Europe 2015 | FindPenguins

Newest first

Trip start
June 16, 2015
Europe 2015 Erin N
Cologne
June 16, 2015 in Germany ⋅ ⛅ 16 °C
In Cologne, it seems, there is not so much to do outside of visiting the towering cathedral and walking along the Rhine river. It's also disappointingly chilly for mid-June...so now that my jetlag is improving I'm looking forward to moving on to someplace warm with a beach!

Also, 3 days before the summer solstice, the days here are very long. It doesn't even start getting dark until after 10pm, and I think the sun rose around 4am. It's kind of nice to have so much daylight but not conducive to sleeping!

My day improved drastically, however, when 1) the sun came out, and 2) a nice older guy started talking to me. After I decided he wasn't creepy, he told me about some other stuff to do in the city. Lesson of the day: be social!Read more
1 like
Europe 2015 Erin N
Madrid
June 18, 2015 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 29 °C
Today I woke up to the unimaginable news of a racially-motivated terrorist shooting in my country. My sadness at the continuous violence in America and the incompetence of the media to present news without bias has been hard to get past all day.

But here's to trying...
I've had a really great 24 hours in Madrid. The most beautiful European city I've visited so far, and the weather has been perfect. (I'm so glad it's 20 degrees F cooler than last time!)

I made a friend in my hostel and had delicious tapas and sangria last night after getting lost for awhile. Yes, I've confirmed that this city is extremely difficult to navigate, even the second time around. A lot of "how the hell did we end up HERE?!"...(and no, I don't have this problem other places).

Today was shopping, then spending 2 hours in the train station trying to pay for a ticket to Lisboa, then giving up and trying the bus station instead, where I determined that ALSA >>> Renfe. Finally, success, and I'm off to a new country tonight!Read more
0 likes
Europe 2015 Erin N
Gorgeous Lisboa
June 19, 2015 in Portugal ⋅ ☀️ 26 °C
0 likes
Europe 2015 Erin N
Sintra
June 22, 2015 in Portugal ⋅ ⛅ 18 °C
Sintra was overall very touristy but still a pretty little excursion.
0 likes
Europe 2015 Erin N
Lisboa pt. 2
June 23, 2015 in Portugal ⋅ ⛅ 21 °C
The tram that inspired the Knight Bus in Harry Potter, the best pasteis de nata, and beautiful tiled streetscapes throughout the city 💕

All reasons to love this beautiful city. I'm already planning my next trip to Portugal to explore more of the country... (only a 7 hour flight from New York!)Read more
0 likes
Europe 2015 Erin N
Lagos
June 24, 2015 in Portugal ⋅ ☀️ 23 °C
Sun and sand - the kind that's big enough that it doesn't get everywhere and doesn't make the water murky. Hot but with a nice sea breeze. White-washed buildings with red roofs, showing off their Arabic influence. Fresh fish, great wine, and delicious Portuguese pastries. And amazingly, it's quite inexpensive.Read more
0 likes
Europe 2015 Erin N
London Pride
June 27, 2015 in England ⋅ ☀️ 23 °C
The SCOTUS decided that love wins over inequality, and I am feeling proud of my country...a feeling that has truly been escaping me lately. In a celebratory mood I joined the crowd at the London Pride parade with new hope that equality may have a chance after all...Read more
0 likes
Europe 2015 Erin N
Harry Potter Studio Tour
June 29, 2015 in England ⋅ ☀️ 21 °C
The Harry Potter Studio Tour was one of the highlights of my time in London!
0 likes
Europe 2015 Erin N
Brighton
June 29, 2015 in England ⋅ ☀️ 20 °C
Only an hour train ride from London, Brighton is a cute beach town with a rocky beach (not good for walking barefoot, but the rocks make the coolest noise as the waves go in and out...), relaxed atmosphere, and tons of fish & chips joints.Read more
0 likes
Europe 2015 Erin N
Touristy in London
June 30, 2015 in England ⋅ ☀️ 17 °C
0 likes
Europe 2015 Erin N
Amsterdam
July 4, 2015 in the Netherlands ⋅ ⛅ 25 °C
Bikes, everywhere. Crazy tourists there for the red light district and coffee shops. Amsterdam has a very relaxed atmosphere (certainly helped by the readily available weed...)

