Generator Hostel is no ordinary Hostel

Posted on July 9, 2014 by Travel Spirit

In case you haven’t been following along, I began my month long European excursion in May 2014, escorting eleven people through four Eastern/Central European Countries in eleven days and all of them went back home to Cincinnati, Ohio after the trip except one…my friend Richard. He and I went on to Munich and Amsterdam for about six nights, and flew to Copenhagen, Denmark, where we were meeting two new Tour participants. Their flights were to arrive a bit earlier than ours, so they were to meet us at our baggage claim. We found one of them and waited for about 15 minutes before receiving a text from the fourth informing us of her flight’s cancellation and new arrival time the following day.

Our first stop for a couple of nights was Copenhagen, then we were traveling to Stockholm, Sweden, and two Cities in Norway. I had booked a hostel in Copenhagen, which was a new experience for me. I’ve used Couchsurfing.org, VRBO, and Airbnb, but never a hostel. Having researched lots of possibilities in Copenhagen, I booked the Generator Hostel. It’s not your ordinary hostel as you’ll see from these photos.

Here’s a view of the surrounding buildings while sitting on one of the outdoor patio furniture seats…

I played pool one evening in the recreational area pictured here with a twenty-something threesome and won! Love that funky chair!

Continue reading →

A Walk in Amsterdam

Posted on July 8, 2014 by Travel Spirit

On one of the three days I explored Amsterdam, I went for a walk with a few places in mind to visit. One of them was the Amsterdam Library and the other was an island (that I had no clue where it was located) with unique modern architecture. I set off on my adventure, asking people along the way for directions. First, I passed the Science Center NEMO for children….you can’t see it in this picture, but they grow grass and bushes on the sloped side and people are walking on it! When you cross this bridge, the view is cool!

This photo is out of sequence, but I thought it was cute…the girl having her photo taken by her boyfriend!

Here are another couple of canal pics I couldn’t resist putting up….

Continue reading →

Red White & Blue Ash Fireworks

Posted on July 6, 2014 by Travel Spirit

My 4th of July celebrations included attending a friend’s party and walking from her house to a fireworks‘ display called Red White & Blue Ash Fireworks! It’s located in Blue Ash, Ohio, which is a suburb of Cincinnati and there were over 100,000 people there! Midnight Special and Cheap Trick were the bands playing and the Rozzi Fireworks were spectacular! I took my tripod to capture the fireworks. It was my first time and I had my settings on 8 seconds at 8 F-Stop. In Lightroom 5, I edited some of the smoke out by increasing my black and contrast.

One of my friends took my photo with my camera. As you can see it was a beautiful day…low humidity and 78 degrees!

My friend Frank had a temporary tattoo on his head…

Continue reading →

The Heineken Experience in Amsterdam

Posted on July 5, 2014 by Travel Spirit

The Heineken Experience in Amsterdam is interesting. I think they could make it better if they let you start drinking from the beginning and if you’re tired of walking, like a lot of tourists, make it more like an amusement park ride, where you sit down and it takes you through each room! Anyway, first, you walk through a number of rooms with interactive displays and historical things to read and a cute girl that gives you the background of beer making…mixing barley, hops, water and yeast.

I’ll get to the rest in a minute…but here’s an artsy pic I took during the beer tasting…

Anyway, eventually you make your way to the tasting room…then more displays…then finally you get two small beers at the end, where it’s really crowded and there’s a huge line for the beer.

Here’s where the beer used to be made…

Continue reading →

Amsterdam’s Museum Quarter and Vondelpark

Posted on July 4, 2014 by Travel Spirit

The area in Amsterdam known as the Museum Quarter or District is beautiful! I just happened upon it while racing from Vondelpark to meet my friends at The Heineken Experience. If you want culture, then this is the place! The Rijkmuseum, Van Gogh Museum, Stedelijk Museum, and Concertgebouw (Concert Hall) are located in this area. Straight ahead in this photograph you’ll notice the iAmsterdam in red and white. People were sitting on the letters and some even climbing!

