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Europe - Fall 2023
  • Morgan Christian-Sands
  • Morgan Christian-Sands

Europe - Fall 2023

A 40-day adventure by Morgan Read more
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  • Morgan Christian-SandsEurope - Fall 2023Traveler

    Hallstatt

    October 15, 2023 in Austria ⋅ 🌧 45 °F

    Unfortunately it got rainy, windy, and cold on me when I arrived so I haven't done the town walk yet and had to nix the viewpoint, but the views are still gorgeous and I have a little balcony in my room, so that helps make up for it. (I especially love my view of the crane 😂). Also have some pics of the boat ride over from the little train station.Read more

  • Morgan Christian-SandsEurope - Fall 2023Traveler

    Hallstatt town walk + Hallstattweg hike

    October 16, 2023 in Austria ⋅ ☁️ 45 °F

    So happy I had beautiful weather this morning! It made up for having to cut my day short yesterday due to stormy weather all afternoon and evening. Those little stairways and tiny alleys are their residential streets once you get past the market area -- they built right up against the mountain. Gorgeous hiking in the area as well (my hike was to the nearby waterfall viewpoint).Read more

  • Morgan Christian-SandsEurope - Fall 2023Traveler
    11

    Hallstatt Museum and Church Bone Chapel

    October 16, 2023 in Austria ⋅ ☁️ 41 °F

    Hallstatt is home to the world's oldest salt mine (it's still in operation!) and one of the best stone-age settlement finds in Europe (to the extent that era in central European history is actually called the Hallstatt Culture Era), including a sizeable necropolis. The museum is actually quite good for such a small town, and includes a replica of the oldest wooden stairs/ladder in the world, dated to almost 1100 BC (the original is in situ in the mine). Also visited the famous bone chapel, with its painted skulls, situated in a 12th century chapel. Bonus pic: leaving Hallstatt by boat.Read more

  • Morgan Christian-SandsEurope - Fall 2023Traveler
    1

    St Stephen's Cathedral+Kaisergruft Crypt

    October 17, 2023 in Austria ⋅ ☁️ 54 °F

    This is hands-down one of the most beautiful cathedral exteriors I've seen. Interior doesn't hurt either :P The small painting is one of those that allegedly "wept" back in the day. The pulpit is a famous gothic artwork, as is the font (which is what Mozart's children were baptized from -- he himself was married here). The Kaisergruft Imperial Crypt houses the tombs of the Habsburgs. (The two behind the gate are the founders of the crypt).Read more

  • Morgan Christian-SandsEurope - Fall 2023Traveler
    11

    Hofburg Palace complex

    October 18, 2023 in Austria ⋅ ☁️ 52 °F

    The Habsburg palace, including the Imperial State rooms (unable to take pics of those), the Sisi Museum, and the Treasury. The model shows how the completed complex would have looked (they almost got there). The treasury highlights include the crown jewels, the original crown of the Holy Roman Emperor, the 900-year-old coronation mantle, items that belonged to Charlemagne, and a reliquary with an alleged piece of "The" cross (one of the more likely out of the many claims to cross fragments worldwide -- it has been part of the Imperial procession for centuries) and allegedly a piece of "The" lance that pierced Jesus' side (true or not, this piece was actually taken into battle by Holy Roman Emperors in the 10th century).Read more

  • Morgan Christian-SandsEurope - Fall 2023Traveler

    Kunsthistorisches+Natural History Museum

    October 18, 2023 in Austria ⋅ ☁️ 55 °F

    Both of these museums were absolutely fantastic, with a really nice variety of displays. (And they're right across from each other, next to the Hofburg palace, which is convenient.) The Greek, Roman, and Egyptian artifacts are part of the Kunsthistorisches, which is the art museum (with some impressive collections of masters). The Stone Age exhibits are part of the Natural History Museum, which also features the famous Venus of Willendorf (world's oldest fertility figure, a must-see for any archaeology nerd.) Also has one of the largest and oldest collections of meteorites.Read more

  • Morgan Christian-SandsEurope - Fall 2023Traveler

    Schönbrunn Palace

    October 19, 2023 in Austria ⋅ ☁️ 52 °F

    The Habsburg summer residence, and alleged to be one of the only palaces that could have rivaled Versailles in its heyday. No pics allowed in the State Rooms (although I did sneak one of the Banquet Hall), but I got quite a few of the gorgeous (and huuuuuge) grounds. There are all sorts of points of interest in the (free!) grounds (including their own fake Roman ruins 🤣). There are also lots of really neat mini hiking trails all over it (with very few tourists in that part, which is a plus).Read more

  • Morgan Christian-SandsEurope - Fall 2023Traveler
    1

    Weltmuseum Vienna

    October 19, 2023 in Austria ⋅ ☁️ 61 °F

    Vienna's World Museum, which has a nice multi-room Ethnographic exhibit, and an extensive permanent collection of medieval armor and old historic instruments. (Most of that was part of the Habsburg collection -- that family is everywhere here lol.) The model of the Japanese Feudal Lord's complex is actually a showpiece from the Vienna World's Fair in the 1800s.Read more

