Blissfulbritt | Page 20

- Salzburg, Austria – Pt.2
  
  Posted at 5:00 AM by Brittany, on April 23, 2019
  
  Before I went to Salzburg, I knew that the city was famous for some of the Sound of Music filming locations. I did some Google searching to find out my options to visit these locations, and settled on a three hour bike tour. I’m not normally one to take a formal tour, but when there are bikes included I can be convinced. The tour turned out to be one of the best decisions I had made all month.
  
  Most people take a bus tour, but I knew I wanted to ride a bike around Salzburg so this was the perfect activity for me. My group had eleven people consisting of mostly other Americans, some British folks, and a cute Australian guy. The tour took us to multiple filming locations, and through some of the outskirts of Salzburg. Getting out of the city center was so much fun, and the weather was absolute perfection.
  
  Maria’s Abbey
  
  The lake terrace scenes at the von Trapp’s family home were all shot at the baroque Leopoldskron Palace dating back to 1736.
  
  The actual “16 going on 17” gazebo.
  
  View of Untersberg Mountain – referenced in movie.
  
  While riding through the outskirts of the city, we had a stereo playing songs from the movie. The wind was slightly blowing, the sun was out, and I couldn’t slap the smile off my face if I’d tried.
  
  One of my favorite filming locations, which I visited multiple times while in Salzburg, was the Mirabell Palace and Gardens. The gardens at the palace are said to be among some of the most beautiful gardens in the world. I visited the gardens the previous day, as well as later that evening for a concert.
  
  My only regret of this tour, was not being able to visit Werfen, aka the picnic meadow where they sang “Do Re Mi.“ This town is about a 40 minute train ride outside of Salzburg, so I plan to return to walk the “Sound of Music Trail” INTO the Austrian alps. Overall this was such a fun way to see the city and to see some of the filming locations. I wish I had watched the movie the night before (my hostel shows the film every night at 8p) but I’m an old lady and need my sleep.
  
  After the bike tour I lost my morals and grabbed a Salzburg Pretzel, which was basically a pastry in the shape of a pretzel covered in chocolate. The pretzel was the size of my face…twice. It was intense. I chomped on my sins as I walked towards Mozarts Geburtshaus, aka Mozarts birthplace. It only made sense to stand in the room where Mozart was born, before listening to his music at a concert in Mirabell Palace later that evening.
  
  As regular readers know, I’ve made it a priority to see a classical concert in each new country I visit while living in Europe, and Salzburg was no exception.
  
  “In this room Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was born on January 27, 1756.”
  
  I stood in the birth room for a full five minutes soaking in the music playing through the speakers. It was a surreal moment to stand in this room. Regardless of whether you’re a fan of his music or not, Mozart was a huge influence on classical music. His talents will live on forever. Sorry, I think the sugar rush from the pretzel was seeping through my fingers as I typed that.
  
  After I visited Mozarts birthplace, I made sure to walk past the house the Mozart family moved to next. I didn’t feel the need to go inside, and I started to feel the effects of the pretzel and the Mozartkugel I had eaten and needed a small break from wandering. I headed back to my hostel for a bit to shower and change, and then it was time to visit the Mirabell Palace and Gardens again, but this time to go inside. I had booked a ticket for a Mozart concert and I got a front row seat.
  
  The palace was built in 1606, and is used today for concerts and weddings. The room where the concert was held is full of gold and marble, I can see why people want to get married there. The palace staircase felt like a scene from Titanic, and every detail was immaculate. The musicians were amazing, and they all looked so young.
  
  I’m constantly in awe of those who can play a musical instrument. I played the clarinet for a few years when I was in school, but couldn’t play a song if my life depended on it today (except for hot cross buns, forever for the HCB.) I’d always wanted to learn piano, but never made the time for it. I’m a sucker for piano, and my future husband will not only be able to build me a house in a flannel with a beard, he will also play the piano.
  
  I left the next morning around 10am. I would have stayed a bit longer, but the weather turned crummy and I felt I’d seen all I needed for this trip. Plus the longer I stay places the longer I’m off track with my eating and start to feel like I’ve been hit by a train. I had a great last minute trip to Salzburg, and am happy I live so close to such amazing cities full of history.
  
  Q: Are you a Sound of Music fan?
  
  | 28 Comments Tagged Austria, Bike, Brittanys Life Abroad, Mozart, Salzburg, Sound of Music, Travel, Travel Abroad
- Salzburg, Austria – Pt. 1
  
  Posted at 5:00 AM by Brittany, on April 17, 2019
  
  Last week I was lucky enough to snag another three day weekend. If it hasn’t become obvious to those of you who regularly read my blog, I have a bit of an addiction to traveling. Sometimes I need to take it down a notch and remember to appreciate the trip I just went on before trying to jump into another one. Living in Europe makes that difficult! I decided to go to Salzburg for a couple days because it’s only about a 3.5hr train ride away.
  
  I actually ended up deciding the day of that I wanted to go, and booked my train and hostel in a matter of minutes. I had looked up options a few days prior, but didn’t pull the trigger until an hour before I was to catch the train. Sometimes last minute decisions are the best. I arrived in Salzburg around 3pm, which gave me enough daylight to get acclimated to the city for a few hours.
  
  I dedicated my first afternoon to wandering the city, and the Hohensalzburg Fortress. The Fortress was built in 1077 and is the largest fully preserved castle in Central Europe. To access the fortress you can walk up a relatively large hill, or you can ride up in a Funicular. I’m always down for a walk, and I’m too cheap to pay for the easy way, so I walked up the hill and earned my view. The museum was closed when I visited, which I was more than ok with, so I only had to pay 4 euro to walk around the grounds.
  
