Wanderlust Stints 1 & 2 Recap: Reflections on a Long and Weary Journey

Note: I started this post back at the beginning of December but I've been exceptionally slack in finishing it up and for that I apologize. It was substantially complete by the end of the year with the exception of revisions and edits. Thus, I will post it as the last entry of a great great 2012. Thanks again!


I've been stateside for a couple weeks now and the magnitude of Wanderlust Stints 1 and 2 has finally begun to set in. I thought I would take this opportunity to do a bit of a recap now that I'm done with the first 2/3 of my transient retirement world tour.

As I noted in the last post of Stint 2, my European adventure covered 28 countries. Here is a list of everywhere I went in order (not counting doubling back or return trips) with a brief recap (and finally an overall a grade!) of each.

1. Spain: A great country overall. The people are friendly for the most part, there are plenty of places to go and things to see, and the prices are relatively cheap compared to the rest of Europe. The food is fantastic, the beer and wine are passable, and the nightlife is generally phenomenal. There are more than enough museums and you've got a wide range of outdoor options including mountains, forests, plains, and beaches. The negatives are that the public transportation has much to be desired (especially if you are a train person) and with the exception of the coast, the weather is generally either very cold or very hot. Overall: B+

2. Portugal: Simply outstanding. The best part of Portugal is the people- they are incredibly warm and friendly and can't wait to get you into the Portuguese lifestyle. There are tons of awesome things to see for a country of that size and it's one of the cheapest countries I went to. Beyond that, the food is great, the beer and wine are both excellent, and the nightlife was solid. There is plenty of stuff to do outdoors as well and I didn't even make it down to Lagos and the Portuguese coast. As Portugal is relatively compact, you can catch a train to pretty much everywhere you need so the public transportation is very good. The only negatives I could come up with are that it compared to some of the other major European destinations it is a bit lacking in the museum/cultural event department, it suffers from the same weather conditions as Spain, and it is one of the most isolated and distant countries within Europe. But that's a trifle. Overall: A

3. Morocco: A cultural experience. Morocco is eye opening. The people are generally friendly although you have to be comfortable with being harassed to buy stuff or stay somewhere or occasionally scammed/shaken down for small sums. If you are a woman, I would advise not traveling solo. From a sightseeing perspective, it is a gold mine, and you can't get any cheaper than Morocco (at least I never came close). The food in Morocco is outstanding and it's so cheap it's almost fee, and as for things outdoors- Morocco has it all. From mountains to beaches to camel treks through the desert. The biggest drawbacks to Morocco perhaps aside from the comfort level for women is the lack of drinks, nightlife, and public transportation. While there are buses and trains they are generally fairly few and far between. Not the worst I experienced but sometimes a challenge- especially with no A/C on 105 degree days. And yes, it's hot. But the ocean is freezing. Overall: C+

4. Gibraltar: Although this is technically a territory of the UK, it's identified in most mapping services as an independently governed state so it gets separate consideration. I actually loved Gibraltar although the vibe is predominantly British tourist and there isn't a ton of stuff to do other than climb the Rock and drink beer at one of the many great cafes/bars. The folks of Gibraltar are outstanding. You would be surprised how cheery British people can be when you get them out of the confines of the cold, rainy, dreary UK. As mentioned there isn't a ton to see, and aside from the Rock there isn't that much in the way of outdoor activities. But the food is typical British (so either great or terrible depending on if you like pub food), the beer was GREAT and much welcomed, the wine was... well no one drinks wine there, and the nightlife was nonexistent (despite a great day-drinking scene). There are some cool museums about the Rock's history but the transportation is so-so (although walking across a live runway to get to Gibraltar is awesome!). Gibraltar is home to my second favorite bar in the world (Star Bar) and my favorite barkeep (Ray). Biggest drawback is that it's on the pound and is thereby expensive. Despite its limitations, Gibraltar is a real cool place. Overall: B

5. France: This is like two countries: Paris and the rest of France. To combine them creates a bit of a contradictory recap but I'll give it a go. First, there are a nearly unlimited amount of things to see and museums to visit (especially in Paris). There's even plenty to do outdoors- mountains, forests, plains, vineyards galore, and of course the French Riviera. The public transit is some of the best in Europe and the food is world renown- even the cheap food like a baguette and cheese are super good! The negatives: Paris is crazy expensive and the rest of France isn't cheap (especially the trains). The people range from very friendly (south and west of France) to downright ass-hole-ish (Paris) which makes it hard to gauge how to act (your best bet is to start by saying 'bonjour' and then attempting French). Finally, the beer is generally terrible and the nightlife is very hit or miss- most French people stick to themselves at bars/clubs so it's hard to meet people. Overall: B

6. Monaco: Ah the old principality. Where to begin... well the transportation is top notch (especially to and from with the train station stretching almost the entire city). That's pretty much the end of Monaco's charms unless you have tons of cash. Assuming you do, any food, drink, or nightlife you want is right at your fingertips (including the infamous Monte Carlo casino). There is plenty of stuff to see... aboard your yacht, as well as great things to do outdoors... aboard your yacht. If you have dough, the people will bend over backward for you, and since you're on the French Riviera the weather is usually good and if it's not... just sail your yacht somewhere warmer! The negative: $$$$$$. Overall: A (if you're rich), D+ (if you're me).

7. Italy: I love Italy. It's one of my favorite countries in Europe. But since I only went to Naples on this trip, I have to judge based on ONLY Naples... so, pros: FOOD. Naples is so great. It's not just pizza, they really know how to make incredible food- even the most simple dishes are so dern tasty. Great wine and excellent beer (I happen to love Italian beer), and the prices are reasonable. From an outdoors perspective, you have Pompeii only 30 minutes from the city center which is more than a day's worth of exploring. The cons: there really isn't much to see in the city proper (aside from graffiti and garbage), the people can be a bit gruff and standoffish (think NYC), and the public transit is crazy (only half of what's on the map is completed!). Personally, I like Naples because it reminds me so much of New York except warmer, cheaper, with better (Italian) food, and more people speak Italian. Overall: B-

8. Poland: Similar to Italy my experience here was limited to one city, Krakow. The best parts of Krakow are easy enough: good beer, decent wine, other-worldly nightlife, good amount of things to see and do, and everything is exceptionally cheap. The cons: it's not the best city to explore outside (except for river cruises during the summer and even then it was still chilly), very confusing public transit (the airport doesn't even have gates), and the people can range from friendly to downright intimidating (the trick is you never know which you are getting until it's too late). For a summertime visit it was really interesting but I can't imagine sticking out a winter there... unless I was shacked up with a Polish girl (who, on the whole, are very very very [very] attractive). Overall: C+

9. Czech Republic: I love love love Prague (see the rankings below), and the other city I visited in the CR was pretty cool as well. The best parts of the Czech Republic are the great food, beer, wine, and nightlife that all come at cheap prices. But it's not just a good country to cut loose; there are a ton of historic sights as well as national parks, lakes, mountains, and other outdoor destinations to keep you busy. The Czechs are generally very friendly and, as a bonus, there are a seemingly equal number of exceptionally attractive women as there are unattractive men- meaning if you're at least a decent looking guy you have a great chance of finding yourself a very beautiful wife... you know... should you be so inclined... ahem. The only real negatives are that the public transit is good but could be better and that it gets pretty cold in the winter months. Overall: A-

10. England: As an American, it is the penultimate country which bore us all. I found the people exceptionally friendly and the beer (ale) of course is tremendous. There is plenty to see both indoors (especially if you make your way to London) and outdoors (the English countryside is lovely). The transportation is excellent from the tube in London (make sure to get your Oyster card) or the easy and relatively cheap intercity trains. The nightlife is a bit confusing however. Most of the pubs close by midnight or 2am at the latest so you have to seek out an after-hours club. Not a problem in London but some of the smaller towns it can become quite the task. The food is infamous for being terrible, however, in my experience it really wasn't so much that it was bad, rather it was unhealthy. If you like traditional pub fare you'll like the English food but be prepared to pack on a fistful of pounds. Also, speaking of pounds, as the pound (currency) is quite high, be equally prepared to spend some serious coin in the UK. Finally the weather is crap most of the year. Like, really really crap. Overall: B