  • Morgan Christian-SandsEurope - Fall 2023Traveler
    2

    Bern

    October 21, 2023 in Switzerland ⋅ ⛅ 54 °F

    Got to walk around Switzerland's really pretty capital this morning. Small for a capital city, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

  • Morgan Christian-SandsEurope - Fall 2023Traveler

    Lausanne and Lake Geneva

    October 21, 2023 in Switzerland ⋅ ☀️ 61 °F

    Lausanne's not quite as cute as Bern, but it does still have a respectable number of nice highlights, and of course Lake Geneva :) (The C-shaped thingy is actually a weathervane for the sailors.) I did run across one of the demonstrations (re: the Israel-Palestine war) going on throughout Europe right now, so I included a couple shots.Read more

  • Morgan Christian-SandsEurope - Fall 2023Traveler
    1

    Schilthorn (part 1)

    October 23, 2023 in Switzerland ⋅ ☁️ 32 °F

    This is a top contender for prettiest place I've seen, bar none. These views were ridiculous, and include Jungfrau. Schilthorn is one of the Alps' most famous peaks for good reason, it seems. (It was also the filming site of one of the James Bond films.) I had to split it up into two picture sets.Read more

  • Morgan Christian-SandsEurope - Fall 2023Traveler

    Schilthorn (part 2)

    October 23, 2023 in Switzerland ⋅ ☁️ 41 °F

    Here's the rest, including the Skyline "Thrill Walk" at Birg (with the glass floors at parts and the bit where you walk a metal tightrope with a net under you). Was neat!

  • Morgan Christian-SandsEurope - Fall 2023Traveler

    Murren to Gimmelwald hike

    October 23, 2023 in Switzerland ⋅ ☁️ 48 °F

    Murren and Gimmelwald are both adorable alpine villages. Murren is for sure the more touristy one, while Gimmelwald is more authentic (and I got me some real alpine cheese there, sold by the local farmers). The views on the hike itself between the villages didn't hurt either lol. The cute little wooden hut is where my cheese was pressed and aged.Read more

  • Morgan Christian-SandsEurope - Fall 2023Traveler

    Trummelbach Falls

    October 23, 2023 in Switzerland ⋅ ☁️ 57 °F

    Switzerland's "waterfall inside a mountain." A really cool experience, actually. Trummelbach is the Alps' most powerful waterfall and it actually is inside the mountain, twisting and thundering through a bunch of caves. You view it through a series of caves that you reach via a funicular they tunneled right into the mountain.Read more

  • Morgan Christian-SandsEurope - Fall 2023Traveler
    1

    Kleine Scheidegg to Wengen hike

    October 24, 2023 in Switzerland ⋅ 🌧 45 °F

    Doesn't have those spectacular alpine views, but still a very pretty area to hike through. Route took me past some nice variety -- more remote stretches as well as a few farms and teeny towns. I JUST managed to beat the fog and mist rolling in, so I still got some nice views before it obscured them completely. It actually kind of added to the ambiance in the lower elevation part when it did start rolling in, gave it a neat "Wuthering Heights" vibe. (Also passed another of those little stations where local farmers put their cheese for sale and you just grab some and leave money on the honor system.)Read more

  • Morgan Christian-SandsEurope - Fall 2023Traveler

    Zürich

    October 25, 2023 in Switzerland ⋅ ☁️ 57 °F

    I wasn't expecting all that much out of Zurich (it's just a stopover on the way to Paris), but it's surprisingly pleasant once you get away from the high-end commercial and business area.

  • Morgan Christian-SandsEurope - Fall 2023Traveler

    The Louvre

    October 27, 2023 in France ⋅ ⛅ 55 °F

    The Looooooooouvre 🥰 'Nuff said lol. (And yes, instead of doors I took pics with Mona Lisa and Venus de Milo in the background, because you kinda have to.)

  • Morgan Christian-SandsEurope - Fall 2023Traveler

    Champs Elysees+Jardin des Tuileries

    October 27, 2023 in France ⋅ ☁️ 59 °F

    Fun walk, commercial but lots of history layered underneath (and it's possible I bought more macarons). The Rugby World Cup is being hosted here, right at the Place de Concorde, so I wasn't able to right up to the obelisk like I'd wanted, but otherwise was neat :) The Arc de Triomphe was bigger than I'd expected, so that was especially cool.Read more

  • Morgan Christian-SandsEurope - Fall 2023Traveler

    Père-Lachaise Cemetery

    October 28, 2023 in France ⋅ ☁️ 55 °F

    This was definitely one of the neater cemeteries to visit, and the overcast weather actually added to the ambiance nicely. Lots of famous burials. The lineup here features Oscar Wilde, Jim Morrison, Chopin, Moliere, La Fontaine, and the crypt-style grave with the reposed statues on top are the oldest "residents" (relocated here), from the 12th century. (Also there was a random live bird hanging out in the crematorium.)Read more

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