After our rather rad time in Germany, we flopped into the bus for another long drive to our next destination, Amsterdam. After crossing into Netherlands we where soon spotting Dutch stereotypes fitting of a place on a postcard, Canals, Windmills and with the riverbanks sitting right on sea level there is a very fine line where the water seems to just transform into turf without actually rising out of water. Our tour of rural Netherlands was capped off with a stop at a cheese and clogs factory, oh how delightfully Dutch.

We finally pulled into our campsite on the outskirts of Amsterdam and after a in-no-way-at-all-sad last time setting up tents we quickly zipped into the heart of town for a big night out. Amsterdam is a very quaint city, long criss-crossing canals lay out the foundation of the city as the rest squishes into the islands between. The buildings in Amsterdam are a truly curious piece of work, the buildings are thin, about 4 or 5 stories high and they are tightly squeezed against each other to look like a crooked bookshelf. The buildings foundations must be pretty wacky as the buildings don’t seem to stand up straight, they lean out in all directions, like a city of leaning towers of Pisa.

Amsterdam’s nightlife is centralised within it’s famed red light district, narrow, crowded alleyways, neon lights, sex and the distinct smell of not your average cigarette. The first night out was more of a sightseeing tour than your typical big night out. In a normal shop window you might see mannequins dressed in the latest fashions, but here they are bound in chains and leather. The red light district has to be seen to be believed, I unfortunately don’t have many pictures, rumours have it that you can get in mega trouble (from the law? or perhaps organised crime?) taking photos of the working ladies, so just to be safe I kept the camera tucked away.

The next day we decided to get away from the district and see what else Amsterdam had to offer. We kicked the day off with a peaceful bike ride around town, cycling around Amsterdam seems to be popular, apparently they have more bikes than cars and with the lovely flat landscape why wouldn’t you. We also visited the Anne Frank museum which is made out of the house where she and her family actually hid from Nazis during world war 2. A nice pub lunch was finished with a visit to the Museum of Sex which showed off some of the more devious elements of societies past. Shopping for souvenirs in Amsterdam proved a bit tricky as Amsterdamiens have a penchant for selling incredibly tacky things, like seriously who really wants a salt and pepper shaker in the shape of two big penises?

Next stop on our trip was to the German capital; Berlin. Sandwiched between beautiful Prague and the apparently wild Amsterdam on our trip‘s itinerary, I didn’t have high hopes, for this city to astound me. Despite my ignorant assumption, Berlin proceeded to blow my proverbial socks off and skyrocketed to become one of the trips real highlights.

Berlin, the site for some of modern histories most important and defining moments (World War II, Berlin Wall, Cold War), proved not only to be a fascinating history lesson, but in recent decades has undergone a phoenix like resurrection to become Europe’s top boom city. Often called the London (or New York) of the 21st Century, Berlin is a dazzling ultra modern metropolis, built on a strong historical and cultural foundation and proved to be an intriguing place to spend a few days.

At the conclusion to the second world war, Berlin was reduced to little less than a pile of smouldering ashes, meaning that modern Berlin is the product of only the last 60 years of re-construction. This is a little surprising when walking down many of the older districts of town, where the museums, clock towers and libraries have been lovingly restored to original blueprints, using original materials. In other districts of town, the modern re-birth is very apparent as Germany proudly displays some of fanciest examples of modern architecture. This exciting mix of old and new extends to cities entertainment and activity options, visitors can investigate the cities fascinating back story or get knee deep in it’s exciting night life.

Our first night in town involved our entire tour group flooding a local pub, for a great meal, followed by many a German beer being knocked back. While it was a challenge to drag ourselves out of bed again the next morning, it was well worth the effort as our first activity was an interesting historical tour through the streets of Berlin. On this tour we where walked to many of the sites made famous by the rise and fall of the Nazi party and the rise and fall of the Berlin wall. This detailed history lesson of wartime Germany, gave great insight into what made the divided post-war Germany of the cold war and how that has in-turn made Germany the country it is today. Some highlights of this tour included seeing the square where Hitler staged the book burnings (now ironically the site of a giant book market) and the SS headquarters which are left in ruin, with a winding path through the rubble guiding you past a series of informational walls explaining how the Nazi party tried to brainwash the masses. One other major highlight was seeing the Holocaust memorial, a massive piece of street art covering a whole city block. The memorial is a maze of grey obelisks that from the outside resembles perhaps a mass grave site, when you venture into the middle, it’s easy to become lost in shadows of these intimidating constructs. Very thought provoking.

