Best and Worst Europe 2013

Back in 2009 during our first European journey, Greg and I decided that we should rank things best and worst. We saw some really great sights, stayed in some great hotels/hostels, and ate at a couple of great restaurants. But we also saw the worst of all of those things. So here it is, the Best and Worst List 2013 using the original 2009 list:

Best and Worst of Europe 2013

Best Island: Mont Saint-Michel

Best historical thing: Combarelles and Font de Gaume prehistoric cave engravings and paintings

Best View: G-the view from next to the castle in Beynac, E - view from the Eiffel Tower

Best Beach: Not applicable

Worst Beach: Not applicable

Appartements Kohlereck

Best Hotel/Hostel: Appartements Kohlereck

Worst Hotel/Hostel: Labyrinth Hostel

Best Chocolate: Côte d'Or, purchased in France

Worst Chocolate: Kit Kat chocolate

Best Hike: G - in St. Anton, E - from the top of the Mount Fløyen to the Bottom

Worst Hike: None

Best Dessert: Strawberry custard tart things at E. Leclerc grocery store in France

Worst Dessert: the Mont Blanc at Angelina's in Paris

Best Bread: G - no specific bread, E- the Viennoise bread at the Carrefour grocery store in Paris

Best Pastry: anything at Douceurs et Traditions in Paris

Best Cheese: Camembert mushroom appetizer at Le Tribeca in Paris

Best Museum: Tie Between National Museum in Copenhagen and the Louvre in Paris

Worst Museum: None

Best Castle: Commarque in Les Eyzies

Best Palace: Versailles 

Best City: Paris

Worst City: None

Best Restaurant: Angelina's in Paris

Worst Restaurant: KFC because they didn't have biscuits

Best Nightlife: Paris Cafe Culture

Best Landscape: France

Worst Landscape: None

Best Subterranean Experience: Tie between Combarelles and Font de Gaume prehistoric caves and the Sedlec Ossuary in Kutná Hora, Czech Republic 

Best Local Brew: Dark Lager in Prague

Worst Local Brew: None

Best Local Liquor: None

Worst Local Liquor: None

Best-Preserved Old City: Mont Saint-Michel

Best Backdoor Destination: Kutná Hora, Czech Republic 

Best Weather: First Day in Paris

Worst Weather: All the Other Days

Best Backpacker Meal: ?

Worst Backpacker Meal: Bread and cheese over and over

Most Interesting Language: French

Most Challenging Language Barrier: G- Eastern Austria tied with gas stations in France, E - Czech Republic 

Least Challenging Language Barrier: Denmark 

Most Interestingly Dressed Locals: Paris

Most Relaxing Place: St. Anton

Least Relaxing Place: Paris

Scariest Moment: G - stuck in the Catacombs in Paris

Biggest Culture Shock: Christiania in Denmark

Cheesiest Tourist Trap: G - Moulin Rouge -- but it was still cool, E - Trolls in Norway

Most Picturesque: Grounds of Versailles Including Marie Antoinette's Cottage

Longest Distance Walked: Paris

Longest Travel Day: G - Trip back home

Hardest Border Crossing: G - in London, E - None

Easiest Border Crossing: No Problems. Sometimes, we didn't even notice there was a border crossing.

Best Europop Song Sung by an American (aka Most Frequently Heard Song on the Radio): Not Applicable

Most Mosquito Bites Received: 0

Best Swim Spot: E - Blue Lagoon

Best Inside Joke: Buffy the Vampire Slayer

Most Expensive Country: G - Denmark, E - Norway

Least Expensive Country: Czech Republic

Best Fortress: G - Kastellet in Denmark, E - Akershus Fortress in Oslo

Worst Hawker Experience: Gypsy Ladies Under Eiffel Tower

Best Serious Funny Statement from a Foreigner: None

Biggest Revelation: You Can't Buy Biscuits or Mashed Potatoes at KFC in France

Added for the 2013 Experience 

Worst Ad: E- Restaurant Cafe Next to the Leprosy Museum

Most Bedbug Bites Received: E - At least a dozen at the hostel in Stockholm

Adventure at the Airport

Despite loading the plane before the scheduled departure time, my Bergen to London flight left the gate late resulting in a late arrival in London. My layover in London was supposed to be an hour, but after I deplaned, I had a bit less than that.  

I was met outside the plane by a British Airways representative holding an iPad displaying "SFO." He handed me an orange card that was supposed to act as a fast pass. With this pass, I could bypass some of the waiting in line.

