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Cork & Alli's Trip Report

Allifunn avatar
FunnChef - AlisonCooks.com
8,075 views
All right gang this will be an on going thread. We could not possibly recreate our entire trip in one long drawn out boring :roll: :funn: thread, so we will report daily on each day spent in Europe. I'll start and Cork can refute ...I mean collaborate.....my efforts!

Days prior to the adventure
Cork was sending me emails and websites fast and furious....ummmm excuse me Cork...I have been packed for days...all her "last minute" instructions were of not use to me....:funn:
Dec. 27th 2007
I get to the airport in Columbia SC 3 hours ahead of schedule...per Cork and US Air's advice....MAYBE if I was leaving from JFK, Laguardia or ATL I would have needed to be there that early...but in little ol' Columbia SC it was a waste of 2 1/2 hours....:roll: No matter...It was GREAT just to be on the first leg of my trip!!!! I called Cork's cell as I was waiting, just to say Hi and to let her know I was on my way! EXCEPT...no cork...:eek: she had forwarded her phone to one of her associates...OH great I thought...what if something happens in Charlotte and I have no way to get in touch with her......:doh: I worried for nothing...she was waiting at my gate as I stepped off the plane!:wub:
We had a long 9 hour flight (took off 7:30 pm our time) We did get food on the plane...:roll: We each got head sets and watched "The Devil Wears Prada"...I tried to get some sleep...but I didn't get much. Finally started moving around 8:30 European time (3:00 our time) We landed in Frankfurt around 10:00. How EXCITING!!! I could not believe that I was actually doing this! I put my faith in Cork...and she didn't let me down! I did not know prior to this trip (I found out in the airport) that the reason that she knows so much about European back packing is, she and her ex conducted travel tours (the inexpensive way) for many years! She really knows her way around the Eurail system...And would have been much better if only she had a COOK BOOK!!!!!!:bang:
We got on a train bound for Amsterdam...how funn!!! I learned to LOVE trains...gosh how I wish we had such a wonderful system here!
Our train was taking many commuters home and as we were nearing one of our stops, the train stopped moving. Finally they made several announcments "the train's computer system has crashed" We are dead on the tracks. Cork and I cracked up at this announcment..."Please do not smoke in the smoking car any more. The air system is not working and there is no oxygen in the smoking car" I had visions of the people in "Total Recall" gasping for breath as the oxygen is sucked out of the car by smoke.....:floor:
The final announcment was "Well I guess you know this train is DONE" we waited for a tow to come and take us to the station.....
We finally made it to Amsterdam. In the station we found the travel agency (I amsterdam) and found a hotel to stay in. We were first told we had to book 3 nights....:eek: because of the New Year, but the young lady found us a one night hotel! We bought a 24 hour bus ticket and went to our hotel. Amsterdam is a wonderful old city..but very busy and modern as well. We got to the hotel (my backpack was KILLING my back....do you think maybe, just maybe, I had packed too much? :eek: ) We decided to forgo a shower and just hit the town...Mistake! We walked all around our hotel area (Princengrad? Cork will have to fill in all the names and places that I miss or miss spell :blush: ) We walked through Rembrandt Square and through the tulip/flower market..(pictures to follow)
As it started getting later we hit a brown cafe, enjoyed the menu, and walked around the red light district...:shock: We sure weren't in Kansas any more...:floor: There is so much to see and absorb in Amsterdam! A truly amazing place!!!!!
We were trying to decide what to have for dinner...the only places in Amsterdam are Pizza joints or Argentinean resturants! I wanted authentic food...NO SUCH THING!! We had some frites with mayonaise (best thing we have ever tasted...esp. after the brown cafe.....:clap_1: ) We finally gave in and had pizza...it was good, but NOT amore's! We took our leftovers to the hotel and crashed. It was about 1:30 by this time so we had been awake for about 24 hours by this time. We did not leave a wake up call....BIG MISTAKE......about 11:30 the next morning the maids tried to get in, and then the desk clerk stuck his head in and told us they needed to clean the room for other guests! I have never scrambled so fast in my life! I had torn my backpack apart the night before to shed some of the clothes I had packed...so I had clothes all over the place! I shoved them into the backpack, rinsed off...alas...NO SHOWER FOR ME....:( And we flew out of the room leaving our pizza leftovers for the cleaners....apologized (as cork says We are surely not the first people to do this....JET LAG!) We stowed our stuff at the hotel, got directions to a post office and took off. I got a box to send my stuff home in. Back to the hotel...then back to the post office and I lost 10 unneeded pounds for the mere price of 32 Euros...well worth the money! My back was HAPPY!!!!
We found a wonderful resturant that served pancakes (AKA crepes) and we feasted!
We found an internet cafe, where we posted our first SoWal posts and Cork took care of some business. By this time it was 4:00 and time to move on. We got our backpacks...AHHHHH mine was so light....:biggrin: We stopped in at a "deli" style market and bought dinner...salads, cheeses, meats and fruit.
Took a bus back to the station...but wait! Did we get on the right bus....NOOOOOO...we went about 20 minutes out of our way.....:floor: OH well...that is all part of the experience! When we got to the station we picked up some bread and wine...:biggrin:
We hopped on a train headed for Belgium. Had a wonderful dinner in our first class seats!

