It's time for another Travel Diary!
I just returned from Europe, all on an itinerary that I planned myself! Prior trips had me planning trips to countries I'd been to before, whereas this one, I would be going to four countries; two I hadn't been to before, one I'd spent a few days in but not this specific region, and the other a few hours during a layover. But the focal point of this trip would be one event: Oktoberfest. So, my itinerary was as follows: Czech Republic, Germany, France, and The Netherlands.
This particular trip was a little stressful in booking due to having to do extra research with limited internet access, but once I booked the tickets and the trip to Oktoberfest, everything went a little more smoothly. Before we get started, let me give you some tips on what to do before traveling to continental Europe.
And, before you ask, was there any pre-trip drama? There was a little bit, yes, however it managed to resolve itself and didn't cause too much stress.
Apps to Utilize Before European Travel
These days, certain apps are a complete boon when exploring foreign lands. You may have some of these apps already, so if you do, please take a moment to read why they are so important.
Bolt
Rideshare is extremely helpful if you find yourself in an area that has limited public transportation, or nothing direct to the locations that you'll be staying at or visiting. Uber is available in many countries, but for the ones that it's not available in, download Bolt.
Bolt is available in the Czech Republic and also has access to E-scooters. It's good to have this alternative app on hand for when Uber isn't available.
Ticket Apps
There are several major companies that offer tickets and excursions in the areas you will be visiting. TripAdvisor is a popular choice throughout the world, but if you're going through Europe, you can also try Tiqets or GetYourGuide. Tiqets worked amazingly for Italy, and GetYourGuide offered wonderful adventures through the central countries.
Others are available, but to save room on your phone, I would recommend finding which one offers the best adventures in the country (or countries) you're visiting and download that one. They also make things easier if your excursion is delayed or canceled.
Communication is key when traveling, and most tourism companies now rely on WhatsApp to reach out to their customers. This way they can reach out to anyone but message or calls, especially if your current plan doesn't allow for international calls. If you don't want to use it permanently, I would still recommend having it for the duration of your trip.
Google Translate
Many European cultures have English as a primary language in their major cities, but smaller areas are less likely to have English speakers available. Before setting off, make sure you download Google Translate, and then download the languages of the countries you'll be visiting. It will make your life much easier, and can also help you uncover possible scams!
Readying for Travel
The first leg of my trip had me landing in Prague late at night. I hadn't checked the check-in time for hostel at the time of booking, and Hostelworld showed that check-in time was at 11:00pm. I booked an airport pickup through Airport Taxi Transfers beforehand to make sure that I would be there well before check-in ended. It was a little more expensive, but often times, peace of mind is worth paying the extra for. Like traveler's insurance.
I also had in mind to pack some cuter pieces of clothing for this trip. After all, I would be spending time in Prague and Strasbourg, two extremely cultural cities. I had everything packed for weeks, and then checked in with a friend of mine in Germany for an idea of the weather. As it turned out, I would be visiting over the fall solstice, and my friend told me that the weather was being unpredictable. So, the day before, I swapped out most of my clothes for more season appropriate threads.
The day of travel came, and I made sure to pack my stack of thank-you cards. On my first flight to Paris via Air France, I gave a card to the flight attendants and was gifted some free cups of Moet & Chandon. Then, my connecting flight from Paris to Prague, I did the same with this flight crew. I was given a fancy luggage tag, and a bag full of booze!
Seriously, folks, giving your flight crew gifts or cards can earn you some sweet rewards! At the very worst, they'll just be grateful and not do anything, in which case you did something nice and karma will likely visit you later on.
Prague, Czech Republic
My flight landed early and my driver was a little late, but he communicated through WhatsApp when he would be arriving. When he picked me up and took me to the car, he started playing some American music and asked if I liked it, which I told him was fine though I usually listen to Scandinavian symphonic metal. He then switched his music to some hardcore Ukrainian music, which I liked much better.
City Exploration and WOW Show
I was dropped off at the Women's Only Hostel, which I reached in plenty of time, and since it was so late I went promptly to sleep. That morning, the hostel was offering pancakes for breakfast, which I happily indulged in before starting my day with an underground tour. It was a beautiful sunny day as our guide led us through the streets of Old Town and down into several underground areas.
The first area was used as housing back in the day. The second underground room was used as an apothecary and had a hidden room behind a bookcase. The third was a dungeon had a wheel of torture and a Kylo Ren lightsaber amongst its executioner swords, and we were told stories of the pain inflicted. There were also fake skeletons all over the place that many of us took time to snap pictures with.