I breezed by all the people waiting in line to go through passport control. If I had waited in that line, I most definitely would have missed my flight. I rushed from passport control to security. I was ushered into a separate, shorter line for the security process as well.  Although shorter, the line was not short.

By this time, I had also become aware that I had to be at my designated gate a minimum of 20 minutes before departure. Apparently, all gates close 20 minutes before plane departure. This fact was quite unfortunate, especially since once I passed through security I realized that I wasn't even in the same terminal as my gate and I would need to take the shuttle. The in-flight magazine I read on my first flight from Bergen to London mentioned that a person should allow at least an hour to get from one terminal to another. I had less than an hour, and even with the help of the orange pass, I was rather stressed.

I boarded the shuttle to the correct terminal; I only had to ride for two stops. Unfortunately, the shuttle was completely packed and when it stopped at my terminal, I was on the opposite side from the door. Even more unfortunately, a gentleman dropped a shopping bag in front of the door and was bending over to pick it up. Because of the number of people in the car and the poorly placed floor-to-ceiling hand bars, I was unable to exit the shuttle.

Terrified that the train would leave with me still on it - there would be no way to make my flight on time if it did - I raised my voice to the gentleman demanding he let me off. He was still in my way, but another way opened up and I rushed off the train car and into the terminal seconds before the doors closed.

I basically ran-walked to the gate, which of course, was at the end of the terminal. I actually made my flight on time with only one minute to spare before the gate closed. The flight from London to San Francisco was without incident and Greg was waiting there for me when I exited the SFO baggage claim.

It turns out that although I made my London to San Francisco flight on time, my bag didn't. I was told I would have to wait a day or two, but the bag would be delivered to my house. By that point, I was actually perfectly fine with waiting a day or two for my bag, especially when that meant that I didn't have to stand around the airport for another 20 or 30 minutes waiting for it.

Greg said I was the first one from my flight to make it to the arrivals area. And fortunately, I was also the first to start the final leg of the journey home.

Finally, I am home, and I am glad to be here.

On My Way Home

I just boarded a bus headed to Bergen Airport. I love that most Scandinavian buses provide free wireless internet on board.

Today, I fly to London Heathrow, and then I make my connection to SFO. I will arrive in San Francisco around 5PM.  G emailed to say he would pick me up from the airport. Lucky me! I won't have to deal with riding the bus home after such a long flight.

The next time you hear from me I'll be back home in San Francisco.

Adventures in Bergen

I very much enjoyed my time in Bergen, but I actually think I scheduled too much time to be here. Here at the end of my trip, I am ready to go home. I miss G, my house, and the weather in California. These last four days seemed so long. Tomorrow, I will take a bus to the airport and begin my long journey home.

Mount Fløyen

My first activity in Bergen was to take the cable car up to the top of Mount Fløyen.  I squeezed into the cable car with a couple dozen other people, and in a few minutes, I was at the top of Mount Fløyen, 320 meters up. Bergen city center is actually surrounded by 7 mountains, but Mount Fløyen is the most popular and most visited. I enjoyed the view from the top, visited the small tourist shop just to see if it offered anything interesting, then started my journey down the mountain. On my way, I encountered a number of signs warning me to be on guard for witches.

Several minutes into my walk down the mountain, I ran out of space on the SD card in my camera. I found the nearest bench and started deleting blurry photos and pictures of the lens cap. I had sat down next to one of these witch signs. While I was sitting, not one, but two mothers pointed out the sign to their toddlers and explained to them about the witches.  No, I don't actually know what these mother's said; they spoke in Norwegian. However, it really did sound like they were warning their children about the possibility of witches.

I was curious about the history of witches in Norway. Thinking that they must be a popular legend, I was a little surprised to find out that Norway doesn't seem to have much of a connection to witches. Aside from a trial in the mid-1600s, witches do not often show up in Norwegian history.

The witch trials at Vardø in Finnmark, northern Norway, during the winter of 1662 - 1663, was one of the largest in Scandinavia. Thirty people were put on trial, accused of sorcery and of making pacts with the Devil. Eighteen were burned alive at the stake, two were tortured to death and one was sentenced to the workhouse. Much of the evidence came from accused children, and there was a complicated trail of accusations and implications. It marked the peak of the Norwegian witch-hunt which had intensified in northern Norway since Vardø’s first great witch trial in 1621. - Witchcraft

Trolls, however, show up over and over again. In Norse mythology, trolls are actually fearsome creatures. They are not at all happy or friendly.  Strangely enough, small trolls that you buy in shops are believed to bring good luck to people that possess them. Apparently, the be effective, a troll needs a name. Additionally, he needs time, a couple of days, to work his magic. Finally, he needs to be placed in a place where he won't be disturbed. If the troll's needs are met, he should bring you good luck.

