The Country that seems to be on the path to awesomeness

**Please note I was here before the current problems broke out in 2014 between Russia

For more on Ukraine, see the Album about Trip to Chernobyl

What can I say about Ukraine….I was really impressed with this country as I stayed there for a bit with my friends Steve and Lucian.  I was impressed with how beautiful Kiev was which seems to be a common theme in ex Soviet countries.

Our first stop was Kiev in which me and Steve (and later Lucian), stayed with my friends Denice and Larry whom I knew from Venezuela.  They opened up their house to us which was awesome and even book a trip for us to go to Chernobyl (see the link above)

I really liked the city of Kiev which I mentioned.  Walking around there reminded me of a western European city in which it was clean and a lot of monuments everywhere.  We saw so many Orthodox Churches that i was pretty much churched out!!!!  I was also fond of the fact they still kept their Soviet era monuments up as a reminder of their past.  I had a chance to meet up with a guy named Artem who I met from a couch surfing friend, and he took us out for a wild night on the town (hated life the next morning).  We also got a chance to go to a unique outdoor park in which all the weight machines were built out of old pieces of steel (talk about recycling).  Thanks Larry and Denice for a delightful stay…

We then took a flight down to Odessa where we pretty much just chilled out and walked around the city.  We frequented a restaurant bar about five times which was right across the street from our shitty accommodation.  They had an interesting theme there with old books and an interesting looking menu!!!!  I wish I knew the name of it.  We didn’t any nightlife and just stuck to checking out the sites and hanging out at restaurants and bars during the day.  We did a lot of walking day tours to learn about the history of this strategic city.  Our fun experience came on our train ride to Transnistria which was an old Soviet style wooden box car with wooden benches (and no AC)

Jameson, Guinness, Long Nights, and Green Grass

Ireland!!!!  The land of Leprechauns and Green Hills…..when I got here it was much as I expected….AND I LOVED IT.  I have never had such a fun time in one country, moving around so much.  I stayed in three different cities and I must say that I loved Galway the most….

Coming down from Northern Ireland, we first stopped at Giants Causeway which is a site of geological wonder on the coast of Northern Ireland. It is a series of huge hexagonal stacks, created by volcanic activity, stretch far out in to the sea, forming a ‘causeway’ which legend has it was used by the mythical giant Finn McCool!  It is also a UNESCO World Heritage site.

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We then took a lunch stop at the walled city of Derry.  This city was made famous by the U2 song Bloody Sunday which took place here….

We finally arrived in Galway which I absolutely fell in love with!!!!  The center of town is extremely easy to move around in and there is a pub on just about every corner you can think of.  I had fun walking the streets and going to a bar/nightclub that was rather rowdy with stag and hen parties!!!!!  The next morning I paid the price…

Next morning I took a day excursion to the Aran Islands.  This is a traditional Irish village where fishing and wool making are still the main sources of income.  We rented bikes and drove around the island as the cliffs were awe inspiring.  We stayed the night in Galway then took off the next morning…

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As we drove to see the Cliffs of Moher I was quite excited…I have always seen pictures of this and wanted to see it for myself.  Unfortunately I did not get the angle of picture that I wanted because of too many tourists in the way…oh well next time…

Our next stop was the small village of Killarney…this lakeside village is charming in itself and is not so busy at all.  We took a jaunt around a horse carriage to the parks and castle there which was nice.  Of course I had my food in a pub…

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On the way to our last stop stop Dublin, we stopped at the Blarney Stone which is embedded in a castle.  If you kiss this stone, you will have the gift of eloquent speaking(anyone that knows me, knows this does not work.  Then we stopped at Rock of Cashel which was an old castle:

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Finally our last stop was the great city of Dublin….we stayed in a nice hotel and had a beautiful evening of an Irish Folk Festival, then went out to the various pubs, which under mysterious circumstances I lost my pictures.  Next morning I went for a walk around the town and enjoyed the sites of Trinity College, my billionth church, and of course nothing is complete without a stroll to the Guinness Factory and Jameson Factory.  It was somewhat of a long day as you can imagine….

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I do believe I will return here in the future as there is so much to do and so much to see in this great island.  I literally had the time of my life….