And I couldn't leave without seeing a little Vermeer (and Rembrandt) 🎨Read more
0 likes
Europe 2015 Erin N
Amsterdam, pt. 2
July 7, 2015 in the Netherlands ⋅ ☀️ 14 °C
0 likes
Europe 2015 Erin N
Paris
July 8, 2015 in France ⋅ ⛅ 18 °C
City of Lights...hmm. I liked Paris but not for the reasons I had expected. It's a little grungy (which I like), not as expensive as I'd thought, and certainly beautiful in parts but not any more than other cities. In fact, I think I prefer Madrid's ornate, colorful buildings or Amsterdam's canals...

But we still had a great time. I met up with A and we had our first airbnb experience of the trip, in a lovely flat with a view of the Eiffel Tower and a crazy cat. Lots of sights to see but it was fun!Read more
0 likes
Europe 2015 Erin N
Budapest
July 12, 2015 in Hungary ⋅ ☀️ 27 °C
Both of our favorite city of the trip. (My runner-up: Lisbon.) Budapest is gorgeous, inexpensive, and unique. No place I've been to has suffered so greatly, again and again throughout history, only to get back onto its feet.

Nighttime along the Danube is stunning. I also loved the ruin bars -- which are what they sound like, abandoned buildings turned into bars.

Note: The shoes pointing into the river are a memorial to the Jews who were shot into the Danube there in 1944-5. I have so much trouble comprehending that entire era in history...(who doesn't??)... but it's a very moving monument. There are so many memorials around Budapest honoring those who were heroes during either the war (e.g. helping to save the Jews) or the communist era.

Note 2: Notice the bats flying above the Parliament building!Read more
http://www.budapestagent.com
8/24/16Reply
2 likes
Europe 2015 Erin N
Budapest pt. 2
July 13, 2015 in Hungary ⋅ ⛅ 21 °C
More from Pest, including Parliament in daylight, Margaret island, and Dohány Synagogue (the largest in Europe!).
0 likes
Europe 2015 Erin N
Buda (Budapest pt. 3)
July 14, 2015 in Hungary ⋅ ⛅ 20 °C
The old city
0 likes
Europe 2015 Erin N
18h in Bratislava
July 16, 2015 in Slovakia ⋅ ⛅ 28 °C
Our mostly unplanned evening in Slovakia...in which we climbed to the top of the city, ate too much food, and discovered medieval walls.

Interestingly, the monument is for the Soviet soldiers who died during the war fighting the Germans (erected in the 50s, I believe). This is in sharp contrast to what I understand of the Hungarians' relationship with the Soviets...Read more
0 likes
Europe 2015 Erin N
Vienna
July 18, 2015 in Austria ⋅ ⛅ 33 °C
We enjoyed lots of classical music, Gothic and Baroque architecture, and extreme heat (ha!) in Vienna. However, the city didn't quite have Budapest's charm as it was very touristy and rather expensive.Read more
0 likes
Europe 2015 Erin N
Prague
July 20, 2015 in Czech Republic ⋅ ⛅ 25 °C
The beautiful old city and Charles Bridge
0 likes
Europe 2015 Erin N
Prague pt. 2
July 21, 2015 in Czech Republic ⋅ ⛅ 20 °C
Fireworks, the old Jewish cemetery, the astronomical clock, and Sigmund Freud hanging from an umbrella.
0 likes
Europe 2015 Erin N
Berlin
July 24, 2015 in Germany ⋅ 🌬 15 °C
I visited Berlin once again on our way back to western Germany. It was nice and we did a few cool things and learned a bit. My touristy pictures are from the Reichstag dome, Neue Synagogue, Berlin Cathedral, and Brandenburg gate.Read more
0 likes
Europe 2015 Erin N
Düsseldorf
July 26, 2015 in Germany ⋅ ☀️ 13 °C
After six weeks my huge figure-8 through Europe came to an end in rainy, modern Düsseldorf. I suppose this was alright as it meant I was (slightly) less sad to leave...

Until next time.
0 likes

Trip end
July 26, 2015