11. Scotland: In Scotland you're going to want to focus on three main things: (1) getting outside and seeing the breathtaking sights of the Scottish countryside (Isle of Skye was tremendous but I only scratched the surface); (2) spending the cold evenings in local pubs drinking ales and single malt whisky, both of which are fantastic; and (3) making your way to Edinburgh to soak up some history, culture, and fun. Aside from those three highlights, the transportation is good albeit not quite as comprehensive or frequent as in England. Additionally, you'll find the Scots are an exceptionally warm, friendly, and helpful people. That combination makes it a good country to do some serious hitchhiking. Most people are afraid of Scottish food (especially the infamous haggis) but I found it tasty albeit, again, a very hearty fare. The only real things holding Scotland back (and in no way reasons for not visiting) are limited nightlife problems similar to England and the downright dreadful weather. Prepare to be awed by Scotland... but be prepared to be cold and wet. Overall: B

12. Ireland: Due to time constraints my Ireland adventure was sadly limited to Dublin and Howth, so keep in mind that this is from a very limited perspective. The two best things about Ireland as I experienced them were the Irish (a tremendously fun lot and my kind of crazy) and the beer (oh how I love Guinness and oh how good does it taste at the source). This naturally makes a great combo for nightlife and, in fact, aside from visiting the spectacular Irish cliffs, I would advise spending a week in Ireland just combing pubs, drinking great beer, and mixing it up with the locals (don't forget to take in some traditional folk music & dancing). But as you know there is a ton of history in Dublin (notwithstanding the rest of Ireland) so don't feel you have to be either scaling cliffs or in a pub. Ireland fare seems to follow the same trends as English and Scottish, however, because Dublin has such a high influx of American expats, there is a tremendous host of familiar things to munch on. Downside? Weather and price. Surprise surprise. Overall: B+

13. Slovenia: Slovenia was probably the most beautiful country I visited in Europe and it took me completely by surprise. From the charming Ljubljana to the jaw-dropping Lake Bled to the castle in Predjama to the gorgeous little town of Piran on the Adriatic. As you can imagine there are tons of things to do outside (you could spend a week at Lake Bled alone) and there is a resurgence of cultural activities especially in Lj. I loved the food- you could find a healthy amount of Slavic and German-oriented dishes as well as a the strong Italian influence. Really something for everyone. The beer and wine were both very good, but unfortunately I didn't get much chance to really dig into the nightlife. Public transit is a bit tricky but generally better and more flexible than the rest of the Balkans. The people I met were friendly and helpful and you can get around fine speaking English and everything is very affordable. I really don't have anything negative to say about Slovenia, it's awesome. Overall: A

14. Croatia: Another impressively beautiful country. I may have never seen bluer water or more spectacular cliffs than along the Croatian coast. There is also a great deal of history to be absorbed from the Roman settlement at Zadar to the Diocletian Palace in Split to the fortified walls of Dubrovnik. Croatian food is outstanding, especially if you love seafood, and both the beer and wine served there passable. It goes without saying it's a great place for enjoying the outdoors- boating around the islands, biking the cliffs, or hiking the mountains, there is plenty to do. And as you likely noticed from the posts, Croatia is one hell of a place to party. Dare I say nearly too much partying. The only downside is that you'll find the mainstays of Croatia significantly more touristy than the rest of the Balkans. This means the people are a bit gruffer, the prices are higher, and you're guaranteed to bump into the dreaded "casual American tourist." But if you can fortify yourself against those things, Croatia is awesome (and it's right next to Slovenia). Overall: A-

15. Bosnia and Herzegovina: If you're into history you won't do much better than B&H. From the Slavic to Turk to Austro-Hugarian to the Bosnian War of Independence, the country has been through one historic era of conquest after the next, each leaving distinct impressions on the country. The people you find there are exceptionally friendly and helpful and there's just as much to do outdoors as there is history to absorb. Perhaps my favorite thing about B&H apart from the historic atmosphere is the food. Bosnian food is incredible. I was also able to sample some of the tasty Bosnian beer but was, alas, unable to delve into either the wine scene or the nightlife. I was simply too busy soaking up everything else. Also, it's cheap but be sure to spend all your Lek as they are hard to exchange. The biggest drawback to B&H is its public transit system- the train ride to Mostar was atrocious and the buses are few and far between (not to mention the Sarajevo bus shakedown I was nearly a part of). B&H is definitely worth a visit and only a few years (and some infrastructure improvements) away from truly exceptional. Overall: B+

16. Montenegro: From what I could tell, Montenegro seemed somewhat divisive in terms of lifestyle- the north more closely resembling Croatia and the south exhibiting a more Albanian feel. I spent my time in Budva in the north so bear that in mind. The best way I could describe it is like a cheaper less touristy Dubrovnik that operates on the Euro. The people were friendly, prices very cheap, libations and nightlife good (although I've heard it's great during the busy season- I was there just after the beach-side clubs closed), and the food was excellent. The drawbacks are that apart from the sea there really isn't much else to do there, and despite the friendliness of the people, there is a permeating aura of Russian mafioso. Not enough to feel unsafe but just enough to make you think twice before joking around with or mouthing off to strangers. If you get burned out on the tourists and prices of Croatia, give northern Montenegro a try. Overall: B+

17. Albania: Because of its political past, Albania is about 25-30 years behind its neighboring countries in terms of development. So keep in mind that, similar to Morocco, visiting Albania is a bit like traveling back in time. The people I met were warm and friendly and provided me with simple yet comfortable lodging. Similarly the food and homemade wine were simple and tasty. The pleasures of the day- riding a bike up to the castle or down to the lake echo this theme as well, and if you are lucky enough to take the Lake Koman ferry, you are in for one of the most spectacular boat rides of your life. The prices are exceptional although public transit is the worst among the Balkan countries (the 'bus station' in many cities simply being a stop along the side of the road). Also, although it is very pro-American, the country as a whole is very slow in adapting to the era politically. Overall: C-

18. Kosovo: My experience with Kosovo was great although too short. The locals went out of their way to be friendly and helpful, the food was great, the beer good, and there are plenty of things to see. I can only imagine what the capital of Pristina must be like closer to the Serbian border as I only made it to the smaller town of Prizren. Similar to B&H, Kosovo has a ton of history, the most predominant of which occurring within the last decade or so. Kosovo is still in the process of establishing itself so in some ways it lags behind its contemporaries including B&H and Serbia. For example, the public transit is less developed, the historic sites less preserved, the nightlife less evident. But it is a fascinating place to visit, especially with the very pro-US feelings of the vast majority of people there. I would love to go back and explore more beyond Prizren. Overall: B

19. Macedonia (FYROM): I visited the capital of Macedonia which I would rate highly for sights except for the fact that they are all currently being constructed. It's a very odd place to visit- I'm exceptionally curious about what it will look like once the 'monumentalization' is complete. That said, I thought the people were nice, the wine, beer, and food excellent (the grocery store nearby the hostel had an entire aisle of feta cheese O_O). The hostel was very nice, public transportation at least on par with the rest of the Balkans (and rapidly improving), and the bit of nightlife I saw in Skopje was pretty cool (old bazaar area). There seemed to be a good deal of outdoor things to do even around Skopje and it was just as cheap as I could have hoped for. Macedonia probably left me more confused than anything else, but I enjoyed my time and would recommend it even if just to compare notes with how it has developed since my visit. Overall: B-