A country of contrasting regions

For more on this trip please see Komodo and Flores Islands

I took a trip here for three weeks during the winter break of 2012.  I can honestly say that I loved this country a lot as the food was terrific and so were the people.  I covered a lot of ground in this time as the plane flights were as cheap as peanuts.  My route looked something like this:

After a long plane flight from Cairo, I got into Cairo and then jumped another plane to Yogyakarta.  I had so many things to do in the time I was here, that I had to get a guide.  The guide I used turned out to be an awesome person and I would recommend him to anyone.  His name is Supy and his website can be found here Yogyakarta Tours. He took me on literally more than I wanted to see.  My main attraction was the Borobudr temples but he set me on an itinerary to do just about everything.  We went to so many temples I have forgotten the names of them.  One in particular I felt like the star attraction as everyone wanted to take pictures of me (my ten minutes of fame).  We also went to a massive sulfur pit and went to nearby villages.  Getting dressed up in the local garb to see an old tomb was definitely one of my favorite things to do.  We also went to the fishmarket and handpicked our fish and had a restaurant prepare it for us by the beach……ok as you know pictures speak louder than words…

Next stop was Komodo as you can find it in the above island, but after that was Ubud.  I went with my sister from Komodo to Ubud where I met some friends from work and had a good few days of going to the monkey forest, hanging around town and doing some outdoor activities.  While I didnt get into the crazy parts of Bali, I did enjoy my time there.  I did go for a night to Gili Islands for New Years, but unfortunately I got sick and had to stay in our hut the night.  This was not fun at all….

Next I was off to Surabaya.  Now why the hell would anyone want to go there?  The reason I went there was to go a few hours away and see the famous volcano Mt. Bromo and the sunrise.  As you can see it was beautiful.  I probably stayed in the dodgiest hotel I have ever stayed in as it didn’t even have electricity, and the town was pretty much dead.  But I only slept a few hours as I had to be up early for the sunrise over Bromo…Look at the pretty sunrise below

In Surabaya, I just did the normal tourist stuff like the zoo (didnt post many pics cuz the conditions were deplorable), went to to docks, a cigarette making factory, the war for independence museum, and an old submarine.  I believe the highlight of this was walking through the markets and seeing the people at work.  As many of you know me, I love going to places like this, as this is where you see the real people….it is fascinating…

Last stop was Jakarta.  I did just a few real tourist things like the museum and going to where people meet to see shows etc.  The mosque there is beautiful and rivals any of the best mosques I have ever seen:

The reason why I spent the time I did there was because I wanted to see how the poorer parts of town were.  This is called the slums to many of us.  It was actually an eye opening experience as I went to three different slums and the conditions were horrible.  However what I must mention as even though the conditions were horrible, the people still were very happy and friendly.  It was great to see the looks and the children’s faces as they played with some of my electronics.  It was so eye opening that I went back the next day to see the kids play again and to teach them a class in their 10 by 5 foot school room.  This I believe was one of the best experiences of the trip.  If you are in Jakarta and would like to do this, please visit this website Hidden Jakarta.

Will I return?  hmmmmmm i would bet on it as I still have many places to see on the islands, and incase you didnt know, there are a hell of a lot of islands….

Haggis, Scotch, Highlands, and a Hangover

I really enjoyed my time in Scotland.  I can honestly say that Edinburgh is among my favorite cities because of their relaxed nightlife and the ease it is to get around the city.  I have never pulled so many all nighters in that short span of time, but when your in Scotland, do what the Scottish do.  I had the chance to do just bout everything there was to do there including a day excursion to Loch Ness which was not all it was cracked up to be.  But I have always wanted to visit it….

I was not a huge fan of Glasgow at all, as it was a more quiet city with a different feel to it, however I went to one of the best comedy shows I have ever been too in my life.  There was really not much to do at night (that I found), and I found myself going to bed early—probably for the best as Edinburgh took too much out of me…The whiskey factory was a good touch to a relaxed time at the end of Glasgow though…

Wine+Steak+Cheap Prices=Happy Danny+Quilmes Beer=Happier Danny

It is true what they say!!!!  Argentina probably does have the best wine and steaks in the world.  If they don’t, they rank pretty high up there.  This was one of the better overall trips I took (combined with our time in Uruguay), for our Winter Vacation in Venezuela.  I went with my friends Tyson and Allison who I have done fair amount of traveling with in the past 5 years.  We did have a big road to cover though…..

We started off in Buenos Aires and spent Christmas Day there and met up with some other friends we teach with to go to a Tango Show.  This was pretty fun as we had wine and dinner and even got dragged up on stage…..

We then took a plane down to Bariloche.  The hostel we stayed in was quite cozy and we made some good friends and cooked a lot of different meals in the hostel.  During the days we walked around the town and took in the sights.  We did some day hikes up in the mountains which were very nice.  One of the days we did a canoeing around a big lake and a horseback riding excursion which was great!!!  Bariloche as a city is very backpacker/hippie oriented.  It was a very chilled out town with many good restaurants and billions of outdoor activities to do.  Then we decided to take a bus….

