The Glorious Tulips of Keukenhof

What a glorious way to spend a Saturday afternoon visiting the 60th anniversary year celebration of the Keukenhof Gardens near Lisse, Holland!

It was my last trip gallabanting around Europe, and definitely one of the best. It is said mid-April is the best time to go see the tulips because that is when all of them were blooming in all their glory. We definitely saw so many blooms and none that could disappoint! It was a mission to see 7,000,000 tulips in the Garden of Europe that was happily accomplished. Each year, Keukenhof has a theme. Theme 2009: USA, New Amsterdam - New York, 400 years. There were lots of billboards about the historical relationship between the United States and the Netherlands. I took over 100 pictures of spring bursting out in all of its colorful majesty and glory. Finally, I was also able to see one of those cool, old and authentic Dutch windmills, up close and personal! It was really neat. The flowers almost looked fake, especially because of all the colors, designs, and the never ending varieties.

Spring ♥ with the Keukenhof Tulips
More Spring ♥ with the Keukenhof Tulips

Beyond the lovely and amazing tulips of Holland, there have been papers, presentations, fall class registration, and such nonsense around here. Thankfully, I only have less than a month until I get to come home! This week is the last of cercles (those dirty parties all the Belgians love) and quite possibly, I may get dragged into going. But alas, it is the last week since studying must commence at some time for finals. I will be taking three finals early, turning a final paper in early, and then taking another final once I get back to Austin before I start my internship. The professor is concerned about the validity of my exam if I take it early. The amusing part is that one cannot conduct an exam at 9A in Belgium and expect someone to take an exam half a world away in Texas at the same time, or rather, 2 in the morning. Her plans and her class totally fail! Oh how I have come to love Belgium ridiculousness in whole new ways. Though, the new popular opinion (and sarcastic response) is that nothing about Belgium is ridiculous. The Belgians streamline their lifestyle with only the highest quality common sense available to allow for simplicity and ease! Oh well, Belgium just really needs to pick up the pace on rewriting it's ultimate Chole evaluation in these last critical weeks! Wish me the best as I complete my European experience!!!

With all my ♥ from Belgium,

Chole

Two Weeks Past

Buongiorno!

How might you be in this cheery day? Tip-top, cheerio, I am sure you did not venture to my blog to catch up on the still cold and dreary Belgium weather...

My two week Easter Break, not vacation, can be somewhat summarized so:

Eurrail Pass with the occasional unnecessary reservation: 346 Euro

Two weeks staying in crazy hostels with random people, on someone's relative's couch, and at Oma Bahr's house: 150 Euro

A small cappuccino on Venice's St Mark's Square with a full orchestra creating an unforgettable ambiance, pigeons included, for three: 45 Euro

Gallabanting in 12 cities throughout 7 countries for 2 weeks: simply PRICELESS!

I will begin from the beginning on the morning of Saturday, April 4th, traveling from Louvain-la-Neuve to Brussels, Brussels to northern Germany near Hanover, to Celle. This is where my fellow Texan traveler's, Corinna's, grandmother lives. At the time, I found it very hard to believe I had been in Belgium for only two and a half months. The longest months of my life, truly. The journey commenced with catastrophe, somewhat. In the Brussels South train station now lives my previous right hard contact lens. Somehow I hit my eye while boarding the train, we crawled the platform, searched and to my dismay, never found the thing. Consider it contact suicide. Sadly, my replacement set was back in Louvain-la-Neuve so Corinna's extra soft contact lens of a similar prescription sufficed for two weeks. Corinna and I counted four other things at the time that I had forgotten/left/lost:
1. Right contact lens
2. Outlet converter
3. A swim suit
4. An Easter dress
5. Black pens
Somehow I did remember laundry detergent that I never used. Bratislava had now been introduced to Tide.

The Celle experience, Oma's incredible birthday cake, trash television and MTV, free department store giveaways, and all things German were lovely. It was a perfect homey start to a long traveling adventure. We sat in the sun once day and ate ice cream, toured an ancient castle, camped out lazy in front of a real television, and truly enjoyed the very open and caring grandmotherly love we were offered.

On the morning of Tuesday, April 7th, Sophie, Corinna's cousin, joined forces with Corinna and I to continue with our fine gallabanting crew. For ten hours straight, we slept, bonded, jammed out, admired the Alps with snow-capped tops and made fun of an old Austrian man wearing the typical Austrian get-up, knickerbockers and all. The snow-capped glorious scene seemed to come straight out of a fairytale, if only my Prince Charming could have come through the train doors to whisk me away. The sight of the mountains though just fills my mind and so many of my picture albums. The train trip was simply breathtaking even though it was long.

Villach and Venezia

Next city: Villach, Austria - the cities that borders Italy and Slovenia.
This was the super exciting part of the trip!!!

Unexpectedly, Corinna's German Uncle and Italian Aunt suggested Corinna, Sophie, and I take a day trip to VENICE!!! Upon our Villach arrival, the childless couple booked three comfortable train tickets for the next morning. For dinner, we packed into their VW Golf Plus (think Honda Fit, but smaller) to try to find an Austrian restaurant open at such a late hour, 9 o'clock. Somehow we did not and went to northern Italy, eating and enjoying true Italian pizza with red and white wine, soaking up the ambiance and experience. There was even snow outside of the restaurant, about four feet in height.