When the tour ended, I decided to go for a walk. I stuck mostly around the Old Town area and had lunch at a restaurant that was promoted as having authentic Bavarian food. I found the restaurant, called Sova, and had a light lunch. It had delicious food, though the prices were higher than I was expecting.
After lunch, I set off for Prague Castle, which stood on a hill overlooking the city. On the way, I stopped to pick up some ice cream, which in Prague is served in a cinnamon-croissant like cone with Nutella on the inside to prevent the ice cream from making the cone soggy. It was an ingenious idea, and made for a wonderful dessert!
I ventured up the hill to the castle, which was comprised of a palace, government buildings and a gothic cathedral. The cathedral was absolutely breathtaking in its architecture. The buildings around offered tours, but I wanted to keep looking around the city. I decided to stick with the New Town area to make my way toward the Charles Bridge.
I spent my time along the riverbank before moving further into the city. I found a wonderful gingerbread shop called Pernikovy Panacek which featured expensive but creative and delicious cookies of cute characters. I bought one of Pikachu. I found several other museums along the way that I would have to check out the next time I come through.
When I made it to the Charles Bridge, I experienced the most tourist traffic than I had anywhere else in the city. There were small groups, full tour groups, and families all going up and down the bridge. There were vendors promoting their wares or services to do art like caricatures, making the area busy and bustling. I came across the plaque of a dog that has been patted so much that it has practically been turned to gold.
I went through a little more of Old Town before popping over to my hostel to change for my evening plans. There is a sandwich chain in Prague called Bageterie Boulevard where I had a quick dinner, and then moved on to a show at the Broadway Theater: the WOW Black Light Theater. Everyone was given a glowing stick with their admission, which everyone waved when the lights went down to signal the start of the show.
This incredible dance and mime show featured performers in black light enhanced outfits, glowing props, and even some puppetry. The show was all done to music with no dialogue at all, making it appeal to all visitors. At one point, there were large balls tossed out into the audience which were playfully being bounced around. However, there was a kid in the front row that refused to return one of the balls. When a security guard came to retrieve it, the kid spiked the ball right into the guard's face! That kid was them promptly removed from the show by the guard. I couldn't believe the audacity!
The show continued from there with no other issues, and finished within an hour. I loved this show and definitely recommend it for everyone, as it is all-ages appropriate. However, since I wasn't aware of the show being so short, I didn't have anything to do afterwards! I did swing into a tourism office to see if there was anything available that late, but alas, there was nothing.
So, I ventured out into the city again. Thankfully, Prague has a reputation for being one of the safest cities for women to travel alone, so I set out and was able to watch the hour change on the Astronomical Clock, where I met a woman who traveled with a toy reindeer, and I introduced her to my dinosaurs, Wash and Heihei. I love it when that happens!
I kept to the Old Town area, checking out a few gift shops along the way, before I eventually made my way toward the National Museum. Of course it was closed at this time of night, but since I wouldn't have time to visit this time around, I wanted to see it up close. Nearby, there was a memorial set up for Iryna Zarutska and Charlie Kirk. I had nothing to leave at the memorial but still paid my respects.
After snapping a few pictures of the museum, which wasn't easy to do due to construction all over the place, I decided to head back. I had wandered over a mile away from the hostel, and I had a bike tour in the morning, so I deemed it best to take a scooter back. I found a nearby Lime Scooter and saw the city by my second favorite means of getting around.
Bike Ride to Karlstejn Castle and Medieval Dinner
The next morning I was up early for my bike tour, but there was no breakfast offered today. I went to a nearby hotel that offered a breakfast buffet to everyone and had a hearty meal. My tour was supposed to be a guided tour, but the operator had reached out to me the day before informing me that there weren't enough people for the guided tour so I could either switch to another day, or do self-guided. Since I was leaving later, I opted for self-guided and was given a partial refund.
As it turned out, only myself and another woman were doing this tour, so we were given our bikes, locks and helmets and set off. We did not set off together but did eventually meet up later. There had been some rain overnight, and the current weather was a little overcast. I followed along the map the operator gave me and tried to stop at some of the cafes marked on the map, but I was making too good of time and arriving before they opened! Eventually I found a gym that had an open cafe, so I had a quick lunch there before continuing my journey.