The bus we took really was not that bad as we were going from Bariloche to El Calafate which was about 1400 kilometers (nothing right).  Well when the bus got to windy roads, it went very slow and there is pretty much nothing between Bariloche and El Calafate except open roads and some mountains.  We stopped a bit the first 12 hours, but the last 16 hours I believe we stopped just one time.  28 hours total on a bus is not my idea of fun, but it is all about the experience….

We got to El Calafate and had a blast once we got off the bus, we ate steaks, and drank wine until our hearts were content.  Our main excursion was to the huge glacier (see pictures) which was probably one of the neatest things I have ever seen.  We had a blast going near it and just sucking in the pure beauty of nature.  Another excursion I took was to do a hike in in a national park with a German I met, which was a blast.  The rest of the time, we just hung around and had a good time and relaxed.

Enough for the buses.  We decided the best thing to do would be to get a plane down to Ushuaia which is probably the southern most city in the world.  Even though it was summer there, it was still cold and the hostel we stayed in was heated.  We made our way to do some day hikes in a nearby park, enjoying the open air.  We also took a cruise around the bay to see the sea lion and penguins.  The rest of the time we just chilled out and ate a lot of lobster and drank a lot of wine.  I will definately come back to Ushuaia as one day I will go to Antarctica, and this is a take off point…..Now it was back to Buenos Aires for a few days…

Our flight got in late at night to Buenos Aires and we had a few days to spare.  I met up with a Brazilian friend who I was with in Uruguay and we went walking around the city.  We go to hit Recolecta Cemetery where Evita Peron is buried along with many other places.  We also took a bike ride around the city to see Boca which is made famous by the Soccer team.  At night we went to the most famous steakhouse in Buenos Aires-Cabana Las Lilas.

Great trip like I said and many of the pictures do not do this place justice, but now it is time to head back to the north region!!!!!!

Has a bad rap in the news, but overall an interesting country

Russia is one of the most interesting countries I have run across in my travels.  I have been there twice and the second time I lost my camera (with many non tourist pictures) in a McDonald’s of all places!!!!!  It has a fascinating history, too much vodka, and the food is descent at best, but the sites I saw there made up for everything.

As we entered Russia from Finland by bus, our first stop was the tiny border town of Vyborg….(not that impressive, oh well it gets better)

As we drove down to our first stop St. Petersberg, all of us were in awe of the sites.  The countryside looks exactly like it did 100 years ago, however as we got into the city things quickly changed…

St. Petersburg is what I think about when I think of Russia.  I like this city a lot.  It has art and culture as well as a very long history.  You will not run out of Vodka (just like the rest of Russia) or Champagne.  Matter of fact I loved the hermitage and also going to the Peter and Paul Fortress.  One of the nights we went out to a Russian Folk Dancing show and I had the embarrassment of getting dragged up on stage and making a fool of myself.

Another night we got to go to the Nutcracker Ballet and see a nice ballet show which was amazing!!!!

Oh and dont forget about the deformed baby in the jars in one of the museums…. 

So many things to do, in so little time……Moscow was on the horizon, but first a stop in Novgorod

Novgorod is the fifth biggest city in Russia.  It has a lot of history to it as this is where Ivan the Terrible basically slaughtered a bunch of the residents (supposedly) for going against him.  Taking a nice jaunt around town, you will see a lot of Medieval buildings including Orthodox Churches.  We decided to go into a nightclub while we were there which looked something out of a Mafia movie, but we still had a great time!!!!  On the way we stopped at a McDonalds and also went to see Tchaikovsky’s house that he wrote his symphonies in:

Now it was onto Moscow!!!!  This city like the rest of Russia has fascinated me practically my whole life.  I was about to be fascinated more.  We stayed in a typical Communist style hotel that is a few decades away from being renovated, but when in Russia…….so we checked into the hotel and not five minutes later we were already at the supermarket getting vodka.  I am not just talking a few bottles, I am talking about a shopping cart full of vodka for the hotel!!!!  You can liken this to how much cereal there is in the United States in Wal Mart.  This was like the Wal Mart of Vodka with so many different kids.  So we had some good times drinking.  We did a lot of sightseeing in the day.  Red Square, Lenins Mausoleum (get there early because a line forms), The Kremlin, and of course the subway.  In our hotel I ran into a Russian guy who perhaps had too much to drink and was passed out on the floor face down in the lobby.  His friend and I managed to carry him to a couch where he cops picked him up.  I will let the pictures speak for themselves as this is one of those places that pictures speak louder than words…..