Tomorrow you will hear about or stay in Brussles and our 4 1/2 hour whirlwind tour of Paris......
OK Corkie baby...you need to chime in here girl!!!!

Edited

Replies

162
Allifunn avatar
FunnChef - AlisonCooks.comAuthor
#127
We arrived in Brigg around 5:30. Hopped on a train to Zermatt. The train was quite a supplement but it was worth it. The ride up the Alps was amazing. It slowly got light as we climbed and chugged our way to Zermatt. :D
Once there we walked around the village. This town is exactly what you think about when you envision a Swiss skiing village....:wub:
We finally got to tromp around in the SNOW!!! It was so beautiful!
We stopped along the way and built a snow woman...snowshore!:biggrin: ( I will let the pictures I took do the talking for me)
This little village was a magical place, but the place is EXPENSIVE!
The Swiss do not like to take euros...so paying for things was very difficult!
(I'll let Cork explain her little set to on the train...:shock: )We headed back down on the train on our way to Interlachen for lunch...we were in search of FONDUE!
On the way we changed trains in a lovely little city called Speiz.:wub: I ran across the street from the station and took some wonderful pictures of the lake!
Interlachen was a great city, too. Very picturesque and quaint. We found a restaurant that served fondue....YUM!!!!!!! The waitress told us that the Swiss do not like to take euros, but they are obligated to ...this was good info to have! (as Cork will explain)
We had decided to see about a flight to Finland, so we found a travel agency in town. As it turns out...it was going to be QUITE expensive to fly, so we made the decision to forget about the northern lights and just wing it the rest of the trip (like we hadn't already been doing that:idontno: ;-) ).
On our way again. We were headed to Friedrichshafen for the night, but we missed our connection in Singen, Germany. It was 8:30 om by this time and trying to get anywhere was going to take several hours and we were worried that we would not be able to find a hotel. Another command decision....we stayed in Singen. We walked around down town, but saw NO sign of a hotel. We made a few turns, and came upon a small diner. I went inside and tried to talk to the lady at the counter. She spoke no English...but as always, I said the word "hotel", she was eager to help. :clap_1: She finished making the sandwiches for her customers, and then she drew us a map...3 streets up and to the right...to the Sternen Hotel. The hotels are actually called gasthoffs so this is why we could not find a hotel on our own.
We entered the hotel and checked out 2 of the rooms...we chose one, left our bags and returned to the diner for a bite to eat. We were very grateful for the assistance from the waitress/owner. I had a chicken sandwich and cork had a burger.
We returned to the hotel, bought a beer at the restaurant bar, took showers and crashed. (Thanking myself,again, for my ear plugs and sleep mask :rolling: .)
We had a wake up call for 6:30...so we were up and running...well ...not exactly running...but moving....:blush:
Our breakfast was included in the price of the room, so we had a wonderful German style meal...rolls, meats, cheeses and fruits. And COFFEE!!!!!!
By 9:00 we were in the station and caught a train to Fusen, Germany to see the Disney Castle.
Allifunn avatar
FunnChef - AlisonCooks.comAuthor
#128
Zermatt:
Allifunn avatar
FunnChef - AlisonCooks.comAuthor
#129
I will post more pics tonight..I have to go work a wedding reception....:D
Teresa avatar
SoWal Guide
#130
More Venice......:wub:

all the pix are great, and bring back lots of wonderful memories of venice... :wub:

I just thought about our reserved hotel, which wasn't big enough for the two of us to stand in together, thanks to our buddy Rick Steves. we spent one night, then found a much better room the next day! we also met an aussie couple there who we had so much funn drinking and eating with, and we all got drunk and ran through the streets, we saw and heard rats!!! we all took a gondola ride together. I remember them talking about Italian News - and they took a picture of the TV in their hotel with the Italian newswoman all dressed like a hooker!!! (they later mailed the picture to us - it was a hoot) :lol:

we enjoyed visiting the islands of venice - Murano - the island with the glass making, and San Michele with the cemetary of Venice - all the grave sites were immacutely kept with fresh flowers and visitors galore.
DD avatar
SoWal Expert
#131
Wonderful report! Beautiful pics! :clap_1: :clap_1:
InletBchDweller avatar
SoWal Insider
#132
ok, where is the snow woman....:idontno:
Allifunn avatar
FunnChef - AlisonCooks.comAuthor
#133
Here are some more pics of Zermatt
Allifunn avatar
FunnChef - AlisonCooks.comAuthor
#134
Although you can't really tell too much...this is the Matterhorn
also Snowshore....:biggrin:
Allifunn avatar
FunnChef - AlisonCooks.comAuthor
#135
the beautiful town of Speiz
The town of Interlachen
Beachbummette avatar
SoWal Insider
#136
:clap_1: :clap_1: :clap_1:
:bow: :bow: :bow: :bow: :bow: :bow:

All of the pics are grayt....thanks for sharing and taking us along on your journey. :wub: :wub:

NOW.....where is MY picture?! :biggrin: and i forgot where you took it so is it coming up?
Allifunn avatar
FunnChef - AlisonCooks.comAuthor
#137
Well....I guess it is about time I continued the Cork & Alli adventure...:blush:

We took the train to Fussen to see the Neuschwanstein Castle. It was built by Ludwig II across the mountain from his parents. It is a relatively new castle and was never completed...he died when it was only a third of the way finished.
We arrived at the station...stowed our back packs and went looking for the way to the castle. The travel office let us know that the last tour was at 3:45 and it was about 2 or 2:30 at that time. We missed the last bus up the mountain so we caught a taxi. (we had considered walking...but it was quite a haul...:shock: ) We arrived at the ticket office and purchased a tour ticket. They told us we could take a carriage up the steep steep road up to the castle or we could walk. We decided to take the carriage...but the line was long! Well...sister...lets walk! Up we go at break neck speed. WE were told that it was a 45 minute walk and our tour was beginning in about 45 minutes....I panicked and made Cork sprint up the mountain......:funn: :floor: :eek: we stopped a few times to catch our breaths...and take in the views! We got to the castle (bought a pretzel along the way) and sat there for 25 minutes....it seems we broke the record for the fastest time up the mountain.....what usually takes most people 45 minutes to walk...took us 15.....:lolabove: :eek: we were panting and out of breath!
The castle was impressive and very beautiful!:wub: The views were breathtaking! I kept saying "I am King of all I survey":cool:
The tour was funn and the inside of the castle was beautiful! That Ludwig had some vision for his home! Too bad he died mysteriously at the age of 40 before it could be completed..... The was amazing and elaborate art work, mosaic and wood work! :clap_1:
After the tour, we walked down the mountain (much easier!) We caught a bus back to the town We found a restaurant and had dinner. I had grilled sausages, browned fingerling potatoes and sauerkraut. The appetizer was Cream of garlic soup...all of this was some of the best food I ate the whole time! :drool: We returned to the station, got our back packs and caught an overnighter to Berlin. This night we were not so lucky. We did not get a compartment but had to sit in seats. I got very little sleep....but who cared? I was in Europe!!!!
The next morning we arrived in Berlin. Great station! There was a huge tree (the only fake one I saw the whole trip) that was covered with Swarovski ornaments! I took a picture (as you will see) but it does not do justice.
We had breakfast at........McDonalds!!!! I had an egg McMuffin :blush: (with bacon...not Canadian ham). We found an internet cafe and each got on a computer. I was looking up sights to see in Berlin and Cork was conducting some business. We decided not to stay but go on to Copenhagen instead. I would have loved to see more of Berlin...NEXT time!
We took a train to Hamburg. Before leaving the Berlin station we bought some food for the trip. We dined and then slept for about an hour. The trip up through Germany was lovely. The windmills were amazing...not old looking , but modern structures ....fields and fields of them.
In Potgarden Germany the train drove into the belly of a HUGE ferry which took us across the sea to Denmark! HOW FUNN!!!!!! It had a cafeteria and many shops to buy duty free. The trip across took about 45 minutes. We departed the ferry and traveled to Copenhagen.
I loved Copenhagen...but that is for later...Pics to follow this portion of the adventure :lolabove:
Allifunn avatar
FunnChef - AlisonCooks.comAuthor
#138
The castle
the Yellow castle is Ludwig's parent's castle accross the way

Edited

Allifunn avatar
FunnChef - AlisonCooks.comAuthor
#139
more pictures fromFussen, the Berlin Station Tree, and the channel we crossed on the ferry
Jdarg avatar
SoWal Expert
#140
Beautiful Alli!:clap_1:
Beach Comber
#141
Hey Alli,

