Month: June 2016
Springing Forward Part 2: Break 2016 in Amsterdam & Paris
Train Station
They’re known for their fries (which were so good!) and also tend to put melted cheese on their hot dogs – who knew?!
Heineken Factory
Fun Fact: Foam is important to beer because it protects it from oxygen (which causes beer to lose it’s flavor) and keeps it from getting flat/lose the bubbles.
Stroopwafel
Specoloos cookie with caramel on the inside, highlight of the trip in all honesty because they were so addicting!
Notre Dame
New location of Love Lock Bridge
The city was worried the locks would sink the original so it was moved to a fence nearby instead
Devil Wears Prada Fountain
You know the one – where Miss Andy Saks tossed her phone & rid herself of being taken over by her dragon of a boss, Miranda.
Laduree
Known for their famous macarons – so pretty & good! I felt like Blair Waldorf walking in there!!
Louis Vuitton Flagship
Need I say more?
Arc de Triomphe
Ponte Alexandre III
Beautiful bridge that is on the way to the Eiffel Tower – wish i got pictures of it in the day but still magical! Made me think of Midnight in Paris with Owen Wilson walking across it.
There’s an Angelina AND a Laduree inside!
The Gardens
Musical Fountains
The water shoots out to the beat of the music playing on speakers behind it.
Marie Antoinette’s Quarters
She had a place all to herself since the king liked to have Versailles all to himself sometimes.
Springing Forward: Break 2016 in Prague & Berlin
Without further ado, here’s how my country-hopping semi-solo spring break trip went!
Prague
First stop was the magical, fairytale-like town of Prague, Czech Republic. With Easter just days away, the city looked the part – making it all the more enchanting.
Old Town Square
This is the main part of the city – including a temporary Easter village along with some of the famous monuments that make the square what it is today. Two of the them being the famed Clock Tower and also the Gothic Church (seen below). The food was great in this village!! More on that later, though, for now we’ll go into the monuments around the city.
Clock Tower
The astrological one is a little more unique than just the calendar – Czechs have to name their children on the day that their name falls on this calendar. Each day lists multiple names to choose from. However, unlike a birthday, name days are not something to be celebrated – if its your birthday, people give you gifts whereas on your name day its reversed and people try their best not to make their name day known for this reason.
Gothic Church
One of the most recognizable churches around Prague, I thought this church was so beautiful (especially at night!), sadly there was no way to go inside of it though.
Charles River Bridge
A beautiful spot that’s on the way to the castle grounds. We stopped at a little part of the river near the bridge and fed the sassy little swans that inhabited the area. With these guys, you gotta be quick with the food, otherwise they start to come close to you and get a little hangry! Cool to see but remember these are wild animals still.
John Lennon Wall
The funniest part about this wall is that John Lennon has never even been to Prague! The wall was more of a way for people to “come together” (see what I did there?!) on something and give locals a way to express themselves. Definitely an artsy piece to see for fans of his as well as those looking to leave their mark on the world. You can add to the wall if you want by bringing your own spray paint or there is usually a cart where you can rent all different colors for a set price (plus it comes with hot wine too)!
Prague Castle
At the end of the trip, we got to tour the castle grounds & basilica within it. It was so beautiful with all the stone buildings and perfect views; not to mention huge! Another bonus was the rooftop Starbucks (sorry not sorry) – exactly where the great views are so not to be missed for sure!!
Food
Guys, let me tell you, the food here was AMAZING! Bratwurst, hot wine (like hot cider but better), and beer are just a few of the great items found here. Prague was also the first to drink beer in a glass (not Germany) and they also invented the modern way we make it as we know it today.
Bratwurst
Trdleniks
This cinnamon-covered roll painted with nutella and, if you ask, with strawberries & ice cream is a dream! We got one any chance we got since these were delicious!! If you are ever in Prague, do not miss these!
Pilsner Beer (local here)
Breaded Salmon
Lunch at a Typical Czech Restaurant
Dark Beer
Beef Goulash with Potato Pancakes
Langose – cheese, ketchup (!!) and bread
Berlin TV Tower
Like the Eiffel Tower to Paris, this tower is a landmark of the city best known for producing radio waves throughout Berlin. This was especially present during the Cold War when it was used to block out the Western ideals radio so that locals would be shut out from ideas other than Communist.
Currywurst (sans curry since I’m not a fan)
This food is a local favorite for Berliners (and so yummy)! The true version has curry poured over it but since curry is not my favorite, I just went with regular bratwurst & fries.
Beer garden located in the center of the city – such a cute little village and great stop for a quick bite!
“Here lies Max Moishe Butow, born 1890, deported 1941 to Litzmannstadt, died 7.3.1942”
They have these markers all around the city to mark where families who got sent to concentration camps lived. Such a humbling detail of the city.
One of multiple Christmas stores around the city.
Famous chocolate shop: Fassbender & Rausch
HofbräuhausA popular brewhouse chain in Germany serving in-house beer and amazing schnitzel!
Apple Strudel with Ice Cream