(Brussels-Amsterdam-Berlin-Prague-Vienna-Bratislava-Budapest)
1st May 2016, 6:00 pm (Montreal time)
Well, it is finally official. In one hour, my flight to Brussels will take off. I don’t think I realize what is currently happening… it’s so abstract! Yesterday, I was still at work, sitting behind my computer screen, fantasizing about this exact moment. I am sitting, waiting at Gate 11, my lucky number – this travel surely is up to a good start! I have no idea what the next days will be like, but that is perfectly okay – I prefer taking one day at a time rather than projecting myself in an uncertain future and experiencing futile and useless stress. So, carpe diem, to adventure, to Europe, to me!
I sincerely hope I will enjoy every second, that I will be happy and fulfilled, that I will be in awe, that I will create memories that I will forever cherish, that I will see beautiful images, smell fantastic odors, taste amazing flavours… Who cares about being tired or missing a train? I will have fun, no matter what happens. See you soon, Montreal! Xx
Day 1 (in Europe), 2nd May 2016, 2:45 pm (Brussels Time)
Jet lag who? I feel good, not tired one bit! The flight went extremely well; I managed to sleep a good hour (miracle!). At the airport, it went also well, but because of last month’s terrorist attacks, we had to walk in the underground parking, escorted by the army. I have never seen that many tanks and guns in my life! Actually, the whole city is that way: soldiers with AK-47s at every corner… that’s dark.
At the airport, I bought a train ticket to downtown Brussels, and once in town, I wandered around, smiling. I saw so many lovely things, like the Royal Palace. I then walked to my hostel (so gross! I certainly didn’t miss that part of travelling on a budget!!) – the toilet is disgusting; plus I’m not even sure if there is a shower somewhere in the building… Anyway, I left my bag there and went back downtown, in order to continue exploring the Belgian capital. I took the tramway (without paying… oops!), and walked around town. I am currently sitting in a lovely, quiet park, it’s all good.
Day 2, 3rd May 2016, 1:50 pm, Brussels
Yesterday afternoon, I took a look at a few cathedrals and the Botanical Gardens, but mostly, I walked countless streets without ever knowing where they led. I’m such a flâneuse; a true little Baudelaire (well, a cheap copy!), a little less poet, a little less dandy, but just as sensitive to art and beauty. I went back to the hostel at night, and fell asleep in a matter of seconds, exhausted by the jet lag and the lack of sleep.
This morning, I woke up at 9:45, well-rested, and went out to explore other parts of the city. I had a waffle and a coffee (obviously), and walked to the Magritte Museum. I had such a good time there. The museum was almost empty; I was often alone with the paintings. The lights were dimmed, which transformed my visit there to an overall very minimalist, quasi-intimate experience. After that, I had a picnic in a park, where I still am. It’s cold and grey outside, but I don’t mind, I feel free.
Day 3, 4th May 2016, 11:00 am, Brussels
Hello! I am currently at Brussels Central Station waiting for my 11:49 train to Amsterdam. Yesterday afternoon, I visited an abbey, sunbathed a bit, ate some fries, chatted with my roommates, and went out for a beer. This morning, I took the tramway, and missed the 10:49 train by a few minutes, which is why I am patiently waiting for the next one. Talk to you later.
11:55 pm, Amsterdam
Oh! The train had to stop for an hour because someone had committed suicide, and the body was on the tracks. The man besides me was fuming, and he asked a steward if there was anything to do to accelerate the process, and the steward replied: “You just have to go and move the corpse yourself!”- let’s just say that the angry passenger quickly shut up. Because of that delay, I had a break (2 hours) in Rotterdam, and walked a little around. I was happy when I got back in the train to see so many colourful tulip fields. I finally arrived in Amsterdam at 4:30 pm, took the subway, found my wonderful hostel, met a cool girl with whom I went out for dinner and a few Heinekens (no choice!). I’m so excited to fully explore the city tomorrow. It’s beautiful, surreal, trash, yet so classical, and lovely. I’m happppppyyyyyyy! 🙂 I’m in the lounge of the hostel now where I’m waiting on some other travelers to have a few more drinks.