I'm getting a "kick" out of your and "Cork's" trip. I loved the part about how she "really knows her way around Europe via the Eurail". Ask her about the time she had this brainstorm idea to get out of Italy during a train strike ... and ended up in Switzerland somewhere between nowhere and it doesn't exist and she and her travelling companion were the only 2 on the entire train ... in fact they were the only two people within 200 miles. It was so isolated the train conductor got off at the previous stop .... about 100 miles earlier. Fact is ... it was a train graveyard and they had to break into a shed where there was a light and some heat in order not to freeze to death. I guess that's how she learned to travel via Eurail so well.

MM
Allifunn avatar
FunnChef - AlisonCooks.comAuthor
#142
I can't believe I have been so lax...there is still so much more adventure to report! :floor: :rolling:
iwishiwasthere avatar
Beach Fanatic
#143
Wonderful reports...so much funn to read! Beautiful country side vistas.
DD avatar
SoWal Expert
#144
Thanks, dear. A nice way to end a crappy day!! Beautiful pics!!
Allifunn avatar
FunnChef - AlisonCooks.comAuthor
#145
Hey Alli,

I'm getting a "kick" out of your and "Cork's" trip. I loved the part about how she "really knows her way around Europe via the Eurail". Ask her about the time she had this brainstorm idea to get out of Italy during a train strike ... and ended up in Switzerland somewhere between nowhere and it doesn't exist and she and her travelling companion were the only 2 on the entire train ... in fact they were the only two people within 200 miles. It was so isolated the train conductor got off at the previous stop .... about 100 miles earlier. Fact is ... it was a train graveyard and they had to break into a shed where there was a light and some heat in order not to freeze to death. I guess that's how she learned to travel via Eurail so well.

MM
well, it's about time you piped in.....:funn: I've heard all about your adventures:biggrin: and the horrid train strike.....:eek:
Beachbummette avatar
SoWal Insider
#146
Is that my crystal tree Alli? :idontno: I enlarged it and it is beautiful and has lots of sparkly things on it!:wub: How come you couldn't get me one of those in your backpack?! :idontno:
Beach Comber
#147
"About time I piped in"? Don't quite get that.

I'm just a "bystander" who has been fortunate enough to listen to some of Cork's European adventures. Someday I hope to enjoy some of those exciting "finer things in life". I envy you, Cork and anyone else who doesn't just dream about travel .. but travels his/her dreams.

MM
Miss Kitty avatar
Meow
#148
:popcorn:.... :sleeping: ....:clap_1:

FINALLY!!!!
Allifunn avatar
FunnChef - AlisonCooks.comAuthor
#149
Is that my crystal tree Alli? :idontno: I enlarged it and it is beautiful and has lots of sparkly things on it!:wub: How come you couldn't get me one of those in your backpack?! :idontno:
I tried:floor: but I was afraid the berlin police would have carted me off...:shock: there were cases filled with bling in front of the tree....:wub:

"About time I piped in"? Don't quite get that.

I'm just a "bystander" who has been fortunate enough to listen to some of Cork's European adventures. Someday I hope to enjoy some of those exciting "finer things in life". I envy you, Cork and anyone else who doesn't just dream about travel .. but travels his/her dreams.

MM
:welcome: post any time! and I wholeheartedly agree...up until this past year I only dreamed :wub:

:popcorn:.... :sleeping: ....:clap_1:

FINALLY!!!!
:blush:
Mango avatar
SoWal Insider
#150
Nice way to start the day. Love the pics and report. :clap_1:
Cork On the Ocean avatar
directionally challenged
#151
Hey Alli,

I'm getting a "kick" out of your and "Cork's" trip. I loved the part about how she "really knows her way around Europe via the Eurail". Ask her about the time she had this brainstorm idea to get out of Italy during a train strike ... and ended up in Switzerland somewhere between nowhere and it doesn't exist and she and her travelling companion were the only 2 on the entire train ... in fact they were the only two people within 200 miles. It was so isolated the train conductor got off at the previous stop .... about 100 miles earlier. Fact is ... it was a train graveyard and they had to break into a shed where there was a light and some heat in order not to freeze to death. I guess that's how she learned to travel via Eurail so well.

MM

I wonder who taught me to travel the trains so well MM :floor:

FYI, in case you didn't read the entire thread, we actually sprung for a trip on the Thalys - primo classe, of course.

Sorry, I've been gone guys, will try to check in more often. We're almost over the hump!

Edited

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