Bryggen

During my time in Bergen, I also visited Bryggen (Norwegian for the wharf), commercial buildings lining the fjord. The oldest part of Bergen, Bryggen was founded in 1070. Over time, Bergen gained importance as a trading center. The wharfs were gradually improved, and the Bryggen buildings were taken over by merchants. Today, these buildings are a designated UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site and are used as tourist shops and restaurants.  Because the buildings are wooden, Bryggen has suffered from its fair share of fires over the centuries. Although some stone cellars were constructed in the 1400s, only a quarter of the buildings date to 1700. The remainder are newer. 

City Center

Bergen city center is enjoyable to walk around. I spent some of my time in the city walking. I visited the fish market, a couple of churches, a pond, and other sights.  I haven't mentioned it yet, but Bergen is a rather attractive city. It's even more attractive and enjoyable when it isn't raining. I was lucky; it only sprinkled once.  Bergen was a great place in which to end my 6 1/2 weeks of traveling.

Thank You to G

Having just 3 days left of my trip, I'd like to take this opportunity to thank G for this amazing trip. Back in June, some things fell in place for him at work. He came home and asked me to go to Paris with him. So early in September, we packed up and flew to Paris. We traveled together through France, Switzerland, Austria, the Czech Republic, and Denmark before he had to go home to go back to work. I have stayed a couple of weeks longer to see some of the Nordic countries I never had before.

Thank you, G, for this incredible journey.

Flåm

Flåm is a small village on the Aurlandfjord, a tributary of the Sognefjord, in Norway. I arrived in Flåm on the afternoon train, took a few pictures in the town, and started walking toward the hostel. Brekke Gard Hostel was supposed to be located a kilometer from town, but it seemed like the hostel was much further away than that. Perhaps it was the heft of my backpacks that made the walk seem so long. 

Fortunately, I had my GPS-enabled iPad with me, so I was able to navigate to the hostel without too many problems. I did start to wonder if my destination was a legitimate hostel when the road turnoff was blocked with construction. I  was able to walk through the construction zone to the other side to get to a place where the road was fine. I kept following the dot on the iPad screen until I finally arrived at an old-looking farmhouse at around 2:45 PM. I didn't knock. I entered to find a man sitting at a kitchen table, facing me, and eating his lunch. I was a little surprised and was concerned I was disturbing his meal.  I explained to the man that I had reservations. He looked confused. He told me that he was a guest and didn't know where the owners were but that they would probably show up around 3 PM. 

I talked to this man for a few minutes before he left. He was from France originally but lived and worked in Switzerland. He was highly opinionated and liked to talk. A lot. He told me that when he had arrived the previous day, no one was there to greet him. There was a note on the door that said someone would be by at 3 PM every day, but he waited until about 3:30 PM when someone finally came to let him know what room he was in. 

I had a similar experience. After he left, I sat at the kitchen table and waited for someone to show up to check me in. A little after 3:30, a woman came in and placed a piece of paper on the kitchen table. She didn't speak any English. She pointed to the list and when I found my name, she motioned that I would have to go upstairs.

My single room at the hostel

The woman left, and I ascended the stairs with my bags to my room. This hostel did not have shared rooms, only single rooms. By this point in my trip, I was ready to have a few minutes of privacy. It's rare to even get a moment alone while staying in a shared room. I was excited to be alone for two whole nights. Even better, I didn't have to sleep in a bunk bed.

The first thing I noticed about my room was that it slanted. A lot. As I walked from one side to the other, I could actually feel myself walking down a slant. When I got to the window, I looked out and saw not one but two waterfalls. 

View from my hostel room window

I was rather tired from my journey, so I spent that first afternoon alone (yay!) in my room reading and playing games on my iPad. I descended the rickety stairs in the evening to make dinner. I wasn't the only one hungry; several other guests were in the kitchen eating or cooking. 

I have noticed while traveling that people aren't usually interested in socializing when it is cold outside. I have very few good conversations when I travel in winter months. I'm not sure how much of this phenomenon can be blamed on the cold and how much can be blamed on the fact that there are fewer people traveling at this time of year.