  The fortress was huge, and I spent about an hour walking around and appreciating the views. I can’t help but wonder what it was like living in castles like this when they were actively used by European royalty. I also wonder what the view was like back then. The view now is amazing, and provides an arial shot of the Salzburg Cathedral. The view walking up to the fortress was great too, and each twist and turn provided a different angle of the city.
  
  Salzburg Cathedral dome and towers in the middle/right.
  
  After I pretended I was Salzburg royalty I walked around the city for a while before it got dark. Near the hill up to the fortress is a gate that leads into St. Peters Abbey and Cemetery. Never have I ever seen a more beautiful cemetery in my life. It was small, but the effort the families put into each burial spot was amazing. This cemetery was the inspiration for one of the scenes in the Sound of Music, when the Trapp family fled through the cemetery to hide before fleeing to Switzerland.
  
  More on the Sound of Music filming locations later.
  
  Notice the dwelling in the wall of the cliff? Upper left.
  
  Salzburg Cathedral dome in the back.
  
  The dwellings in the cliff wall apparently served as both hermitages and burial sites. I didn’t discover the dwelling was accessible until after I left. There are stairs leading up to the dwelling, and the entrance is found at the foot of Mozarts sisters grave. Yea, the Mozart. Honestly I’m super bummed I didn’t know about the stairs leading up, looks like I’ll have to return!
  
  From the cemetery I found my way to the Dom zu Salzburg, aka the Salzburg Cathedral. The large onion dome and two smaller towers in front of it are seen in a few of the above photos. The cathedral was destroyed and rebuilt multiple times by fires, but you’d never know by walking through the isles. It was beautiful inside, as are all European cathedrals. There is a lot of history inside the cathedral, but the one that resonated most with me was that Mozart was baptized in this cathedral.
  
  Photo of a photo I was given for making a donation.
  
  The rest of my first day in Salzburg was spent preparing for the following morning. Day one was a mere four hours in the city, but it was already off to a great start. I stayed at the YoHo Int. Youth Hostel, and it was very close to both the train station and the city center. I stayed in a four female dorm, and my first night there were three Koreans in the room with me. Thankfully they were very quiet, as I needed a good nights sleep for day two!
  
  ….to be continued!
  
  Q: Can you make last minute decisions for an adventure, or do you need everything planned prior?
  
  | 22 Comments Tagged Austria, Brittanys Life Abroad, Europe, Salzburg, Travel, Travel Abroad
- Prague, Czech Republic
  
  Posted at 5:00 AM by Brittany, on April 12, 2019
  
  I’ve been living in Germany for nearly three months now, and I have yet to take a trip where I had to actually request time off (those will come.) The beauty of proximity is that when I have three days off in a row thanks to the luck of the draw, I can go most anywhere within the surrounding countries for a last minute trip. This was the case for a visit to Prague at the beginning of last month, I had three days off and it just so happened my roommate and some friends were going to Prague.
  
  I booked my bus ticket a few nights before, snagged a spot in the hostel they were staying, and prepped myself for my first overnight bus ride. The best way to maximize travel time for trips like this is to take a night bus. We all worked our last shift before our extended weekends, and took a bus that evening. The bus left around 8pm, and arrived in Prague around 6am the next morning.
  
  Arriving at 6am allowed for two full days in the city, which was a great amount of time to explore the highlights. We dropped off our bags at our hostel (we stayed at the Czech Inn) and ventured towards the city center. Our first stop was somewhat unexpected, but we walked passed a shop selling a treat that Prague is famous for (although these treats are not only in Prague.) I try my damndest to avoid all things gluten, grain, sugar, carb heavy and dairy, but I wanted to partake.
  
  I definitely payed for it later, but when in Prague! #effyouAlfred
  
  The treat is called a trdelník, which is basically a sugared ball of dough that is cooked by rolling it over a flame, and then can be stuffed with a myriad of things. I chose ice cream, because I’m a sucker for pain. It was an amazing 5 minutes of my life consuming this treat with a shot of espresso. These trdelník treats were everywhere, some stuffed with savory things like mac and cheese and roasted duck.
  
  After a successful sugar rush, we walked around a farmers market of sorts on our way to the Astronomical Clock. This clock is the oldest working astronomical clock in Europe, and has been working for over 600 years. This was by far the coolest clock I’ve ever seen. So much detail went into the making of this medieval piece of history. Next to the clock is a beautiful cathedral called Church of Our Lady before Tyn. The church was built in the 14th century, and has two noticeably pointy towers.
  
  After watching the clock go off, we headed towards the Charles Bridge. The bridge is just around the river bend from the Old Town Square where the clock is located. Prague is a very walker friendly city, and I felt like a local after the first day. It is said that egg yolks were mixed into the mortar to strengthen the construction of the bridge, what an interesting choice. The bridge began construction in 1357, and was finished in the 15th century.
  
  On the bridge there are many religious and historical statues and plaques, some of which have significance if you touch them. Apparently the hand rubbed plaques bring good luck, and will ensure your return to Prague. I touched multiple plaques just because…when in Prague. The views from the bridge are beautiful, and there were performers along the way that warmed my soul. I love me a good street performance.
  
  The photos below are from the bridge on two different days, one with overcast and one with sun.
  