Day 4, 5th May 2016, 9:00 pm, Amsterdam
I went to bed at 2:45 last night and woke up at 6:30 because all the girls in my room had their alarms set early in order to do their hair & makeup for two hours straight, in the room (sighs). I finally left to go downtown at 8:30, exasperated… I walked all morning, took a lot of pictures of the city, the punk version of Venice!, saw the Anne Frank House, Botanical Gardens, and consoled myself in a coffee shop! 😉 I spent most of the afternoon wandering around the Van Gogh Museum (amazing (I’m such a fan!!)). After that, I explored the Red Light District… My motto for Amsterdam is “Sex, Drugs & Bicycles”. I went back to my hostel afterwards, and now I’m waiting on a few other travelers to go out to eat.
Day 5, 6th May 2016, 7:20 pm, Amsterdam
Last night was very short… But very fun! This morning, I left to grab breakfast downtown, at around 9 o’clock. Since it was still early, there were not a lot of souls in sight, so I decided to re-explore the Red Light District by day. The ladies were still behind the windows (they never get a rest!?), and the streets were the filthiest I have ever seen: cigarettes, vomit, broken beer bottles, urine… Horrible. To change my mind, I visited a few parks after that (full of flowers!! A much nicer smell!). I looked at ducks swimming, wrote a little in my journal… it was peaceful, for sure. Afterwards, I went to the port, ran a few errands, had a snack at Museumsplain, and overall, simply relaxed and breathed the fresh spring air.
Day 6, 7th May 2016, 8:00 pm, Berlin
This morning, I took the train from Amsterdam, Netherlands to Berlin, Germany. It was a long ride (a little over 6 hours), but it allowed me to nap and rest my poor legs. I then went straight to my hostel (there are some weird guys in my room…). Plus it’s only 8 pm and one of them is already snoring. Oh well.
Day 7, 8th May 2016, 2:50 pm, Berlin
Hallo! Yesterday, the 2 weirdos made me feel puzzled and a little uneasy, but thankfully, a Greek guy, E, arrived in the room later, and thankfully, he was more than sweet! We spent a good amount of time talking, and went out for a pizza. This morning, I left the hostel at 9:15, took the subway to go see the famous Brandenburger Tor, and decided to walk from there. I quickly realized that the city is HUGE, and that there is no way I’ll ever be able to see everything I want in 2 and a half days! Plus, every street looks interesting. I decided to walk along the Wall (well what’s left of it), to really grasp the difference between the West and the East. I feel tired today, I’ll just walk around before meeting my old uni friend, L, at 6 pm.
Day 8, 9th May 2016, 11:00 am, Berlin
Holy shit! I am DEAD. So, yesterday, I explored the Old Town and met L at 6 pm. We drank beers and had a good time remembering our uni dorm years. Afterwards, she showed me around her neighborhood, her flat, her work… Her very own Berlin. It was so nice walking along the river, admiring the sunset under the city where classical and contemporary architectures rub shoulders. We ended up at Monbijou Park where some people were dancing the tango on the docks while others were drinking and smoking in the grass. It felt so bohemian, so sensual, so liberating. We sat down with her roommates and friends, we drank SO MUCH beer and wine, ate Algerian cakes, and met amazingly cool people. We left the place early this morning, high from the beauty of the night, while some people were still there playing flamenco music on their guitars. I parted with L, and soon realized that the subway station was closed. I was so tired and so drunk, and so lost. But that’s a looooong story. Let’s just say that, escorted by the police, I managed to take three night buses and find my hostel. I still don’t know how, but I made it safe and sound. I slept with a plastic bag, convinced that I would throw up in the bed (I did not). I woke up dizzy at 9:45, so hungover, grabbed a coffee and found a park where I think I’ll just rest for a while… And my shoes smell like beer, oh my.
8 pm, Berlin
Alright, so today I visited new neighborhoods, saw the Holocaust Memorial and other monuments. I even had a few moments of transcendence, overwhelmed by so much beauty, greatness in so little time, so little space. I was walking, my scarf catching the soft wind, my feet crossing old tiles, the sun shining while musicians played the violin or the accordion, setting the scene. Grand plazas, cafés, bistros, cathedrals, happy faces. I had the chance to marvel at every building, every fountain, every flower. The wind in my hair, the smell of food, of cigarettes, of trees. The feeling of being so small, caught in a dream, yet so present in the moment. I felt like I belonged, like I was home, wandering sublime colourful streets. I felt good, thinking that this was happiness. Small moments of awe, eyes saturated with lovely images.