However, these people in the kitchen were interested in having a conversation. We introduced ourselves to each other and started talking about our travels, our homes, and our jobs (several of them were students). I hadn't really talked to anyone since G went home, so I enjoyed the company. We spent an hour or so talking before we all split up to go our separate ways. I went back up to my room to sleep.

While trying to sleep, I realized just how rickety the whole hostel building was. I heard from one of the other guests that the building was an old farmhouse that was several hundred years old. I wasn't surprised.  There were so many layers of paint on the walls and ceilings that I half expected the paint to start falling off in large sheets any minute. Additionally, I'm not sure any of the house was level. The bathroom door wouldn't even close because it could no longer fit into the frame! Every single board in the whole house creaked, and I was a little scared the house would fall down as I slept. Fortunately, the house survived as long as I was there, but I wouldn't be surprised if I go back to Flåm one day in the future and the hostel is no longer there.

I had only one full day in Flåm. I took the day easy. I rested in the morning and went on a hike in the afternoon. My destination was the Flåm church, a couple of kilometers from the hostel. The hike was unusual in that most of the path was on a road.  Although not heavily used, I was wary of the cars that were passing me. Once I arrived at the church, I walked a bit beyond it to get a better view of a waterfall in the distance.

I walked back toward the hostel, but since I had to stop at the grocery store, I kept walking into town. I picked up food for dinner and for snacks and walked back to the hostel where I cooked my dinner and spent the rest of the evening relaxing in my room.

I heard from others staying at the hostel that there wasn't much to do in Flåm; however, I was perfectly okay with that. I am nearing the end of my trip, and a couple of days of relaxation was just what I needed. 

Norway in a Nutshell

Norway in a Nutshell, for those of you who don't know, is not a tour in the traditional sense but more of a series of transportation connections that take you through the most beautiful parts of Norway. At over $200 one way, it's not cheap. But I'm glad I'm doing it and glad I have a couple of nights scheduled in Flåm as a stop over (the whole journey from Oslo to Bergen is about 12 hours).

There are various options available, but I started my Nutshell tour in Oslo. I took a train from Oslo to Myrdal. In Myrdal, I boarded a train for Flåm. The trip from Myrdal to Flåm is particularly steep. Much of the rail route between Myrdal and Flåm is on a 55% gradient; the railway is one of the steepest lines on normal gauge railroad tracks. The town of Myrdal is on a mountain and Flåm is located on the edge of the Aurlandfjord, a tributary of the Sognefjord. The route is only about 20 kilometers, but the journey takes most of an hour.

From Flåm, I will take a boat across the fjord to Gudvangen. From there, I will board a bus for Voss. In Voss, I will be transferred back to the train for the final leg of my journey. I will take the train to Bergen, my final destination on my European journey.

Sightseeing in Oslo

Oslo is a very different city from Stockholm. Stockholm seemed so clean and safe; Oslo seems a little sketchy. I admit I didn't feel completely safe as I walked from the Oslo central train station to the hostel where I would be staying. I had my iPad out in order to navigate, but I felt weird carrying it out in the open. I tried to hide it inside my coat and just check it every few minutes to make sure I was going the right direction. Apparently, I didn't check it often enough because I made a wrong turn and ended up a few blocks in the wrong direction. 

Finally, I arrived at the hostel and checked in.

As large as Oslo is, there isn't actually a whole lot to do in the city. The city is fairly large with a population of around a million people, but I only found a few activities I was interested in. Apparently, Oslo boasts a huge number of museums, but by this time in my trip, I was museumed out.

Founded in 1048 by King Harald Hardråde, Oslo has been the capitol since around 1300, interrupted only by the Danish-Norwegian union from the middle of the 14th century to the beginning of the 19th century. In the early 17th century, the city was destroyed by a fire. The city was moved to its current location near Akershus Fortress. At that time, the city was renamed Christiania to honor the Danish Kind Christian IV. In the early part of the 20th century, the city was renamed Oslo.

I spent some time walking around the city and seeing City Hall, Vår Frelsers Cemetery (where Edvard Munch and Henrik Ibsen were laid to rest), and the new opera house. My favorite sights, however, were Akershus Fortress and Vigeland Sculpture Park.

Akershus Fortress

Akershus Fortress (Akershus Festning in Norwegian)  was built in 1299 to protect the city of Oslo.  I was impressed with how well-preserved the fortress is. Still used for special events and military activities, Akershus Fortress is open to the public daily. I spent quite a bit of time wandering along the ramparts, through the drawbridge, and around the buildings. The view of Oslofjord from the fortress is quite amazing as well. As I left, walking down a path lined with orange-leaved trees, a couple was preparing to have wedding photos taken. I couldn't blame them. That area right outside the building was a beautiful sea of orange. And the fortress itself was an incredible sight.