On our way to Belarus we stayed in a dodgy town called Yartsevo.  We stayed at a small hotel with dancers and alcohol and probably prostitutes.  There was the local mafia leader that we had to buy stuff from in our group or the group leader had to pay him off or the next time a bus came by, bad things may happen to it.  The next morning on the way out to Belarus we stopped by Borodino in which there was a famous battle during the Napoleonic Era between Russia and France.  Truly magnificent…..

Archaeology, Beach, Mountains all within a few hours drive of each other?

Coming back from my jaunt of Iceland, I took a flight from Reykjavik to London to Cyprus.  So as you can imagine it was a long day of flying.  When I got into Cyprus I as already three sheets to the wind from drinking with a British guy on the plane.  I met my friend Roulla at the airport and we took about a 45 minute taxi drive to the city of Limassol where we stayed.

I cant tell you how much I enjoyed this island.  Besides the great food and sites, they had beer just about everywhere (the Greek side of course).

The first day we just went out and did some archaeological sites as I was collecting pictures to put in my PPT for work.  At night we went out for dinner and then I ran into a Karaoke bar and then night was pretty much lost after that…..

The next day full headache in hand, we took an excursion up to Troodos mountains.  We went to a very old monastery there which was beautiful yet a bit eerie.  After that we went to a great restaurant where we had some good goat and drinks.  On the way back down to Limassol we stopped at a small town and had some more drinks…..it was a good day!!!!

On the last day here we decided to take an excursion to the west part of the island to do some swimming.  I can tell you that the water was crystal blue here and it was great temperature.  We also had some good food at a restaurant as it is always my pleasure to try and local food put in front of me…..the next day I was off to Malta….

A place where everything can and will happen….

Thailand!!!  Yea all the stories you have heard are true.  Any story you have heard in which you question about Thailand is true.  Anything can and will happen here on any day or night.

This country is absolutely brilliant.  The people are very friendly, and the customer service at restaurant or tour agencies are among the best I have ever dealt with in my life.  The food is totally on another level to most other countries (why do you think there are Thai restaurants popping up faster and sushi restaurants across the world).  You will never run out of sites to see here as there are too many to even count.  The nightlife can be as chilled out or as crazy as you want to make it.  Remember prostitution is rampant here, so be careful who you meet and talk to.  Oh yea and don’t forget to get a massage as they are cheaper than peanuts.  Oh Thailand, I will return to theee

Phuket is an island that has always fascinated me. I am not a hardcore beach person, nor do I like the beach that much, but Phuket was awesome.  Most people will usually stay in Patong Beach which is a pretty wild place that has Muay Thai Fights as well as Ping Pong Shows (just google it).  There is also alot of lady boys as it is culturally acceptable in this Buddhist country.  I would say to shy away from Patong Beach and instead stay at Karon Beach which is a short ride away.  There the beaches are very quiet and you will not be harassed by the hawks selling everything.  You can take many excursions from here.  The one that I did was to the floating Muslim Village as well as James Bond Rock where part of The Man with the Golden Gun was filmed….

Bangkok is like a Las Vegas in Asia (although I cant recall if they had gambling houses).  This place is situated along the Chao Phraya River.  There are many temples to see here and I really didnt get templed or Pagodaed to death here at all.  The city is very easy to walk around and there is always something going on.  For nightlife if you fancy a wild time then you may want to head over to the Red Light District called Soi Cowboy.  I have walked through here in the day but never at night as I know I would get suckered into something stupid.  The plethora of cafe’s and restaurants in this city, give you a feel of having everything to eat, anytime you want.

For day excursions I have done everything from the floating market tour, to a snake show, to the Bridge over River Kwai, to a tiger rehab center!!! You literally have everything at your disposal!!!

Finally my favorite city there that I will most likely retire to-Chiang Mai!!!!  I love this place with a passion.  It is a small city but there is enough to do.  Go out in the mountains, go on trekking trips, go down the river etc.  The food here is also great (like in the rest of Thailand).  We frequented a great Mexican restaurant there called  Loco Elvis.  This has been some of the best Mexican food I have tasted away from home.  Finally the Night Market is really a happening place as you can buy everything and anything here…..

The country that will suck your wallet dry….but well worth it

Sweden is actually a pretty nice and clean country.  But watch out because it will suck your wallet dry if you do not watch it.

