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Another European Adventure

April 2018 - April 2024
Germany, Ireland, Scotland and Czech Republic Read more
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  • Antonio PelaiaAnother European Adventure

    Wait. Board. Fly. Repeat.

    April 19, 2018 in Canada ⋅ ⛅ 2 °C

    It just seems like yesterday I was waiting to board a flight. The 3 days I’ve had to rest up were great but my neck is still a little stiff from the last flight on Monday morning. This flight stops in Reykjavik, Iceland then to Berlin, Germany after an hour layover. Does that mean I can say I’ve been to Iceland?

    I will be gone for a total of 30 days on this trip. My itinerary includes traveling to Germany, Ireland, Scotland and Czech Republic. This isn’t the longest trip I’ve had. Back in 2012, I had a 6 week trip, mainly through Italy.

    I am slowly learning the art of packing lighter! I have a carry on that weighs only 8.5 kg and a small Roots backpack at about 4 kg! This means I don’t have to check-in any luggage. It usually adds about an hour of time to wait for the baggage carousel. It is much easier to just take your carry on and go! I can do laundry at some point.

    I did get a new water bottle. If you recall, my last one was offered to the gods in Machu Picchu. This one is neon yellow and practically glows in the dark. If I lose it again, I guess I’ll have to go without!

    The flight will board in about an hour. Hopefully it’s a smooth flight. I doubt I will sleep on the plane but I will try.

    More to come....    Read more

  • Antonio PelaiaAnother European Adventure
    Day 1

    Iceland

    April 20, 2018 in Iceland ⋅ ⛅ 6 °C

    Ok...I cheated. Just an hour layover here. Nothing to report.

  • Antonio PelaiaAnother European Adventure
    Day 1

    Arrival in Berlin

    April 20, 2018 in Germany ⋅ ☀️ 24 °C

    It was a long day of travel. Both flights were full but I got aisle seats which helped a little with comfort. I didn’t get the emergency exit seats this time so I was a bit crammed. I watched some tv on the in flight entertainment system which helped the time pass.

    Berlin looks quite big from the air. I was a little overwhelmed at first with the airport but only because it was unfamiliar. I purchased a SIM card and a week bus pass to help with getting around. I took the TXL bus and tried to make my way to my friend Jason’s place. I partially succeeded. I missed a stop and just walled the remainder of the way.

    We relaxed a little and got caught up before making our way out for a little neighbourhood walk. I took a few pictures as well. It was about 27 degrees, with the sun shining! Jason was a great guide, giving me some information on the sites we passed.

    On our way back we stopped in at a grocery store and bought a few things.

    We went back, ate, relaxed and talked for a bit before heading to bed.

    I was so exhausted. It’s great to be in one place for a few days. I’m looking forward to discovering Berlin.    Read more

  • Antonio PelaiaAnother European Adventure
    Day 2

    Berlin 2.0

    April 21, 2018 in Germany ⋅ ☀️ 13 °C

    I had a restful sleep.

    Jason and I had a relaxing morning and planned a walking tour today of some sites in Berlin.

    We walked to the main station. The transit system js quite intricate here, and overwhelming for a visitor.

    We went to the main station Hauptbahnhof. We walked the Reichstag building. Other stops included: Brandenburg Gate, Checkpoint Charlie, The Jewish Memorial, Neue Wache, The Nazi Book Burning Memorial, Museum Island, The Berlin Wall and the Topography of Terror.

    As a treat we stopped in at the Rausch Chocolate Shop. We ate lunch at an Asian restaurant close to a park.

    Jason was a great tour guide.

    Today was a jam packed day! We will see what tomorrow will bring.    Read more

  • Antonio PelaiaAnother European Adventure
    Day 3

    Walk til you drop!

    April 22, 2018 in Germany ⋅ ☀️ 22 °C

    It was a day full walking. We had breakfast and left around 10:30. Our goal today was the East Side Gallery.

    On our way, we stopped by the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church which are the remainders of a bombed church from WWII. It obviously has been left as a reminder of the horrors of war.

    We also went through a mall that overlooked the Berlin Zoo and we could see some orangoutangs and gorillas. Pretty cool.

    When we finally arrived at the outdoor gallery, we were exhausted from walking. There were many tourists there taking pictures and selfies. Basically, it’s the largest remaining section of the Berlin Wall turned into several murals. It was quite remarkable to see. There are many parts of the city where you see a two brick path identifying where the old Berlin Wall use to be. It zig-zags all over the place. It’s hard to picture a 12 foot wall dividing the city.

    We took the transit back. I’m going to have to try and figure my way around the transit system. Maybe I’ll try that tomorrow. I’ll need a relaxing day to recoup from my walking. I should be documenting my step counts! Ha!!    Read more

  • Antonio PelaiaAnother European Adventure
    1
    Day 4

    Flying Solo

    April 23, 2018 in Germany ⋅ ⛅ 20 °C

    The days are passing by so quickly. I have to remind myself what day of the week it is. It’s Monday today.

    I’m going to do some wandering on my own today.....well for part of the day. It’s been great that Jason has been able to show me the basis but it’s time for me to try it on my own.

    I decide to go to a place called Primark. It’s a U.K. chain that is similar to H & M.

    As I was writing this I almost missed my stop! I had to squeeze through the bus doors as they were closing. Yikes!!

