Lost!!!

No trip would be complete without a little unexpected detour.

The day started off normally at the Munich train station. We were looking for the cheapest way to get Prague. There were three options: a very pricey high speed eurotrain with no transfers, a pricey eurotrain with two transfers, or a cheap network of five trains with four connections. Naturally we chose the final option. Everything was going well on the first two trains, the rides were smooth, the views were amazing, and there were nice people to talk to. However this changed when we rolled up to station #3 and saw what we thought was a caboose.


We actually we laughing at the size of the train when the conductor came out of the tiny office and taped "Domaslice" our destination on the window of the train. It turned out this would be our train. It was gas powered and had gears. The train ride wasn't that bad, the country side was picturesque and the seats could have been a little more comfortable, but you can't be too particular. So when the train pulled into "Domaslice-Minor" we all got off at the station and waited....and waited.....and waited.

We checked the train map and schedule and there were no more trains out of this town until tommorow. Dreams of shady eastern European hostels flashed through my mind. We were officially lost in the Czech Republic. After talking in broken English to a German boy at the station (Germans are so cool) we figured out their was another station in the town. And so we set off through Domaslice in search of another train station.

I would love to say that the town of Domaslice was super shady with old communists and creepy people running around. It was not, while it definetly wasn't Venice or Munich it was a nice place. The only sketchy thing were these caged up gigantic German Shepards that went nuts when we walked by. We made it to the station where there was nobody there and waited and waited for the train.

The sun was going down and the train came and continued on the last city of our trip.

Finding Germany

I'm German-Irish. I have German grandparents on both sides of my family. Now I am very privileged in the face that I have been to Ireland. So I figured I should make it to Germany. I didn't really know what to expect from Germany. Although I have family history there, I have to confess my concept of Germany was built on almost two decades of video games, Indiana Jones movies, and other assorted movies I would watch with my Dad or my Grandpa. In other words I connected Germany with Nazis. While this is a sad fact, it was the truth. However, my time in Germany quickly changed that.
Our day in Munich started off with a visit to the Glockenspiel. This was basically a huge tower with moving figures. I wish I could tell you more about it's cultural importance, but it wasn't that exciting. After that we moved on checked out some historical landmarks and headed off toward the Englischer Garten. It's the biggest park like it in Europe.

After receiving directions from a really nice and well spoken German guy we headed off towards the first of many beer gardens. Now beer gardens are not places where Budweiser and Sam Adams grow on vines like oranges, they are places of public gathering and drinking. The first one we hit up was the Chinese tower, it was just as it sounds a Chinese tower surrounded by a beer garden. Check it out behind Steve.


After that beer garden we hit up the beer garden next to the lake in the park. The beers at this garden were HUGE. They were one liter beers and took about an hour to drink. Check out this size of this beer.
The beer garden was a great time, here is a shot of me and Ruby.

Now after hitting up two beer gardens we decided we should experience some culture. We headed off to the Olympic Park in Munich. This was the site of the 1972 Olympics. The picture that starts this section is of the Olympic complex. This place was very peaceful, the grass was a vivid green and the lake was pristine. Having it be so serene seemed a little strange considering the violence that took place at these Olympics.

Here is another shot of the park.

And the park's cool architecture in the setting sun.


That night we hit up the Hobrauhaus am Platzl. This is a famous beer hall in Munich. It was a great way to end the trip. Here is us by the entrance sign.
That morning a man in the hostel asked if I was Tim Goessling. I replied yes and I asked how he knew me, he said from Belknap. It turned out this guy was Peter Schaefer one of my Sam's old friends from camp. We had a great talk about camp and life.
My time in Germany was amazing. I met so many amazing and friendly Germans. They were the nicest people I met during my travels. Even though I drank a lot of beer there, I felt that I experienced the kindness of German culture. I feel like I got in touch with my heritage. But the road of the trip kept winding on to the final destination: Prague

The Harder they Climb

As a child my parents would read me the popular children's book The Polar Express at Christmas time. While I enjoyed the Christmas message, what I truly loved was the crazy pictures of the train climbing the huge mountains. I would look at those pictures and think "man, I really wanna be on a train that goes through gigantic mountains." Well, I made it. That was my train rides to and from Interlocken, Switzerland.


Interlocken is located in the Swiss Alps. It's mainly a ski town, but they are many other extreme activities there as well. These include sky diving, canyoning (bungie jumping into a canyon), and zorbing, something I think Uncle Ted would love. We arrived in the middle of the day and were greeted with this view of the mountain. We checked into our hostel and went off for a walk. That night was pretty tame, we basically hung out in the town and ate fondue. Now, I would love to say the fondue was incredible, but I can't lie to all of you. I thought it was pretty terrible, maybe I'm not cultured enough to handle European cheese, but I was not a fan. Here is me with the mix.

