John Klamut, FAME Spring 2023
My second vacation during my study aboard experience was a tour of Eastern Europe. My good friend Frank and I decided we wanted to see the eastern world, so we packed our bags and headed to our first stop.
Berlin!!! The largest city in Germany. With its rich recent history, and Berliner culture, this was a must-go for both me and Frank. We stopped to see the Reichstag building along with the iconic Brandenburg Gate. Compared to other Europeans cities, Berlin is super modern as the result of massive infrastructure efforts after WW2. The Berlin Wall might be the most famous of these constructions. Separating East and West Berlin, Frank and I explored the East Side Gallery while enjoying some Currywurst.
The next stop was Krakow, Poland. Krakow isn’t an obvious destination but in terms of heritage it was very important. Generations back, my family originated from this city in Poland. However, looking back on two-week trip, I also think the city of Krakow is a hidden tourist gem. Not only is everything super cheap, but Krakow is a charming mediaeval town that is greatly preserved. Not to mention that Auschwitz is about an hour drive away, and the famous polish salt mines are one train ride away. Don’t forget to try the pierogies and Pączki!
After our adventures in Krakow, we took a night train to another medieval city this time in the Czechs Republic: Prague! From eating Chimney Cakes on the Old Town Bridge to Prague Castle and the massive St. Vitus Cathedral, Prague truly was a grand, gothic city. It was obvious that this was the capital of Czechs Republic. My favorite part of this city was the Astronomical Clock which not only tells time, but it also chimes at the top of every hour.
After Prague, we got on the train again to get to Vienna. The city of Mozart and other great musicians, it also used to be the home of the Habsburgs. Frank and I were awe inspired by the amount of grand churches in this city. The Votvikirche, Karlskirche, Wiener Minoritenkirche, St. Stephen’s Cathedral just to name a few. Vienna is also home to lots of museums. Similar to Berlin’s Museum Island, Vienna had Museums Quartier. We went to visit the Kunsthistorisches Museum which was filled with famous artworks by Pieter Bruegel the Elder.
After our adventures in Vienna, we went farther east to head to the city of Budapest! In terms of city beauty, I would give Budapest the cake. For those that don’t know, Budapest is split into two parts via the Danube River: Buda and Pest. Buda is on a hill that overlooks Pest, and it makes for a great sight! On our way to the top of the hill, we saw the Fisherman’s Bastion, Matthias Church, and Buda Castle. Looking down on Pest, we saw the Hungarian Parliament along with St. Stephens Basilica in the distance which is home to the literal hand of a former Hungarian king. Frank and I originally thought it belonged to a saint, but we were proven wrong when we walked inside and saw this jaw dropping cathedral. Not to mention, we had a nice stay at Adagio Hostel 2.0 that had a beautiful window view of the Cathedral’s dome.
From Budapest, we traveled to the costal city of Zadar, Croatia. After a quick morning stop in Zagreb, we found ourselves walking the narrow streets of Old Town which is a peninsula in this mediterranean city. There wasn’t too much to do in Zadar in terms of tourist activities, but Zadar was as beautiful as any tropical city. It was a relaxing day sitting by the sea after our intense touring schedule.
Our final stop was Munich. As the capital of Bavaria, it was a must that we headed down to Hofbräuhaus for a cold refreshments and a warm pretzel. On our way back from the Hofbräuhaus, we took a quick stop at New Town Hall which had an amazing clock that exhibited the reenactment of a French and German Soldier fighting. If you couldn’t guess, the German won. Our last stop in Munich were the English Gardens – Munich’s Central Park. The only difference is that this one is twice the size as the one in New York City.
After Munich we made it home to Paris. Although the trip was super fun, Frank and I were definitely tired. We visited 6 countries in a span of two weeks. It was nice to finally be back in the city of lounging in Cafes and really good bread. However, it was a trip that I will never forget.
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