I arrived about an hour later to the small town of Karlstejn in the Central Bohemian Region to visit the Gothic castle, Karlstejn Castle. The way to the castle was steep, so I locked up the bike at a nearby lot and made the rest of the way on foot. I arrived around the same time as the other lady from the morning, and we had just enough time to snag spaces on the tour of the royal chambers, which was starting in mere minutes!
The guided tour was took us through areas that were filled with stories about the castle's most popular ruler, Charles IV. From the bedchambers to the throne room, we were introduced to life during Charles IV's reign, including his throne room. The castle does have other tours available, one of which features the crown jewels. Unfortunately for me and my biking companion, we were on a limited time schedule as our journey included a train ticket back to Prague, and we had to be at the station on time.
Once we reached the Prague station, my companion and I tried to navigate our way outside, and then through the torn-up streets that were under reconstruction to make it to the bike shop before it closed. We passed the Jerusalem Synagogue which I had forgotten I had wanted to visit and was about to close to the tourists. At last, we made it, returned our bikes and parted, as I had another event to go to that evening.
After a shower and brief rest, I walked the 2 minutes to the venue where I would be attending the Prague Medieval Dinner, as recommended to me by a friend who had visited Prague two weeks before. I was seated at a table with a lively group, and we were served an extremely filling five course meal whilst being entertained with hunky shirtless musicians, belly dancing, two pirates fighting in both hand-to-hand and sword combat, and a fire breather!
At my table, I was one of only 2 Americans (I'm used to this by now) with a couple from England, another from Canada, one lady from Australia, and another lady from New Zealand. I was seated with the Aussie and Kiwi, and at one point they were discussing where they were from with the other American guy, who had to say, "Australia and New Zealand are the same country," to which all three of us at the same time went, "NO!" and was then lectured by the other two how the two countries were different. That guy walked away that night having learned something he would never forget!
I would be traveling the next morning but still had a little time, so I went out for another walk through Old Town to work off that dinner. The next morning, I had breakfast at that same hotel, then gathered my bags and took a Bolt to the bus depot. I hopped aboard a Flixbus to Plzen, and then the connecting Flixbus to Munich.
Germany
When traveling through the EU, most countries will allow you to cross into their borders just like you would any state in the US. Germany is not one of the countries. Once our bus crossed the border into Germany, we pulled over and the police came aboard to check our passports. The process was quick and polite, though there was one young man a few rows ahead who didn't want to show his passport. The officer made it clear that he had to show it, and when he refused, she told him to get off the bus. He did as he was told and I assume showed it to her when he was off because he was back on about a minute later. From there, we had no further issues.
Stoketoberfest
I arrived in Munich and followed the directions from the travel company, Stoke, to reach the campgrounds we would be staying at for Oktoberfest. I went from bus to train to bus again by the time I made it to my destination, which was dubbed "Stoketoberfest." From there, I checked in, was given a cup meant for unlimited beer or sangria (I opted for the sangria), and went to my tent. I was supposed to share with someone else, but I selected a tent in the ladies' area, which still had about a dozen unused tents by the time I left two days later. I was able to have my own tent, score!
The tent came with two sleeping pads and two sleeping bags. Pillows were an extra charge, so I went DIY for my head and neck support. I took my compression cube with my clothes, wrapped it in my flannel shirt, and used it for the pillow. It was more comfortable than I had expected!
As the other travelers began checking in, the unlimited drinks began flowing and everyone started partying. There was a party area where a DJ was playing a club set and attendees were dancing or, sadly, smoking. In fact, there was so much smoking that my asthmatic self had to keep away for health purposes. I wish I'd taken the bus back to Munich so I could do a little exploring, but I didn't.
Thankfully, while watching a game of beer pong, I met a group of guys that I would attend Oktoberfest with. They were all from the US Navy, which was ironic in that while I am definitely not military, I am still a seafarer with the cruise industry. So, we were a group of American seafarers!
Oktoberfest
In the morning, we were served egg breakfast sandwiches and mimosas as we were all dressed up in dirndls and lederhosen to fit in with all the other Oktoberfest attendees. Some groups took off early for the start of the festival, while my group waited to leave a little later. We took an Uber to the grounds, bought our tickets, and made our way to the beer halls. And wouldn't you know it? We found a table!
Right as we sat down, we were served by a waiter who asked if we wanted beer and returned very quickly with four steins. We ordered food, stood for the national anthem, and enjoyed watching the music and dancing. Our food arrived quicker than I had expected, and I enjoyed half of a chicken for my lunch. It took us all a while to down those enormous yet delicious beers, even after eating, so when we were done we decided to move on to the next beer hall.