Stockholm is a pretty city that is very easy to walk around.  There are many activities to do including the intact Viking ship, as well as all the royal palaces.  When I was here, I stayed a bit out of the city at a campground, so I mad the most of my days when I went in.  The nightlife here can get pretty crazy and expensive.  I believe one night out I spent almost 200 dollars on drinks.  You can find quiet cafe’s to go to also to drink and relax.  Enjoy your time here as it is a great country and people are very friendly.  It seems that I had misplaced my wallet, so i decided to beg for money (didn’t work that good):

If you are planning to hit Helsinki after, a good trip to take would be the over night Silja Line.  However be prepared for a wild night if you wish as they have all you can drink at dinner for two hours and a cozy little nightclub…..Never Again for me!!!!

A country where everyone is your friend (as you have money to spend)

I would not go as far to say that Turkey is my favorite country, but it is there.  Take it that very soon I will be seeing more of the country.  One of those places on my list is Cappadocia.  I have been to Istanbul and Kusadasi mostly.  Remember in Turkey everyone will say they are your friend (a common phrase), and they are nice people but they really want your money….

Kusadasi is always a stop on my Greek Island Cruise and I love this place!!!  It is a small port town with many things to do nearby.  Ephesus in which Ephesians from the Bible was written is just a short ride away.  As is the house where the Virgin Married died (now turned into a small chapel.  In the city of Kusadasi you can shop until your hearts content.  I think I have bought around three leather jackets in my time there!!!!  Remember always bargain so you do not get ripped off!!!

Istanbul is a true magnificent city in itself.  It was formerly known as Byzantium and Constantinople, before the Ottoman Turks took it over in 1453.  There is still elements of these past civilizations here.  It is a huge city with so much stuff to do.  Part of the city lays on the European side and across the Bosporus Strait, the other half lives.  Do not worry about going hungry here as there are food stands everywhere.  The Hagia Sofia is obviously the main tourist attraction here but there are many more things to do. It is a very busy city with a lot of tourists so you may want to start your day early to hit all the major sites……

The land of breathtaking views and fondue

Ahhhhh what can I say about Switzerland!!! Everything you have heard about this country is true. I had the opportunity to visit the country two times. Driving through the country side of the majestic mountains, I realized that this is a place I would love to just stay to get away from life. Even in the summer it is still chilly at some of the highest peaks. Snow Capped mountains are seen in the distance and the misty sky makes them come alive. My favorite city hands down is Lucerne. It is not a big city but there is enough to do while you are there. You can take a stroll around town and sit out on various patios to have beers. You can walk around and see the impressive old swiss house architecture, or you can simply sit down at a restaurant and gorge yourself on Fondue. A good restaurant which I would recommend is Stadtkeller Luzern.

One time I stayed in a small town that was very quaint that I do not even know the name of. The next time I had the pleasure of staying on top of Mt Pilatus. The hotels name was Hotel Pilatus-Kulm. The only way you can reach up to this hotel is by cable car with a day pack and none of your big baggage which made it that much better. Myself and two friends decided to take a nice little walk around the mountain to see the scenery. Then the clouds rolled in and we suddenly found ourselves on the side of the mountain looking down. We finally found our way out and all agreed that this was the closest we had probably been to death. The rest of the night we spent at the nightclub at the hotel as we headed out the next morning onto our next adventure….

The food will take your breathe away

Poland is a country that is doing a good job at recovering from its communist days.  It is also the heritage that my dads side of the family holds, so I grew up on Polish food.  Let me tell you, I was impressed with everything.  Food, History, and Nightlife is a big part of my traveling itinerary and this country had it all.

Krakow is a brilliant city.  Situated around the old town with cobble stone streets, this city defines Poland.  I had the opportunity to go around this city and see different sites such as the old town, Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camps which were extremely sad to go to as so many atrocities have passed through those gates.  The salt mines are worth a look at as they are way underground and they have made shapes of elves and of course Pope John Paul out of salt.  I enjoyed the nightlife here as there were many cave like underground bars which I am always obsessed with.

Warsaw I have been back to a couple of times.  It is a beautiful city (although the weather is always bad there every time I go).  There is major history there as you can find the old town as well as the Warsaw Ghetto Memorial.  Walking along the streets brought me back to a city that is really up and running and have done a great job in transforming their economy. Why not go to listen to a Frederic Chopin classical concert!!! There is also an ice bar there (of all places) that is very hidden.  It is not a big attraction, but that is what I like about it.  Here is a city which you will never run out of things to do…

The most expensive country in the world, but he people make up for it

I would of stayed away from this country as it will empty out your wallet faster than any other place in the world (if you are on USD of course), but a friend from my university named Olav is from and lives here.