Our Thursday morning started slowly, but soon after the lunch rush, we made it to Venice! The day in Venice was absolutely lovely. I loved loved loved it. After my grandmother and mother's true worry, I saw Venice "before it sinks." I never believe y'all anyway, but sure, I can attest it has not yet sank. Maybe limit the number of tourists or gondolas and the city will survive any doubt.

First things first, after wandering a moment or two, the three of us lovely musketeers took gelati in the sun. On our self-guided tour, I indulged myself in the flavors cool Rum Raisin and scrumptious Cherry Vanilla in the shadows of designer fashion and glitzy jewelry stores. I do have to say, the gelato down the street in Arizona is just as swell, though it may be the conversation and company that usually accompanies my yearly experience. Or the fact that Susie always thinks we should go before dinner. Did I mention I cannot wait until August? Same with the pizza. Definitely better with the right company, made in Italy or not!

I took so many pictures and thoroughly relished the opportunity to soak in the warm Italian sun. Corinna, Sophie, and I each drank a small cappuccino in the ambiance and glory of Piazzetta San Marco. The regular cup of coffee became almost magical as an orchestra played in the background. Each sip set us back about a euro, totaling probably 45 euro or so, courtesy of Sophie's mother. She insisted we must take the experience while in Venice, as she once thoroughly enjoyed the experience a time ago. St. Mark's Basilica and Venice itself were once-in-a-lifetime opportunities.

My dreams of Venice have come true and the beautiful Queen of the Adriatic is by far one of my favorite in Europe.

Day Six of Fourteen

Departure from Villach to Innsbruck, Austria. And yet, before our train left the station early in the afternoon, we made the most of our visit to Villach. Packed into the small car and visited three countries in a matter of hours! Thursday morning, Sophie, Corinna, and I woke, dressed, and departed to see a ravishing Medieval castle, old town Villach, an Austrian/Italian border, and set foot in Slovenia!

Because the border of Slovenia is kinda in the Alps, when we got to the border, there was still six feet of snow on the sides of the road. We made snow balls and enjoyed the refreshing cold bursts of air, as well as the occasional "stray" snow balls thrown directly at each other. It was fun. I made a snowman, too! The weather had thoroughly cooperated, sharing sun and happiness thus far in our journeys. Suck luck and blessings!

Keep reading.

And The Count Is Up To Six!

Celle, Villach, Tarvisio (Italy) for dinner, Venice for the day, Udine (Italy) for dinner, and Kranjaka Gora (Slovenia).

And then there was a college town at the base of the Alps called Innsbruck. Easter break had pretty much made the place a ghost town, creating a long pitiful Friday night experience. Corinna's friend Philip, who is also studying at Louvain-la-Neuve this semester, recommended we visit his college town. Beyond the gorgeous Alp landscape, Innsbruck has a "golden" roof that is really made of copper, dead clubs, and starving artists/ college students. Truly the best part of the experience was Philip's good friend meeting us in the train station with a sign that read, "The girls of Philip Winkler."

At this point in the journey, Corinna's friend, Tanya, joined the crew. She is currently opairing for a family outside of London. Quite the companion! There was nothing in Innsbruck.

Easter Blessings from Munich

A lovely two and a half days with the sun shining every day!

On Friday evening, Tanya, Corinna, and I devoured an authentic Bavarian meal of sausage, different types of meat, a special preparation of potatoes, lots of sauerkraut, and enough scrumptious calories for an entire week!!! The hostel was pretty nice, though the other visitors we met were quite peculiar. Saturday morning and early afternoon, we took a rather interesting, though boring, tour around Munich. It consisted of three hours worth of Hitler stories. We saw the truly disappointing Glockenspiel, the amazing Haufbrau drinking house, Hitler's pulpit, and the primary Munich attractions. The three of us girls most thoroughly enjoyed the warm, inviting and oh so sunny green parks. I think we probably spent just as much time in the parks as the city itself! That night I fell in love again with falafel sandwiches and a beer, one of the best European meals I have found yet.

Sunday, we got dressed and made our way to a German Easter church service. I had absolutely no clue the message or hymns, but it was nice to be in a church on the special day. Tanya and I hit up another park in the afternoon, while Corinna went to Germany's first concentration camp. Trained it to Salzburg Sunday evening.

The Hills Are Alive with... Salzburg!

I had hardly a clue of Salzburg, but now I know it is all about Mozart's childhood, the Sound of Music and gnomes! There was an entire section of park full of cute little gnome statues and I loved it! I tried a Mozart Kugel, a candy with a dark chocolate shell, a layer of marzipan, and a pistachio-filled center. The candy was not absolutely spectacular or necessarily worth the calories, but pretty delicious nevertheless. I promised myself to have a splendid and glorious Magnolia tree in my yard one day, too. That is because of all those in Salzburg, with the magnificent smell and color.

There was really not much else in Salzburg beyond a slow, but steady pace of Mozart, Sound of Music postcards around every corner, and beautiful Magnolia trees. Disappointing, a little.