Vigeland Sculpture Park

In 2006, I was planning on visiting Norway. I did some research and found Vigeland Sculpture Park. I decided that I would go to the unusual park. Unfortunately, my plans changed, and I did not visit Norway on that trip. I did not forget about wanting to visit the sculpture park. I made the park a priority on my list of sights to see in Oslo. Honestly, I'm not sure that the park lived up to what I had imagined, but I still enjoyed wandering through the sculptures.  I read that a sculptor named Gustav Vigeland donated these sculptures to the city of Oslo in exchange for granting him a building where he could work and live. Vigeland worked on these sculptures for the last twenty years of his life until his death in 1943; the culmination of his efforts was the Monolith featuring people attempting to reach the top of the sculpture. I only saw a small piece of the park; the sculpture park covers 80 acres of land.

Train to Oslo

The train from Stockholm to Oslo is quite long. The train departed the station at 8:29 AM, and it is scheduled to arrive in Oslo at 2.54 PM. I had reserved a seat thinking that doing so would ensure that I had a comfortable seat for the duration of the trip. I was seated next to the window in front of a table. There was a seat next to me and two seats facing me on the other side of the table.

Although not the train I rode on, the table and seats
configuration on the train I rode looked very much like this.

Unfortunately, I wasn't expecting an Eastern European family to join me. The family consisted of a teenage daughter, a plump husband, and a very plump wife. This woman had curly dyed-blond hair with dark roots, dark eyebrows, even darker eyeliner, and bright lipstick. I didn't understand anything this family spoke about, but the family dynamics were interesting. The mother seemed... whiny. Once, she infantilized herself, putting her head on her daughter's shoulder pleadingly. The daughter left and returned with a snack for the two of them. Seriously. The father was just as enabling. Later, the mom pouted and the dad went to the restaurant car and brought bad a bottle of juice for her! And as short and roly poly this woman was, she still managed to take up 3/4 of the precious leg space. Uggh.

If I had not reserved a seat, I would have risked being kicked out of my chosen non-reserved seat by someone with a reservation. G and I actually had that experience on a long-distance train we took earlier in our trip. A woman had a reservation for the seat I was sitting in, so I had to move. G and I sat separately until later when the woman I was sitting next to got off the train.

The train will soon arrive at Oslo Central station. My legs are cramped, but at least I only have to deal with these people a few more minutes.

Uppsala, Sweden

Uppsala was a quick day trip from Stockholm for me. About an hour on the train and I was there. After disembarking the train, I immediately headed for the castle area of town. Although it was cold, the sun was shining and took the chill out. I haven’t seen a whole lot of the sun lately; it’s been cloudy. Before arriving at the castle, I passed by a park. The time was still early; I had many hours ahead of me in which to sight see. I found a park bench and sat down.

From the park, I walked a little closer to the castle to get a good frontal view. I took a couple of photos and then walked toward the city center. Walking along the Fyris River (Fyrisån in Swedish), I noticed some people in orange vests trying to hoist something out of the river. They were attempting to pull a bicycle out of the water. Upon closer inspection, I realized that a pile of rusty old waterlogged bikes sat near these workers. I continued following the river. At the next bridge, I saw two or three other people in the same orange vests attempting the same feat. Near these people was a truck filled with these waterlogged bicycles. I came to the conclusion that since many people park their bicycles along a fence on the river, the bikes often fall in. Fortunately, I was able to witness the unusual occurrence of workers dredging the river for bicycles!

I turned away from the river and walked toward the Uppsala Cathedral (Domkyrkan), Scandinavia's largest cathedral. As I neared the church, I noticed a strange flying contraption. Seriously, this flying device didn’t look like anything I had ever seen before. I couldn’t see anyone who appeared to be flying this thing remotely. I’ll admit that I even considered the possibility that this flying thing was a UFO. As I walked around to the side of the church, I finally saw the man responsible standing near the church. Noticing a bench nearby, I sat down to watch the man and the flying thing. He soon left, and I got up to go visit the church.

I continued walking around the church until I was at the front and went in. Apparently, an art show was happening. In venues around the city, the work of many artists was being shown. Showing a photograph collection, the church was one of the venues. I wrote in the comments book, left the church, and headed to Uppsala University.

