Hey Everyone!
I am currently in Prague, but have just spent about a week in Paris and 2 days in Vienna. Paris was lovely. I ended up meeting up with some friends from Clemson University and traveling with them for the week. One of the guys has an apartment in Paris which became our main hub for the week. We did most of the main tourist attractions such as the Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame, Sacre Couer, the Louvre, ate crepes, baguettes with cheese, drank wine... It was also really nice to be able to do a few off the beaten track things too. We ended up eating lunch in the parks a lot and went to the Chantilly chateau just outside of Paris. They had beautiful gardens where we explored in a labyrinth for a while and walked throughout the chateau itself. It was a nice break from all of the crowds in the city. It was sad leaving Paris, but it's been nice to see some new places again.
I ended up traveling to Vienna with two of my friends from Clemson University, Boykin Lucas and Kevin Ferguson. We took an interesting overnight train from Paris to Vienna, which I think we all could agree on the fact that it was not one of our more enjoyable moments. We stayed at a pretty cool hostel with a private kitchen and super friendly staff. The second day in Vienna, we met up with my old roommate Catherine Cotrupi and her friend from Bratislava. We spent the afternoon exploring on the outskirts of the city at one of the Hapsburg's palaces. It was absolutely stunning. I have never seen anything like it. There were acres of gardens with old Roman ruins, mazes, fountains, statues, ponds... It was the highlight of my trip to Vienna. We could have easily spent the day there. After the palace, Catherine and I went to this incredible market and dinned on apple strudel and dried fruit. We had to put fictitious blinders on to keep from spending everything we had in the market. The smells alone were enough to keep you there all day. Once we had enough control over our senses, we met back up with the boys and Catherine's friend took us all out for authentic Mexican food. It was another great gastronomic experience.
After Vienna, Kevin and I took a train to Prague to stay with David and Sarah Baker, friends of mine from the States. They are currently working at the CzechInn hostel. This has been the nicest hostel I have ever stayed in and would recommend it hands down to anyone. The staff is amazing, the building is super clean and inviting, and the breakfast puts cornflakes and white bread to shame (that's been the staple at most hostels so far when breakfast is served). When we arrived in Prague, we went to the Czech National water polo championship game to watch some of their friends play. I have never been to a water polo game before and it was a neat experience. I think I would drown if I had to play that sport! I don't know how they do it. After the game, we went out with some of their friends for drinks and called it a night. Today, Kevin and I spent the day exploring the Prague Castle, the Jewish old town, and parts of the river. Prague is a beautiful place with an incredible past. There are signs of their hardship everywhere that you go. We decided that pain,suffering, and religion are a major reoccurring theme in this city.
Tomorrow I am off to Germany to visit my old roommate for a few days and get to know Bavaria.
Cheers for now,
Kate

Gear Review:
Seeing as it has been rainy and cold on and off in Vienna and Prague, the Patagonia H2NO jacket has been a blessing to have. It's a breathable lightweight jacket that is easy to pack in my day bag. I've been using it as a windbreaker at times too. Having long arms and a long torso, it is hard to find jackets that fit well, but this jacket fits like a glove. The sleeves extend half way down my hands and the waist line sits comfortably below my hips. It's a slim fitting jacket so there is no excess bulk to be fighting around with. It was a great last minute decision and makes for a perfect rain coat!

Paris!

Hey Everyone!
After spending two and a half days in Amsterdam, I grabbed a train and made my way to Paris. Amsterdam was a lot of fun and a beautiful city. As previously mentioned, I was staying at this bizarre campground about thirty minutes outside of the city. It turned out to be quite nice though. I was able to rent a bike one day ( an orange one, very Dutch) and ride along the country side for a bit. As it turns out, I am not a very confident bike rider nor am I very good at it! There were a few close calls and lots of wobbling and swerving around! I did manage to make it to the next village and have lunch at a cute sidewalk cafe followed by a trip to the market for dinnner supplies. While in the city of Amsterdam, I went to the Van Gogh museum and saw the original Starry Night painting along with a few of his other works such as the Potatoe Eaters and some of his twilight paintings. It was a really neat exhibit. I spent the rest of my day walking through the streets looking at all of the different canals, going to the main park in the city and eating an ice cream cone; checking out the main sites from my tourist info map, and finishing the day off with a tour of the Red Light District. The Red Light district was a very interesting place with lots going on as you might imagine.My tour guide was great and kept our attention by telling fascinating stories and brief tidbits of the history behind the district. It was quite informative and I would highly reccomend it
On my last day in Amsterdam, I ended up touring qround with three other Americans from Illinois. We tried to take a canal boat tour, but they were full, so instead we trucked it on foot making up our own tour. I spent the day carrying my pack around because the lockers at the train station were not working. It was quite interesting making my way through the crowds with it. I felt like a bull in a china shop and was glad to be able to get rid of it for the train ride.
In Paris, I am staying with my friend Thibault and will be doing some sight seeing today and then hanging out with his friends tonight.