20. Serbia: This was a bit of an odd-ball because I refused to go to the relentlessly lauded Belgrade for the reasons covered in the post and I instead went to Nis so keep that in mind. To be honest, I really wasn't that impressed with what I found in Serbia. I thought the food was similar to Bosnian but much less tasty, the beer ranged from OK to undrinkable (although I love that you can buy a 2.5-liter beer at a newstand), and the nightlife pretty dead within Nis. The people were nice enough (with the exception of being moderately terrified on the train to Bulgaria- well more intimidated than afraid I suppose), and public transit was so-so (station far out of the city and, of course, the train ride). The best part was the immense amount of history in and around Nis- well more than you can absorb in a day. Overall: C

21. Bulgaria: Keeping with the theme of the unfortunate limited exposure as my Balkans tour came up against a tight deadline, I was only able to visit Sophia in Bulgaria. Frankly, I didn't find it that great. The hostel was one of the best I stayed at in all of Europe and the food was fantastic. Even the beer and the brief nightlife was good. There's also quite a bit of history in Sophia and there are plenty of things to see and do (especially when they reopen the legendary public baths). That said, the public transit was lacking and I thought the attitude of the people was more often prickly than not, although I did meet a select few who were outstandingly warm and accommodating. Mostly it was just the general vibe of the place that struck me wrong. I felt the city was menacing- stray dogs roaming everywhere threatening to attack, the drab-grey leftovers from the communist era, the oppressing and befuddling Plaza of the Soviets... I just couldn't get it. Plus the people live so hard, it seemed as if they were trying to drink, smoke, etc. their way out of some horrible reality which encompassed them. I couldn't put my finger on it exactly but Bulgaria made me uneasy... very uneasy. Overall: C-

22. Romania: In Romania I was able to visit a few places so this can be a more comprehensive review than some of the other Balkan destinations. I really liked Romania- the people were nice, there was a ton of stuff to see (and I feel like I only scratched the surface with Brasov, Sinaia, Bran, and Bucharest), and the Romanians know how to have a good time. Plus the food and drinks were better than most of what I experienced around the Balkans and the transportation was among the best (even despite some train delays). Romania is also pretty cheap albeit not as cheap as some of the other countries in the Balkans. The only thing I can think of that I didn't like about Romania was the prevalence of the gypsies. I didn't run into any problems I couldn't handle but I heard horror stories about such instances experienced by others. Romania is definitely worth a visit, oh, and the women are very easy on the eyes. Overall: B+

23. Germany: Oh, Germany. Let's be honest, I love Germany. It was the first country in Europe I visited extensively and the first I visited extensively a second time. And, you guessed it, this marked the third extensive visit as I was able to hit another 5 cities across the northern part of the country. Everything about Germany is pretty much great- beer & wine (incredible), food (great), nightlife (nearly second to none), people (very friendly- despite common misconception), public transit (among the best), culture (plenty, especially in Berlin), price (reasonably cheap considering the rest of western Europe), and history (one struggles to find many others with more readily apparent history). Even all of the Germans I've met, both those known to me and strangers, have been great. It's hard to find a negative... the best I can come up with are that the German women are sometimes a bit hard to talk to (which some view as standoffish) and I can't stand either sauerkraut or German football. Overall: A

24. Austria: I like to think of Austria as Germany-lite. But that's not really fair. Austria is a great country in its own, filled with beautiful people. I've been to western Austria before and I had intended to hit Salzburg on this trip but I was only able to make it to Vienna due to hostel availability, or lack thereof. That said, Austria was just as great as I had remembered. I would say everything I wrote about Germany holds true with the exception that I found the nightlife less crazy but the culture and arts much better. And Vienna itself is an absolutely beautiful city- nearly too beautiful. Perhaps the only downside I could come up with was that it was more expensive than Germany. Everything else was great. Overall: A-

25. Slovakia: I took a short jaunt to Bratislava (where even the tourist board doesn't know where they are) and gained a memorable, albeit too brief, taste of Slovakia. Similar to the Czech Republic, the food is excellent, the beer is outstanding, the people are friendly, and there are plenty of historic sites to absorb. The hostel I stayed in was good and the public transit was excellent in and out and so-so within the city limits. My favorite part was that Bratislava seemed very laid back- a place where you could let your guard down and relax a bit. Also, they had the crazy McCheese sandwich. The only real downside to Slovakia is that even in the capital, after you've done the obligatory 2-3hr walk around, there really isn't much else to do. I think because it's so nondescript, it gets a bit of a bad rep. Overall its a cool place, but it might leave you with a "ho-hum" impression. As the tourist board says, "where the f*ck is Bratislava?" Overall: B-

26. Netherlands: The only previous experience I had with the Netherlands was a brief stay in Amsterdam at the end of my first Europe-romp back in 2009. Much like NYC would be a terrible representation for the rest of America (for better or worse), Amsterdam is a terrible representation for the Netherlands as a whole. In visiting the aforementioned as well as Haarlem, Utrecht, Rotterdam, Kinderdjik, and The Hague, I got a truly great taste of the Dutch. The recap goes as follows: art & culture (excellent- Van Gogh obviously plus many others and a great music scene), sights (windmills, architecture, interplay between new and old... awesome), beer (decent- fan of Amstel, hate Heineken), nightlife (incredible even apart from Amsterdam), and public transit (perhaps the best in Europe). The downsides? One, there's very little in the way of Dutch food (aside from the stroopwaffel). Most of what you find as "Dutch" (other than various forms of bland seafood stew) are imports from the many Dutch colonies around the world. I had an Indonesian meal which was phenomenal but, again, that's not really "Dutch." Second, the Netherlands isn't that cheap. It might be slightly better than Belgium but it's fairly expensive. Finally, the weather. Just downright terrible. Overall: B

27. Belgium: This was a long long long time coming. I have wanted to visit Belgium for ages and the fact that I planned it as one of my last destinations made it that much harder. But it was absolutely worth the wait. First and most importantly, the beer. It. Is. Incredible. Downright amazing. Beyond that, the people are exceptionally friendly, the food is great (if you love mussels and fries you are in for a treat), the nightlife is excellent, and despite all the fun you'll be having around the bar scene there's a great amount of historic things to see and outdoorsy activities to occupy you, much to my great surprise! The only thing I can say against Belgium is that it is a bit more pricey than I would have liked and it suffers from the same dilemma as the Netherlands... perpetually bad weather. Overall: B+

28. Luxembourg: Finally, Luxembourg. The last stop on my great European tour and a city. As I posted, I didn't think much of Luxembourg before I went there. But what I found was a great European outpost of kind and friendly people, great food and drinks, and a breathtaking landscape and abundance of history. The only negatives about Luxembourg are that it's a bit expensive and the nightlife was nonexistent (although perhaps that was because of the nights I was there). As a whole though, if I had a bit more coin it would be on a very short list of places in which I might one day disappear. And I really mean that. Overall: B+

Country recap complete, it's time for some Wanderlust Stints 1 & 2 statistics...

As far as the cities within the countries I can't tell you the exact number of cities I visited, however, there is roughly one set on flickr for every city visited. Stint 1 contains 36 sets and Stint 2 contains 60 sets. So it's safe to assume I visited 96 cities with a +/- 4 margin of error considering returns trips and consolidations. I'm not going to attempt to list them but feel free to check out the collections and sets on flickr with the links above.

I left the United States on April 4, 2012 and returned on November 19, 2012. Counting days from door to door I was on the road for 230 days which is 1 day shy of 33 weeks and just over 8 months. If you exclude the days I returned for my buddies Jonathan and Mark's weddings, I was abroad for 202 days, just over 7 months.

According to Facebook I added 179 friends this year. Given that at least 90% of those were friends I've made abroad, we can say I added at least 161 Facebook friends met overseas. Given that I probably added 2/3 of the friends I made abroad on Facebook, a conservative estimate is that I met and became friends with 241 truly fantastic people.