  Across the bridge leads to the Prague Castle, as well as our next destination. A trip to Prague would not be complete without a visit to the John Lennon Wall, a rainbow attraction of love and peace. After his murder on 8 December 1980, John Lennon became a pacifist hero for many young Czechs. 40 years after his death his memory continues to shine at this unique wall. I added my own contribution to the wall (which is apparently what people do) and wrote “love all beings” in an outline of a dog.
  
  My legacy of animal love will forever be in Prague. Unless someone paints over it.
  
  The Fab Four.
  
  After getting our fix of love, we headed towards the castle. It turned out the castle was closed to the public this day, for a reason we never discovered. Thankfully we came back the next morning and were able to tour around the grounds. The castle itself, though HUGE, was underwhelming. What stole the show was surely St. Vitus Cathedral. Have I mentioned I LOVE the cathedrals in Europe!? The walk to the castle was lovely, and we stopped for a cuppa Joe, and a petta the puppa.
  
  We ended our first day in Prague with a Thai foot massage…aka tiny fish eating away at all the dead skin on our calves and feet. I’ll spare you the photos, but rest assured this was a bizarre and amazing experience. I don’t think I’ll ever need to do it again, but…when in Prague! Day two consisted of visiting the castle, wandering more around the city, and capping off our trip with a Vivaldi concert.
  
  I am loving my tradition of finding a classical concert to attend each new country I visit.
  
  This quick trip to Prague was a great way to see the city. Our bus back to Germany left around 11am the third morning, and we made it back home about 10 hours later. The bus rides aren’t quick, but they’re cheap. Usually the bus ride isn’t terrible, because there is so much to see along the way to or from. My only regret is not getting a second trdelník (I was in my head too much on this trip, something I’m always trying to learn from.)
  
  I withdrew around 1000 Czech Koruna, which was around 40 euro. Spending 100 koruna at a time was misleading, I often had to check my currency converter to see how much I was really spending. As with all my travels, I don’t seek out souvenirs unless they speak to me, and when wandering the farmers market area on day one I found my must have souvenir. The cost was 50 koruna, which was a little over $2. I’m really into art work from different countries, so this steam punk looking cat with the old town view in the background was everything I could have wanted out of a souvenir.
  
  And just like that, I’d marked my eighth European country off my list.
  
  Q: What’s a must for you when you visit a new country?
  
  | 18 Comments Tagged Charles Bridge, Czech Republic, Europe, Prague, Travel, Travel Abroad
- Dachau Concentration Camp
  
  Posted at 5:00 AM by Brittany, on March 25, 2019
  
  There are few moments in my life that have touched me on such a deep level that words could not be formed, and breath was sucked from my lungs. Moments where emotions are felt so strongly that tears well up in my eyes and knots are felt in my throat. I had one of these sobering moments when visiting Dachau, the first concentration camp created in 1933 shortly after Adolf Hitler became Reich Chancellor.
  
  “Work sets you free”
  
  Front gate
  
  Despite the unfathomable events that took place behind this gate, I truly believe everyone needs to visit places like this. Not only to learn about the grotesque history that occurred in our world, but to put things into perspective. I sometimes get so wrapped up in my physical body, and the things I cannot do, that I forget to remember how blessed I am. Sadly, I believe the closed minded principals that fostered Dachau are all too relevant in the world today.
  
  Detention bunker
  
  Bunker
  
  Bunker
  
  This camp served as a model for all later concentration camps and as a “school of violence” for the SS men under whose command it stood. In the twelve years of its existence over 200,000 people from all over Europe were imprisoned here and in the numerous subsidiary camps. 41,500 were murdered between the multiple camps. The conditions worsened as time went on, but on April 29 1945, American troops liberated the survivors.
  
  One of many places where ashes were left.
  
  The current grounds of the camp have changed, but some buildings have been preserved and some replicas have been built to showcase what it was like back when the camp was in operation. Upon walking into the gate, you see the roll call square where prisoners were called every morning and night for punishment, and for work duty assignments. I took a left turn after entering the gate, heading towards to detention bunker first.
  
  The photos above and below show what it was like inside the bunker, the place where the most frequent punishments were held. Inside the bunker prisoners would be flogged, hung by their arms, kept in dark small spaces, or even executed. Walking the halls of this remaining bunker left a chill in my heart that I still carry with me today. I cannot even imagine.
  
  Roll call ground
  
  Bunker
  
  Bunker
  
  From the bunker I found my way into the onsite museum, where I learned so much more about the camp. I discovered that on camp road, where the living barracks were located, there were nine medical buildings. The medical care was inadequate, but the most horrifying part about these buildings were the human medical experiments that went on. A former prisoner, Nico Rost recalls one of these medical barrack buildings:
  
  “This was the barrack the prisoners feared the most – the barrack of experiments, the realm of Doctor Rascher. Atrocities were committed here which surpassed all the other cruelties carried out in German concentration camps, SS doctors committed them on defenseless prisoners, abused them for their so-called medical experiments: here prisoners were placed in icy water until they froze, often for hours on end so as to identify the average time that elapsed when it no longer made any sense to search for men who had parachuted into the English Channel after being shot down. Bone transplants, phlegmon and hyperthermia experiments were carried out in these barracks, ending in agonizing death after horrific suffering.”
  
  Camp road – the barracks were all lined on the sides. The buildings are no longer there.
  