The couple of times I have been here, I usually stay around Oslo.  However one time, there was a festival so we ventured out (into some unpronounceable town).  Upon arrival I jumped in with Olav and his friend and we drove to a small town and went to a bar.  Mind you I am still tired from my journey and trying to figure out what is going on, but we went to a small bar on the water and had drinks.  Low and behold Olav turns up missing and I am stuck with one of his friends.  I had no place to stay at all, so I ended up staying with his friend at his brothers families house.  To my delight I woke up the next morning to a wonderful Norwegian breakfast.  It was onto the little town for the festival as we got a hotel and fit four guys in a small room (still dont know how).  We went to the rocks by the sea and I watched people jump off rocks into the water and also we drank a hell load.  We went back to shower then headed to the festival and had a memorable night of pouring 400 dollar bottles of champagne all over each other…

The various times back in Oslo I usually make it a point to go to Frongerparken as it is a relaxed place in the middle of Oslo.  I usually watch people jump around on the naked statues and take pictures.  We always frequent restaurants and bars and usually stay out until very late at night.  We even ran across an American Football game being played there (of all places in Norway).

Would I go back here?  Yea as long as I have a place to stay as I took a thirty minute taxi ride to the airport which cost me 130 US.  Like I said, come loaded if you are going to Norway!!!!

A country I need to explore more of

So my trips to Mexico (which are countless) were usually when I was in high school over to Ciudad Juarez to party, Spring Break (Puerto Penasco), and Cabo San Lucas.  So can I say that I have been to Mexico-yes I have.  Can I say that I have been to the real Mexico?  Unfortunately no I cannot say this, but I plan to one day soon in the future….

Cuidad Juarez which is where we frequented in high school was our home away from home.  Every high school kid in El Paso went here…until it got dangerous after the mid 2000’s.  Everyone remembers Freds Bar or Kentucky Club.  They also remember Reno Rooftop, Superior, La Playa, and others.  This is what we grew up on in my city and what we remember most about our high school years.  Unfortunately I only have one photo from my high school days here.  However many times I have frequented the Mercado during the day to eat, drink, and buy junk that I do not need….

In the spring of 2003, I had the opportunity to go to my first and only spring break to record.  By then I was already 25 years old and I was way to old to be there (along with my friends.  We went to Puerto Penasco (Rocky Point), in Mexico across the Arizona border.  Of course it was crazy drinking and we had the time of our lives, but I wish I would of gone five years earlier….

I had the opportunity to go to Cabo San Lucas with my buddy John and his family on their time share they had at a resort.  Pretty much I can sum up everything we did there in a sentence.  We ate good food, sat on the beach, played volleyball, and partied by night.  Cabo San Lucas has some great world renowned bars like Cabo Wabo and Squid Roe.  As you can tell we did a lot of partying and relaxing as this was my last major trip before I spent my year abroad working in Japan …

When in Rome, do what the Romans do…..Everything!!!

2015 Italy Trip with Students

A great hotel to stay in near Rome that is friendly and beautiful and quiet is Hotel Campannelle.  If any hotel can handle 50 students perfectly with food and service and reception, then it is this hotel!!!!!  The hotel is clean and the people are very friendly.  A bit out of the city center but very quiet and big!!!!

Unfortunately I have not been back here in ten years (going with my students in May).  My earliest memories of traveling are from Italy.  I have never been overly impressed with this country (nor most of Western Europe), but its rich history keeps me coming back for more.

In my opinion, I believe Venice was horribly overrated.  On the way you may want to hit Verona which is made popular by Romeo and Juliet (here you can touch Juliet’s breast for good luck)  I am not sure why tourists from all over flock here, but it is good for a visit. The city is however sinking, so in some years time it may not be there.  I actually like walking around here when it is not crowded in the early morning.  It is worth to go to the shops and see how they blow the glass, which was taken from the early Venetian times.  Of course you must do a Gondola ride (don’t forget your bottle or two of wine as it makes it much more enjoyable).  It is very expensive to stay in the city so I would suggest staying a bit out of the city.  I would plan to visit this place at least once in your life…

Florence of course is the birthplace of the Italian Renaissance that ushered in the new era!!!!  This city is great and easy to walk around.  The Science Museum is great and here you can see many of the Renaissance and Enlightenment thinkers that made it possible for us to know the things that we know today.  There is plenty of places to eat and shop and you may want to go and visit the statue of David in Il Duomo or hit one of the many museums.  The options here are unlimited!!!!  On a day trip I would go over to Pisa (but just for an afternoon)  I believe the only reason I have ever wanted to go here is because I saw it in the Superman movie when I was little.  Makes no sense but it was a dream of mine….

