There were many things I will remember about Oslo: thought provoking sculptures, viking ships, Norse villages, and meandering the big city itself; but sadly what I will recall the most is how expensive it was! The Scandinavian countries are known to have a very high quality of life, with Norway leading the pack, which is due to the high taxes that go into social programs. With such high taxes, those employed have much higher salaries and prices of goods are more expensive. Essentially what makes for a high quality of life for Norwegians, results in the country being crazy expensive for tourists. For example, when enjoying a delicious European street food staple: the kebab, you can find it for about $3.50 in Germany, but it costs $10 in Norway. While traveling through, it was a constant ... read more

I have been told that Berlin is a “love it or hate it” city. Those that love the city feel that the molding of the east and the west after the fall of the wall resulted in a reinvented city that with a unique cultural, artistic, and accepting community. I wouldn't go so far as to say Berlin was all of this to me, but I have to admit that I was pleasantly surprised. Since the fall of the wall 21 years ago you can certainly see that much has changed. East Berlin is now the site of most tourist attractions and museums, as well as the focus of the nightlife. The west is still dominated by the capitalist vibe and is known for its shopping. Of course, one cannot discuss the current state of Berlin ... read more

One of the largest benefits of traveling to another country is developing a greater understanding of another culture. I have been lucky to be able to stay with two German families within the past week and have learned a great deal from both of them. I want to thank Mike, Ines and their children Liam and Lily for allowing me to stay with them in Heidelberg; and would also like to thank Julia, Bruno, and their children Phillip, Anna, Isabella and Janina for accommodating my travels in the Frankfurt area. I feel blessed to have been able to become a part of your families, if even for a few days. It is through your help that I have certainly developed a much greater understanding of German culture and how it differs from that found within the ... read more

Although this blog post will be discussing Heidelberg and its own castle, I thought it was fitting to mention that I am currently on a train to the Rhine region to view more castles. In addition, it seems quite appropriate coming off of the last posting on the language barrier and travel problems, that my original train that I had booked a reservation for was canceled for its first stretch, and although they must have announced it over the loudspeaker system, I was only able to understand when one of the station workers came up and told me. I have simply had to change my perspective to enjoy the adventure in it all. Alright, I apologize for the tangent, back to the main theme of the post. In my next couple of days in Heidelberg ... read more

A wise man once told me that to pack for a backpacking trip, "you must place all that you think you require on the floor and then take about half away in order to be able to fit everything." Alright, perhaps this was just my friend Tosha, and at the time I chose to nod my head in agreement while secretly doubting his wisdom. Surely, I thought, this was a drastic overstatement. As I have spent the last few days packing, or more precisely, begrudgingly removing my cherished travel "necessities", I feel it only adequate to admit my ignorance within this public forum and concede defeat. I suppose my downfall derives from being a teacher. We all like to search out a variety of sources in order to cross-reference to gain greater understanding. I took ... read more