I am grateful to each and every one of you for the time we had together and the impact you have had on my life.

Finally, as I came to discover, extended periods of traveling become a war of attrition. Along the way you lose things, items become broken or stolen, and you simply have to rid yourself of certain belongings. Here is the final tally of things that didn't make it back stateside. A moment of silence for my fallen gear.

- 1 pair of jeans
- 1 pair of cargo shorts
- 1 black polo shirt
- 1 white dress shirt
- 2 white singlet tees
- 1 pair of sandals acquired in Lisbon
- 1 pair of New Balance sneakers
- 1 pair of sneakers acquired in Hamburg
- 2 pairs of underwear
- 3 pairs of socks
- 2 pairs of aviator sunglasses
- 1 iphone charger
- 2 EU plug adapters
- 1 Canon digital ELPH 100 HS
- 1 Canon digital ELPH 110 HS
- 1 pair Bose MEi2 headphones
- 1 French SFR cell phone
- 1 lighter acquired in Madrid

I'm sure I've left some items out but these are the main things I can remember.

Considering I went to more or less 96 cities, and some of those required round trips or connections, I think it's safe to assume that in the past 8 months I've taken somewhere around 160 trips in planes, trains, buses, boats, and cars. I'm not going to go back and try and count them all so we'll just give that a +/- 20 margin of error.

The most common question I've gotten since I've been home apart from "when are you going to stop traveling and what will you do then?" is "what is your favorite place you have been?" I hate that question. First of all, I have trouble answering that when I'm only abroad for two weeks. So to answer that for an international trip of 202 days is impossible.

Second, it's an extremely subjective question. The answer to that really depends on the context in which it's being asked. For example is it, "what is your favorite place from a sightseeing perspective?" or "what is your favorite place from a partying perspective?" Those would both garner completely different answers.

Third, how do you define "place"? Does that mean city, country, or region? Furthermore, I sometimes get "what is your favorite place in Europe?" and I have to ask to clarify if they mean just for this trip on in all my trips to Europe. Some have advised me to just make up an answer- that it really doesn't matter what the answer is. But I don't like that because if the answer doesn't matter, why ask the question.

So, to settle this out once and for all, here is a list of my favorite (and least favorite) places from a variety of different angles. Hopefully this should cover 95% of these inquiries. Until noted at the end, these will all refer to my favorites and least favorites from this trip only. For many of these I'll list a top three to give you a more in depth idea while some may even have more. And in true European spirit, yes there are some ties.

Best of the Best:

Favorite cities for seeing historic sights: (1) Sarajevo; (2) Prague; (3) Paris

Favorite cities for nightlife: (1) Prague; (2) Madrid; (3) Hvar & Berlin

Favorite cities/areas for outdoorsy activities: (1) Lake Bled; (2) Sierra de Guadarrama; (3) Isle of Skye

Most charming cities: (1) Ljubljana; (2) Chefchaouen; (3) Sintra, Piran, & Porto

Most local cities/areas: (1) Almeria; (2) Wakefield; (3) Ledesma

Best cities/areas for cultural immersion: (1) Fes; (2) Shkoder; (3) Porto

Most beautiful cities: (1) Vienna; (2) Dubrovnik; (3) Luxembourg & Barcelona

Favorite cities for walking around: (1) Prague; (2) Sarajevo; (3) Berlin & Vienna

Best public transportation: (1) Paris; (2) Madrid; (3) London

Best cities for spending outdoors: (1) Valencia; (2) Essaouria; (3) Hvar, Budva, & Vienna

Best cities for spending indoors: (1) Newcastle; (2) Edinburgh; (3) Brussels

Friendliest locals: (1) Porto; (2) Bordeaux; (3) Prizren

Best beaches: (1) Valencia; (2) Essaouria; (3) Hvar

Best cities to make friends: (1) Madrid; (2) Paris; (3) Porto & Lisbon

Best food: (1) Naples; (2) Sarajevo; (3) Valencia

Best beer: (1) Brussels; (2) Prague & Munich

My favorite bars: (1) Star Bar (Gibraltar); (2) Delirium Cafe (Brussels); (3) Absinthe Time!/U Fleku (Prague); (4) Cafe den Turk/Trollekelder (Ghent); (5) Unnamed 2 Euro Champagne Bar (Barcelona); (6) Cross Club (Prague); (7) Bar Loco (Newcastle); (8) "The Pub" (Isle of Skye); (9) Nautica (Hvar); (10) Gravity Bar (Dublin); (11) James Dean (Prague); (12) Punch & Judy (London); (13) Pegas (Brno); (14) American Bar (Benidorm); (15) Belushi's at St. Chris (Paris).

Cheapest places: (1) Morocco; (2) Southern Balkans; (3) Portugal

Best overall cities (I consider both visiting as well as living traits): (1) Prague; (2) Valencia; (3) Vienna; (4) Berlin; (5) Sarajevo

Best overall countries (these are my favorite countries from a visiting perspective only): (1) Portugal; (2) Slovenia/Croatia; (3) Bosnia & Herzegovina; (4) Germany; (5) Spain

Most meaningful overall experiences (in chronological order): hiking to Segovia (Sierra de Guadarrama); volunteering in western Spain (Ledesma); finding my artistic and philosophic side (Lisbon); sunshine and chanting on the 1st of May (Chefchaouen); Dinner at Rick's (Casablanca); climbing the Rock (Gibraltar); strolling the Grand Prix Course (Monaco); wandering in Pompeii (Naples); 24 Hours of Le Mans (Le Mans); writing in a Montmartre cafe (Paris); seeing old friends (Krakow & Prague); 2012 Olympics (London); climbing Storr (Isle of Skye); walking the Irish cliffs (Howth); being awestricken (Lake Bled); hitching to the hidden castle (Predjama); boating the Adriatic (Hvar); turbopop and whiplash tour (Mostar); ferry adventure to Kosovo (Lake Koman); Transylvanian mega-tour (Brasov); Oktoberfest (Munich); rediscovering myself (Vienna); becoming a music scene insider (Berlin); reuniting with old friends (Hamburg, Amsterdam, & Haarlem); finding my inner Don Quixote (Kinderdjik); beer tasting experience of a lifetime (Brussels & Ghent); and finally seeing the Eiffel Tower at night (Paris).


Worst of the Rest:

Worst cities for historic sites: (1) Benidorm (city of skyscrapers of retired British); Skopje (everything old looking is new!); (3) Rotterdam (since everything was leveled you go to see new architecture not old)

Worst cities for nightlife: (1) Fes (no alcohol, bars, or anything after dark); (2) Luxembourg (ghost town at night) (3) Ledesma (not enough people in the city to keep anything open);

Most Touristy (by perceived ratio of tourists to locals): (1) Barcelona; (2) Dubrovnik; (3) Bruges

Worst places for walking around: (1) Marrakech (hot, smelly, confusing, and your are constantly harassed); (2) Predjama (there are no buses and it's an 8 mile hike up a mountain to the castle along dangerous roads); (3) Sofia (fine if you don't mind being attacked by stray dogs or gypsies)

Worst public transportation: Albania (not terrible just most confusing and least accessible)

Unfriendliest locals: (1) Marrakech & Fes; (2) Naples; (3) Paris

Sad food: Le Mans (other than the kebab pizza which I'm sure is the worst thing you can eat, the food options at Le Mans were sad to very sad).

Sad beer: Nis (the 2 liter beers I got there were undrinkable, unlike similar versions around the Balkans)

Most Expensive: (1) Paris; (2) Monaco; (3) London



And finally, my favorite overall from all of my trips to Europe:

Favorite cities: (1) Prague; (2) Istanbul; (3) Valencia; (4) Vienna; (5) Berlin

Favorite countries:  (1) Italy, (2) Germany, (3) Portugal,


Thanks for sticking with me these past 8 months. If I've been able to convey even 1/10th of the excitement and wonder I've felt to you then I feel immensely happy. Again, thank you for sharing this European adventure with me. Stay tuned for Part III: Asia. O_O

London, England 2: This is the End, My Friend

The Eurostar got me into London around 5. I had less than 48 hours to kill in London before my flight back to the states and really only three things on the agenda: (1) visit my old new friend Laura from all the way back in Morocco; (2) see the Churchill War Rooms; and (3) watch the inaugural F1 US Grand Prix. 