Rome is Rome.  Nice city, but terribly busy and crowded.  If you have seen it once, you do not need to see it anymore in my opinion.  All the landmarks are overrun with tourists and it is hard to get a descent picture unless you go early.  I much prefer to just take my time to walk around in the early morning or sometimes in the evening to take in the sites.  Cafe’s are abundant here and the food is great.  But be prepared for a trillion people to be around you…

The south of Rome is where it starts getting interesting to me.  Pompeii is always a stop I make that I love because obviously I teach history.  This city was buried in time and has many good sites in it.  If you can get to a peaceful quiet place around there without tourists, then you can let your mind wander!!!!

Finally my favorite place in Italy is Sorrento/Isle of Capri.  I SIMPLY LOVE IT HERE!!!  Sorrento is so relaxing as it is situated by the ocean (see pictures) and is one of the places I love to photograph.  Across the bay is the Isle of Capri which is a picturesque and lovely Island.  I have found myself going back here for the sheer logic in that it is peaceful and relaxing.  I think that the pictures will speak louder than words….

This country is the least I have ever slept in my life.  Nightlife is amazing

Upon driving through the countryside in order to get to Budapest (pronounced Budapesht), you would think you are getting into a very sleep country.  In fact the exact opposite is true.

The sites of Budapest are amazing!!!  They have a long history of empire rule as well as communist rule as you can see it in the architecture here.  They also have a touch of Turkish rule as seen in the Turkish baths. A night and dinner cruise down the Danube River will never hurt as you can see the city by night.  You honestly will never be bored in this city or country as there is always stuff to do:

The food and nightlife is bar none in this place.  You can have full meals for next to nothing and when I mean full meals, please see the photos below.  I have never eaten so much in my life and not thrown up!!!!

An outdoor club I frequent every time I go there is Club Rio.  Normally I am not a club person at all, but this club is situated along the Danube River and is outdoors and operates until the wee hours of the morning.  I would definitely go to this bar, as when it closes, you can go across the street to another outdoor nightclub until the sun comes up….

Not as impressive as everyone thinks, but still nice

Two places I have never been impressed with that are major tourist attractions are England and France.  It does not mean that I loathe them, it just means they are crammed with tourists (kinda like me) and prices are sky high.

Nice in the French Riviera is a great place to go and hang out.  It too is crammed with tourists, but not on the level Paris is.  The beach is very rocky, but the water is lovely blue Mediterranean water.  It is from here that you want to take an afternoon trek into near by Monaco….

Arles through snowy towns 2024

Traveling through French Villages in 2024

Bordeaux and Avignon are very small places where you can spend an afternoon.  Of course the reason I went there is because of their brilliant history they have.  Since I am a history teacher, it makes sense for me to go check these out to see the sites..

Finally, Paris is a beautiful city, yet overrun with tourists and marred by high prices everywhere.  I try to stay out of this city as much as possible as I have seen the stuff I want too, including Versailles, Notre Dame Cathedral, the Louvre, and of course Pere Le Chaise Cemetery where Jim Morrison and Oscar Wilde are buried (to me this is reason enough to visit Paris)…..Will I return?  Maybe one day on my fictional honeymoon after I have my fictional wedding…..

Expensive in London, but the rest of the country is lovely…..

I have been in and out of London pretty much every time I go to Europe.  I really have only stayed one night in the city with a friend.  The rest of the times, I have my little sleeping spot at Gatwick Airport behind a big sign or at one of the other airports in the city.  However I was enlightened when I finally saw the rest of the country especially up North.

London is an expensive crowded city but it has its charm.  Its always nice to duck into a pub to have a few pints and some pub food which is my favorite thing to do.  I also like leisurely strolling around and seeing all of the sites that have made it popular in history.  Across from Westminster Abbey, you will sometimes find some people protesting something which is always a welcome site.  Many of the tourist attractions are all in the same area or a short Underground ride away.  Accommodation is always expensive here and this is why I prefer to stay at the Airport.  Charming City though, just not for me…

Taking a bus up north, this is the real England I wanted to see.  With stops in Oxford, York, and Stratford, I fell in love with it.  The cities are big but still with a small town feel to them.  I fell in love with York as everything was in walking distance of the city center.  I went on a haunted ghost tour here which was more comedy than anything.  As we headed up to the Scottish border we had to stop at Hadrian’s Wall, which was built by the Roman Emperor Hadrian.  It was average at best, but being a history teacher, I just had to see it…..

Coming in from Wales before arriving back in London, it was my goal to finally stop at Stonehenge.  Along the way we stopped at the Ancient Roman city of Bath (which obviously has been remodeled from Roman Times).  This was a beautiful small city with many day tours (like me) coming in.  When we finally got to Stonehenge, I was a bit disappointed.  This is a major tourist attraction in the world but was really not that impressive at all.  The highlight of the time there was my light-saber shots that I got!!!!!