By this time, it became obvious that we were probably going to have a hot day. The temperature rose to about 82 degrees, and there was no shade in sight. My companions and I all bought water bottles to stay hydrated, but quickly learned that in order to enter the beer halls, you couldn't bring in any drinks, not even water. They had security guards checking all the bags, so we all had to guzzle our waters before going in.
We had no luck with the beer halls from that point on. The halls were overflowing with people, and the tables were beyond packed. Eventually we gave up because we'd already been fortunate enough to make it to one table, which plenty of people wouldn't be able to do today. We did a little perusing around the area, and one of the guys brought me to a stall where they were selling chocolate covered strawberries on a stick. He said they were the best strawberries he had ever had, and guess what? He was right!
If you haven't been to Oktoberfest before, the festival is essentially a huge country fair with one section cordoned off for the beer halls for an extra charge. Once you leave the halls section, you can still party with rides and another fair attractions, so we did just that! We checked vendors, got snacks, one of our party rode the Drop Zone ride, and imbibed in a few other drinks.
The last place we visited was a cocktail and dessert hall where there was an 80s cover band playing, alternating between singing the original English lyrics, or doing a German cover (except when they sang 99 Luftballons). This hall was full of singing and even some people dancing on the tables!
Once we had our fill of the festivities, we took another Uber back to the campgrounds. I took some time to get refreshed before heading to the on-site food truck for some dinner, after which my Navy friends joined me. We hung out for a while and eventually joined the party group moshing around the DJ. Thankfully, there weren't nearly as many people smoking this time so I was able to relax a bit and party with the others.
Eventually, we started branching off from each other and I found other new friends along the way. When morning came, I sadly wasn't able to say goodbye in person like I'd hoped, but I did manage to contact them through Whatsapp to say thanks for allowing me to join them.
Stuttgart
I took an Uber to the train station and was on my way to my next stop: Stuttgart. It was my hope at the time of planning that I would be meeting up with a friend of mine near the city, but as much as we tried, we unfortunately couldn't make it happen. So, I instead booked admission to the Wilhelma Gardens and Zoological Society since it wasn't too far from my hotel.
Here was a fun aspect of European travel: as stated before, my friend gave me advice on what clothing to bring on my trip, which wound up being just what I needed. My date at Oktoberfest was September 20th, which was sunny and warm at about 82 degrees Fahrenheit. The 21st suddenly became cold and wet, signifying that the autumnal equinox was upon us with little to no transition. Being from California, I was not used to that!
My train arrived at Stuttgart and then I walked to the Metro, which was about a 10-minute trek in the rain, to my hotel. My water resistant duffle bag held up the whole time! I wasn't able to check in right away as it was a Sunday and the front desk was closed until the evening, and my check-in time was 3:00pm. I found a nice little cafe a few blocks away where I picked up a snack whilst I waited.
After checking in, I dropped off the bags and made my way to Wilhelma. It had stopped raining so I took a scenic route to snap some pictures of the area. I made it to Wilhelma and enjoyed the arboretums and animal exhibits for as long as I could, ducking into the indoor gardens when it started raining. It stayed cloudy throughout most of my visit with the rain being intermittent.
I wandered the northern part of the city, as the city center was too far at that point and I didn't want to be out too much after dark. There were plenty of bars and restaurants in the area, though most of the restaurants were burger or pizza based, which I wasn't in the mood for. I eventually picked a placed called Henpoint and had a sumptuous meal for less than €20!
Taking a night in a hotel wound up being a wonderful respite after spending the last several days between a hostel and camping. I had the best night of sleep, and took advantage of having a bathroom to myself.
I began the next morning with my continental breakfast, and readied to move on to the next country on my agenda.
Strasbourg, France
The official capital of the Alsatian, or Alsace, region had been on my bucket list for a while, so I was especially excited to go. I took the train again and arrived to a steady rain as I went to the tram that would drop off near my hostel. The ticket machine was a bit difficult to work, especially since the screen wasn't a touch screen, but an extremely helpful local woman helped me work it by using a knob below the screen. I purchased my ticket, had it validated, and boarded the tram.
My hostel, The People Strasbourg, was a few blocks from the station and I made it there with no issues. Unfortunately, I arrived before check-in time again, and already had a tour booked that would start around that time. So, I left my bags in the luggage room. Funnily enough, my backpack, which I reviewed in my post about Amazon products, wasn't the only one of its kind in there. There were at least 4 others of the same brand!
