http://www.travelblog.org/Bloggers/Michelleg/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from Michelleg en-us Sat, 26 Dec 2009 14:35:56 +0000 Sat, 26 Dec 2009 14:35:56 +0000 Yes people Netherlands has it all I love Amsterdam I have been here three nights and I've done a lot. When I arrived at the train station I went to the tourist info center because I didn't print the map to my hostel. Oops They told me where to go and I started walking. I'm staying in the red light district but I didnt know it would be this crazy I was walking.....looking at the canal....oh p http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Netherlands/North-Holland/Amsterdam/blog-411861.html Wow Bruges is such a cool city I highly recommend adding it to your itinerary when you're in Europe.I slept so good last night. It wasn't the best weather today but the sun came out after all. I started out on a selfguided walk that I had in my tour book. I'm glad I did because I got to see lots of Bruges. I went in this church that supposedly has a vial of Christ's dried blood. The museum was http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Belgium/West-Flanders/Bruges/blog-410847.html If I never ride a bustrainplane again in my life I might be okay with that. My hostel was so loud last night and I was paranoid of sleeping past my 4am alarm that I got about 2 hours of sleep. I caught a bus to the airport plane to brussels hour and a half bus to train station hour train to Bruges bus to city center. I had originally planned to stay in Brussels but on the train ride I chang http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Belgium/West-Flanders/Bruges/blog-410539.html Tomorrow I fly to brussels belgium. I am staying there for a night and then heading to amsterdam for 4 nights. Here is a map of map including my last two stops. http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Belgium/Brussels-Capital-Region/blog-410273.html Well folks I'm in Galway Ireland. I lucked out on my timing at the Aran Islands. I had one super nice day the other 2 were really crappy. I felt bad for people taking a day trip. I dont know what you would do on that island if it was raining. The only way to get around is by bike Today I walked around Galway and did some shopping. It was SUPER windy and cold today. when the sun peeks out it' http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Ireland/County-Galway/Galway/blog-409864.html Well I made it to the Aran Islands 9 miles off the west coast of Ireland. It is so beautiful here Yesterday I rented a bike and rode around the island. It was such a gorgeous day no rain I went to this fort that was built in something like 1100B.C. and it was right on the cliff's edge. You can see in my pics how cool the cliffs are. It was kind of scary being that close to the edge. I used the http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Ireland/County-Galway/Aran-Islands/blog-409028.html Here are my pics from the Blarney Castle and the surrounding grounds. http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Ireland/County-Cork/Blarney/blog-408511.html I took a bus to Blarney this morning which is only 5 miles away. I walked right to the castle and paid my 8 euro to get in. As I was walking to the castle this older man was walking next to me and started making small talk. He was from PA. He said you aren't travelling alone are you oh jeez I thought. Here we go again. I said yup and of course he said oh my be VERY VERY VERY careful i http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Ireland/County-Cork/Blarney/blog-408218.html KinsaleI took a 45minute bus ride from Cork to Kinsale this morning. I knew nothing about the town but I heard it was cool. Pretty hard to convince me What a great suprise It was such a cool town. It's a quaint little town of about 4000 people. I found the tourist center and there was a historical walking tour at 1115 about 12 hour away. Perfect That tour was probably my favorite thing on http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Ireland/County-Cork/Kinsale/blog-407871.html This morning I took a bus to the train station to go to Cork. I got up to the ticket counter and the lady that informs me that my 100 ticket would be half price if I bought it online. Awesome. I didnt need that extra 50 anyway. So I run to the platform because I might miss the train. 3 hours later I'm in Cork It's a cute city with 2 rivers running through it. I walked around and saw some cool http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Ireland/County-Cork/Cork/blog-407615.html Ok here's a new map. I have included Cork which I am going to tomorrow. http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Ireland/County-Cork/Cork/blog-407236.html G'day mate oh wait that's Australia....uh....bonjour where the f am I oh yeah dublinI rolled out of bed this morning at 6am put on my shoes grabbed my backpack and walked to the bus station. I'm sure i looked stunning. I took a bus to the small airport in Rome to fly to Dublin. I was flying Ryanair and I heard bad things but everthing went fine. The flight was about 2.5 hours. I got off http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Ireland/County-Dublin/Dublin/blog-406963.html Well it's my last day in Italy The farmstay was so great I was sad to leave it. Last night 6 girls and Antonello the guy who runs the farm piled into this little car and went into town for some gelato. Sunday nights are happening in Italy I guess. There were a ton of little kids out at 11pm. The car battery died when we tried to go home so the girls got out and had to give it a pushstart. http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Italy/Lazio/Rome/blog-406522.html Yesterday a few of us went to see a shepard make pecorino italian for little sheep and ricotta cheese. It was a 5 minute walk from the farm. We walked to this little shack where the shepard was just bringing in the jug of milk from the sheep. Our guide Anna showed us a sheep stomach that they take out of a 40day old sheep to use to make the cheese. Inside the stomach there is curdled milk w http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Italy/Abruzzo/Parco-Nazionale-d-Abruzzo/blog-406065.html Here are some pics from the farm http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Italy/Abruzzo/Parco-Nazionale-d-Abruzzo/blog-406061.html Another relaxing day at the farm. Well sort of. I've done more hiking in the last 2 days than I have in my entire life. Our dinners have been great simple but good. The annoying kids are leaving tomorrow thank god. Zion the older boy asks me about 10 questions per hour. are you reading your book again what chapter are you on Are you on the internet Everyone is really nice and we all put out http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Italy/Abruzzo/Parco-Nazionale-d-Abruzzo/blog-405581.html I made it to the farmstay yesterday. I took a train from Sorrento to Naples and then rode a bus from Naples to Sora. Thankfully the girl sitting next to me was going to the farm too. Thank god because no one spoke english. We got off in Sora and Giuseppe came and picked us up. How we made it back to the farm alive is a mystery. That might have been the craziest drive of my whole life. I was airbo http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Italy/Campania/Sorrento/blog-405155.html Here are the pics to go along with my last entry. http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Italy/Campania/Sorrento/blog-404670.html Tonight's my last night in Sorrento. I haven't done much which is kind of nice. The weather has been crappy the whole time but I did go shopping yesterday around the streets of Sorrento. There are a lot of lemons in this region of Italy so there were so many shops with everything lemon in them. Lemon chocolate lemon honey lemon jam limoncello lemon candy you name it. The lemons are HUGE which http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Italy/Campania/Sorrento/blog-404544.html I got up EARLY this morning. 6am. It makes me wonder how I ever got to work on time at 7am. Oh that's right I DIDN'T oops Anyway I caught the train to Rome then to Naples. I got off the train in Naples and had to pee. So I went to the bathroom which from far away I could tell was going to be shady. Yup. I got in the stall and there was no toilet seat and you had to bring your own TP. Okaaaa http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Italy/Campania/Sorrento/blog-403992.html