments:

• Scotland is such an amazing place. I would definitely return in a heartbeat and spend more time exploring and getting to learn more about the culture

• I have never experience so much of a culture until now-I absolutely love Scotland!

(10.26.12)

(10.27.12)

Thoughts/Comments:

•Amsterdam is very pretty and beautiful with its canals and bridges despite the typical stereotype that people place on this city

(10.28.12)

#Fall Holiday #2012 #Copenhagen #Denmark #London #England #Edinburgh #Scotland #Amsterdam #The Netherlands #Bremen #Germany

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