City Tours
Since I had a good amount of time, I headed for the tourist office to book some other activities. I had enough time to ride the Little Petite Train to explore the city center and La Petite France. It was a cute little tour, and it kept the riders dry. By the time it was finished, the rain had stopped, and I was on the hunt for food. I hadn't had anything since breakfast and was about to do a walking food tour, so locating a snack was on my horizon. Google Maps led me to Dreher where I snagged a pastry and hot chocolate before proceeding to my meeting spot, the city's miniature.
The group consisted of our local guide and a couple from Canada. Our guide started us off with a brief history of the city before we went to our first stop on the food tour: Dreher! We were introduced to kougelhopf, a delicious mini-cake with a distinct ring shape. It's so popular there that the gift shops in Alsace sell the baking molds for the tourists.
Next, we were guided to a cheese shop called Mon Oncle Mackle de Munster where we were given samples of cheese and yogurt. Our guide explained to us about the dairy making processes in the area and what items were best to pair Alsatian cheeses with. We moved on to a monument devoted to the 7 main types of grapes used for the wines in the area (all white varieties) and went through La Petite France again.
Our final stop for the food samplings was at Pain d'Epices, but the location was closed! Our guide contacted the owner, and they had another location open near where we started, so we started making our way back. She kept us entertained by pointing out her picks for the best places for brunch, pastries, candies, and meals overall, which she promptly sent us via Whatsapp.
We reached Pain d'Epices for our final sample of gingerbread. We were offered several types to try, all of which were rich with spices and flavor, and "stork eggs," a local candy sold only in the Alsace region. Our tour ended afterwards, and I made my way back to the hostel to check in, but was stopped along the way by a cheese shop called Le Gout du Terroir offering samples. I enjoyed the sample so much that I had them slice me off a piece for me to snack on later!
I got checked in and had to take some time to allow my phone to recharge, so I enjoyed my cheese with the remaining bottle of wine gifted to me by Air France. I checked the message my guide sent and selected a restaurant she recommended, verifying through Google Maps that it would still be open. Once I was at full charge, I headed to La Knackerie, but alas, Google Maps was wrong. They were closed. I went to the restaurant across the way called La Grande Dame and had a magnificent dinner of cheese-covered gnocchi.
There was one more thing to do this evening, and that was to take a 45-minute night Batorama cruise along the Ile River. I arrived to find that I was the only passenger, which was a little awkward, but the crew of two gave me a nice night traversing the river and several different branches of the canals. The audio guide talked about the city and the history of the region, and explained the process of raising and lowering the water levels for the boat to smoothly navigate the sudden drops. I made sure to leave a good tip for the crew before returning to the hostel.
Alsace Region Tour and Luminiscence Show
I had been waiting for this day since I had booked my trip; I was going to be exploring the Alsace region through a Tripadvisor group. It was raining again, so I dressed appropriately, despite having packed a much cuter outfit for this occasion. I joined a group of seven other people, and our guide loaded us into a van and escorted us to our first stop: Colmar. We passed one of the Statue of Liberty replicas along the way.
Colmar is notable for being one of the best destinations for Christmas markets in Europe. It is also home to a small canal called Petite Venice, as it definitely has a Venetian vibe to it. I wandered about the streets until the rain began to pour, so I dipped in to the Marche Couvert. This marketplace featured local vintners, bakers, florists, and mini cafes set up. I opted for a beignet pretzel to snack on!
The rain started to let up around the time I needed to be back at the meeting spot. I was a bit early so I chatted with our guide, who explained to me how the Alsatian cities completely transform themselves for the Christmas markets and bring in the most tourists for the season. I will definitely have to come back here at Christmastime someday!
Our next stop along the way was Eguisheim. This town focused mostly on the wine production, so there were wine shops all over. At first glance, going down the main street of the city center, there didn't seem much to this town besides a few wine bars, with even fewer being open. One that was open was run by Leon Baur, and I had a vintage called Clepsydre vin Orange, which was an orange wine! It was a lovely floral wine with just a hint of sweetness to balance out the dryness, and definitely worth the try.
Once I made it to the end of the main street, I started exploring the side streets, and that's where I experienced the enchantment of this town. The side streets are almost untouched by the modern era and look exactly like what you would expect a charming French town would look like. Cobblestone streets, ivy and grape vines draping from eaves and fences, and a French/German cottage style of all the buildings. I didn't have enough time to explore all of the streets, but I could easily see myself doing a photo shoot here someday when the weather is better.