I had read that the park in front of the university held six rune stones. I found all six before I continued to the castle. Set on a hill, the castle (Uppsala Slott) was built in the mid-1500s under the rule of King Gustav Vasa. Subsequent kings expanded the castle to a much larger Renaissance palace.  After a devastating fire at the beginning of the 1700s, the castle was rebuilt. This is the castle we see today. From the castle, I walked back down the hill and entered the botanic garden behind the castle.

The botanical garden (Botaniska trädgården) is owned by Uppsala University. The garden was planted on land that was donated by King Gustav III in the late 1700s.  From the garden I walked back past the castle, through the town, and past the train station to Old Town (Gamla Uppsala).

I no longer had any Swedish money (kroner). I hadn't thought about the possibility of needing cash, so I spent the last of my money on a snack at the Coop grocery store next to the train station. Because I had no money left, I was unable to take the bus the four kilometers to Old Town.

Those four kilometers were exceptionally long ones. My day bag was heavy, and I quickly tired. More than once, I stopped to check my progress on my iPad. I finally arrived at the burial mounds site.

I first stopped to see the old village of Uppsala before checking out the church, and finally the mounds. Thousands of years ago, the area where Gamla Uppsala exists was under water. People have been buried in the area for about 2000 years. Although two to three thousand burial mounds existed in the Gamla Uppsala area, only about 250 remain today. The others have been turned into farmland or quarries.

The three large mounds, dating to the 5th and 6th centuries, are known as the Royal Mounds (Kungshögarna). According to mythology, the gods Thor, Odin, and Freyr were buried in these mounds. Later, in the 1800s and 1900s, legend told that three important kings, Aun, Adil, and Egil, were buried in the mounds. Visitors were permitted to climb on one of these mounds; access was not allowed to the others.

Before I walked back to town to catch my train, I checked the map on my iPad and discovered that there is a hiking and running trail from the mounds to the city. I wish I had known about this path earlier; I would have used it on my way to the mounds.

Walking on this path until I got the the city, I arrived at the train station in plenty of time to make my train.

Day Trip to Eskilstuna

Before I left California for Europe, I tried to plan out as much of the trip as I could. I did my research and read about where in each country I should spend my time. I had never been to Sweden before, so I did a little extra reading about the country. During my research, I found a website with a list of the top ten most beautiful cities in Sweden. Eskilstuna was on the list. A small town, Eskilstuna probably doesn't make it onto most people's lists of must dos.  However, I was looking for a small city to visit with some history and good photo opportunities, and I found it with Eskilstuna. Granted, there is not a lot in the way of entertainment in the town, but there is a picturesque river and a few buildings left over from the town's medieval days.

I must admit that I scheduled too much time in the town. I could have easily spent a half day in Eskilstuna and seen all there was to see. I had purchased my train tickets in advance. In Sweden, the train tickets are like airline tickets: the earlier you purchase them, the better price you get. This purchase meant that I paid less for my tickets but also mean that I was unable to take an earlier train back to Stockholm. The day worked out okay though; I spent my time walking around the city. When I got to the old town area, I sat on a bench in the sun for awhile.

Here in Sweden, I keep looking around me only to be amazed by the colors of the leaves. I don't think I've ever experienced a true fall before, what with being from Texas where the leaves are either green or brown. I remember several years ago going on a leaf walk with an excited kindergarten class where all the leaves were brown and sad. The idea was to find a couple of really cool leaves to do rubbings of. Leaf rubbings are much happier when they are red or orange.

I know you can't see many leaves in this picture, but I promise they are there in all their fall glory.

Sightseeing in Stockholm

Although I spent four nights in Stockholm, I only spent one full day exploring the city. I have day trips scheduled for my other two full days. Stockholm is a city made up of fourteen islands. Despite the cold, I enjoyed my time sightseeing in Stockholm. I spent some time exploring the narrow, mostly-pedestrian old town streets. I saw  Swedish Parliament building, the Cathedral of Stockholm, and the Stockholm Palace. From the palace, I walked past the Moderna Museet on the island of Skeppsholmen to the island of Kastellholmen.

I have been amazed by the colors of the leaves. The leaves don't turn those vibrant colors in Texas or California. It actually feels like fall. Most years, I don't notice it's fall until it's almost winter. But here, I noticed as soon as the plane landed and I saw the trees.

After exploring the Kastellet, a small castle built in the 1800s on Kastellholmen, I walked back toward the Strömbron bridge to Stockholm Sightseeing boat company to go on the last Royal Canal boat tour of the day.