That morning we headed off with some people from the Syracuse program and explored the city. We walked across a field (which was some farmer's) and some railroad tracks until we reached the western lake. We skipped stones and took in the blue water. Here is the posse.
After a decent lunch at Mr Burger (what do you think we ate) we headed off to explore a mine shaft. Well we didn't know if it was a mine shaft, but there were these tracks heading up a mountain. We decided to investigate. On the way over to the mine shaft I snapped this pic of the group, I like to call it an album cover.
Now, the three girls were not feeling the whole abandoned mine shaft thing so the four adventurers set off on their own. After going about halfway up the mountain we ran into a school group of Swiss children. One of the kids looked like Augustus Gloop, he was huge, eating a lollipop, sprawled out on a bench, and barking orders at kids.
We tried asking the kids for directions but they had no idea what we were saying. We asked them if we should follow the trail sign that said "harder clumb" and they starting shrieking "NO! NO!". So we stopped in the trail and returned to where the children were. It was then that things turned memorable. The kids quickly produced a British kid who spoke perfect English (of course every time he spoke English all the swiss kids laughed) and he told us which way to go. Here we are with the kids. The kid throwing up the peace sign is the translator and probably a future diplomat.

We continued to hike up the peak. While we were hiking we met two Americans studying in Germany. We swapped stories about studying abroad and hiked to the top together. At the top we met two girls who were also American, it turned out we knew a lot of mutual people. Here is the picture of the group.

After not finding the mineshaft, we all agreed to meet up later. We met up a French girl at a bar and one of the American's we met in the morning taught her how to play "bloody knuckles'.
I'm pretty sure she was shocked at the game American kids frequently play in High School.

Here a view of one of the lakes in the town and the alps behind. That morning we awoke and checked out of the Hostel and got on a train to Munich. The ride was full of amazing vistas equal to the Polar Express, and although there was not any free hot chocolate, I finally got to see those awesome mountain vistas.

Finishing Italy

Ever since I saw the James Bond film Moonraker at some hotel during a Goessling family vacation, I have wanted to see Venice. In that film there was high speed gondolas and Italian knife throwing assassins who pursue Bond through the canals. While I didn't see the knife throwing madmen, I did get to see a great City. We arrived in the mid afternoon and dropped off our bags at the train station, we then proceeded to walk toward the Plaza San Marco. Of course we didn't know that Venice was labyrinth of canals, bridges and narrow streets. This lead us to get lost and consult the map many times.

We eventually made it to the Plaza. It was here that we received help ordering pizza from an Opera singer. Here's how the conversation went.

"Thanks for helping us order"
"No problem"
"Are you from Venice"
"Now, I'm from New York, but I work here"
"Oh what do you do here, like tourism stuff?"
"No, I work at the Opera"
"Oh cool, like organizing shows"
"Now, I'm a singer"
"Do you only work here?"
"No, I have worked (insert crazy locations from around the world)

I like to think we met a world famous Opera star, but who knows. Anyway we made it the plaza where we enjoyed our pizza (just to clarify, pizza in Italy is really really good). Then we started playing with the pigeons. Now it has been pointed out to be that pigeons carry diseases, if this is true I guess something like this was a bad idea.

Ruby got in on the action too.

We then walked back to the train station. At one point we had to take a water taxi across one of the canals. It was pretty sweet and we took a complimentary "We are in Venice on a boat in a Canal so check it out!" picture.


While in Italy we also made it Florence. Florence was pretty cool, we saw the statue of David, ate really good food, and ate even better Gellato. We spent the last night in Italy in Milan and woke up and headed off to Switzerland. Stay tuned.

We met Mabri in Rome

THE PLAYERS
( Page, Ruby, Fitzy, Tim)

We met Mabri in Rome. Mabri worked at the Hostel we stayed in that ancient. He was from an country in some part of Western Africa. I feel bad I can not remember the specific name, but alas it is not important because he was the man. We first met him on the street while walking to our Hostel.

"You guy's looking for funny" he asked in his strange accent

"Yeah" we replied

"Come on let's go" he shot back

Now, you gotta understand that Mabri was dressed in a red tight Euro longsleeve shirt, puffy black vest, dark blue jeans, and huge Euro sunglasses (keep in mind this was a night). But he soon lead us to the Hostel, where he gave us all the Mabri handshake (high five into grip into pound explode). As soon as we paid he busted out a huge Rome map and drew us up a battle plan for the city. When that was done he gave us a bottle of wine and helped us track down a specific restaurant. Needless to say, he was the man. When we left the Hostel, he gave us all numerous Mabri Handshakes, or as I call them Mabrishakes (sounds like some Organic power drink). This is Rome in one day!

Vatican Museum (complete with a 3.5 hour line with a massive Asian tour group trying to creep around us. Made it to the Chapel, where I did take a picture. Is that a sin?

Saint Peters still blows me away.

Coliseum. It has now become clear to me that every guide at there loves creating juicy stories to tell tour groups. Example
In this space, over 50 massive elephants engaged in a gruesome fight to the deal with over 100 Lions. The blood mixed with the sand to create a tempest of horror and wonder. They said that God himself cried as he heard the death cries of the animals below.