  One of the old barrack platforms
  
  The end of camp road now leads to religious memorials, which was a much needed reprieve before the final and hardest location I visited at Dachau. Up until this moment I had mostly kept my composure. My soul ached the entire day, but I completely lost it when I turned the corner and saw the crematorium. The ovens were in operation day and night, and by then end of 1944 the capacity was too high to cremate all the bodies. Upon liberating the camp in 1945, American soldiers discovered countless corpses piled up inside.
  
  This photo hurts my heart.
  
  32,000 deaths were documented at Dachau, but there is an unknown number of unregistered deaths as well. Around the crematorium are gardens and a beautiful walkway. It was hard to see such beauty surrounding the place of death, but the commemorations and grave stones for those who died were beautiful. I lost my breath one last time after walking by a wall that was designated for execution. Prisoners would stand by the stone wall and wait to be shot, and the bullet marks are still visible today.
  
  Dachau had a gas chamber, however it was not used for mass murder like some of the other camps. Prisoners did report that the SS would use the chambers for smaller executions by poison gas. The gas chamber was within the crematorium, and there were three different rooms prisoners would go through. A waiting room, and room to take off their clothing, and the gas chamber. Prisoners were under the impression they would be taking a shower.
  
  Entrance to gas chamber, the word brausebad translates to shower.
  
  Writing this post stirs up all the same emotions I felt when I visited nearly three weeks ago. I went alone, and spent three hours touring the grounds. I took a train from my town into Munich, and from Munich it was about 20 minutes by another train and a bus to get to Dachau. It was really easy to find, and going in March meant there weren’t too many other people visiting. Despite my earlier comment of wanting people to see this place, I didn’t want to go at a time when it was overly crowded.
  
  For as long as I can remember I’ve been intrigued by all things related to the holocaust. I still struggle to wrap my head around the fact that human beings were able to do this to other human beings. The indifference towards others was so strong I can’t help but wonder what the men thought and felt while acting out these horrifying punishments. Can one really feel nothing when torturing another? I’ll never understand.
  
  I hope to return to Dachau sometime while living here and take advantage of a guided tour to learn even more, but I’m glad my first time visiting was on my own terms and at my own pace. This is an experience I will never forget.
  
  Q: I talk to people that tell me they couldn’t handle visiting one of these camps, could you?
  
  | 30 Comments Tagged Dachau, Germany, History, Holocaust
- Fasching in Mittenwald
  
  Posted at 5:00 AM by Brittany, on March 14, 2019
  
  Every year before Lent, German speaking countries begin a period of religious celebrations called Fasching. Some areas in Germany and Switzerland call this Mardi Gras like carnival celebration something else like Fastnacht or Fastnet, but where I am living it’s called Fasching. This pre-lenten party begins on November 11, at 11:11 a.m. and finishes on Ash Wednesday. The hight of the celebrations happen the week of lent, and in this time the locals party hard and dress in costume.
  
  There is a common costume theme among the locals similar to the photos above. Wild animals, witches, and creepy masks that resemble your great uncle Brad that no one really invites to Thanksgiving dinner anymore. According to the internet, these cultural costumes are said to drive out evil spirits of winter in preparation for spring, and to show the contrast between good and evil. The traditional theme has medieval roots giving the costumes their dark creepy vibes.
  
  Some people dress in typical Halloween like costumes of whatever they fancy, but my favorite were those that stuck to tradition. My town had a late night Fasching party at a restaurant, but my old lady bones wanted to sleep. I was stoked to discover that there was a small celebration a couple towns over from where I live in a town called Mittenwald. The Mittenwald Karneval started at 1 p.m. which is a time of day I can get behind.
  
  This was the final day of celebration, and while it would have been fun to travel a bit further to Munich for a bigger celebration, I was glad I went to Mittenwald. There were lots of children running around in costumes hollering weird noises and whipping whips. The whipping was actually slightly terrifying and I cannot seem to find the significance of this. Apparently harassment is a thing during Fasching (playful harassment) because I was hit with a broom by a 4’5″ witch.
  
  I also saw kids pushing adults, adults poking at other adults with sticks, and of course beer. Plenty of beer.
  
  Although I don’t drink, I enjoy being around those that do in Germany. Only if they’re locals though. Germans don’t get as obnoxious as Americans because it’s legal to drink in public here at all times of day. The bartenders serving shots and beer at this carnival celebration were taking shots with the customers, it was fun. I don’t know what I enjoyed more: watching the workers drink with customers, or watching elderly women taking shots out of mini ice cream cones.
  
  As if the Fasching celebration wasn’t enough, the Marienplatz in Mittenwald is adorable. It’s small, but with the chaos of the carnival it was alive and booming. The music was traditional, and my friend and I grabbed a seat in the middle of all the action so I could enjoy some tea. Not just any tea, but a “this tea is warmed by a tea light candle” type of tea. It was bougie as hell, so I drank it with my pinkies up.
  
  Of all the things I saw in Mittenwald, my favorite by far was the mountain directly behind the train station. As we walked off the train towards town, I happened to turn around and there she was. I love the look of snow on top of a mountain, the white really makes the contrast POP. No matter where we went, she was towering above it all.
  
  This visit to Mittenwald was a short one, but I’ll be back to explore more of the small town eventually. Next year during the Fasching festivities I might be more inclined to stay out after dark, but for my first time I was glad to party with my kind of people. Aka small children and adults that own small children.
  
  If you happen to be in Germany the week of Lent I highly recommend going to a Fasching event. For those who want to read more about Fasching, this blog post has another first hand experience with a bit more history. Until next year Germany!
  