Day 9, 10th May 2016, 11:50 am, Berlin-Prague Train
Guten tag! Last night was quite calm, but beautiful in its own way. I spent 4 hours with E, talking about art, words, poetry, love, pain and life. What a nice, philosophical moment. Until one of the weirdos arrived! He was funny though. Since I was leaving early this morning he told me to wake him up before I left and say: “I was Chloé from Canada” so that he would remember me. I did not, but thought it was so randomly funny. Anyway, I’m in the train, I’m happy, the weather is nice; I should be in Prague at 3:30 pm.
6:30 pm, Prague
Okay, so I met cool people in the train, so that the ride went by quite rapidly. At the huge train station, I managed (with some help) to buy metro tickets, withdraw money, arrive downtown, and find my hostel where no one spoke any of the languages I know. They finally found my room (to which there is no key!!). I can’t wait to discover this gorgeous city!
Day 10, 11th May, 5:30 pm, Prague
I feel good, I feel beautiful. I see my freckles are out because of the May sun, my hair look great, I look great, I’m proud of myself, I am free, I am strong. I don’t wear makeup but I look more feminine than ever. Is that what happiness and travelling can do? My eyes bleed joy! Prague is a is Disney Princess movie. The city is pretty and pink and gold; it’s porcelain, flowers and creme. It’s a wedding cake, a fairy-tale story!
Reality check: Ha! So today, I left my hostel at 9:30, had breakfast and coffee, saw castles, churches, crossed Charles Bridge and colourful streets, admired the Astronomical Clock, Old Town Square, tons of pigeons and near-perfect architecture! I think I have never taken that many pictures in such a small amount of time. The city is eye candy. During the afternoon, I also saw the Dancing House, other churches, many parks and street entertainers. That’s that for now.
Day 11, 12th May 2016, 8:30 pm, Prague
This morning I admired countless swans swimming in the river, it felt so peaceful.I also saw the opera and the national theater. I was more tired today, but hey!, it happens. Still, I went up the hills to visit a castle (I can’t remember the name); there must have been a thousand stairs to go up there!! It was so worth it though. The view from above was spectacular, I could see the whole city, all the orange-ish roofs, the bell-towers. Then it started to rain, I kept walking; I could hear religious music in the background. I followed the sound and arrived in a lovely little cemetery. There were gardens too, a church, and a true spiritual feel on this mountain over the clouds. Afterwards, I went back to the city, suddenly gloomy under the rain. It felt like a Mahler symphony. Eerie, yet beautiful. I went to the National Museum, then to a fountain, then to the Lennon Wall; which was more than great with its graffiti, paintings, peace signs, hope messages… There was even a guy playing guitar nearby, singing “All You Need Is Love”. I walked again after that, went back to the hostel, met a cool Korean girl, and we decided to go out to eat tonight and watch the fireworks after. She’s in the shower now, and we’ll probably leave in a few minutes.
Day 12, (Friday) 13th May 2016, 10 pm, Vienna
Hallo! I took the train from Prague to Vienna today and arrived at my hostel at around 5 pm. Since I did not want to waste anymore of my day, I took the night to walk to the Schönbrunn Castle (Hi Sissi!). It was spectacular. I adored the parks/gardens, and got lost in the labyrinth. I then went up the highest hill to enjoy a breathtaking view of the Austrian capital. I ate at the hostel, super tired, and I’m now off to sleep. Goodnight!
