a few pictures for the road...

still friends after weeks of travelling together!
contemplating life in Scotland.
the cross that marks the grave of one of my grandpa's friends from high school.
every hostel in the Suisse Alps is required to have at least one Saint Bernard.
an oompa loompa tending the Lindt chocolate fountain in Koln.
holocaust memorial in Berlin.
you have to get up early to beat the crowds on the Charles Bridge in Prague.
shortly after taking this picture for my bro, i dropped my camera and busted it. thanks Nate!
i wanted to ski Mont Blanc but i forgot my skis at home.
i wanted to go to the top, unfortunately i was still suffering the effects of food poisoning!

this one's for Nate...

I enjoy walking around in my bare feet. And sleeping in a room by myself. And putting food in a clean refrigerator. It is nice to be home. The last two weeks of my European experience were amazing, beginning with our paragliding adventure in the Suisse Alps. I strapped Interlaken native Raymond to my back and ran off hill to soar above towering trees and snow covered mountains. I couldn't stop smiling for the next two hours. From there, we traveled to Munich to tour the Dachau concentration camp. Beth and I were both overwhelmed by the enormity of the complex. To see how large the camp was and to know how overcrowded it was absolutely unbelievable. One could easily spend an entire day there but we were emotionally drained after a few hours. We hopped on a train that took us to Berchtesgaden, a beautiful area of the Bavarian Alps. We hiked to the spectacular Lake Konigssee and took in even more documentation about World War II at Obersalzburg, where Hitler and other Nazi bigwigs maintained mountain homes. I was again impressed with the volume of information on display that recorded Germany's most prominent disgrace. I couldn't help but be creeped out as we descended into the extensive bunker system below the museum that was intended to protect some of world’s most detested human beings in history. We went to Salzburg the following day, where apparently some movie called “The Sound of Music” was filmed. I have never actually seen the film and I realize I might possibly be the only person in America who hasn’t. I’m sorry; it’s on my list of things to do. Our next destination was Normandy, just in time for the 63rd Anniversary of D-Day on June 6. Tears come to my eyes just thinking about our day there. I was able to attend the British Commonwealth memorial service along with a hundred or so veterans. It was extremely moving to see them sing hymns and bow their heads in prayers of remembrance. The American Cemetery at Omaha Beach was even more touching as I finally understood the sacrifice those men made on that day and in the months leading up to the end of World War II. Most were younger than I am now, and traveled somewhere they had never been to liberate a people they had never met. Their offering is simply remarkable and I know I will forever admire those men. Our final stop was Scotland. I loved the beauty and history of Edinburgh. It was definitely in my top three favorite cities. We also went to the small village of Oban on the west coast for some hiking before heading to Glasgow to fly our separate ways. Beth will continue to live and work in Ireland while I am so excited to be reunited with family and friends in Washington. I cried when I saw the Cascades from the plane, but I believe that was because I only slept four of the last forty-eight hours in Scotland. Needless to say, I have done nothing but sleep and eat since I got home two days ago. Thanks for taking an interest in my travels, I look forward to spending the summer catching up with everyone!

when in doubt, walk downhill...

Don't tell my mum, but I'm spending the night in the train station. In the company of my good friend Beth. We spent an extremely rainy afternoon relaxing at Beth's family's apartment. This following an extremely rainy morning in which I walked around with my pack on for three hours only to end up...back where I started. It's a long story and if you're looking for a good laugh you can ask me about it when I get home. I recently spent time in Cologne and Frankfurt and enjoyed both cities for very different reasons. Cologne has a spectacular Dom (cathedral) that somehow survived all bombings of the city during WWII. It also has a great chocolate museum that makes my stomach hurt just thinking about it. I went to Frankfurt the night before I flew to Norway and did absolutely nothing touristy, just lounged in the park in the 80+ degree heat and watched the world go by. Oslo was an interesting experience and slightly disappointing. I had heard great things about Norway and while the countryside surrounding it is beautiful, the city itself was quite uneventful. I did enjoy the National Gallery and the break from the warm weather of Europe. We are flying back to Frankfurt early tomorrow morning and from there making our way south to Interlaken, Switzerland where we are quite excited to paraglide! I have just two weeks remaining on the continent, and I must say I am more than excited about going home. Please continue to pray for safety as Beth and I travel together.

best of bohemia...