  Q: Would you rather go to a big event, or a smaller less touristy event?
  
  | 10 Comments Tagged Fasching, Germany, Lent, Living Abroad, Mittenwald, Travel Abroad
- Partnachklamm
  
  Posted at 5:00 AM by Brittany, on March 8, 2019
  
  I’ve become quite comfortable with public transportation around my small town area of Garmisch-Partenkirchen (GaPa), regardless of the language barrier. I know how to ask for an all day pass, I know where to get off if I am taking a train or another bus out of town, and I know how to get to some surrounding areas for exploration. Eventually I will invest in a bike because GaPa is a big biking town, but for now I explore by bus or by foot.
  
  One of my recent explorations was the Partnach Gorge, or Partnachklamm.
  
  This gorge was a quick 15-20 minute bus ride from the back gate of where I live and easy to find from where the bus drops off. This made it easy to visit after a day of work. Going this time of year meant that I was able to see the gorge covered in ice and snow, and when I say covered I mean cooovveerrredd. Basically Elsa came in and got real angry. I have never seen ice like this in my life.
  
  I tend to overheat when I hike, and I wasn’t sure how strenuous the walk to the gorge would be, so I underdressed. This ended up being an easy, mostly flat walk and I regretted my jacket of choice pretty quick. If it looks cold in these photos, it’s because it was COLD. The gorge is somewhat in a cave as well, so little to no sunlight hits the interior. Fitting for me to find a place where my exterior finally matches my interior.
  
  Joking…sort of.
  
  It costs 5 euro to walk through the gorge, and round trip its about a mile. Once you reach the other end however, there are endless trails to explore. My friend and I walked on one for about 45 minutes, but had to turn around because it was getting dark. I can’t wait for the summer months when the sun stays in the sky until 9. Naturally walking on the trails made my cold inside light a small fire of happiness.
  
  The irony of my life right now is that back home in Washington I don’t care for the snow. I typically avoid hiking in the winter months because I have slight PTSD after getting lost once due to snow. I also just don’t enjoy trekking through knee high snow, so I don’t. In Germany however, there is something magical about the snow. I guess it takes moving to Bavaria for me to appreciate the white blanket of death.
  
  Walking to and from the gorge we passed by the Olympic Ski Jump, where the Winter Olympics were held in 1936. Next to the jump is a quaint restaurant called the OlympiaHaus, and they had delicious food! We sat at a communal table sandwiched between two German parties, and it was pure magic. I love getting away from Americans as often as I can, and sitting around Germans with their coffee and cake made me swoon.
  
  When I first moved to Germany I was intimidated and slightly anxious about living in a town where I don’t speak the language, but after living here for a month and a half I’m no longer phased. Thank goodness for that because it means I don’t mind exploring alone like I would back home. I look forward to seeing the gorge again in the warmer months, hiking the trails beyond the gorge, and gorging myself with food from OlympiaHaus again when the ice melts.
  
  Q: What’s your favorite season for outdoor activities?
  
  | 29 Comments Tagged Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany, Gorge, Hike, Partnachklamm
- Venice, Italy – Pt. 2
  
  Posted at 5:00 AM by Brittany, on February 25, 2019
  
  After a grand nights rest I was ready to take on day two in Venice. I started the day early per usual, and the first plan for day two was to island hop. There are water taxis that take people all over the inner canals of Venice, but there are also water taxis that take people to the surrounding islands. For 20 euro you can buy an all day pass for these taxis and ride them as many times as you’d like.
  
  The first island on the route is Murano island, which is a well known island for glass blowing. After a stop into the glass blowing room, a wander around the shops selling glass, and a quick walk around the island, it was time to head to island number two – Burano Island, which was my favorite of all the islands. Burano island is well known for all the colorful houses, and for its seafood.
  
  Burano Island is a fishing town, and according to the Google, the houses were painted bright colors to help the fisherman out at sea find their way home on foggy days. Whatever the reason, I loved the pops of color. I spent the longest time on Burano Island of all the islands I visited, and ended up eating lunch at a small outdoor place right by the water. I got a bowl of fried goodness consisting of potatoes, crawfish, squid, calamari, sardines, and anchovies.
  
  The freshness was unparalleled.
  
  If you can only make it to one island on your visit to Venice, make it Burano. The colors, the quiet, the food, and the feeling of getting off the beaten path from the busy city center are well worth the taxi ride.
  
  From Burano I headed to Torcello, then to Mazzorbo, and lastly made a stop in Treporti. These were small and didn’t have much to see. Torcello had a beautiful cathedral, otherwise I’d skip these islands (unless you have a day pass, then it’s a “why not” situation.) I found two island cats on this day, but only one of them let me love on him. The grand total for the day was six islands if I included Venice, and 13 miles walked.
  
  Torcello
  
  Murano
  
  Torcello
  
  After island hopping for most of the day, it was time to head back to the main city center of Venice to prepare for the highlight of my trip. My first day in Venice while wandering I came across an old cathedral turned music hall called San Vidal, and it just so happened that a classical concerto would be playing both of the nights I was in Venice. I knew I had to go to one of the shows, so I planned to go my second night in the city.
  
  The performance was only 30 euro, for about an hour and a half of beautiful serenading. Every performer had their own chance leading the group, which was a beautiful way to recognize each musician. No one was the star, and everyone was a team. The music was beautiful, and I got goosebumps time and time again. I also had some nice eye candy with an Adrien Brody look alike, and as I said on my Instagram – I don’t want kids, but I’d have babies with that beautiful Italian man.
  
  Click the above link to my IG for a clip of their music.
  