The next city we visited was Riquewihr, an old city that had been designed to be walled off, as it still remains today (although the modern city spreads out beyond the walls). We had the longest stop here so that we could have lunch. However, like Eguisheim, about half of the restaurants were closed at this time of day, leaving what ones were open busy, and the ones that weren't busy were the most expensive.
It took me about an hour of exploring to find a place to eat at the Relais de Riquewihr restaurant at the Hotel du l'Oriel. I had a hearty lunch of a cheese-slathered spaetzle and more of the local wines to pair with it. I stopped at a sweets shop afterwards to pick up a bag of the stork eggs before meeting up with my group for our final stop together.
The weather turned awful at this time. As our guide took our group up a hill to the Haut-Koenigsburg Castle, we were beset by fog. The fog was so thick that we could barely see the outline of the castle as we approached, much less take pictures! A tour of the castle was included in the package I'd purchased, so we were given audio guides to listen to as we made our way through the castle.
Unlike Karlstejn, which was still in most of its original condition after several hundred years, Haut-Koenigsburg had been restored to much of its former glory. The restorations at this castle were phenomenal in how well they were able to capture the history and make it look a little reconstructed as possible. I was mostly impressed by the heating apparatuses that were used throughout the castle, and a room that had dozens of antlers on display, reminding me of Gaston's lodge in Beauty and the Beast.
The rain let up a bit during the tour, though the fog did not. There were a few angles we could capture in pictures, but the whole castle itself was impossible to snap. It was still a fun and interesting tour that is not to be missed.
It was time to head back by then, and as we made our way back to the city, we hit substantial traffic. This brought us back into town later than was quoted to us, and since I didn't have as much time, I popped back to my hostel to freshen up before returning the Notre Dame for my next event: the Luminiscence Spectacle.
I thought I would be too early, but when I arrived I found I'd actually been too late to land a better seat. I still found a good seat midway between the center and the back (the ushers told me the back was the best place to watch). When the show began, the dimmed lights of the cathedral went completely down, replaced by a light show and classical music, turning the venue into a pure presentation of technology and symphony. There were occasional voiceover spoken in French, and although I didn't understand any of it, it still added the ethereal magnificence of the experience.
The show was about an hour long, and once it was over, everyone began making their way toward the exits, some of whom removed stanchions to cheat their ways out. I stuck around longer to take some pictures of the cathedral's interior, capturing some better-than-expected pictures in night mode. By the time I made it out, the rain was steady again and there was already a full crowd of people lined up for the next showing. Was it worth it to wait in the rain like that? You bet!
Despite all the walking I'd done today, I was still full from lunch and wanted something light for a late dinner. I decided to return to my hostel for that snack and ordered a dessert version of the tarte flambee, the Alsatian version of pizza. What I was given was somewhere between a small and mid-sized pizza with a sweet cream sauce and apples. It was more than I was planning to eat, but I ate it all regardless because it was too darn good!
Interlude: A Rite of Traveler Passage
My next destination was Amsterdam, which was about a 6-hour trip from Strasbourg by train. When I had booked my trip, I had also considered flying, but there weren't any flights from Strasbourg to Amsterdam that didn't have a connecting flight which would take longer than the train. So, I opted for the fastest option: a train to Frankfurt, and connecting to the next train to Amsterdam from there. There was a 37 minute window between trains, so it was plenty of time.
Or so I thought.
Now, Strasbourg is right along the border of Germany, and like we had done on the bus from Plzen to Munich, the train stopped for border patrol shortly after departing the station. I had my ticket and passport ready, but the police agents came aboard and passed everyone in my section. And then nothing happened for nearly 20 minutes. I became a little anxious because 37 minutes between trains was now seeming like a bad choice.
Sure enough, once we started moving again, the screens on the car showed that we were running late. As we came closer to the station, I could see that my window of reaching the connecting train was shrinking by the minute. The moment the announcement was made that we were arriving into the station, I grabbed my bags and went down to the lower level, anxiously awaiting for the train to stop.
Thankfully, there was a man waiting by the door, also concerned that he may miss his connecting train, and he was kind enough to check the platforms at the Frankfurt station. We would be arriving at platform 17, and my train was leaving from 18. That was a relief, but the train still needed to stop!