The Holocaust memorial from the outside:

Inside the Holocaust memorial:

A view down a very modern district of Berlin:

You would not think this building was constructed in the last 50 years:

A big night out:

Alyce at the Berlin Wall:

It’s been a while between posts, I know, but circumstances both expected and unexpected have made it rather difficult to keep up to date. Over the last week or so, our trip has taken us to Budapest (Hungary), Beautiful Vienna (Austria) and now we are just leaving Prague in the Czech Republic.

Prague, like Istanbul, has been one of those surprise highlights of our trip. To be perfectly honest, I didn’t really know very much about Czech Republic or Prague, but it’s beauty and generous food proportions have made a fan out of me. Prague has that enchanting Disney like charm about it, beautiful castle towers and grand statues gaze down the hillside over it’s cobbled streets and quaint shops. Walking the streets it’s easy to think you have been transported into the middle ages , even cars are scarce on these twisting streets and alcoves.

We just so happened to be in Czech Republic on some of the sunniest days we have had all trip, so trotting along Prague’s cobblestones was needless to say a treat. During our day we saw the enormous gothic church at the top of the hill, watched a traditional polka band and hit some shops, cafes and restaurants. Dining in Prague is delightfully decedent, we sat atop a rooftop restaurant and ate pork knuckle the size of our heads and chilled out on the streets drinking a jumbo Mejito for six (among four of us). On the Saturday night we found an amazing bar/club called the Beer Factory, where you pull up a table that has it’s own set of beer taps on it, so you can get well smashed without having to leave your chair. What else was hilarious about the Beer factory was, in a clear attempt to encourage binge drinking, your tables score in litres drank is displayed on a big screen overhead, we made a firm effort to stay in first place the whole night.

Alyce and Jackie at the Cafe for lunch:

Alyce overlooking Prague:

Big gothic looking church:

Astrological Clock in town square:

Since leaving Turkey our tour has passed through the proverbial Iron Curtain and into some of Europe’s ex-communist countries. In the last week we have passed though the grey tenement mazes of Sofia, in Bulgaria and Bucharest in Romania and are currently on our way to Budapest in Hungary. Our experiences in this corner of the world have been eye opening and educational as we see a society optimistically picking up the pace where their previous ruling regimes had left them; behind the eight ball.

If I was to briefly describe Romania’s capitol, Bucharest, I would say it’s the city of avenues and cheap tenement housing. The communist government apparently where fans of affordable housing and so bleeding out in every direction from the centre square lies endless busy avenues lined with tall cheap apartments. Walking the streets of Bucharest certainly makes you feel tiny and insignificant as the streets stretch out far into the distance and the buildings rise high above. While the town centre’s architecture is quite regal and traditional looking, the further you get from the main square the distinctively more concrete shoebox looking things become.

During an informative tour we not only picked up on the history and context of Romania but we also saw the world’s second largest building (only losing out the number one spot to the Pentagon in Washington DC). They say pictures speak a thousand words, so without further ado, I’m not even going to try and convey it’s magnitude, and just show you the picture:

The place has over a thousand rooms and has 6 or something floors underground!

After Bucharest it was time to head to the picturesque state of Transylvania to chase the Count Dracula Myths. Along our journey we visited quaint old villages and castles that helped inspire Mr Stocker’s classic. Admittedly most of the tourist sites where not as exciting as one might imagine, these places where living off hype and tacky merchandise. Bran (Dracula’s) castle was disappointingly small and not quite the dark, cavernous labyrinth I was hoping for, it did however have a cool secret staircase behind the living room book cabinet, but that was it’s highlight for me.

Transylvania does however have a beautifully dark and somewhat fitting landscape to inspire a classic horror tale. Long winding dirt roads nestled amongst tall, craggy mountains, covered in tall dark pine trees excellently shrink you into your seat.

Our last night in Transylvania was celebrated by a vampire and punch party. Twenty bottles of vodka went into our punch bowl (bin bag) and provided the fuel for what was needless to say a rather wild night of partying. All those tacky items of merchandise we picked up where put to good use as we descended on the camp site dressed as vampires and ghouls. Now, if you don’t mind, I, like most of my bus mates, am going to get back to nursing this bloody hangover!