I made my way to the hostel- my second time staying in a St. Chris. The set up and vibe was almost identical to the one I stayed at in Paris except that the bar was somehow even more packed. They had me on the top floor or penthouse level as I like to call it. There was a real cool rooftop bar but unfortunately it was closed due to the freezing November-in-London weather, but the hostel was in a good location at the south end of London Bridge and with a great view of the largely unoccupied Shard.

Laura sent me a message and after tracking down my Oyster card I made my way to Brixton to meet her. She led me around to a semi-open air market where fresh meats and vegetables are sold. When we arrived the meats and vegis stands were closing down.

But the really cool thing was that mingled in with the shops are a number of cool restaurants and bars. We were enticed into one place with promises of a "hot gin and ale punch." A what?! Exactly. It was gin and some tea and honey and spices and a hearty ale. Probably the weirdest "cocktail" I've ever had. Not bad but very strong- I suggested they market it as medicinal. It could really clear out a cold.

After opening up our sinuses we changed venues where I switched to Samuel Smith's ale and our table was adorned with this very creepy Tim Burton-esque doll thingy. I was frightened.

Laura was on her way to a party being held in an old house in the Brixton area and invited me to come along. When we arrived, however, they had closed the entry gate and were no longer allowing anyone that night. Always up for finagling my way into places I don't belong, I quickly combed the property line looking for a way in and keeping my eyes and ears tuned into any possibilities.

A few minutes later I overheard a guy on his phone with someone in the party. Apparently he had gone out for a smoke and they wouldn't let him back in. He was told to go around to the side entrance where someone would come out to let him in. I grabbed Laura and told her to follow me. We tailed this guy around to the side where sure enough the door opened and we followed him inside. Just like magic. Inside there was a live band and a really rocking scene.

The only downside was that it was nearly impossible to get a beer with the number of people jammed into the space. I ended up losing track of time and when I finally bothered to check the time it was 11:45 and the last metro trains run at 12. I bid a quick farewell to Laura and sprinted toward the metro to try and catch the train back to the hostel but alas I was 3 minutes too late. I knew it was unlikely to be able to accomplish my sneaking in feat again and so with the tube closed i resigned myself to a long walk back to the hostel in the brisk autumn air.

The next day I had two objectives remaining and 24 hours in which to accomplish them. The first was to make my way to the Churchill War Rooms. Since it was a nice day by London standards (meaning it wasn't raining), I decided to walk there from the hostel. My route took me west until I came upon the Parliament and Big Ben whereby I took the final obligatory photo of yours truly for Stint 2.

That is one battle-hardened traveler if I've ever seen one. Before I went into the War Rooms I swung by Westminster Abbey to get a photograph of the front since I was unable to do so on my prior trip to London and I believe I promised you I would. So... here you go dear reader. Sorry about the wait.

As Mom foretold, I found the Churchill War Rooms fascinating. From these basement rooms Winston Churchill directed the British war effort during WWII. Below is a picture of the cabinet war room where Churchill would be briefed by members of the War Cabinet. Apologies for the blurriness, I was bumped just as I took it.

The area had numerous rooms for meetings, bed chambers, a kitchen, and even a reception hall. But most interesting thing to me about this location was that the war was conducted from here during the German bombardment of London knowing that the facility would likely not survive a direct hit from German bombs.

When you think about the little things that could change the course of human history this one certainly has to come to mind. If a German bomb squarely hits this location, most of the British high military command would have been killed. The Germans would have likely emerged from the air campaign victorious and would have gone forward with the invasion of the UK which was likely to have been successful. Had it succeeded, there would have been no staging point for the US and remaining Allied forces prior to D-day. This would have undoubtedly extended the war effort and could have very well turned the tide of the entire war.

Probably the most interesting room is the map room which was sealed up shortly after the end of the war and remained untouched for a number of years. It has been preserved in more or less its exact state at the end of the war, obviously with the exception of the wax figures.

My favorite room was perhaps the room dedicated to Churchill. It contained his office with an up-to-date map of the Allied positions as well as a bed where he could nap or sleep in the event of a bombardment.

In addition to the war rooms, the site also now has a Churchill museum which contains a number of artifacts, photos, film reels, clippings, and other items from his life as well as an incredible interactive timeline of his most significant life events. Frankly I'm a bit ashamed to admit I had no idea of the many great things Churchill accomplished in his life aside from his political career. Early in life he was a war hero. He also authored a number of books including a five volume anthology on World War II. Additionally he was an avid and fairly talented painter- a truly modern Renaissance man.

The tour is on the high end at 16 pounds for entry but it was also one of the more interesting things I saw during my Wanderlust stints. I suppose I'm just a sucker for history. At the end of the tour they have a gift shop with a bunch of odds and ends. My favorite were the reproductions of some old war-time propaganda. If I was a very rich man I think I would invest a considerable some rounding up old war propaganda films, posters, flyers, and leaflets. I find that stuff fascinating on the same level with vintage movie posters. I loved this one.

After I left the War Rooms, I decided to continue my stroll back to the hostel, this time along the northern side of the Thames river. It was a glorious afternoon for a stroll. Along the way I passed by London Bridge. "How can that be? London Bridge clearly fell down pursuant to my nursery rhyme training." True enough. London Bridge has actually gone through numerous forms over the years.

First there was a Roman bridge followed by a number of medieval bridges until finally the "Old" London Bridge was completed in 1209. The bridge itself was cluttered with a number of houses, shops, and buildings, similar to what you might find on the Ponte Vecchio in Florence only probably ten times larger in scale. This bridge burned a number of times and it was likely this version of the bridge that inspired the nursery rhyme.

This bridge was eventually replaced by the "New" London Bridge completed in 1831 and lasted until 1968 when, oddly enough, it was sold to an American named Robert McCulloch of McCulloch Oil (I had no idea about this part either until I looked it up). The bridge was deconstructed and then rebuilt in Lake Havasu, Arizona where it still stands today. The most recent incarnation was constructed in 1973 and looks like this:

To the left you can see a nice shot of the Shard, the tallest building in the EU. Contiuing my walk I came to the Tower of London which, it so happens, had just been adorned with its temporary winter-season ice skating rink. Yay!

I crossed over the Tower Bridge and took a nice shot of the ever-bustling Thames as the sun was beginning to set over London at the advanced hour of 4pm.

And finally, because I appreciate you so much my dearest reader, a picture of the Tower Bridge in scintillating dusk light.

As I wound my way through the neighborhoods south of the Tower Bridge I saw something rather curious. Or at least I thought I did. A fox. Surely I must have been mistaken though, there can be no foxes running around in central London these days, right? So I crept around the side of the building where I saw it disappear and what did my eyes behold but a fox!

I must have spent the better part of half an hour stealthily chasing that thing through and around the streets near the hostel. Even at the very end of my long and weary journey I still find something which sparks amazement.

After returning briefly to the hostel I set out for the Sports Cafe where I had last been with good friend James from NY back during the Olympics. I was there to complete the last item on my list and the last activity of Wanderlust Stint 2: watch the inaugural F1 US Grand Prix in Austin, Texas with a bunch of British racing fans. The race was won by Lewis Hamilton for McLaren to the great revelry of the locals.

After the race I caught the tube back to the hostel and decided to retire early in anticipation of my early flight home. I was due out of Heathrow at 10am bound for Chicago so I would need to be up and out of the hostel by 7am given it would take me an hour to reach the airport via the tube. Everything went smoothly at the airport and a very tired me slumped in my seat awaiting departure.