As soon as the train door opened, I took off running. The platform across from us was 16, which meant I'd have to run down and around to get to 18. I passed the gentlemen from earlier and thanked him as he was speed walking, and didn't slow down until I made it to the first car of the Amsterdam bound train. I had a mere 30 seconds to spare!
In the rites of passage regarding solo travel, missing or nearly missing a connection is definitely on the list. Hopefully, this will be the only instance of it happening!
Amsterdam, Holland
I found an open seat with a welcoming lady, but I had mistakenly sat in first class and had to move. The seats in second class had red and green lights above them to indicate availability, so I grabbed the first green light I found, which turned out to be in the family car. Another passenger who sat by me later told me that if a family came, we'd have to move. As it turned out, no families came through, and I had no issues for the rest of my ride.
Reunion and Canal Cruise
Unfortunately, there was construction happening on this line, causing the train to take a different route to the city and adding on about 45 minutes to the trip. I was supposed to meet a former colleague from my ship after I arrived before I joined an evening canal cruise. I kept my friend in the loop until I reached my hostel, The Flying Pig Uptown, and he was still able to meet.
He told me to meet at De Dam Square near the palace in the city center, but then, in an ironic twist, his train wound up being late as well! I waited at De Dam and watched a Brazilian dance group do some street performances. I heard from my friend shortly afterwards, and we hung out together for the next hour.
We walked around the area and eventually over to the docks where we hung out until my cruise began. We took some pictures and videos before I joined my cruise, and hopefully, we'll be able to work together again sometime. In the meantime, the other tourists who booked the cruise started boarding and started to get to know each other.
This Aperol and Limoncello cruise was one of the few cruises I found that was open top, which made the cruise even better. We were all served drinks and took pictures of and with the incredible sunset, chatted, did cheers, and overall enjoyed watching the city as we passed through the canals. One of the guys on the cruise was a fellow Californian who regaled us with how long he'd been traveling with just a small bag of clothing.
The weather was breezy with a slight chill, but otherwise perfect for an evening of exploration. Everyone had a good time but quickly dispersed after the cruise was over; some of whom needed support because that limoncello was potent!
I decided to stop at a local waffle and churro shop for dessert and made sure to grab a Powerade for the trip back to the hostel. It was a rough night of sleeping, but I still got up feeling refreshed and ready for the day (yay electrolytes!). I was originally supposed to do another bike trip in the morning, because that's something you absolutely have to in Amsterdam, but the English speaking guide wasn't available until midafternoon, so I was switched to that session.
Final Day in Amsterdam
Since this change was unexpected, I had time to check out some museums. I tried for the Van Gogh Museum, but that one was fully sold out, The helpful agents there informed me that the majority of the museums required that you book the tickets online in advance. I took that as my cue to buy a ticket for the nearby Rijksmuseum, and tried to book the Anne Frank House, but the latter wasn't open today.
I went to the Moco Museum instead, where the timing was fortunate as I met a woman just as I was about to purchase my ticket. She had accidentally purchased two and had already gone through, so she gave me her extra ticket!
The Moco Museum was a small museum full of contemporary art, featuring artists such as Banksy, Yayoi Kusama, and Andy Warhol. The museum was converted from a mansion, which made the experience feel modern as well. There were also inspirational quotes along the walls, a mirror with a Time Magazine "Person of the Year" on it to make it seem like you are that person, a FlashInvader (something I've mentioned in a previous post), and "diamond matrix" room. It was a fun and immersive experience that only took about an hour to go through.
My time for the Rijksmuseum wasn't ready yet, so I stopped by a chain cafe called Bagelboy where I picked up a cappuccino. The fancy bagels and sandwiches smelled and looked amazing, but it was too early so I skipped the food and went on to the Rijksmuseum. The museum is designed with a bike path through the main level so the cyclists don't have to go around!
Due to my rescheduled bike tour and the location taking about 45 minutes to get to, I only had about 90 minutes to explore this massive museum. It is recommended to take 3-4 hours there, so I did a speed through and probably made it through a little over 1/3rd of the exhibits. It was a busy day too; there were several groups of schoolchildren all over the place, and multiple tour groups. Some of the exhibits were slower to go through because of this.
Thankfully, I was able to find the two Van Goghs, the famous "Night Watch" replica and the original in the process of being restored, other Rembrandts, and the Vermeers, amongst others. Many of these exhibits were absolutely breathtaking. Many of the Dutch artists had utilized the usage of light in their paintings unlike other artists I've seen across the globe. There were stained glass windows in the museum that make the experience more unique.
