Derek and I spent the flight home summarizing our amazing adventure.
Stats
Number of … Days – 47 … Cities – 29 … Countries – 17
Number of … Towers – 16 … Hikes – 10 … Bike rides – 7 … Tours – 12
Number of … Miles walked – 370
Number of … Airplanes – 14 … Trains – 21 … Gondola – 3 … Boats – 1 … Car rentals – 1 … Buses – ???
Number of Lost … bags – 1 (recovered the next day) … sunglasses – 3 … water bottles – 2 … headset – 1
Number of Pastries – too many to count
Europe Must Do
Eileen: D-Day beaches, Normandy … Derek: Anne Frank House.
Lists of Favorites
City – Eileen: Tallinn, Estonia … Derek: Krakow, Poland
Country – Eileen: Switzerland (no duh) … Derek: Norway
People – Both: The Danes, Denmark (very dry, sarcastic sense of humor)
Architecture – Eileen: Switzerland … Derek: Amsterdam
Dessert – Eileen: Apple Strudel with Vanilla Sauce … Derek: Pofferjies, Amsterdam
Food – Eileen: Pierogi, Poland, fried not boiled … Derek: Iberian Beef, Spain
Activity – Hiking disqualified, Eileen: sea kayaking … Derek: Jumping Into the River, English Garden, Munich.
Learning Activity – Eileen: Tour of Normandy, Aushwitz runner up … Derek: Anne Frank House
Tower Climb – Eileen: The Church of Our Savior, Copenhagen … Derek: Giralda a Tower, Seville, Spain
View – Eileen: (Switzerland disqualified) Top of the hill overlooking Dubrovnik during sunset, Imperjial Fort … Derek: Top of Southern Mound in Krakow
Sign – Both: “Push, if that doesn’t work, pull, if that doesn’t work, we’re closed” door sign in Riga, Latvia
Biggest Tourist Trap Fallen Into – Both: ending up with forty five dollars worth of ham and potatoes in Prague
Top Three Best Memories
Eileen (had to disqualify Switzerland)
1. Sunset while kayaking in Croatia
2. Jumping in the river with the locals in Munich
3. Hiking in Norway in the amazing weather
Derek
1. Standing on the bow of the boat in Norway
2. Jumping into the River in Munich’s English Garden
3. Eating lunch at “the Dance Floor” in Switzerland
Top Three Most Powerful Moments
Eileen
1. Walking into the Crematory in Auschwitz, Poland
2. Being part of the demonstration in Warsaw, Poland
3. Seeing what people said about visiting Anne Frank’s house
Derek
1. Seeing that Anne Frank’s name was really Annaliese Marie Frank in the Auschwitz Roster
2. Walking into the gas chamber in Auschwitz
3. Seeing the first tombstones of the American cemetery in Normandy
Lessons Learned
Push if that doesn’t work Pull if that doesn’t work we are closed
Always pay in the locally currency when using a credit card
Always decline the negotiated exchange rate at a cash machine
Climb the towers early in the day before the crowds or you might get stuck on the tower waiting for tourist to take every last angle of the city
Always verify if a restaurant is selling lunch by the pound or you could end up with $45 of ham and potatoes
Get an unlimited international sim data card. No need for phone call. My SIM card worked in every country. Email Brooke if you have questions, it was a gift. Bbrisbine@yahoo.com
The British are way louder than the Americans
Google maps is better than Apple maps. Even knew all the tram and bus schedules
Gaia topo maps have all of Europe. Norway does have their own topo but it is available on Gaia
Air conditioning is an American luxury
Toilets (they need a category all to themselves)
Always carry coins in the local currency for the toilet
If you see a free toilet, use it. Even if you don’t have to go to the bathroom
Use the restroom before leaving the airport
Use the toilet on the train right before you get off
Nice department stores typically have free toilets