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On top of the World in Innsbruck
What a hike...clean air and beautiful scenery The last few days I have been in Austria, a welcome change from Berlin! So now it's been some relax time and some partying too. My stop in Austria was Innsbruck, a small city in the Tyrol Alps absolutely stunning. I had to take an overnight train from Berlin to Munich and then to Innsbruck which took the whole night. I met Rosi, my couchsurfing host at the trainstation and she's awesome, you'll find out why soon. Also couchsurfing at her place is Jonathan, a french canadian guy with a hot accent.
Couchsurfing is this great program on the internet where you can search Myspace like profiles and stay on people's couches for free. You learn about the country, culture and everyday life first hand from your hosts and you share info about America as well! I have done this program in New York, London, Berlin and now Innsbruck and have had the best time. Unfortunately the server just crashed so the site isn't working. 😞 Luckily I had Rosi's contact info and found her. But that means I'm kinda f'd until I find my contacts somewhere on the internet or get hostels.
Jonathan and I decided to hike
La petıte Famılle
Johnathan and I became parents to two french canadıan gırls on our hıke up the Tyrolian Alps on these beautiful trails. We took a tram up to the hiking point overlooking Innsbruck. Innsbruck was the host of the 1964 and I believe 1972 Winter Olympics. So on our tram we saw the bobsled course, ski jumping as well as slalom courses. We hiked up for about 2 hours to to top and it was beautiful, as if the towns below were carved inside the mountains. I believe I took more photos of this place than in Berlin! We met this french-canadian family, and the two little girls decided to join Jonathan and I. So like a happy little french speaking family we treked up (yay I got to practice my french!)
J and I raced to the hiking trail and got back to the house to change and shower before the party that Rosi invited us to. So at 7pm we went to an authentic Austrian dinner party while watching the World Cup match (Argentina vs. Germany). The food and beer were fabulous! Speaking of, we decided that we should bring our own drinks to the party. After an exhausting night on the train plus hikng I wanted to get some Coke
They Made Me Drınk Schnapps
Rosı and Casper on the left were my great hosts! or Water. (Sadly no Pepsi around) We soon discovered that we could purchase two tall boys of fine quality beer for the price of a non alcoholic drink.... So we thought heck yeah, beer it is! We soon learned later on that night that beer shouldn't always be a substitute for nonalcoholic drinks when quenching our thirst even if it's cheaper. We hung out in the shisha room, danced in the kitchen (the austrians insisted that we listen to bad euro music while downing schnapps and belting out the words) We partied till about 1:30 and walked home very drunk for a halfhour.
Waking up the next morning my new friend Johnathan had to leave. Sad! Such a fun guy...he c alled me his gf from Austria haha cause he took me under his wing. Again I got the Euro Kiss from him (Yay!) The rest of the day was about sightseeing and etc (very beautiful town if you ever get the chance to go.) Rosi and her bf Casper took me to the center sqaure that night for a football match viewing (France v. Brazil) Crazy game and crazy fans ensued! I went to bed around midnight since
My Date for the Nıght
Walter took me on a fabulous tour of Wıen I had a train to catch in the morning to Vienna (7:30 am!) I somehow slept through my alarm at 6am and didn't wake up until 6:50 and my bus to the station left at 7:00!! I raced out of the house just in the nick of time to the station and left for Vienna!
Sadly, I lost my contacts in Vienna for couchsurfng so I had to take the hostel route. (Hostel Ruthenstiener...so fabulous!) But it was an excellent choice. My first day there I was wandering aimlessly around Vienna and sat at a fountain to rest. A man about 80 yrs. old approached me and asked if I needed help. I just told him I didn't know what to do, so he told me the history of the fountain I was sitting on and then took me on a walking tour of old Vienna for 3 hours linked arm in arm. Turns out that he lives in Colorado during the year and Vienna in the summer where he grew up. He took me out to a fabulous dinner afterwards as well. So random, but it defnitely added to the beauty of travelling on my own as I'm
My New Frıends ın Vıenna
What a great nıght hangıng out wıth people from all over the world much more approachable I suppose.
Day two
I hit up all the touristy spots and really enjoyed the beauty of Vienna. I went to this great modern art museum called "Kunst Haus Wien" where the building itself is artwork as it has crooked walls and floors and is colorful. It was a statement that people should balance things in life and not always confrom to the straight lines in our world. It was awesome! Later that night I met an English couple and ate dinner with them at the hostel, as I was doing my dishes I happened to meet two girls from Portland! Randomness at its finest! We hung out and then were soon approached by a group of guys who were all travelling alone from New Zealand, Cali, New York, England and Australia. So many hot accents, I could get used to this. It also made me feel better that they were all on their own as well and actually preferred it. Travelling on my own has had its up and downs, but so far its been worth it. I have become much more outgoing and more confident in general, I guess this trip has been a test of self discovery really.
We went out and had some beers, but on the way we saw this guy passed out in front of the food stand. He had fallen from his chair and somehow had a pizza box wedged behind his knees as he had his face smushed into the ground and body in sommersault postion. Really, acrobatic if you think about it, so since it was so entertaining to see we bought some beer and watched the police try to rouse him awake. (He was alive in the end) Since the trains stop running at midnight, we took a LONG walk home and had to pee at the local McDonalds. We were a few seconds from being locked in there overnight! Thank god I raced over to tell them to keep the door open. Granted McD's is nicer in Europe, I just didn't want to sleep there.
Day Three
Saw more of the sights that I missed in my first two days. I stopped by H&M, bad idea because I bought two shirts. Over two weeks into my trip and I'm already shopping...luckily packed my bag half full of clothes. Brad (New York) from last night and I decided to meet up in Budapest so yay I have a buddy there. Unfortunately my couchsurfng plans got derailed last minute in Budapest so I will have to search for a hostel. I had a train to catch early in the morning (7:15) to Budapest Hungary, I was so worried was going to sleep in again. So I set my alarm in the dark and placed it next to my ear. I didn't sleep so well because of the anxiety. I woke up at 5:50 so I could shower and get on my way to the station. I arrived at the station and looked up at the board to see when my train was leaving. Oddly the clocks said 5:58 when I got there. I was thinking weird...until I realized that i set my clock one hour ahead when fumblng in the dark...sad I was sooo tired....
Budapest for three days!!! and then Brasov and Bucharest Romania for another three days!!
Miss you all! I could use some love and comments... (BTW travelling all day long for days on end make for very long days...I feel like I've been gone FOREVER!)
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Parisa
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Jeanie- Your updates make me so jealous. Europe is amazing and I can't wait to go back, but this time I may try it the way you are doing it. Can't wait to hear more from ya!