  Fourth from the left. Swoon.
  
  How I felt when they played.
  
  This was the perfect ending of my first trip to Venice, and the perfect birthday present to myself. I turned 30 the day after I returned to Germany, so I called this trip to Venice a birthday celebration. I knew I wanted to be in Europe for my dirty thirty, but I didn’t know where and I didn’t know how. It’s funny how the universe works when we manifest our desires. Nothing is impossible.
  
  I’ll never forget entering a new decade after my trip to Italy. My mom sent me some candles, and after all the splurging I did in EATaly, I shoved them into an apple and called it a day. I was a bit freaked out at the idea of leaving my 20’s behind, but I’m more ready to kick that decade to the curb. The second half of my 20’s were rough, so I’m ready to grab 30 by the horns.
  
  If my first month living in Germany is any kind of indicator of how my 30’s will begin, I’d say I have a great decade ahead.
  
  Q: Do you like classical music?
  
  | 23 Comments Tagged Birthday, Europe, Italy, Living Abroad, Travel Abroad, Venice
- Venice, Italy – Pt. 1
  
  Posted at 6:30 AM by Brittany, on February 18, 2019
  
  This past summer when I was working in Yellowstone, I often worked 10 hour days – five days a week. I did have consistent weekends, but never anything more than two days off at a time. My current job in Germany doesn’t give me consistent weekends, but I’m working FAR less hours (which is GREAT) and sometimes the cookie crumbles in my favor and I have MORE than two days off. Last week the cookie crumbled in all the right places and I had four days off…IN A ROW.
  
  Living in Europe means that even a two day weekend calls for a trip out of town, but a four day weekend calls for an even further trip out of town. After weighing my options I decided I wanted to go to Venice as a “get my feet wet traveling solo” trip. Venice is rated as a very safe city, so I pulled the plug and bought myself a round trip bus ticket for around $45.
  
  The bus to and from Venice from where I live was about 7 hrs, but the ride wasn’t bad at all. Aside from the Italian bus driver talking to me in Italian about a rattling noise he wanted me to check, the trip was smooth and I was able to take in the sights around me. I was lucky to find a direct bus both to and from Venice, which isn’t a common find.
  
  I arrived in Venice around 8pm my first of three nights there, so I made sure to book a hostel that was close to the bus stop. Venice might be rated as safe, but after dark a city is still a city. My hostel was literally around the corner from the bus, was eclectic and modern, and cost me a whopping $11. The only downside was that this room had EIGHT beds in it, and the girl underneath me was a snorer. But…$11.
  
  The following morning, I walked 2 minutes from my hostel to the train station, and took a train into the city center. I started my day around 7am because I wanted as much time in daylight as possible. I arrived in the city center around 7:30a and I watched the city come to life. The people I was walking around with were clearly locals, some probably on their way to work. Most of the shops were still closed, so I spent my first two hours wandering the alleys and allowing myself to get lost.
  
  The canals were like something out of a movie. The houses had laundry hanging out to dry, and garbage bags in their windows to be collected. There were flower plants on the side of buildings and uneven sidewalks with twists and turns allowing multiple options for exploration. Venice isn’t a huge city, so you can’t really get lost, but at the same time you want to get “lost” aimlessly wandering. Eventually you’ll find a familiar building, or stumble upon a well known sight, but the true experience is found without a map.
  
  I spent my day bouncing in and out of as many cathedrals as I could find, eating as much local food as I could stomach, and immersing myself in as much Italian culture as I could. I wandered the farmers market, I wandered the local neighborhoods, I wandered the outer streets and inner alleyways, and covered a total of 16 miles on my first day in the city. I spent 9 hours soaking up as much as I could, and I’m happy to say there was nothing I wanted to see or do that I didn’t on the first day.
  
  I sat at a restaurant on the Grand Canal for over an hour just watching the city come to life. I watched the Gondolas come and go, I watched the tourists window shop, I watched the locals rush off to work, I felt the sun on my cheeks and the espresso in my veins. Any fear of being alone in an area I’d never been washed away with each crashing wave that entered my auditory system.
  
  By mid day I made my way towards the Piazza San Marco, Venice’s most popular city square. The square is home to many beautiful buildings, including a gorgeous cathedral rich in history known as the Basilica di San Marco. The Basilica is free to enter (you can pay for additional exploration when inside) and was one of the most amazing interiors of gold and painted walls I’ve ever seen.
  
  From here I wandered more on the outer edges near the water to soak up the remaining hours of daylight. I had no set plans for this trip, other than to wander as much as possible and soak up as much culture as I could. I found buildings I’d only ever seen in photographs, dogs walking next to their owners without a leash, locals and tourists alike eating gelato and cannolis and seafood galore.
  
  Of all the cathedrals I found, my favorite was Santa Maria Della Salute. I saw the building from across the canal, and walked all the way around so that I could see it up close. What made this my favorite of the day was the inside beauty, paired with a right place/right time moment. As I arrived a live organist was playing music for a one hour time slot. I sat in the pews and listened to the music play for a good ten minutes wondering how this was my life.
  
  This trip was the perfect confidence boost for traveling alone. My only concern when traveling alone is getting lost, but I’ve managed to loophole my maps using wifi (I don’t have a cell phone plan here and no data) and asking as many people as needed to ensure I’m on the right train before it leaves. I made sure to find my hostel for the night first thing upon arriving in the city, just in case. My second hostel in Venice I was blessed with the room to myself. I paid $27 for this stay, and had a great nights sleep.
  