I arrived in Chicago tired and worn and immediately leery of these people surrounding me, these Americans. It had been many months since I'd seen a large number of Americans in such a setting and I had forgotten what it felt like to be home. As I walked through O'Hare to my connecting gate I felt very much the foreigner. I no longer felt like I belonged there, I no longer felt American.

A wave of panic rushed over me and I tried not to think about being home. I tried to focus solely on things I was looking forward to: Mexican food, the Holidays, seeing my family and young nephew. I made my way to the gate and noticed that there was an adjacent sports bar. With 3.5 hours to kill I made my way over to have a couple beers. I ordered a Bud Light and was immediately stricken with how watery and sweet it tasted compared to the beers I had been drinking. I next realized why our beer is like that as I finished it much faster than I would have for any of the beers I had in Europe: our corporate-brewed beer is designed to be consumed faster so they can sell more. A brilliant, albeit socially irresponsible, business strategy and also one that doesn't make for tasty beer.

As I sat drinking my sugary watery beer a guy and girl entered the bar and sat at the table next to me, clad in the official outfit of business travelers. Their conversation quickly turned to job-related matters and I couldn't resist thinking how boring, trite, and meaningless their conversation was. A few minutes later I overheard someone yell "here come the shots!" and I jolted around in my seat expecting to see a waitress delivering a round of whisky to a table of patrons, only to discover a woman displaying a series of photographs of presumably her children to a group of onlooking men.

It was at this exact moment, with the business people on my left, photo-grazing parents on my right, and a watery American beer in front of me, when I realized my European tour had come to an abrupt and decisive end.

I eventually boarded my flight home. I was looking forward to seeing my family but was still struggling with my experience back at the bar. The flight attendant must have noticed my overwhelming look of despair as she immediately offered me two mini-bottles of bourbon completely unsolicited. That's only the second act of kindness I've ever received from a United employee (the first being the woman who held the boarding door for me in my mad sprint that snowy day in Denver). The touch of compassion was comforting. I met Mom and Dad at the airport and a contested dinner at Bill's Pizza followed.

The next morning I awoke and began the process of unpacking my things, doing laundry, and beginning to sort out my civilian life for the ensuing 2.5 month break from the road. The last thing I did that night before going to bed was to complete the map of my travels I had been working on for several months.

Through all I've learned and done and experienced, through 28 countries and 17 languages, through buses, trains, planes, boats, cars, and feet, through dozens of new friends around the globe, and through more delicacies and beers than I could ever count, I can say one thing unequivocally and without hesitation: it was one hell of a ride. Thank you so much for sharing it with me.

Paris, France 2: Once More With Feeling

My return to Paris was predicated on three things: (1) most importantly, as cliche as it sounds, I wanted to spend a few days in Montmartre at a cafe just writing as I was inexcusably behind on both Wanderlust and my notes; (2) perhaps even more cliche I wanted to see the Eiffel Tower at night as my last opportunity was cancelled due to inclement weather; and (3) I needed to ultimately get to London and Mom had been pestering me to take the Eurostar.

This time in Paris I stayed in the cheekily named "Plug Inn Hostel" in Montmartre. It was fairly cheap, clean, cozy, right in the center of Montmartre, and aptly had an abundance of plugs. I wasted little time in the hostel my first day as I made my way immediately out in search of a cafe in from which to write. I should note that in Luxembourg I took advantage of the prices at the Alima and bought myself a liter of Bailey's. Pro tip: since each coffee is going to run you about 3-4 euro in Paris, order it black, sneak in some Bailey's, and top it up for a makeshift Irish coffee. Just don't let them see you do it. This was how I spent my first afternoon back in Paris.

If you've got good eyes you might notice I was working on the Amsterdam entry when I took this. I was almost three weeks behind at this point. Anyway, that afternoon I got a message from Mella (from Brussels) who was back in Paris and desirous of a drink. Who am I, especially after a couple jackleg Irish coffees, to deny a friend a libation? 

We went to a bar near Montmartre and ordered what must have been two of the worst glasses of wine I've ever had. Especially since they were 6 euro a pop. Thankfully I came equipped for just such a situation, and brandishing my cheapo wine bottle opener I bought way back in Scotland I proffered that we acquire bottles from the nearest bodega and proceed to the Sacre Coeur high atop Montmarte and drink with Paris at our feet.

It was a brilliant move and with the light fog that had settled in, Paris gave off a steady luminous glow like swarm of fireflies emerging from fading dusk light. Unfortunately for you dear reader I didn't take any pictures of the view of the city that night. I kept that one for myself. Plus, I need to give you some reason to actually visit these places and see for yourself right? Mella and I found an unoccupied (or temporarily unoccupied which we then claimed) bench and settled in to down our wine.

The conversation was light and the mood jovial. It wasn't long before we were nearly finished with our wine; the cool misty evening was beginning to penetrate to the marrow and it was high time to find some facilities or an unoccupied corner for relief. We made our way back down the hill, taking turns as lookouts, until finally we arrived at a seven-way intersection. I'd never seen a seven way intersection before but that wasn't even the most remarkable part.

Someone was urban camping! But THAT wasn't even the most remarkable part. As we stood on the median finishing our wine and contemplating our next move, three Parisian youths came barreling down the hill in various states of attachment to an out of control office chair. After the inevitable crash, they collected the chair, trudged a ways back up the hill and repeated the process. It was incredible. It went on for 15 minutes or so until I suppose someone called the gendarme and the boys beat a hasty retreat. 

I couldn't believe it- the same thing we once did in high school with desk chairs, wheel chair, shopping carts, anything with a surface and wheels we used to race around in at breakneck speeds. Here I was at a random intersection halfway around the world and the same thing was happening right before my very eyes. I would be a liar if I said I wasn't tempted to join in. 

With the show over and in need of wine, we ducked into the nearest shop for a refill and I began marching us in the direction of what I believe to be the cemetery. Generally I have a pretty keen sense of direction, however, as another pro tip for all fellow wandering enthusiasts, the outer arrondissements of Paris are not the place to be parading around late at night drinking wine from plastic bathroom cups on a hunch. Well, certainly not if you're trying to get anywhere. If you were like us and you're content to just go, then it's a hell of a gas.

The remainder of the night was spent roaming the street in a state of jubilant confusion until we finally hailed a cab and met up with one of Mella's friends who was so kind as to offer to buy me a Guiness. In Paris, I know right? With a long day of writing on the horizon I bid my adieu and made my way back to the hostel. I was a bit disoriented from all the adventure but the lights of the red windmill were, as always, my guide.

The next day was more or less the same except that I brought my baguette, wine and cheese program back into full force. Apparently it's a crime to sell a baguette for more than one euro and a nice round of cheese will cost you about 3. Add in a bottle of Bordeaux for another 3 and you're looking at a full day's sustenance and enjoyment for around 7 euros. I ate half of my baguette and cheese for lunch during my writing and saved the remainder for my mission that night: taking the Eiffel Tower by storm.

I decided to walk from Montmartre to the tower to get my day's exercise. It proved exhilarating weaving my way through the streets of Paris at night. It took me about an hour and 20 minutes to make it all the way there. Along the way I crossed over the Champs Élysées where I took that picture of the ferris wheel and the stolen obelisk in the middle of the gigantor-roundabout.

I had heard tale of the Eiffel Tower at night, illuminating the Parisian skyline like a beacon, but I must admit I wasn't quite ready for it when I actually saw it. It is vastly superior lit up than in it's daytime form- even if you happen to be as lucky as me and scale it looking every bit the part of a vagrant. And I chose my words purposefully here as it's also quite literally a beacon in the night sky.