Day 13, 14th May 2016, 7:45 pm, Bratislava-Vienna Train
I took the train this morning to spend the day in the Slovakian capital. An express visit! And all I can say is Holy Shit! Bratislava felt like the kind of place where dreams go to die. The train station was small, dirty, smelly, and creepy. The streets were full of strange, scary men, who would voluntarily shove or push me, look at me like I was either a piece of shit or a piece of meat. Nothing to make me feel at ease, really. Some men screamed things at me. It was so degrading, and all of them were super aggressive. Let’s just say that the walk from the station to the Old Town felt like hours. I really should have taken the bus. It was dangerous, and I’m not one who is easily afraid. The roads and the city felt cold, almost inhumane. Thank God, the Old Town was nicer, much warmer, way friendlier! I had an interesting day walking around, photographing the graffiti-ed buildings, the houses in ruins, and learning about the city’s history. There were very few tourists, and at times it felt like a ghost town. I’m happy to already be in the train now, and a glad I visited Bratislava. It satisfied my curiosity, and showed me a different reality.
Day 14, 15th May 2016, 5:15, Vienna
Today was SO cold! Ouch. I left my hostel at 9 am to go to the historical center. Vienna truly is an immaculate city. It’s white, quiet, clean, distinguished, classical… Beautiful. It is quite the opposite of Bratislava. Vienna felt extremely safe, artistic, modern. I saw the museums neighborhood, so many parks, castles, churches, the Danube, the Opera. I even saw men dressed as Mozart in the streets. I ate a lot of pastries (Strudels!), drank hot white chocolate, saw so many psychoanalyst offices (Hi Freud!), the house of Haydn… It was a full day for sure.
Day 15, 16th May 2016, 9 pm, Budapest
This morning, a lady in my dorm spent SO MUCH time in the bathroom (1 for 6 people). God! Luckily, the Spaniard in the bunk bed above me, like a good cliché straight from an Almodovar movie, started to bang on the door, fuming like an angry bull. I hate confrontation so I simply left the room earlier than planned. I went to a café, had another delicious pastry. I took a bus at 11:30 to my final destination: Budapest, Hungary. I admired the blue mountains and went straight to downtown Buda, too excited to finally be there, to the city I wanted to see the most! Let just say that I was not disappointed. Wow, wow, wow. I almost passed out in the company of such beauty! The ideal meeting between architecture and nature. I saw the grandiose parliament, along the river, the Old Town, the mountains around… There was not a lot of people; I could hear the wind and the water, saw a sublime sunset. I saw cathedrals, the Opera, Heroes Square with its famous baths. I truly appreciated the mix of architectural styles and influences in the city.
Day 16, 17th May 2016, 2:15 pm, Budapest
Fatigue is the word. My feet are dead! I can’t believe this trip is almost over. Oh my! I woke up at 8:30, had “breakfast” at the hostel and went straight to the Old Town. I fell in love with the tiny streets and crooked stairs. I then climbed to the city’s highest point, and again, WOW. There was some sort of a medieval tow up there, the view was crazy. I don’t know what I’ll do this afternoon, maybe go to the baths; it should do me well.
FINAL DAY (17), 18th May 2016, 8:25 am, Budapest
Last night was wiiiiiild. Holy… I went back to my hostel, exhausted, at 6 pm. Not long after, an Irish guy, J, arrived and we started chatting. He asked me to join him and his friends at a bar at 8 o’clock. Sure. We then ended up in a very hipster tavern type of place where we drank and so smoke way too much. Later, after a lot of negotiation and persuasion, we managed to get in this cave/grotto where there was a rave. It was insane! After a while, J and I left with a bunch of other people to a huge nightclub, filled with different small rooms, where a lot was going on (jeez!). We left at 3 am, bought some fries for the road, and got back to our room at 3:30. I had to leave my hostel at 6:30 am today (oops), but it was worth it. I won’t go into details, but I had so much fun. I’m not too old for this lifestyle I guess. Ha! I took the metro, managed not to throw up, then the bus, and arrived at the airport, half-dead, yet alive. I feel bad for the passengers who will sit next to me in my 3 (!) flights. I smell bad, I am disgusting and I apologize.
20th May 2016, Montréal (conclusion)
What a beautiful dream this journey was. My Budapest-Frankfurt and Frankfurt-Toronto flights went well (I slept!), but I missed the Toronto-Montreal one. Luckily there’s one every hour, so! In 12 days, I’m leaving for another adventure, a job in West Africa. It’ll be different, but I like to cherish all of my travels. They make me feel brave and great, and I’ll never stop discovering this beautiful planet of ours. Peace!
Bittersweet Travel Memories 