One quick story…while running to get on a Metro going somewhere (can’t remember where because I went through ten Cities in 27 days…that’s a lotta trains/and I guess it really doesn’t matter where for the story), just as I made it in before the doors shut and was jockeying for space, a lady with a large grocery bag and her two children with scooters were right behind me, unbeknownst to me. The doors shut on her, the kids fall over onto their scooters like dominoes, they start screaming and crying and luckily the doors open and the lady squeezes in. I was trying to help the children up, but was so tightly crammed in, I couldn’t bend over. That wasn’t fun.

I love how they’ve formed the trees…

In the late morning, the chill long gone, I traipsed through Amsterdam’s revered urban park…Vondelpark, observing the palette of greens generated by the shafts of sunlight. Vondelpark reminds me of Central Park in New York City. There were lots of people out jogging, walking, and bicycling…enjoying the weekend!

Continue reading →

Water and Wine in Amsterdam

Posted on July 3, 2014 by Travel Spirit

I left off yesterday having arriving in Amsterdam by overnight train from Munich for a three-day visit and promised I would share with you some of the beautiful canals that so generously weave their magic through the City! I also mentioned how Amsterdam is one of my favorite European Cities. The architecture, canals, culture and laid-back vibe merge to create an atmosphere that to me, is quite special!

This one reminds me of James Bond…

I had so much fun taking the metro or trams and walking around the City to see as much as I could in the limited time I had.

Continue reading →

Going Solo in Amsterdam

Posted on July 2, 2014 by Travel Spirit

My friend and I arrived to Amsterdam‘s Central Train Station just before 9am on May 30th, following a not so comfortable overnight train ride from Munich. I’ve taken overnight trains in Egypt and Portugal and I have to say this was the least comfortable. I’m sure my friend, Richard, can’t get comfortable in many beds because he’s 6’7″ tall, but it was also quite noisy throughout the night and when I would wake, I was being tossed to and fro. Enough complaining!

We bought our 72 hour transport card and followed the Google Map directions I had printed off leading us to the Metro line that would deposit us less than a half mile from the Airbnb I had rented for our 3 night stay in Amsterdam. Upon arrival to the Apartment, we were shown around by the owner, and once she left we settled in. It is situated on a canal and had everything we needed. We were especially thankful for the washer and dryer, which we put to immediate use!

Richard’s twenty something year old Cousin, Tobias, from Germany was arriving by train a couple of hours later, so I went exploring by myself, while he went to meet him at the station. This little car was parked on the Street in front of our Apartment. I call it the half car…

Having traveled in Southeast Asia, six countries in Africa, and other developing Countries, and experienced the organized chaos associated with a multitude of bicycles, I was surprised by this in Amsterdam, along with absent helmets on most children and adults, and the legality of motorcycles on bicycle lanes. There’s nothing like biking along and suddenly feeling the air whoosh by from a large motorcycle within inches of your handlebars!

Continue reading →

On the Street in Munich

Posted on July 1, 2014 by Travel Spirit

While exploring the streets of Munich, we came upon a photo shoot, so I asked the photographer if I could take a photo of the models. He said to ask them…so I did and they said yes!

Here are some other “people, places or things” I encountered “On the Streets of Munich”

A cute little (old) scooter!

Continue reading →

Munich has Surfing, Beer & Pretzels

Posted on June 30, 2014 by Travel Spirit

Who knew Munich has an outdoor place where talented surfers practice their sport! My friend and I were walking to the English Garden and as we crested a hill, with the whooshing sound of waves crashing against the cement walls, we were surprised to see these skilled surfers, at times, darting perilously close to the walls.

A crowd had congregated to watch the action…

Continue reading →

Magical Munich

Posted on June 29, 2014 by Travel Spirit

Arriving in Munich with my friend Richard was exciting for me because it was the first time I’d returned to Germany since living there in the late 70’s while in the Military. Our train ride was six hours from Budapest and I was looking forward to some solo exploration, after having been responsible for guiding 11 other travelers through four European countries for 11 days! I had reserved an Airbnb in Munich, located within walking distance of Marienplatz and other areas of Munich on my list of things to see.

Richard’s friend that lives in Munich, met us for dinner that evening at an Indian Restaurant called Sangeet. It was excellent! I left them to catch up and returned to the Apartment. The following two days we explored some of Munich. This gaggle of geese in the English Garden reminded me of the Serengeti migration…

Although the sky was overcast, it seemed nature’s colors were so vibrant! These ducks were swiveling their heads this way and that…

Approaching one of the squares, either Marienplatz or Oedeonplatz, the fountain’s spray was dramatic!