    I made it to my destination! To my surprise, I came upon the TV Tower. I took a couple of pictures and made my way to Primark. I did but a couple of little things. I can’t take much back because I don’t want to put my bags over the limit! I could have purchased so much but didn’t.

    I stopped and bought some pretzels and had that as a snack.

    It started to rain a little but I made my way into a McDonald’s to get a coffee and some wifi.

    I made my way back to Jason’s place and we went to a market area that had lots of restaurants including a Canadian poutine place....we had to try it. Unfortunately, no discount for Canadians.....I asked. Ha!

    I still have yet to try the Currywurst....maybe tomorrow.    Read more

  • Antonio PelaiaAnother European Adventure
    Day 5

    Touristed Out!

    April 24, 2018 in Germany ⋅ ⛅ 13 °C

    I think I’m touristed out.

    Jason and I took the subway to Alexanderplatz, walked and shopped a bit. We didn’t really buy anything but it was good to window shop. It was overcast and rainy today so it wasn’t the best day to be out and about.

    We ate lunch but it was a pretty tasteless burger and overpriced.

    Tonight will be a low key. Home made fried rice and Netflix.    Read more

  • Antonio PelaiaAnother European Adventure
    Day 6

    Museum Time

    April 25, 2018 in Germany ⋅ ⛅ 13 °C

    I had a little bit of a sleep in this morning.

    We decided to go to Neues Museum and do some wandering around. It was cool to see all ur Egyptian, Roman, etc. artifacts. The highlight was Nefertiti. I couldn’t take a picture but it was quite beautiful.

    It is interesting to note that there are bullet holes in buildings all over the city, including this museum. Some attempts have been made to plaster over them but for the most part, they have been left. Again, reminders of the horrors of war.

    Jason and I had some dessert at a restaurant and then went back to his place.

    I had to prepare my booking for tomorrow. It was a bit of a nightmare but I did it. Ryanair would not let me use a mobile boarding pass so I had to find an Internet cafe to print a paper copy. It’s sneaky business. I have another Ryanair flight from Dublin to Edinburgh and I doubt I will use the airline in again.

    Hopefully I sleep well tonight and all goes smoothly tomorrow. If not, I’m sure you’ll read all about it!    Read more

  • Antonio PelaiaAnother European Adventure
    Day 7

    Budlin Dound

    April 26, 2018 in Ireland ⋅ ☀️ 7 °C

    Today is a travel day. I’ll be making my way to Dublin. As always, I don’t tend to sleep very well because I’m so worried about missing my flight! Thankfully Peter will be meeting me there today.

    I enjoyed Berlin. It took me a few days to get use to the way things work. Thankfully I had Jason to show me the city and give me tours, ideas and tips.

    Speaking of tips, here are some things to remember when you visit Berlin:

    1) Get a transit pass. I got a 7 day pass and it came in very very handy. This is the most progressive city I’ve been to with a transit system. Buy a ticket from the machine for your trip. Validate it in one of the validation machines. Keep it in your wallet for the duration of your trip. You just walk on and off the buses, trains and subways. You don’t need to scan your card, go through annoying turn-styles or get transfer tickets. It’s all on the honour system. If you get stopped by one of the transit officers you’ll need to present your validated ticket or you will get a fine!! I haven’t been stopped.

    2) Don’t be afraid to explore. There are lots of cool things to see and do. I find the best way is just to walk. Remember to download an offline version of google maps of Berlin. You won’t need to connect to the internet and it will keep you from getting lost.

    3) Ask for help. Locals are quite friendly and helpful. Most speak English and are willing to guide you in the right direction.

    4) Don’t over do it. When traveling, it’s natural to want to do EVERYTHING. Be realistic. Personally, I would just Tackle 2 or 3 things you want to see and do for each day you travel. Set your budget and stick to it. It is so easy to get caught up in the ‘I’m here right now, I may as well do it.’

    Hopefully Dublin will be just as easy to navigate, plenty of sites to see and foods to try.

    I’m beginning to hate being in airports. It’s lines, waiting and more waiting. I have a few more flights to go so hopefully I can hang in till the end.

    Finally I’ve arrived. Peter arrived as well. We walked around and went for an early dinner. I didn’t eat since this morning so I was famished. Tomorrow we have a free day to explore Dublin.

    Adventure time!    Read more

  • Antonio PelaiaAnother European Adventure
    Day 8

    Rainy Dublin Day

    April 27, 2018 in Ireland ⋅ ⛅ 7 °C

    Dublin is beautiful and green. Minus the rain. This afternoon it’s suppose to clear up so hopefully we can go for a walking tour.

    We slept in a little today. Unfortunately, there is construction going on in the hotel and they were drilling away bright and early. What a wake up call!!

    It was an educational day. We decided to do a free tour today. It was mainly the north end of Dublin and very political in nature. The tour guide was so knowledgeable and obviously a history buff. Ireland has had its share of hardships.

    The most moving part for me was the sculptures called the Famine. It is depicting people fleeing to Canada in a time when there was a potato blight and many people had very little food. Unfortunately the Irish government didn’t step in. Many Irish people took the long journey to Canada to make a new life as it was worth the risk. This sculpture depicts the ‘Depart’. In Toronto, the other sculpture depicts the ‘Arrival’. I will have to make a point of seeing it on my next trip to Toronto. I think you will agree that the artist did an incredible job!!!

    Tomorrow will be an remarkable day. Lots on the agenda...just wait and see!    Read more

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