Berlin//Part 2

On day two we slept late since we got in so late. Jessica, David and I went into the center to look for pants for David and then planned to meet up with Amy and Sandra. We stopped in to get curry wurst and who do we see but the very people we were supposed to meet elsewhere! Curry wurst is sooo good and absolutely everywhere in Berlin. It's not just a food, it's a life style.  I'm exclusively using curry ketchup now, no exceptions. We were all still tired and knew we couldn't get too many sights in, so we took a bus tour. It was a really good idea. Since I have been to Berlin before it was more like a refresher course. When we got to the train station I stopped in to see about a train ticket for the next day, turns out they were all sold out! That was kind of a mess, but it all worked out in the end. 

After we went back to the apartment and spent time getting warm under the covers, listening to music and being silly. We met up with friends from NYU at Berliner Marcus Brau for some beer and an old-fashioned German meal. I got wiener schnitzel with eggs on it. Last time I was in Berlin I was a vegetarian, so this trip was my opportunity to make up for meat dishes I didn't try. The meals in Germany do not disappoint. When it's bitter cold out, there's nothing like a big plate of meat and potatoes to warm your body. We went to bed early since we all had to wake up early.

On another note hurricane Sandy is currently hitting the areas where many of my loved ones live. I hope everyone stays safe and is ok! I'm sure everyone has stocked up on supplies and looking forward to staying in for the next two days. Be safe!

Berlin//Part 1

Curry wurst

Why is there a plaster cast of the Baptistry bronze doors?

Me and David

Me and Amy

Sandra and me

Jessica, Sandra and me

Getting to Berlin was so hectic, but I got here! I left on Friday morning and took a bus to the Pisa airport, two flights, a train and the metro! It was alot of hours of traveling, but I was relieved when I got in. I travelled alone, but I'm staying in a beautiful apartment with David, Nathan, Sandra, Jessica and Amy. I've been to Berlin before, but I'm happy to be back. It's a very industrial looking city while still being very beautiful. When I got in we immediately went out to dinner. I got a beer and a farmer's fry which had eggs, bacon, potatoes, sauerkraut and a slab of pork (what I would consider typical of Germany). After dinner we went food shopping to get some food to snack on. We hung out in the apartment and then went downtown. We ended up going to some bars and having a very relaxed night.

When we woke up yesterday we made our way to the shopping/market area. We went to see a part of the Berlin wall. It was a very sobering, humbling experience. We stopped in to warm ourselves (Germany is freezing) and get a bite to eat. After we went to the outdoor market and went shopping for warmer clothes. We then went to the island that has five museums on it. We split up because I wanted to go to a museum no one else did, the Neues museum. Germany has a large collection of Egyptian art because there are so many Germany archeologists excavating in Egypt. There prized possession is the statue bust of Nefertiti (or as my brother likes to call her, Neferdite). It was so beautiful! Afterwards we walked through the markets and then David and I walked home so we could get in more of the city. For dinner we went to a Mexican restaurant, I know it's probably not the first thing that comes to mind in Berlin, but it was crazy good. I got shrimp tacos and a margarita both were salty and delicious. We met up with a bunch of other people from NYU who are in Berlin and we decided to go out to the area with all the clubs. I am not one for clubs...at all, but it's Germany so how could I not? I ended up having the greatest time dancing the night away - literally. I didn't get home until after sunrise! First and last time that's going to happen.

Brussels//Mini Europe

Failing to take a picture where it looks like we like each other

Ringing the tiny doorbell

The Pisa group (minus one)

The card I got in my email later

There's no way I couldn't dedicate a whole post to Mini Europe. It's probably the strangest, silliest place I've been. For one thing the mascot in an orange turtle. It's located at the foot of the Atomium. All of the buildings are on a scale of 1:25 and it's incredible how much work goes into every detail. One of the silliest things that the park has to offer is a button in front of every monument that plays the national anthem of that country. There is a ferris wheel that spins, Mount Vesuvius erupts, a bull fight happens and a space ship takes off! It's definitely an experience I recommend to anyone visiting Brussels. I was most excited to see the monuments I'm going to visit in real life this week.

I finished my midterms yesterday and my fall break starts tomorrow. It seems insane that I had four days of class and I'm off again. This will be the longest trip I'm taking and I'm both nervous (mostly for packing) and excited! I feel like I barely got time to breathe while I was in Florence this week and already I'm leaving again! Wish me luck on my adventures and be on the look out for pictures, I'm going some exciting places! (Though no where as exciting as mini europe!)