Continue reading →

Budapest’s Castle District and filling my tummy at Vapiano’s

Posted on June 28, 2014 by Travel Spirit

A visit to Budapest isn’t complete unless you explore the Castle District, so that’s what we did on our final day. The following day ten of the twelve travelers would be taking flights back home to Cincinnati, Ohio and my friend Richard and I would be taking a train to Munich to continue our European trip. The Castle District is a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage site and consists of two parts: the Royal Palace itself and the Castle District. Most of this area is a reconstructed medieval city, but the original castle was destroyed in World War II and replaced with the current Royal Palace.

You can see the beautiful Parliament Building from the Castle District…

Here’s another view of it…but I thought Black and White would look nice…

Continue reading →

Highlights of Budapest

Posted on June 27, 2014 by Travel Spirit

I mentioned in a previous post, that one of the highlights of my month-long trip in Europe was bicycle riding along the Danube and stopping at wineries along the way. The Szechenyi Baths was also a highlight for me and some of my fellow travelers. The Szechenyi Baths were so beautiful and the thermal mineral water so relaxing, after all of the walking, lugging of suitcases, and mental challenges encountered on the trip. In fact, some of my group went back later for round two!

With fifteen indoor baths of varying temperature and three outdoor, you’re sure to melt away that tension!

After soaking for a while, we went back to the hotel to shower and prepare for our day’s activities. We began with a tour of the imperial Parliament Building. It’s the third largest Parliament Building in Europe.

Continue reading →

Walking Tour along Andrassy Blvd. to Varosliget Park in Budapest

Posted on June 26, 2014 by Travel Spirit

It was Saturday, May 24, 2014 and my group of 11 travelers and I had arrived at the train station in Budapest, after a three hour trip from Bratislava, Slovakia. With almost three full days to explore, our first stop was the ATM for some local currency. I also bought a 72 hr. transport card for each of us to use for the metro, trams, and buses.

I found the Metro line that would take us within walking distance of our hotel, the Eurostars Budapest Center, and after checking into our hotel, we walked the 2 1/2 mile walking route I had developed with Google maps. During the month I was in Europe, I easily walked 150 miles! Our walking tour began with a stop at the New York Palace Hotel. The lobby was quite lavish! Two of my fellow travelers came back one evening and had dinner at their restaurant and said it was delicious!

This building is located along Andrassy Blvd. (a UNESCO desginated area) where we were walking. The cut-outs are quite unique!

Continue reading →

Feeling Blue in Bratislava…

Posted on June 25, 2014 by Travel Spirit

During a free Walking Tour through Be Free Tours of some of the highlights of Bratislava, we stopped at the Church of St. Elisabeth, or more commonly known as the “Blue Church”. Our Tour Guide was great! She’s a theater major and led an entertaining tour. Bratislava was another City that was very walkable. You don’t need to purchase a transport card…just walk everywhere.

I captured a photo of the Blue Church’s interior through the gate…

Such a pretty church…

I love quirky statues and Bratislava seems to have quite a few…

Continue reading →

We love Bratislava!

Posted on June 24, 2014 by Travel Spirit

When traveling through Eastern Europe, many tour companies neglect to include the beautiful town of Bratislava, Slovakia in their itinerary. It was the third stop on my itinerary beginning with Prague, Vienna, Bratislava and finally Budapest. My group of 11 travelers and myself had never been to these countries and didn’t know what to expect other than what we had read or photographs we’d seen, so we were pleasantly surprised with Bratislava, the capital city of Slovakia, with it’s old world charm and low prices!

I love to goof around, so whenever there’s a cute photo op…I’m in!

Having taken a photograph from the front and, as in this photo, the back of these statues, I liked the back view because of the sun’s position.

Here’s part of the Old Town Square…

I love the old architecture…

This monk seemed to be in a hurry…

I only scheduled 1 1/2 days in Bratislava for exploring because it is quite small, but located only an hour train ride from Vienna, it shouldn’t be missed!