I sat on a bench looking out at the tower all lit up and I ate my baguette and cheese and drank my bottle of Bordeaux as I waited. What was I waiting for? The truly best thing about seeing the tower at night is not it's luminous form. The good folks in Paris decided to do you one better: every hour on the hour and lasting for five minutes there is a seizure-inducing light spectacular.

If you happened to have the sound on when you watched that clip you might have noticed me getting off a stifled laugh midway through. Truthfully I was a bit overwhelmed in the moment. Seeing the tower like that at night in Paris, it was something I had always wanted to do and here I was actually doing it. But it wasn't just that moment, the entire gravity of the past 7+ months on the road and all that I had set out to do and had actually accomplished- it all kind of hit me at once. It was the first time I took a breath and thought, "wow, I actually did it."

After the light show ended I was left standing there staring up at the tower and a new feeling struck me. I realized I was alone. I looked around and there was no one nearby. I was physically, mentally, and emotionally alone. It occurred to me that there was absolutely no one with whom to share my feelings of elation at the spectacle I had just beheld, or at my feeling of great accomplishment. And I realized Paris is a great city, a truly great city; it's full of marvels and wonders both obvious and subtle. But if there is no one there to share those perfect moments with you... all of the city's charm and magic dissipates and drifts away as though it were dandelion fluff caught in an unexpected breeze.

I made my way somewhat somberly back to the hostel on foot, contemplating my new-found realizations and beginning the slow mental processing of everything that's happened in my months on the road. I was so preoccupied in my thoughts that it took a sudden shock to jolt me back to my senses. What was that shock? Out of the corner of my eye I spotted this:

A Chipotle. In Paris. With all the other ruminations swirling around in my head, this was almost too much to bear. First I couldn't believe what I was actually seeing. I walked past it four times. I even went in, looked at the menu, and watched people eating their food (much to their anxiety and consternation I'm sure). I couldn't decide whether to embrace that feeling of comfort when something you love close to home manifests itself in a foreign place, or whether to feel appalled that such a place would defile my beloved idea of Paris. I didn't sleep much that night.

The next, and final, day of my return to Paris I decided to get up to speed on my notes in a very familiar place which I had never visited, namely the Café des 2 Moulins, or 2 Windmills Cafe. If you've seen the movie Amélie, which I have about 10 times, you'll no doubt recognize it as the cafe in which the young protagonist works. It's a real cafe and as it turns out was only a few hundred feet from my hostel. I would have loved to get more pictures but after I spent several hours writing there I felt a bit odd snapping more than just this one.

The main differences from its appearance in the movie are that: (1) there is no tobacco shop; (2) the glass partition behind a booth in the middle of the restaurant that she writes the menu on does not exist; and (3) the door leading to the bathroom in the film actually leads to the kitchen. I'm sure there are more but those are the ones that jumped out at me.

The next day it was time to take the big Eurostar trip up to London. Since my train wasn't until around 3, I had time to indulge in a last baguette and knock presumably the final remaining item off my Paris to-do list: eat a freakin eclair. Let me just note that I don't even like eclairs but for you dear readers, down to the boulangerie I went. How was it? Well... eclair-y?

After that I made my way up to the Gare du Nord to catch the infamous Eurostar. Interestingly enough, and no one had told me this (or I had forgotten), to board the Eurostar you have to go through a customs process the same as if you were landing in an international airport- complete with passport stamps and security and declarations and all the other bells and whistles.

I suppose because I had been traveling with ease on my rail pass for so long it didn't even occur to me that the rules would be different when going out of the EU and into the UK. Luckily I was bored at the hostel and left plenty early so I had no time getting through the check-in process. I found it quite humorous that unlike the last time I entered the UK and proclaimed that I would be staying "around a month" and was subsequently interrogated, this time when I replied that my stay duration was 2 days I was met with a curt "thank you, have a nice trip."

So that's about all for my return to Paris. Short and sweet. Or bittersweet at least. Not too much to write about when you spend your whole time writing. Anyway, umm... here's a photo of the Eurostar train (which was probably one of the least comfortable trains I rode on in western Europe) at the Gare du Nord. In case you're interested.

Luxembourg, Luxembourg: You Saucy Old Minx

After nearly 8 months on the road I had long begun to feel like I had seen it all. I've been to more churches, castles, parks, and monuments than I can appreciate in a lifetime. I recall all the way back to my third night in Madrid. I asked Andrea what she planned to do the following day and she said something along the lines of "just hang out in the park. I'm tired of all the culture and shit."

Culture and shit. At the time I wondered if I would ever get to the point where I would regard the meat of the world's stew as "culture and shit." To be fair she was just joking around but the feeling of being becoming numb or nonchalant about sightseeing is a very real occurrence after an extended travel period. Andrea had been on the road 10 months. It was less than 6 months before that feeling began to set in with me. Thankfully I was able to largely mitigate it with those two trips stateside for weddings and by mandating down days where I would do as little as possible in an effort to restore my traveler's gusto.

That said, by the time I stepped aboard the train to Luxembourg, with less than a week until my flight home, it was all I could do to keep any amount of focus on the trip. It didn't help that I hadn't expected to find much of note in Luxembourg- I was heading there more or less to check it off the list since it was located between me and Paris. But upon boarding the bus from the station it became evident to me immediately that Luxembourg was a city worth the full consideration of even my most anticipated destinations.

I haven't written much about it but the last 7 or so weeks of my European Wanderlust adventure were accomplished with the aid of a EuRail pass. It cost about $600 and provided 8 rides within three months anywhere within Germany, Austria, Czech Republic, and Benelux (Belgium, Netherlands, & Luxembourg). So with the exception of some cheap intra-country trains I had been traveling almost exclusively on my rail pass. 

To use the rail pass you have to write in the date of travel and then fill in the lower section with your date, departure and arrival cities, time of departure, and train number. Pro tip: certain countries (in my experience Czech Republic and the Netherlands) don't bother to stamp your rail pass after inspecting it. Thus, if you happen to have an erasable pen handy, you can erase a ride after completion and afford yourself a complimentary journey as a reward for your ingenuity. Sadly my train trip to Luxembourg would be the final chance to use my rail pass, but I will note said pass was perfectly allocated to run its course on that very day.

For a reason unbeknownst to me I love that picture. I want to photoshop it into advertisements as an endorsement of quality or safety or... whatever. Anyway, as I mentioned, merely the bus ride from the train station to my hostel was enough to pique my interest in the city as it wound its way from the newer portion of town across a bridge over a valley and into the old town and then across an even older bridge over a deeper valley toward the Clausen portion of town. I hadn't realized this but Luxembourg is built on a series of steep hills cut by valleys carved by the Alzette river. The other thing I hadn't realized was that Luxembourg is very old and very well fortified as you can see from the bridge.

Luxembourg first dates back to Roman times when a fortification was built here to protect the confluence of Roman trading roads. The rights to the land was eventually purchased by Sigfried I in 963 and the fortification of the city and its importance as a strategic military stronghold began. As you'll see from the forthcoming pictures, the topography of the area makes it naturally suited to defense and by the 12th century there was a wall surrounding the old town as well as numerous fortifications on the adjacent hillsides. 

Over the ensuing centuries Luxembourg was conquered and continuously refortified by nearly every Western European power: Burgundians, Spanish, French, Austrians, Prusians, etc. The Spanish built the first tunnels (casemates) in 17th century and apparently the city was at one time so well fortified that under a long siege by the French it was referred to as the "Gibraltar of the North." 

Control of Luxembourg eventually passed to the United Kingdom of the Netherlands but it's dominion was a source of conflict between the Prussian Empire and France. Napoleon III and Otto von Bismarck butted heads over control of it, the result of which was the dismantling of Prussian arms and fortifications in the city and its assigned status as "independent" although still under the control of the Netherlands. In 1890 Grand Duke William III died with no male heirs and thus the Duchy passed out of Dutch hands and into the control of an independent family thus officially making Luxembourg itself independent. Sorry, the history of Luxembourg has a lot of duchy to sort through. Ha! Poop joke. Low brow folks, you're welcome.