  My view from the room wasn’t shabby either.
  
  My first day in Venice was a dream, and it was just the beginning. Day two in Venice was spent island hopping, and listening to Italians serenade me with classical music. More on that later. My eats from day one consisted of two items Italy is known for: pizza and gelato. I sometimes splurge when I travel in order to soak up the culture regardless of the physical symptoms I might feel. I’d never had gelato before, and I admit I now know what the hype is all about.
  
  I wanted to eat seafood pasta, and cannolis, and chocolate too…but I have to be mindful and decided to save those other items for my next trip to EATaly.
  
  The city center of Venice is a place you have to see for yourself to fully grasp the beauty. I accomplished a long time goal of drinking espresso in Italy and it was just as delicious as I anticipated. Up next is part two of my Italy adventure, full of colorful houses and beautiful music. Ciao!
  
  Q: Would you rather: pizza, gelato, cannoli, seafood pasta, seafood?
  
  | 38 Comments Tagged Europe, Italy, Living Abroad, Venice
- Munich, Germany
  
  Posted at 5:00 AM by Brittany, on February 11, 2019
  
  Last week I took a day trip into the city of Munich, which is just over an hour long bus ride from where I am living. I had originally planned to visit the city alone, but when I discovered two of the girls I went to Innsbruck with were also going, I changed plans to go with them. The weather was perfect the entire day – it was cold, but the sky was cloudless and sunny.
  
  Before arriving, I searched the Google for a few places that were on the “must see” list, and planned to spend the rest of the time wandering the streets. I like to have a balance of knowledge and spontaneity when traveling to new places. This ensures I see a few top spots, but also opens the door for places I’d not have stumbled upon otherwise.
  
  Munich is a high end city and a lot of people visit to shop, but I came for the sights. I came for the architecture, for the cathedrals, for the parks, and for the food. The Marienplatz (city center) area is home to Neues Rathaus (Munich’s New Town Hall) which was at the top of my list of must see’s. The gothic style building dates back to 1867 and the inside was like a labyrinth. This was the first stop of the day, and we happened to arrive just in time to see the Glockenspiel perform, which only happens a couple times a day.
  
  Neues Rathaus on the left, Frauenkirche (Church of our Lady) domes in the middle, Mariensäule (St. Mary’s column) on the left.
  
  There is something magical about seeing a building in real life after seeing a photo, like meeting Santa Claus or the Easter Bunny. Walking around the corner to see Neues Rathaus was one of those magical moments. As touristy as it may be, the building is a must see when visiting Munich. When walking around inside the building there were children everywhere, one of them was flaunting his money at me and I wasn’t sure if he thought I was a prostitute or just trying to brag.
  
  Based on my thick puffy jacket and long pants I’ll go with the latter.
  
  After wandering around the Marienplatz area for a bit, we headed off to find some cathedrals. I absolutely love the strong faith in Europe, and although I don’t identify with Catholicism (despite being raised catholic) the beauty of these old churches is awe inspiring. Our first stop was Frauenkirche (Church of our Lady.) The cathedrals iconic domes can be seen in one of the above photos.
  
  This was a good start to the cathedral crawl, and I felt that each cathedral after was better than the one before it. My only complaint was that my group didn’t want to spend more time inside each place we stopped (perks of traveling solo.) We also visited St. Peter’s Church and Holy Ghost Church, but my all time favorite of the day AND of all time thus far in my life was Asam Church. Usually when I think of a cathedral, I think of bright lights and stained glass windows. I think of white walls and a victorian themed decor.
  
  Holy Ghost Church
  
  However, upon walking into Asam Church all my stigmas surrounding cathedrals were shattered by the dark gothic vibe. The walls were dark, the decor was dark, and the ambiance was dark. It was the most beautifully dark cathedral I have ever seen, and I will return to Munich just to sit inside of it for longer than 5 minutes. The inside is much smaller than the other cathedrals we visited, and I can only imagine what the hymns sound like inside those walls.
  
  Such beauty.
  
  A trip to the city isn’t complete without sustenance, and although the Hofbräuhaus is very touristy, it’s a traditional beer hall that dates back to the 16th century. Inside we were lucky to get a table, because if you don’t sit you don’t eat. People are known to scoot into a booth with strangers because it gets so busy at times. I’m not a beer drinker, but I did partake in a bowl of potato soup and a “side” of sauerkraut which was enough for three people.
  
  I ate it all.
  
  The inside was beautiful and we listened to traditional live music.
  
  I look forward to going back to the beer hall during Oktoberfest.
  
  After our feast, we were off to the Englischer Garden, a public park created in 1789. Even the parks in Europe have deep history, it’s amazing. There is currently a lot of snow in Germany, which made the park look like a true winter wunderland. I can’t wait to return and see this park in the summer months. I envision myself sitting on the grass, having a picnic, eating bon bons and wading in the river.
  
  For those who like to partake in the hops, there is also a biergarten nearby.
  
  After making a pit stop into Starbucks for my compadres (the sign was in German, it was fun) we made our way to the last must see spot on my list. The Siegestor Arch was originally dedicated to the glory of the Bavarian army, and underwent serious damage after WWII. The arch was almost demolished in 1945, but was partially restored and now promotes peace. The total distance covered in Munich was 12 miles on foot, and I’d say we covered some solid ground.
  