It was with a heavy heart that I left when I did, but hey, at least I was able to make it! That just means I have to come back.
I made it to the bike shop on time and joined up with a group of Americans, Aussies, and Austrians. Our guide took us across the city, talking about the benefits of riding a bike versus all other forms on transportation in Amsterdam in addition to the histories of the locations we visited. One of the areas included a dock that had been converted into a playground.
We were given explanations about the hooks that are seen at the top of the homes, given the history behind the homes that were given to widows of the sea trade (or supposed widows, as sometimes the husbands faked their deaths), shown open gardens that were examples of the gardens that are hidden behind the homes, and taken to Vondelpark, which was ironically right by my hostel.
In Vondelpark, we took a break at the Taproom 't Blauwe Theehuis where they serve Brouwerij beer. Most of us enjoyed a beer while we all chatted. Our guide pointed out that in Vondelpark there are few restrictions, so while the rest of the city has a ban on drinking alcohol and doing drugs in public, it can be done in Vondelpark. This is a point that I will come back to later.
We resumed our trek through the city and just so happened to come to the busiest bike intersection at rush hour, which nearby caused some collisions, but we all made it out unscathed. By the end of the trip, we had biked nearly 9 miles. I returned to the hostel to take advantage of a promotion the restaurant and bar was offering for dinner: a half pint of beer and pizza for €10. And wouldn't you know it, I STILL hadn't learned my lesson from Strasbourg! It was a whole mid-sized pizza! And it was pretty darn good!
It was still somewhat early in the evening, and with this being my final day on holiday, I made a plan. First, I would seek out ice cream or gelato, as that has been a bucket-list item for over 30 years. Next, I would revisit Vondelpark. And then I would venture out into the city for a night walk. After all, despite some pickpocket issues, Amsterdam is mostly safe to walk at night.
There was a gelato shop called SottoZero a few blocks away that was still open, so I went there first and enjoyed a delicious stracciatella cone. Then I popped into a local store and picked up a cheese scone and learned that when you use the self-checkout from grocery stores, the area is gated off and will not open unless you scan your receipt! Very clever.
Now was the time I returned to Vondelpark. Of the boozy drinks I had been given by those lovely Air France attendants, I still had the whiskey and the cognac left. There were strict rules at the hostel about bringing in your own alcohol, so since I couldn't drink them there, I had to find an alternative! And how convenient that there was a park that allowed for alcohol consumption right next door!
Needless to say, I finished off the last of my gifted alcohol with no issues. So I set off from there and walked all over the city, making sure to avoid the Red Light District this time (as I wandered there the last time I was here). I made it nowhere in particular except to Rembrandtplein, which is a nice little park where there are statues of Rembrandt and an astronaut. It was a refreshing walk and a nice way to wrap up my time here.
A New Insight on Solo Travel
This is the third time I've been on a completely solo trip where I made all of the arrangements myself. The two previous times were in Ireland, with the second also going into Scotland. Having been to both of these countries before, I had an extremely keen idea on what I wanted to do and where I wanted to go because I'd made notes for myself.
Going to four countries, two of which I'd never been to before, had me doing more research myself but not entirely secure in my choices. Had I traveled with a group, I probably would have been more active in my exploration and trying new things because my transportation would be taken care of. When you're on your own in a completely unfamiliar country and relying on public transportation for getting around, it makes you a little more paranoid about what you have planned.
Completely relying on yourself in unfamiliar areas like this takes a lot of energy!
One of my favorite things to do is to walk and explore, so when you're low on energy and don't really know what to do, walking around and sight-seeing is the best way to go. The truth is that you can plan an amazing trip and have cool adventures, but the downtime between your activities is sometimes more than you were expecting. If you can't fill in that time with any other things to do, that's okay! It's your holiday, so if it winds up consisting of being low-key, then that's what you can do. You don't have to have a completely full schedule to have a good time.
I do regret not taking the time to explore Munich, but as I like to say, that just means I have to come back again. Next time, it'll probably be with a tour group.
Coming Up Next
I have several posts coming down the pipeline, but with a 7-day a week job with little-to-no Wi-Fi connection for my laptop, I may have to wait until my next break to write more. In the meantime, I will have some posts regarding hostels, more travel products, and recommendations for Caribbean ports coming within the next few months.
Until then, I wish you have wonderful adventures!
All pictures were taken by myself or by using my device and are not to be used without permission. Gifs courtesy of Giphy.