These days many of the old tunnels and fortifications can still be seen including the rebuilt Fort Thungen which sits atop the hill adjacent to the Museum of Modern Art and at the frontier of the new European Quarter.

But we'll get more into the fort shortly. My hostel was in the valley near the old settlement of Pfaffenthal and across from the city's hospice center. This provided a great view up to the old town and the resulting handsome hike.

These days the necessity of modern transportation has altered the landscape of the city markedly as there are rail and road bridges towering over the valleys like ancient Roman aqueducts. One of the more impressive examples is the rail bridge over Altmunster which just happened to be adjacent to my hostel.

As autumn had settled on Northern Europe, I was running short of daylight and had to defer my exploring until the subsequent day. I struck out the following morning early, eager to explore this curious city I had only seen glimpses of. My first stop was to wander the banks of the old settlement of Pfaffenthal which lies at the foot of the hill just to the east of the old town fortifications. As you follow the river you'll no doubt see the gigantic bridge that eventually becomes the J.F.K. Avenue. I particularly like this shot of the town with the old bridge and the new bridge towering overhead.

As you may have noticed, the old bridge connects to a tower which forms the beginnings of the fortifications that lead up the hill to Fort Thungen. Full of power I decided to scale the stairs to the top of the hill. It was a considerable hike for that hour of the morning but the view was well worth it.

From there I proceeded on foot through the woods with a vague idea of where I needed to go. Eventually I wound my way to the fort but not before stumbling on something I found fascinating- the exit to an old casemate leading into the fortifications. This particular tunnel exit was in the middle of the woods- probably at least half a mile from the fort. How cool?

I wandered around the fort for a while (sadly the museum was closed) until I finally emerged from the front entrance of the fort to another view of the old town. As you'll come to see, good views come cheap in Luxembourg.

The only downside of being up at the fort is that to get anywhere else you have to walk downhill (and inevitably up another hill). On the way down there is a nice view toward Clausen which would be my next destination. Did I mention it was autumn?

As you follow the river around toward Grund, you'll come across a number of new buildings packed with bars and restaurants along the Mousel street. Only everything was deserted. I thought I had stumbled into a recreation of the town from Yojimbo. It was exceptionally eerie but I decided to make a return visit later in the day to see if the scene would liven up. My next stop was the villa complex marked on my map as Rumm, but when I arrived I discovered the entire area was under construction. I walked around for a bit unable to see much until I finally came upon a clearing which provided the best yet view of the old city proper. Really, this one is good.

From there you can wind your way down into another old area called Grund where you will encounter a small old bridge that provides the best way for you to storm the city- the same way conquering armies have for centuries. Along the way there are walls and fortifications and more walls and even more fortifications. And don't forget the casemates.

You'll notice that because of the rocky terrain there are buildings in the rocks...

And rocks in the buildings.

But don't let those pesky rocks mesmerize you- the Grund offers some of the most picturesque elements in all of Luxembourg. I was even prompted to stop in the middle of the crowded bridge and go full-tourist to snap a photo of the buildings nestled alongside the winding river.

By this point it was approaching 2pm and I had been at it since the wee hours. I spotted a cafe boasting an 8 euro lunch and I stopped to inquire of its contents. The friendly and extremely attractive Luxembourgette on call at the cafe informed me the lunch came with bread, salad, and a choice of vegi pasta, eggplant, or what sounded like a pizza sandwich. Surely I must have misheard that last part. I decided to give the pasta a go and was generously rewarded with one of the tastiest meals of my entire trip. I'm sure it didn't hurt that I was hungry. As Cervantes puts it, "hunger is the best sauce in the world."

Replenished it was time to finally tackle the old town that I had been spying from a distance for the better part of 24 hours. On the way up the hill can you guess what I saw? More fortifications!!

Almost just as you enter the old town from the eastern gate you will bump into the Cathedral of Notre Dame. It's free to go inside and I did for one simple reason. Dear reader, I bring you... the last church of Wanderlust Stints 1 & 2!!! Praise be!

Interestingly, the majority of old town doesn't look very old these days. In fact, it's mostly filled with high end stores spotted with the occasional tourist trap. This is an example of an old town street (and in point of fact there are only around 12-15 of them making up the "grid" that is old town so it won't take you more than an hour to canvas the entire thing).

But there are a few things of note in old town besides shopping. One is that the palace still resides within the old town walls. And it's located down a very nondescript street at the intersection of another nondescript street.

Also located (and seemingly very out of place) in the old town is the Alima supermarket. You walk down an alley and then all of a sudden it's right there as if it had plummeted from the sky and crash-landed amongst the historic buildings. I used the opportunity to jump start my baguette, wine and cheese program that I planned to put back into heavy effect when I arrived in Paris the following day.

Luxembourg these days is a commercial center for banking, insurance, and a host of other trades. A bartender I met at the ghost town which I'll get to later said to me that Luxembourgers "love to work- all they care about is money." Sounds like New York. As such, the price of goods is a bit inflated in Luxembourg so the Alima was a much welcomed respite. L-berg certainly isn't more expensive than Paris but it's probably higher than most everywhere else in France (not coincidentally it ranks second in highest in the world in income per capita at around $80,000 USD). Also they speak French and it's more or less like France. How's that for a primer?

What was I talking about again? Oh yea, soccer. Football. Foosball. Apparently the following day Luxembourg was due to play Scotland in a World Cup qualifier match. Uncovering this fact eased the apprehension that had been building throughout the day as I spotted an increasing amount of men wandering the city in kilts. As I was preparing to bring my one-man unguided walking tour of Luxembourg to a close I noticed the Luxembourg fans had seemingly gathered in front of the Palace to support their team... or protest it. Honestly I couldn't tell.

I walked past a cafe on my way out of town and witnessed something I've never seen live: a person being fired in a public setting. Forests, tunnels, kilts, and terminations... an odd day. As I retreated back toward the hostel after a long Luxembourg expedition, I finally got to traverse the bridge I had been looking up at ever since arriving. From here there is a clean eye line toward the European Quarter in the distance and the hostel in the valley below...

and... more fortifications!!

Which of course you forget about once you've walked down from the bridge because you are immediately met with... the bridge's own fortifications!

So... Luxembourg was well fortified? After a brief respite at the hostel I made my way back to the bar/restaurant district to see if I could stir up some nightlife. I could not.

I was literally the only person on the street. I made my way inside the brewhouse for a beer and to inquire as to whether I was merely uninformed of some sort of gas or gamma scare. According to my bartender from Greece, Luxembourgers are too busy with work to have any fun during the week. Most of the bars and restaurants on this drag are closed or completely dead Sunday-Thursday. While his explanation seemed reasonable, after I tried the brewery's Luxembourg beer I had reason to believe the quality of the fermented libations may be an equal culprit. After one beer I left and still, even then, no one...

Forget Gibraltar of the North, I'm calling it Morocco of the North! This city is drier than an Amish wedding. But despite the apparent severe lack of night life, I still loved Luxembourg. It's clean, safe, friendly, beautiful, and a bit expensive but not gougingly so. Oddly enough, and despite my undeserved preemptive write-off, I could really see myself shacking up there.

It's the kind of city where you could focus- less distractions and the like. At the same time it's close to major hubs like Paris, Brussels, Dusseldorf, Frankfurt, Zurich, and even Amsterdam so you could reconnect with civilization or debauchery at your leisure. As I walked around that day I couldn't stop thinking about that billboard from Bret Easton Ellis' Less Than Zero, "Disappear Here." Maybe, just maybe, one day I will.

Bonus Photo: On my way out of town the next day I got a very real reminder of the impending holidays and my return home. The city was setting up its Christmas tree outside the train station.