On the 45-minute tour, I listened to a recording while the captain steared the boat. The boat floated through the Djurgården canal and around Djurgården Island. The tour featured Rosendal Palace, Villa Gröndal, and the home of one of the members of Abba. As we neared the port at the end of the tour, it started raining. I was glad I was dry on the boat rather than wet outdoors. The rain lightened up. Fortunately, I had taken my rain coat, so I was okay even after I disembarked and started walking back towards the hostel in old town.

Arrived In Stockholm

Landed in Stockholm. On my way to the city. Love how the buses in this part of the world have free wifi.

Off to Sweden

It's 5AM, and I'm on my way to Keflavik airport. My next adventure awaits in Stockholm.

The Old British Bat Rant

And now, probably for my pleasure alone, I will recount the story of the old British bat. I wasn't even going to talk about her, but I decided that in 5 years when I am nostalgically rereading old blog posts, I will think this is hilarious.

This lady in her 50s or 60s, June, is from somewhere in England. She loves Iceland and her husband, possibly in that order. The day she arrived (two days after I did), she decided the room was too hot. She turned the heat off. Afraid of being cold during the night, I turned it back on after she had left. By the time she came back, she couldn't do anything about it (a man was sleeping in the bed in front of the nob). 

Tonight, I came back to the hostel, and she told me that she turned the heat off again. I voiced my concern that I thought the room might be too cold without any heat. She assured me that I would be fine and explained that she gets warm. I mentioned that she had more covers than I did. Apparently, that was a wrong move on my part. Actually, she couldn't understand why I left home without a sleeping bag. 1. I don't own one. 2. I didn't think I would need one. I had read that in Scandinavia, you are expected to bring your own sheets, but I never read that you had to bring your own blanket too. 3. I have traveled to 40-something countries and have never had to provide my own blanket, and have only had to provide sheets once or twice.

She reiterated that I'd be fine. I'm not so sure. I am currently sitting in the breakfast room (right outside the room she had been airing out for an hour). The breakfast room is freezing - cold enough that my undershirt, long sleeve, pullover fleece, and fleece jacket aren't quite enough.

I have the last laugh though. My flight is at 7:35 in the morning. I'm waking her up around 4:30. 

Hah.

UPDATE: In fact, the four nights I spent in Reykjavik were the only nights I was not provided with a blanket. The woman's assertion that I should have brought a sleeping bag really did not make any sense.

Also, I did wake her up.

Hah.

Iceland Adventure, Part 3: The Blue Lagoon

This morning, I woke up to several inches of snow on the ground. I was a bit surprised; I hadn't seen snow on the online weather forecast. Iceland has been so cold; I'm glad I borrowed Greg's fleece when he went back home. I'm not sure I could survive temperatures in the 30s and low 40s without that extra layer.

The sun was already out and melting the snow by the time I walked outside at 10 AM to the front of the hostel to await my ride. I was picked up by the Bus Travel company and taken to the Blue Lagoon (Bláa lónið in Icelandic), 45 minutes southwest of Reykjavik. One of the most popular tourist attractions in the country, the Blue Lagoon is a geothermal spa. I suspect the name comes from the color of the water which is a milky blue color.  Also popular with the locals, the Blue Lagoon features warm water high in minerals like silica and sulfur.

Because Iceland is situated at the juncture of 2 tectonic plates, the country has a lot of volcanic and geologic activity. Yesterday, the Golden Circle tour guide said that Iceland has more hot springs and geysers than any other country. Temperatures of the hot springs vary, but the Blue Lagoon is quite comfortable at about 100 degrees. A man-made lagoon, the Blue Lagoon is fed by a nearby geothermal power plant. Iceland boasts a large number of these geothermal power plants. Hot water from underneath the ground is pumped up to the geothermal power plants, used to heat water for household consumption, then pumped back into the ground. Interestingly, the hot groundwater cannot be used for household consumption because it contains a number of minerals that would destroy the plumbing pipes, so it is simply used as a heating source.

The bus arrived at the Blue Lagoon at about 11 AM. I had purchased my ticket online in advance, so I took the printout to the reception desk where I received my electronic bracelet. The blue bracelet gave me access to a locker in the locker room and allowed me to make purchases at the bar or café. I went back to the locker room area, changed, rinsed off, and shivered as I made my way through the bar area to the lagoon outside. I hung up my cover-up and towel and walked as quickly as possible to the edge of the steps into the water where I discarded my shoes. I descended those stairs as quickly as I could and sunk into the warm water.