Beer and Nightlife works for me!!!!!  Mind as well throw in great historical sites.

Czech Republic is a country I have frequented a few times thanks to the many things there is to do there.  You can live in Prague your whole life and still not eat at every restaurant and go to every bar/nightclub!!!!  Yes it is that intense!!!!

I have always been fascinated with the history of the Czech Republic in that are what I call the European crossroads that have seen many ups and downs in their history.  I would obviously say they are on the up.

I finally made it after missing it a year earlier to Cesky Krumlov!!!!!  This medieval city is beautiful and lovely.  It is great to walk around and just take in the sites.  It would be a place you just want to relax and spend a few nights when you want to get away from a busy bustling city.  It is probably one of the more picturesque cities I have ever been too in case you cannot tell from the photos below:

Prague?  Definitely  one of the craziest and best cities I have ever been too in my life.  If you want to sleep, then this city is not for you at all.  I have walked up and down the streets of this city many times and still to this day I am impressed with the architecture and the food.  I have even found myself frequenting the same sites over and over again.  Ill let the pictures speak for themselves:

Finally the nightlife here is among the best in the world in my opinion.  Definitely the best nightclub I have been too in my life is located here, and it is called the Cross Club. This club is out of the city center but it is absolutely mental.  You can stay outside in the open air or you can head downstairs through a maze of corridors and go to what looks like a used car parts bar.  If you do not believe me then the pictures speak for themselves.  At each tables they have moving crankshafts just spinning.  There is pieces of machinery just about everywhere which makes for an interesting experience:

Now for the other interesting nightlife spots….everyone who is anyone that goes to Prague is going to go to the Kalovy Lazne Club.  This nightclub is 5 stories of pure craziness.  They have a theme for each story.  You pick what you like and you can dance or chill the night away.  When you have had enough of this place I would recommend going around the corner to the Zlaty Strom Club .  In the day time, it looks like there is a hotel on top, as well as a restaurant, but after hours it changes.  They open up which looks like dungeon doors on the floor and you suddenly find yourself in a maze of caves.  You can enjoy your time here in the crowded bar area watching people dance or you can grab a massive mojito or sex on the beach in a bucket and share it with your friends in one of the lounge areas in the cave dwellings.  After looking at the pictures, you will find out why Prague is a crazy city….

Are you ready for a party and Island hopping?

Trying to find the right word to sum up Croatia is extremely difficult.  In fact, many adjectives come to mind when thinking of this ex Yugoslav country.  But Ill try anyway…..this place is mental!!!!  From my first time to last time here, I never had so much fun and met so many people.  Literally if you are bored here, then you have a serious problem…And I am sure to go back for the nth time……

Lets start with Split, literally the city that never sleeps.  This is a starting off point for many week long Croatian Cruise Lines as well as a city to chill out and party in.  The place I usually stay is a friends hostel called Old Town Split.  This hostel is in the heart of the old town and is also a very quiet place with a wonderful common area.  If you are going to Split, save yourself the hassle and just stay here.

Ok back to Split.  There is so much to do here from restaurants, to cafe’s, to bars, and nightclubs.  You don’t have to worry about going alone as you will surely meet people.  One in particular that I always frequent is a bar/nightclub by the beach called Hemingway Bar Split.  However if you do not want to walk all that way, you can always find little bars in the old city and there is plenty to do….

I went on two Croatian Cruises on the same exact boat on back to back summers.  All I can say is thank Zeus that I survived.  You will literally get no sleep whatsoever, stay out partying all night, and laying out all day.  I would love to go into great detail about the islands but each of them have their own little charm.  Here is the route I took:

The hot spot places where you are sure to not get any sleep are:

Hvar- Hula Hula , Carpe Diem, Kiva Bar

Korcula- Massimo Cocktail Bar and Dos Locos

Dubrovnik- Latino Club Fuego and Cafe Buza (literally a hole in the back city wall)

Makarshka- Everyone and Anyone goes to the Cave Bar

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Pag is another island I have gone to on a couple of occasions that has some nice places of interest.  Usually I am trying to recover from the cruise when I go here so I usually just chill out.  There are plenty of nightclubs on the main street facing the water and they prices are pretty reasonable….

Finally, even though Dubrovnik is listed in the section above, I believe it deserves a section of itself.  I have been here four times and counting, and never get sick of it.  It has a relaxing feel to it with the Latino Club Fuego and also other small bars.  Cafe Buza is literally one of the neatest places I have been and as you are walking around the old town in the back, you will find a hole in the wall, walk through there and you are on rocks with drinks overlooking the water…..