  Munich is a city for everyone. If you like to buy expensive unnecessary items, go to Munich. If you like to learn about history and visit museums (I need to go back to see some museums), go to Munich. If you like to explore old architechture and historical buildings, go to Munich. Just outside of Munich are two other must visit places: (I haven’t been to either yet, but they’re on my list ASAP) Dachau Concentration Camp, and Neuschwanstein Castle.
  
  That wraps up my second trip outside of my “home” town of Garmisch-Partenkirchen. I’ve officially been living in Germany for three weeks (today) and I still feel like I’m on an extended vacation despite the fact that I’m working. Life is wild, and I’m happy to be along for the ride.
  
  Q: When visiting a big city would you rather: shop, visit museums, or visit landmarks?
  
  | 18 Comments Tagged Cathedral, Germany, History, Living Abroad, Munich
- Innsbruck, Austria
  
  Posted at 5:00 AM by Brittany, on February 4, 2019
  
  The town in Germany that I live is in the southern tip of the country just a hop, skip, and a jump away from both Austria and Switzerland. I’ve been in Germany for two weeks as of today, and I didn’t hesitate to start my travels. My first day off was last Wednesday, and I made plans with a few of the other newbies here to take the FlixBus to Innsbruck. The bus ticket was $14 round trip, and took about an hour each way.
  
  We arrived in Innsbruck around 930 am, and the only “plans” we had were to see the river with the colorful houses, and I really wanted to visit Ambras Castle. The rest of the day was free to roam and soak up as much of the city as we could. We started at the first cafe we could find for some espresso and a treat.
  
  This was the first of many encounters with locals that didn’t speak English, but we made it work eventually.
  
  After our pick me up we wandered into the Old Town area. These medieval buildings are paired with contemporary architecture, all surrounded by the Alps. There was a City Tower we stumbled upon that provided a panoramic view of the city, and was well worth the 3 euro to climb the stairs. The Old Town is also home to the Golden Roof, which is the cities most famous symbol. The roof is made of copper tiles and was for Emperor Maximillian I to mark his wedding.
  
  I love history.
  
  View of Golden Roof from the tower.
  
  City Tower, circa 1442-1450.
  
  After being awed by the view from City Tower, we wandered around Old Town a bit, and I ended up buying a souvenir. I never buy souvenirs because I don’t like to accumulate “things,” but this one spoke to me. My room in Germany is very empty, to the point where the housing manager thought I had moved out when he came to do a room inspection.
  
  What can I say, I’m tidy and I’m a minimalist.
  
  You had me at the hiking boot.
  
  From the Old Town area, we migrated towards the river. When Googling Innsbruck the river houses were one of the first images that caught my eye. These colorful buildings are a must see, and a perfect spot for a tourist to take a photo. We walked the river for a while, wandered down random roads, stopped into open cathedrals, and then made our way outside of the city center towards Ambras Castle.
  
  Ambras Castle is about a 2 mile walk from the city center, and Google Maps was the real MVP on this trip. I just learned that I can download maps of any city to use offline, which will be such a life changer while I explore without data for my cell phone. We stopped in to use the toilet at a gas station along the way, which was stop number two where no one spoke English. We were beginning to stick out like sore thumbs, but everyone was kind.
  
  I’m a sucker for a good castle tour, so when I saw Ambras Castle pop up as one of the must see places in Innsbruck I knew it needed to be one of the main stops for the day. Archduke Ferdinand II rebuilt the castle using part of it to display his collections of armor, weapons, oddities, rarities, and precious items, making this the oldest museum in the world dating back to 1570.
  
  The exterior of the castle alone is enough to summon a visit, but my favorite room on the inside was The Spanish Hall. This room was used for balls and special occasions, and upon entry you can immediately see why. Some of the portraits that line the walls are comical, and I can’t help but wonder if the men actually posed the way they were portrayed.
  
  My favorite pose. What’s going on with that hand, and that hip pop is on point.
  
  The castle has a cafe where we ate lunch, and this was the third and most difficult encounter with a woman that didn’t speak English. She was sweet as candy, but my goodness did I wish I knew Google Translate allows language downloads to use offline before I visited this cafe. I learned this life hack as well as the Google Maps offline hack AFTER this trip. I tried to order a chicken salad, and I don’t know what she was saying, but I ended up guessing she was telling me they didn’t have anymore. Instead I ordered a tuna salad, which was delicious.
  
  We were all given coupons to get a free espresso, so I also ordered an espresso. When it came time to pay I presented my coupon, and she became confused. I had no idea what she was saying, but I kept presenting the coupon hoping something would happen. I’m still unsure, but I think perhaps she thought I was trying to use the coupon for my entire meal. Eventually she said “OHH Espresso” and it was taken care of.
  
  We all laughed, and did the best we could.
  
  The castle grounds had three peacocks roaming around, which was random as hell, but also fun. After we finished with the castle we took a bus back into the city, and my copilots stopped for a warm drink and some cake to kill time before our bus disembarked back to Garmisch-Partenkirchen. We also stopped at a place called Mamma Mia where I ate the biggest slice of pizza I’ve ever seen.
  
  I payed for it later, but when in Austria.
  
  Our bus left Innsbruck at 735p, giving us ten hours in the city. I couldn’t have asked for a better day, my company was perfect (we all got along great and were happy to go with the flow) the sights were beautiful, and the food was delicious. We walked a total of 12 miles – a perfect first trip while living abroad.
  
  Q: What are your favorite things to do while traveling? For me I like to try new food, coffee, museums, and anything outdoors.
  
  | 31 Comments Tagged Ambras Castle, Austria, Castle, Europe, Innsbruck, Living Abroad
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