Briggo
Christina Briegleb Joined: March 7th 2007
Logged in: June 30th 2008
Logged in: June 30th 2008
"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover." -- Mark Twain
Travel Blog Posts
Opera House at night
Three months have passed since I arrived safely in Australia. Admittedly, I've delayed writing this last blog entry mostly because I don't really know how to end it. I know that this really isn't an end, just a temporary break - a pause if you will - on my traveling. I'm addicted - already I've started dreaming about my next trip hopefully in a year. Adjusting to my life in Australia has taken a lot of sorting out, but as of this week, my life has finally started to settle down a bit. I moved into a flat with some friends in Newtown. I love the area, and although it's a bit farther from campus, all the cafes, restaurants, funky shops, and the close proximity to the city, make up for it. Finding a job has ... read more
Changing of the guards
One of the things I like most about traveling is learning how other people live. Sure, it is nice to see the touristy spots and let loose a bit, but there's so much more to travel then just a nice holiday. Observing the local lifestyle and culture, trying to understand their beliefs, traditions, and customs, by visiting the not so touristy areas, talking to locals and seeing what life is really like aside from the nicely done hotels and hot spots visitors often only see, is what I really like about travel. This past year I have gotten the chance to witness and participate in these “authentic” experiences, and it is what I cherish the most about my travels. So with this in mind, coming to a country, Greece, where I have visited many times before, ... read more
Beautiful Mountains
When one thinks of Germany, I believe that they often conjure up stereotypes from the state of Bavaria: bratwurst sausages, huge mugs of beer, leederhosen, white houses lined with brown wood outlines. While some of these stereotypes certainly do exist (much of the beer is served in one size, an entire liter!), it would be unfair to reduce Bavaria to such generalizations. Bavaria has so much more to offer, and with a strong sense of identity, often those who live in this state, with their own separate history and dialect, think of themselves first as Bavarian and then German. The first day I arrived in Munich I left for the 2 hour train ride away to Fussen, a small quaint town near the border of Austria. I went to visit the Ludwig castles, one of them ... read more
"Work Sets You Free"
One of the very different things about traveling in Europe compared to the US or other countries is that there are constant reminders of the aftermath of WWII. Parts of cities still in pieces or areas entirely missing, it is a wonder to think what things must have looked like before the war. With most of the wars being fought overseas, the US doesn't have this same presence or reminder of such a bloody past, and it certainly creates a different atmosphere, a poignant and hard to forget atmosphere. Today I visited one of the first concentration camps used during WWII just outside Munich called Dachau. Dachau was one of the first camps created, and was used as a model for many subsequent camps. It was the only one though to stay running throughout the war. ... read more
Old Town Hall
Every seat on the bus was occupied, but yet more and more people flowed into the aisles. As people worked their way down the aisles to the back of the bus, shoving their luggage on the floor, they carefully held onto the headrests of the seats or the luggage carrier on top. The man next to me was calming down his dog who also rested on the floor, as the bus driver yelled in Czech for the passengers to keep moving down, where though I couldn't tell as there was no more room. We were heading back on a bus from Cesky Krumlov, and at every stop, a few got off but more got in line to get in the bus. I always thought, there's no way everyone will fit, but somehow they pushed and squeezed ... read more
Cologne Cathedral
Back in the states before I left for Europe, I asked a friend of mine who has traveled to Germany and speaks a bit of German, how do you say "Do you speak English?" in German? He looked at me coyly and said, "Do you speak English?" Apparently, most Germans speak English, and while they may say they don't speak very well, that's more modestly than honestly, as most speak excellent English. In the two places I have visited so far in Germany, Cologne and Dresden, I would say that's for the most part true. In Cologne, a much more modern and young city, most people spoke English. On the opposite side of Germany in the east, Dresden, a much more relaxed city, surprisingly quite a few didn't speak English. Either way, after traveling in Europe ... read more
Palais Grand-Ducal
As part of my rail pass I bought, I had the option to go to Luxembourg, and on my way from Belgium to Germany, I had a free day, so I thought, why not check out this little country called Luxembourg? I didn't know much about it other than they have a very active royal family and are known for their fairy tales. After arriving, I walked around the main square, and couldn't help but notice all the rich designer shops and jewelry stores. It seemed like most of the people around me where couples, perhaps on a honeymoon or holiday, and there weren't many young folk my age around. With the sound of high heels and dress shoes clicking along the pedestrian pavement, it became clear that Luxembourg is indeed a wealthy and more sophisticated ... read more
Brugge
I have to be honest - the main reason I wanted to visit Belgium is for their beer. Sure, I also wanted to visit the EU capital and see a Flemish community, but mostly, for the beer. Belgium has one of the richest histories of brewing beer, and in my opinion, some of the best in the world. I visited a bar in Brugge, and with the 300 different types of beer based on regions, from Trappist monk, to sour Kriek to strong Tripel, I was very tempted to quit school, move to Brugge and become a professional beer taster. Ah, I can dream can't I! Apart from the beer, Brugge is one of the most beautiful places I have ever been! If I thought London looked like it came from a movie, with every street ... read more
Ole, Christina, and Alex
Despite the plane crash in Heathrow the day before I left, there weren't any problems leaving the airport, although you could still see the plane surrounded by police cars and trucks. It was probably the first time I've flown nervous and on edge. Once I arrived in Amsterdam, I figured I could walk to my hostel not realizing how far it was from the train station. I started out alright but then got confused with the similar looking canals and buildings. Everyone I asked spoke English but no one seemed to be able to point me in the right direction. The city itself is a circle, so throughout the weekend, I felt like I just literally walked around in a circle, lost and clueless. sick enough of getting lost and took the tram to the train ... read more
Stonehenge 1
After a few delightful days in the city, I made my way to a few sites outside London but a short train or bus ride away. The first stop was Stonehenge. I had heard not to expect much as it is literally just a few rocks piled in a field right next to a busy highway. And while that is certainly true, I actually was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed it. I think what I liked the most was the mystery behind it. They really don't know much about how the rocks got there (the heaviest one weighs about 7 elephants and they all are about 1/3 into the ground), why they used it or where the rocks came from. Luckily, once again, the sun was out but it was a bit windy. The ... read more