The steam coming off of the water made it difficult to see my surroundings; when the wind was low I couldn't even see the other people lounging in the lagoon. I floated over to the far edge of the lagoon where buckets of silica mud sat. The mud was supposed to be good for your skin. I slathered some mud on my face and looked silly for fifteen minutes until I washed off the mask. I didn't notice a difference in my skin. I noticed others going overboard, slopping the mud all over their backs and chests. I saw one girl who looked like she had the stuff dripping off her nose. It turns out that she didn't; it was a nose ring between her nostrils.

I lounged and floated and lounged some more until my hands and feet were so pruny I couldn't take it anymore. I practically ran from the edge of the water inside the building. It was so cold! I rinsed off, changed back into my six layers of clothing, and left to meet the bus that would take me home. Of course, the second I exited the visitor's building, it started to sleet. Unfortunately, I couldn't have waited because I only had a few minutes until the bus arrived. By the time I arrived at the covered bus stop, I was soaked. I thought I was never going to get warm again.

The bus was packed with tourists going back to their hotels. I was the first to be dropped off at my hostel.

Aside from the extreme cold, today was great. 

Kit Kat Imposter

While on this trip, I have had some cravings for American food. My current obsession is pancakes. I want pancakes. While at the grocery store a couple of days ago, I saw a 3-pack of Kit Kats. I had to have them. I don't usually have American products while I travel - I usually try European candy bars instead. But I wanted a Kit Kat.

This Kit Kat was an imposter. The complaint? The chocolate is too good. It's not the same. It's some sort of fair trade chocolate. But when I bought that Kit Kat, I was not looking for good fair trade chocolate. I was looking for home. Alas, the Kit Kat failed me.

As a matter of fact, Kit Kat is not the only American food product that has failed me on this trip.

The Sprite? Has Truvia in it and 30% less sugar here now. It's still marketed the same - regular Sprite. You only find out about the Truvia if you bother the read the small print on the back of the bottle. I'm all for low-calorie drinks, but I prefer to be fully aware that I'm drinking Diet Sprite.

The Pringles? No, thank you. They were downright disappointing. I don't even know what was wrong with them; they just weren't Pringles.

The M&Ms? Better, actually. I'm not sure if the chocolate was sweeter or the peanuts were fresher, but the M&Ms were, in fact, better.

The tally for American candies? Europe 1, America 3.

Iceland Adventure, Part 2: The Golden Circle

Tours in Iceland tend to be a little on the expensive side, but The Golden Circle tour I went on today was well worth the money. Around 8:30 AM, I was picked up by the Bustravel tour company. 

We visited a number of sights. The first stop was a very old church on a hill overlooking fields. In the distance, I could see steam and horses. Icelandic horses are different than average; they are much smaller. Don't call them ponies though, I heard that Icelanders are offended by tourists calling them ponies.

I should also mention that in Iceland, steam rising from the ground is a very common occurrence. Iceland is a geologically active country. Located on the continental divide, Iceland boats a large number of active and inactive volcanoes.

We stopped by a smaller waterfall named Faxi. This was a very short photo stop. This waterfall was both beautiful and impressive until we saw a different waterfall a bit later.

We also stopped at the Gullfoss waterfall.  I don't think I have ever seen such a massive waterfall. The two levels were so powerful that I could feel the freezing spray from above. The temperature was so low in Iceland that the grass next to the waterfall was frozen with ice.

The geysers on Laugarfjall hill were amazing. There were a number of them steaming; many of these geysers looked like small pools of boiling water. The most famous geyser is Strokkur which can send boiling water up 20 meters. Strokkur erupts frequently, every 5-10 minutes. Nearby, Geysir erupts infrequently. When it does erupt, boiling water can be projected up 70 meters or more. Apparently, the English word "geyser" is derived from the name Geysir.

Strokkur geyser erupting

Our last stop of the day was at Þingvellir National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.  Aside from a beautiful landscape, the park boasts the location of the Rock of Law, the site of the first Viking parliament. (Parliament was held in this location for many years before it was relocated to Reykjavik). Additionally, the park sits on two continental plates, the North American and the European plates. The bus driver explained that the west side of the island is actually American, and the east side is European.

By the time the tour was over, I was exhausted. It was all I could do to not fall asleep on the bus ride back to Reykjavik. Actually, I don't sleep on buses, but if I could have, I would have.  I was dropped off at my hostel around 5 PM, a great time to make dinner and relax.