Pantheon. Or the Pantheon roof with light coming through.
Ruby and Kyle pondering how they rebuilt all this stuff for Gladiator.

Making wishes at the Trevi fountain. My form could have been better I suppose, but I got the coin in the water. This process of throwing coins in the water may have been a bad thing because my funds really dwindled over the course of the adventure.
And what night in Rome would be complete without a meal at Dino E Toni Hostaria. This place is is Italy. It's about 16 courses of the most amazing food. You don't pick the food they just bring it out, and bring it out, and bring it out. Unlimited wine. It's amazing. In this picture is "Tex" a dude from well, um, "Texas" we met in the Hostel.

So we woke up after the meal and said goodbye to Mabri and were done with Rome.
.

4 College Kids+Europe=Adventure

SPRING BREAK 2007

While I cannot say I was fighting nazis, dodging booby traps, or finding arcs, my Spring Break was certainly an adventure, maybe not on a Indiana Jones level, but pretty high up there. So because it was so thrilling I am going to try to write each of the entries for countries/cities that I visited as an adventure (with no exaggeration). Enjoy.

A is for Asturias, B is for Bagpipes, and C is for Cold

My horse was parched. How did I know this, I knew this because I could literally feel the horse drifting to over to park of the mountain stream where the ice had broken. It began to move and I got nervous, my teacher and guide Professor Montes had told me horses like to lie down when they drink. Feelings of being drenched in the mountains danced in my head. But my horse ended up getting a drink, and not lying down.

So there I was, deep in the Picos de Europa. Here's a quick geography lesson, the picos de Europa are the mountains in the North of Spain. They are located in the region called Asturias. It's north of Leon. You can see the region on the map.

Upon arriving in Asturias, we headed to a cider factory. This wasn't your warm apple cider with cinnamon sticks though. This was alcoholic cider, a specific type native to the region. In this factory they had Huge barrels that they kept the cider in. Check out these three regions of significance.

After the cider factory, we went to the Asturian coast. Let me tell you, it looked exactly like the Irish coast I have been fortunate enough to visit with my family. Check out this picture the coast.

That night, we went to a barn, literally a barn where we had dinner and drank cider. When people drink cider in Asturias they have a very specific way of pouring cider. Rather than explain this one, I will just let this picture explain it.

After some healthy rounds of cider, our teacher and his friend proceeded to bust out their bagpipes and start wailing on some classics (Amazing Grace, Scotland the Brave). Of course all this wailing made me want to get in on the action. Now I wish I could say I picked up the bagpipes and all those years of trumpet made me instantly able to play perfect, but I would be lying. I just filled them with air and couldn't get enough air to get em really going. Here I am trying to be the Boss of the Bagpipes.

The next day we woke up and proceeded to hike through snow on the ground and rain falling on our heads. While the views were pretty, by the end we all were drenched and pretty cold. However I did get some good pictures.

The next day we woke up early and drove really high in the mountains. We put on many layers. My layer break down was the following

T Shirt
Long Sleeve Shirt
Sweater
Sweatshirt
Fleece

We waited for a little bit by the side of the road deep in the mountains. Soon the locals came around the bend with about 15 horses. We proceeded to mount the horses. I had a medium size horse called Moro. He was a great horse that followed my instructions. We then rode our horses deep into the mountains.
Now, I said the word mountains up there in the last paragraph and I mean it. These mountains were super diesel. I constantly felt like I was in the Lord of the Rings or an Imax movie on the Himalayas, and for the people that get it (probably only Sam and Joe) I felt like I was in a picture that would be on the wall in Dr. Lebel's office. Check out this mountains.
At the end of the horse riding trip my horse and I broke free from the group (I am sad to report that Zach's horse was extremely slow and also had some serious fart problems). Now when I broke free I managed to kick my horse/crack the reins and also scream like a crazy deranged eight year old. This combination caused Moro to take off really fast down the mountain road. It was exhilarating in a way I can't even describe. This is our guide, our "Aragorn" who made the trail through the snow.

That night, I convinced the owner of the super tiny hotel we stayed out to give me some nails and a hammer. Ruby and I found a stump and we proceeded to play Stump with the guys on the trip till the early morning. Now I have played some great Stump games (The Game at my Mom's birthday party in Maine sticks out) but this game was pretty perfect. The mountain river roared close by, our teacher was practicing bagpipes inside, the beer was cheap and spanish, and we got probably like 50 looks from locals who thought yankees were crazy. For those who don't know what STUMP is, check out this website for explanation.

The next morning we hiked deep into mountains, unfortunately there was snow on the pass and we could not travel through. It was OK, I got to practice my "Horn of Gondor" skills. I was much better at this then I was at Bagpipes. Check it out.

We then hiked back down and took the bus home to Madrid. One more time for the mountains!

Well, tommorow I head out for Spring Break. It's going to be an adventure. Here's the itinerary.

Rome
Florence
Venice
Milan
Interlocken
Munich
Prague

Hopefully I will come back with some good stories. Bye for now!