I absolutely loved Prague. A combination of the hostel I stayed at, the people I met, and the beauty of the city made it the highlight of my travels thus far. I stayed in a five star hostel, no kidding. It was nicer than nearly every hotel I've ever stayed in, and I could devote an entire blog to the amazing breakfast buffet they offered. I met up with about six other solo travellers who were so much fun to relax with and take in the Czech culture. I was simply floored by the eccentric beauty of the city, from its winding cobblestone streets to its towering castle, I loved to walk along the Charles Bridge and admire all of the fantastic artwork. Good think I'm travelling by backpack or I would have bought that bridge out.
After Prague I made my way to Amsterdam by way of Berlin. I wasn't extremely impressed with Amsterdam and don't really recommend you go there unless you enjoy the smell of urine and marijuana. I did find the Foam Photography Museum and the Anne Frank House to be cultural gems among the city's rubbish. I enjoyed my brief stay in Berlin and will be interested to learn more about the Cold War when I get home after seeing the Wall and checkpoints between the divided city.
I am in Brussels at the moment and just enjoyed my first true Belgian waffle. I am hooked. I plan on spending the rest of my Euro on waffles for an afternoon snack, for dinner, for dessert and as a midnight snack. They sell them in the streets and out of vending machines here. Between that and Belgium chocolate, I should have no problem gaining plenty of vacation weight.
I have just three weeks left in Europe and will be meeting back up with Beth in a few days. I am excited to have a travel companion again but am even more excited at the thought of sleeping in my own bed soon. Please pray I will enjoy the rest of my travels and will continue to be blessed with safety.

use your imagination...

I dedicate this blog to my Momma, on her 26th year of being the best mom in the world. She travelled in Europe for three months when she was my age. They say the apple doesn't fall far from the tree. I hope they are right, because I would like nothing more than to grow up and be like my Mom!
I have just spent an amazing day in Vienna. I think this is my favorite city as far as grandeur is concerned. From the soaring spire of Stephansdom to the impeccable gardens of Schonbrunn to the extensive Museumsquartier, this city has something for everyone. I really had no idea what to expect in coming here, and I was more than impressed with Vienna's history and transition into the 21st century. And it seems so clean compared to Paris and London! The weather was perfect all day, not even a cloud in the sky and I wandered from building to building, in and out of museums and was never overwhelmed by huge crowds of people. The slight blemish of the day was, in my excitement to capture all these amazing sites, I dropped my camera. Just a small drop, but the damage is done and the rest of my trip will be quite blurry for you photolovers! I am feeling amazingly better, thank you so much for your prayers throughout the past two months. Every need has been answered and my faith continues to grow with every passing day.

where have all the redheads gone...

I am overjoyed to be among trees and mountains again, although I miss the Irish nearly everyday. I spent a few days in Paris, and between getting food poisoning and frequent rainshowers, I managed to see quite a bit of the city. I was more than ready to move on to Annecy, a quaint town in southeastern France with an amazing lake. Everyone there was either training for a marathon, a millionaire or in whatever category I happen to fall in (read: bum). I spent my days hiking in the hills and along the lake. I also daytripped to Chamonix from there, roughly the Whistler equivalent of Europe for you nonskiiers. It...was...unreal. Imagine Jackson, Wyoming at the base of Mt. Rainier. Mont Blanc had some of the gnarliest glaciers I have seen! I am in Bern, Switzerland right now and absolutely love it. It is a cute town that has barely changed in the past hundred years, minus the addition of approximately 400 McDonalds, and is surrounded on three sides by the Aare River. It also has excellent views of the snowcovered Alps. I am going to Munich tomorrow and then on to Vienna and Prague from there. Please pray for HEALTH, as I have a head cold at the moment and would like nothing better than to curl up in bed and sleep for a few days.

a few pictures for you...

the dingle peninsula!
the cliffs of moher!
at giant's causeway!
hanging out with the BREWMASTER at guinness!
on the way to glendalough in the wicklow mountains!