Thursday, January 15, 2015

Bruges + Amsterdam: The Final Leg Of Our Journey

      Bruges! Finally our chance to get our hands on the famous golden and brown beers. In the realm of beers, there is nothing quite like this full body, aroma filled liquid that goes down smooth and gives a kick. Most Belgium beers average about 8% alcohol which, for me, makes them a great drink to enjoy with a meal while not getting too full. However, that may not be the case since the restaurant served over 400 varieties. Our work was definitely cut out for us.
      The next morning, after we had a Belgian waffle and hot milk with a chocolate ball, we decided to tour the city with its elaborate bell tower and cobblestone carriage rides. The bell tower, with its 336 nauseating spiral wooden and stone steps, left us with a spectacular view of the city and front row seats to the show: an intricate dance of strings, pulleys, and levers that vibrated loose the snow and ice above raining us with a wonderful musical performance. It was a great example of human ingenuity.
     Leaving Bruges and the beer behind, we marveled at the diversity of our next city, Amsterdam. With more canals than Venice, important historical significance as Anne Frank, and museums touting world class artists like Van Gogh, it was a wonder to then have such seedy parts of town where marijuana shops and women prostituting themselves in windows were just a part of the average day.
     To see where Anne Frank lived a majority of her final years in what can only be described as a windowless sardine can, was beyond amazing. The human will to survive amid such terror and the people who risked their own lives to help was such a beautiful experience. The depth of her journal entries and the mature cog wheels of this young mind made it hard to swallow knowing her last few months were in the infamous Auschwitz death camp. Two great quotes from Otto Frank, Anne's father, was "my conclusion is...that most parents don't know really their children", and "For me, it was a revelation. There was revealed a completely different Anne to the child that I had lost. I had no idea of the depths of her thoughts and feelings."
     So, after nearly three weeks of beautiful sights, scrumptious food, and lighthearted people, it was time to say adieu to Europe and head back home to the States. Our grueling flight home would take us from Amsterdam to Iceland, then to Seattle, and finally home to Los Angeles. Thanks for reading and we sincerely hope you have enjoyed the experiences and images.

12665 air miles, totaling 28 hours and 4 minutes







The friendliest swan I've ever met





The Ball of chocolate and hot milk
The Belgium Waffle
The brains of the bell tower that pulled the levers
The intricate workings of the bell tower

The winding stairs of the Bell Tower


The Bell Tower



The canals of Amsterdam


Tuesday, January 13, 2015

Prague

     Prague is a wonderfully preserved European city. It has a lot to offer from great food, local markets, and beautiful landmarks.
     One such food was the insanely tasty Trdelnik: sweet dough wrapped around a buttery wooden pole, rotated over an open flame, cinnamon and sugar continually dusted, then cooked til golden brown. The final product was a crispy cinnamon twist that just about melted in your mouth. Combining that with a drinking hot chocolate, food coma's became very common.
     As we walked the beautiful streets of downtown Prague, we were fortunate enough to come across the Estates Theatre built in 1783. That evening was a performance, so, donning our best clothes, we made like the locals and attended our first opera. This famous opera house once featured Mozart and is the last opera house in the world left standing where he once performed. Symphony music and operatic voices filled the night and soothed our hearts. 
     With street lights and the moon twinkling over the river and the Prague President's castle silhouetted in the background, we finished the night eating an amazing dinner with a world-class view. The best part of it is that our money goes so much further here. A dinner of like location and quality in the US would have cost much, much more. It was a great way to end our time in a beautiful city of rich history and class.

UP NEXT: Belgium beers in Bruges and a tour of Amsterdam.
      


 The Absolute Best Thing In Prague: Cinnamon Twists!








 Is this guy doing bunny ears?


 If at all possible, don't get a parking ticket in Prague


 Fire drinks at the Anonymous Bar

 The Astronomical Clock


 A Prague Boutique Opera House
Inside the Opera House