Gear Review:
So far everything has been holding up just fine. The more time I spend walking with my pack on, the more I realize the importance of packing it well in the mornings. I have yet to figure out a system that works 100% for me, but am still trying. I do really enjoy the lightness of the Granite Gear Nimbus Meridian pack, and it's easy front zip capabilities.

That's all for now, take care,
Kate

These are the last few pictures from Amsterdam. After that, I headed toward Paris via the Swiss Alps!

In swiss alps heading towards austria. Lots of snow everywhere, but not cold.

The pass we drove through on way to Scoul, Switzerland.

I was so glad Iwas not the driver!

Hot mineral baths/spa in Scoul, Switzerland-pretty amazing!

Still heading toward Paris with my new favorite shoes! Go tigers :) have worn them every day and haven't had one blister.

Welcome To Amsterdam!

Hey Everyone!
I am currently in Amsterdam after a quick 10 hr train ride from Chur, Switzerland. I've spent the past 5 days with friends of the family in Switzerland and had the best time. In Zurich, I stayed with the Riet and Johanna Theus for the weekend and went on a day trip to Mt. Rigi in the Alps and then explored Zurich and the lake on Sunday. I then took the train to Chur, where I stayed with Riet's sister Ursina and her family. Chur is a small town of about 30,000 people and is about 1.5 hours south of Zurich by train. Once again, the Theus family went above and beyond to accomodate me. Thank you. Ursina and I took a day trip through the alps to a spa/bath located in Scoul on tuesday and it was AMAZING! I was relaxing in the heated pools looking at the alps and basking in the sun for an afternoon thinking to myself, "it doesn't get much better than this!" Driving there was also an experience where I was glad to be the passenger, not the driver. Talk about steep and windy roads! Overall, my experiences in Switzerland were amazing and I would gladly go back at any time. It has been my favorite spot so far.
As previously mentioned, I am now in Amsterdam and it is cold and rainy. I feel as if I am going to be repeating the weather that Jonathan and Diana had on their trip to the Netherlands! I am staying at a campground about 30 minutes outside of the city called Lucky Lake. It is definitely going to be one of the more different places I will stay at. There are these huge Dr. Seus-like animal statues around and you sleep in either campers or in a "dorm," which more or less reminds me of my camp days as a young kid. Outhouses for bathrooms and an outdoor kitchen surrounded by hammocks and a lake. It almost looks like a gypsie village. It's quirky, but looks like a fun place to spend three nights.
Well, I will write more after I have explored the city for a bit, but wanted to give everyone a quick update while I have the chance. Take care,
Kate

More Swiss photos!

Greetings from Switzerland!

23 May 2009

Hey All,
Well, I finally was able to make it to Zurich after a 23-hour train adventure across Spain, France, and Switzerland. The original train that I was supposed to take to Zurich was apparently cancelled due to a strike or something silly like that in France. That being said, I was rerouted to the Spainsh/French border where I was to take a train to Strasbourg overnight and then catch a morning train to Zurich. Pretty simple, except for the fact that in the middle of the night my train in France split in half and I was on the wrong half. I had no idea this was going to happen and was quite surprised when the conductor told me I had to get off of the train because we were at our final destination- not Strasbourg. I had absolutely no idea where I was. I could have been on the western coast of France for all I knew. It turns out I was in this town called Metz near Luxembourg, Germany and Belgium. My next problem was how I was going to get to Zurich where family friends were supposed to be picking me up in a few hours! I once again ran into a language barrier problem, but was able to find a German girl to assist me in getting onto the right train this time and making sure that it was DIRECT to Zurich.
Switzerand is absolutely stunning. I am staying with the Theus family, friends of my grandfather's from his college days. They couldn't be more hospitable. Today we went hiking in the Alps at Mt. Rigi. We went with their daughter and her family and had a wonderful afternoon. It was like being on a film set sponsored by Deuter! It apperead that if you were not carrying a Deuter pack, you were clearly not in style! We ended up riding a train to the top and then walked around for a while appreciating the great views surrounding us. There were lakes everywhere and snow-covered peaks beyond those. We had a picnic lunch and lounged around listening to the many cows and their bells that dotted the mountains. Tonight we are grilling out with the entire family and then tomorrow I am going to explore downtown Zurich. The Swiss definitely know how to eat right, that's for sure. I love the sausages, the yogurtish things with berries that I just can't get enough of and of course the chocolate! Don't worry Scott, I will ship yours home so that it doesn't melt, and so that I don't eat it myself. :)

Gear Review:
Good news, the Chaco Entradas are not the source of my sore feet which makes them once again my favorite shoe of the trip! I am also extremely grateful for all of the Outdoor Research mesh stuff sacks, they have made finding my clothes much easier and have helped to keep the smell out. The Patagonia underwear is also a great treasure for walking around in all day and staying comfortable. I would definitly recommend them to any female traveler. They dry super-quick after washing too!
Well, that's all for now, I am going to go and enjoy my view of the alps and eat some sausages!
Cheers,
Kate

Spain continued. . .

