The movie title Planes, Trains and Automobiles does a really good job of summing up my month jet setting through Europe.
I found a cheap round trip flight direct from Orlando to Copenhagen on Norwegian for about $600, so I decided I would stay a few nights and start from there.
My plane landed in Copenhagen and immediately I hopped onto the light rail. It’s convenient and takes you from the airport directly into the city.
I got lost for a few hours due to poor directions to my hostel and walked in circles until giving up and finding the nearest pub to get some help. I didn’t really mind the mix up, but bartenders always seem to get you where you need to go and I was right around the corner the whole damn time.
Most of my time in Copenhagen was spent wandering the city aimlessly and taking in what I could. I walked through Tivoli gardens and eventually stopped into nearby bars where I chatted with some friendly locals.
Copenhagen is a beautiful city which a lot of travelers seem to overlook and I always enjoy my time there.
The Danes were great to me and I would love to see more of their beautiful country in the future, but it was time to go to Berlin via the longest walkway through an international terminal ever, followed by a quick flight.
The amount off beer I consumed while in Germany is frightening.
With a booming night life scene that can go well into the next day and alcohol availability that is reminiscent of Las Vegas or New Orleans, Berlin can get wild.
Fortunately, Currywurst and Döner Kebab shops are everywhere. My personal favorite was Mustafa’s Gemüse Kebap and it’s well worth the usual 30 minute wait in line.
Berlin also has plenty to see for History and Architecture aficionados as well.
With sights like Charlottenburg, the Berlin Cathedral, Checkpoint Charlie, Brandenburg Gate, the Victory Column and the Berlin Wall, this city has plenty to keep your schedule full.
I jumped on the train and headed to Hamburg to meet up with a friend who was studying abroad in Bremen for a night of drinking on the Reeperbahn for my next stop.
The Port of Hamburg and the Church of St. Nicholas proved to be interesting sights to buy me some time until she showed up. Afterwards, I knocked back a few Astras and awaited her arrival at the nearby train station.
The sun was coming up as we parted ways from of one of the many bars where we consumed copious amounts of alcohol throughout the evening and the reality that my train to Amsterdam left in a few hours started to set in.
She apparently never went to sleep after leaving the bar, took the train to Berlin, and successfully navigated a college field trip the next day. Rockstar Chick.
I passed out for 30 minutes at my hostel, then ran to my train still moderately impaired.
My connecting train was delayed somewhere just outside of the Netherlands where I was stuck on an open platform in the fierce winds while it rained sideways. Hungover, soaked and shivering like a wet dog, I miserably awaited my connection.
Amsterdam was a three day whirlwind. There is something for everybody in this city, so you definitely won’t get bored.
The Red Light District, coffee shops and bars are the most popular attractions. The people have a very “when in Rome attitude” and you can see some really funny shit.
I once watched a German mom negotiate a hooker for her early teenaged son as a birthday present. Think about that.
Sometimes when you are walking down the road, you overhear things. In these times some people may want to object their morality and tell others how to live their lives. Others may just lean against a wall and pretend to text in order to see what happens next. In this situation, I was the latter. Don’t judge me.
You can’t make a story like that up, so why pass up the laugh.
Cultural must sees are the Van Gogh museum, Reijksmuseum, the Anne Frank house and the tulip fields. I personally found the Reijksmuseum to be far more impressive than the Van Gogh museum. Most of the people I know seemed to skip it though and I have no clue why.
Next up, I headed from Amsterdam to Bruges via train with a connection in Brussels Midi-or so I thought.
The train rumbled as I left Brussels station.
I realized I had fallen asleep and hurled myself out of my seat frantically looking for the train conductor to find out where I was headed. She laughed at me in they way a southern woman would say “oh bless your little heart” and informed me I was bound for Paris whether I like it or not.
She told me she was in charge of a return train a few hours after our arrival and offered me a free ride back to Brussels if I met her on the platform 20 minutes before departure. I gladly accepted.
Lunch and an afternoon in Paris, followed by a free ride back. Pretty damn good mistake. That is despite my stuff being stripped apart by customs on the platform immediately after stepping off the train and having to repack my bag while the onlookers judgingly stared.
Still better than a minimum €60 return ticket.
I returned to Brussels, thanked the conductor for a great afternoon in Paris and headed for my original destination, Bruges.
My three days in Bruges were amazing. This small city has a relaxing pace and is a popular travel destination for many European couples. There are many great sights, but my favorites would be the Belfry of Bruges, and the Church of Our Lady, which is also home to the Madonna of Bruges.
From Bruges I returned to Brussels for a night with the intent of flying to Stuttgart the next day.
I wasn’t much of a fan of Brussels.
All in all, the city was beautiful and the beer was amazing. However, I was unaware many of the locals speak French and due to my ill preparation, found the people I interacted with to be more rude than any Parisian stereotype.
I know I just probably had a bad roll of the dice and I’ll probably go back someday to give Brussels another chance, but I’m not in a rush.
Happily I flew to Stuttgart, which was recommended to me by a friend who had been there many times for Oktoberfest, so I figured I would give it a chance for Frühlingsfest.
I eventually was allowed into a beer tent and after an hour of wandering, befriended a table of Germans. I decided to keep up with them and go round for round. This was great for a good time, but was not a good idea.
Judgement is the first thing impaired by drinking and alcohol poisoning can sometimes be the result of its absence.
7+ liters later, I was bedridden for the rest of my time in Stuttgart, barely mustering enough strength to get to on my train to Munich.
Most of my time in Munich was spent suffering the remaining consequences of my previous alcoholic endeavors. My hostel mates helped nurse me to good enough health where I could leave bed and finally see the doctor. I don’t remember their names, but I appreciate their good deeds to this day.
If you ever read this, thank you again.
I didn’t see much of Munich due to my illness, but managed to rough out one day to see Marienplatz, the English Gardens, and the Hofbräuhaus. My time was brief, but my desire to return to Munich still remains.
My final train ride was to one of my favorite European cities. Prague, Czech Republic.
The second leg of the 5 hour train ride was cramped. My compartment was filled with a combination of people and baggage, but the experience was unique and I had a great conversation with a local woman about why I should visit Čheský Krumlov.
Now I wish I would have.
After a few days in Prague, I made friends with a really cool Korean girl who was on holiday from her job in Sydney. Our hostel was located just outside of Old Town Square, so we saw a lot of the sights rather quickly.
Since I was on the final leg of my trip, I didn’t plan out Prague very thoroughly. She was planning on seeing an orchestra and asked if I wanted to go. After all, I had nothing to do anyway.
What music lover could say no?
After a few drinks at Czech Beer Museum and dinner at one of the local restaurants. The night had come to a close and we had to part ways in the morning.
I spent a few lazy days in Copenhagen recovering from the month long rampage on my liver and headed home.
Doing it over again, I would have slowed down. I would have spent more time in less cities and really enjoyed the pace of Europe. Trying to fit too much into your itinerary can really make you miss certain elements to the local culture.
I wouldn’t change the experience for the world, but it’s food for thought.