18 May 2009

Hey Everyone,
Today is my last day/morning in Madrid and I am off to Barcelona. So far my experience here in Spain has been great. I have met many fellow friendly travelers who are more than willing to let me tour around with them for a few hours during the day or at night. The hostel has been lovely; it is a great place to meet other people and have some down time. (I must confess that eating Cornflakes out of a coffee mug with warm milk has been a new experience for me though.)
Yesterday, I took a day trip to Toledo, Spain, which is about a 30 minute bus ride south of Madrid. Toledo was beautiful, and with so much character and charm; I instantly fell in love with it. Toledo is a small city on the Tajo river that sits up on a hill. I ended up meeting a couple on the bus, Sandra King and Carlos Fernandez, and they let me explore the city with them. Both of them spoke fluent Spanish, which was a must, and were great company. Toledo is full of tiny cobblestone streets that wind upwards at extreme inclines. There are cathedrals everywhere and the entire city is enclosed by walls. When you reach the top of the city, the views are amazing and well worth the effort. Toledo is located in La Mancha, or as I like to refer to it, "Don Quijote Land".
Last night, I went to a drum circle in Retiro park with a fellow traveler from Duke University who happened to live in Madrid about a year ago. It was an experience to say the least. There must have been at least 150 people or more accuratley Spanish hippies all dancing around to the beat of drums and cow bells and shakers on this national monument. I can´t say that that would fly too well in the states. Vendors were also selling beer out of trash cans and folks were smoking a lot of hash (Iguess that hippies will be hippies!). We did some serious "people-watching" for a bit and then decided to grab a quick meal and call it a night. Don´t be fooled by that though, calling it a night does not mean you'll be tucked-in by 10 pm, I find it difficult to get to bed by 12:30 because they don´t do dinner here until 10ish at the earliest!

Overall, my experience in Toledo was wonderful, and I really feel as if I have gotten to know the city in the brief time I was here. Walking the city (and getting lost multiple times) is a great way to get the feel for a place!
Now for my gear review:
I have been wearing the Chaco Entrada shoes around since I left home, and hands down love them! They are super-comfortable to walk in all day, whether it is on cobblestones, gravel, or pavement. Wearing them while carrying my Granite Gear backpack (weighing 30lbs full) has not been a problem either. I love being able to get into it like a suitcase and not have to take everything out of the top when I need to get to something. It sits well on my hips and hasn´t been a pain to carry around, thanks Jonathan!
Well that is all for now. I hope everyone is doing well and had a great weekend!
Adios,
Kate

20 May 2009

Greetings from Barcelona!
I have been hanging out in Barcelona since Monday and am really enjoying my time here. I´m staying at an awesome hostel (Yellow Nest) that is in a quiter district in the city. The hostel iself is a really social place where I have been able to meet many travelers my age from around the world. On Tuesday, I took a bus tour to three destinations outside of Barcelona. The first stop was at the Torres winery, an hour west of the city. It was absolutely beautiful with vineyards everywhere and charming staff. We were given a tour of the property and a free wine tasting at the end. The next stop on our trip was at Montserrat. Montserrat is located about 40 K outside of Barcelona and is known for the thousand-year old monastery located there. This was probably my favorite stop along the trip because it allowed for me to do some hiking and exploring in the park. The rock formations were like nothing I have ever seen before. The rocks are almost bubbly looking and take on the most unique shapes. Our last stop was at Sitges. Sitges is a former fishing village that has turned into a popular beach destination along the mediterranean. We had an english speaking guide who took us on a walking tour of the old part of town for a while and filled us in on the history and architecture of the town. We were then turned loose to do as we pleased for a bit. That being said, I ended up kicking off my shoes on the beach and getting some sun. I ended up meeting this really nice father and son from Kansas on the tour and joined them for dinner in downtown Barcelona later that night. It was a great way to end my day.
Today, Wednesday, I met up with this guy named Duncan that I met at the Barcelona airport on Monday. He´s from the UK and teaches english here in Barcelona while he moonlights as a DJ at a few of the local clubs. He took me on a tour of the city, mainly Montjuic. There we climbed over 1000m to the top of this hill (neither of us were expecting that intense of a climb) where there were breath taking views of the city, the port, and the mountains. there was this really neat castle at the top too. He filled me in on the history of Barcelona and what it´s like to live here. I then ended up doing some touring on my own and just enjoying the city from various cafes and parks. Tomorrow I am going to be doing some more exploring and then hopefully going to Bern or Zurich Switzerland on an overnight train.
Gear Review:
The Mountain Hardware peddle pusher capri´s are AMAZING! you can change how they fit on your waist for an ideal fit and they have a little bit of stretch to them which makes them perfect for traveling and hiking around. The Chaco entradas are still my favorite shoe of the trip, however, my heels are starting to hurt a bit in them. I don´`t know if this is from the hours of walking in them for the past week and not resting or the shoe itself. I´m going to try my sneakers for a bit this week and see if there is a difference.

I hope everyone is doing well, sorry I haven´t been responding to personal emails, the internet is not cheap in Barcelona and my time is limited.
Have a great evening,
Kate