Our time in Chile started in Santiago, the capital city. We stayed at a little apartment within walking distance of downtown and wasted no time booking a walking city tour with a local guide, Carlos, through Airbnb experiences. This tour included, according to Carlos, “The Most Haunted Church in Santiago” – Iglesia San Agustín. This church, just like much of Santiago, has been rebuilt over the centuries due to earthquakes.
Iglesia San Agustín, Santiago, Chile (Convento Nuestra Señora de Gracia, Agustinos)
Our walking tour also took us to La Moneda Palace (the Presidential Palace), and our guide explained a little about the coup that occurred in 1973 and the difficult period that followed. We then walked to the main square, Plaza de Armas, where you will find the Cathedral of Santiago. We continued to the Lastarria neighbourhood, with plenty of artisan market stalls and restaurants. It was here that Carlos explained that “marijuana is not legal but also not illegal”.
La Moneda Palace, Santiago, Chile
Statue at Plaza de Armas, Santiago
Cathedral of Santiago
Interior of the Cathedral of Santiago
Seen walking through the old financial district of Santiago
After our tour and a bite to eat, we walked to the funicular and cable car – another popular tourist attraction. The walk through the suburb of Bellavista was great, with exceptional street art.
While based in Santiago, we booked a day trip to Maipo Canyon. Cajón del Maipo is a gorge in central Chile, southeast of Santiago. En route, our guide, Jamie, had us walk through a pitch-black tunnel – not sure of the tunnel’s purpose, but Jamie seemed to enjoy the fact that the ‘scary experience would freak us out’.
Our ‘scary’ tunnel
We took way too many photos at the El Yeso Reservoir, which is Santiago’s main water source, and we were also thrilled briefly to spot an Andean Condor. The mountains around the reservoir made this a special spot. Our tour included a picnic with wine, and we stopped at the Chocolate House for ice cream on the way back.
Lauren and Schalk at El Yeso Reservoir
Maipo Canyon, Chile
El Yeso Reservoir Chile
El Yeso Reservoir Chile
El Yeso Reservoir Chile
Loo with a view, El Yeso Reservoir
Our group having a picnic on our Maipo Canyon excursion
The Chocolate House
We returned to Santiago several times as many flights and buses depart from the capital. The city has a rich history, but we were ready to explore the rest of Chile.
It turns out paradise has hills and lots of graffiti. The bohemian city of Valparaíso was our second destination in Chile, and we visited due to recommendations from others. We can see why they were raving about the place.
The historic centre in the Concepcion and Alegre districts is where we spent our time. The cobbled roads wind up and down through very colourful streets covered in murals and graffiti. There is something interesting to see all along the way, with many viewpoints to look down the hill and across the harbour. You also don’t have to go far to find delicious food, although we were pretty budget conscious, and that meant just looking at the menu of some of the top restaurants.
Art and creativity are not just celebrated here, they are completely unavoidable. It can be a little overwhelming to decide where to go and what to photograph but just take your time and stroll around. The stacked houses with corrugated iron exteriors cover the hills. A South African from the Cape Flats we bumped into said it was the most luxurious ’Plakker Kamp’ (Squatter Camp) she had ever seen.
The colourful historic hills of Valparaíso
Here is a little video showing some of the fantastic street art:
Valparaíso is a coastal city about 1.5hrs drive from Santiago and grew due to it being the main port for those en route around South America prior to the construction of the Panama Canal. Many migrants from all over the world settled here, including early immigrants from England, Scotland, France and Germany, helping to establish a wonderful mix of culture and arts.
The city’s proximity to the Peru–Chile Trench makes it vulnerable to earthquakes, and in 1906 an earthquake destroyed much of the city and killed over 3,000 people. The last major earthquake in February 2010 measured 8.8 on the Richter scale, and according to Wikipedia, an April 2017 earthquake measured 6.9. Tremors occur frequently, and I think I did feel one during one night of our stay, but Schalk thinks I just woke myself up snoring.
We stayed in a great hostel with a hippy vibe, and it that was ideal. Although we did opt for the private bathroom, the shower was absolutely tiny and impossible to wash your feet unless you were willing to get tangled in the shower curtain. The hostel had many common areas, terraces and a shared kitchen with a labelling system, so everyone knew whose food was whose. But the only thing we kept in the fridge was wine – I made sure to label that!
We had a lovely room with high ceilings and double doors that opened onto the micro balcony with a view of the street below. One afternoon I heard music and stepped onto the balcony to discover a neighbour playing the saxophone. Another neighbour across the street also stepped out, and together we enjoyed the concert. Around the corner and up some colourful stairs was our regular cafe for morning cappuccinos, and just a few steps down the street, we were able to get the best gourmet empanadas.
In 2003, Valparaíso was declared a World Heritage Site. It has many historical funiculars to get its residents and visitors up and down the hills, but we decided to rather meander from our hill towards Bellavista to visit Chilli’s famous poet, Pablo Neruda’s home (now the La Sebastiana museum).
The museum was not open when we got there, so while we waited, we decided to treat ourselves at one of the more upmarket restaurants, Oda Pacifico, which overlooks the harbour, where enjoyed fabulous wine and a light meal of potatoes with a delicious mushroom sauce.
So overall, and as it is with many other visitors to this city, Valparaiso would definitely be one we would also recommend.
(Originally posted 5 December 2016) Wow, we have made 305 days of travelling, and it has gone by in a flash!
Here are some of the highlights of the last 100 days (see what we had done so far after 200 days by clicking here):
visited Machu Picchu (Peru)
cruised the Caribbean
drank giant cocktails in Miami
visited the NASA Space Centre in Houston
partied in Bourbon Street in New Orleans
toured the Smithsonian Museums in Washington
met amazing people and animals when we did some pet sitting in Big Bear (California) and Charlotte (North Carolina)
gazed at El Capitan in Yosemite and Giant Redwoods in Muir Woods
saw the mist roll in over San Francisco Bay
We adjusted well to the highish altitude of Big Bear (2058m), but after two weeks in Cusco (3399m) we still huffed and puffed. Here are some of the latest stats from our 305 days:
Including sleeping buses and forget the Walmart people – you should see the Greyhound people!
Train trips
9
Felt like much more – still not fully recovered from our train trips in India, but the trains in Europe are great, and the train trip to Machu Picchu was lovely.
Boat trips
6
From one cruise on a ship with 22 floors and capacity for 5000 passengers to using a tiny homemade boat to get to Nam Cat Island.
Other transport used
Private car, rental car, taxis, tuk-tuks, canoes, paddle-skis, Uber, Lyft, safari jeeps and saw plenty by foot.
The end of this amazing trip is in sight, with our flights to Australia booked for January 2017 and having started the job hunt. But we are first planning on meeting up with some family and friends in Bali to celebrate the arrival of the New Year and the start of our next adventure in Australia.
Machu Picchu, Peru (Dec 2016)
Just an average day in Cusco, Peru (Dec 2016)
NASA Space Centre, Houston, USA (Oct 2016)
Washington, USA (Oct 2016)
Yosemite, USA (Sept 2016)
Pet-sitting Butterscotch, Charlotte, USA (Sept 2016)
(Originally posted 8 November 2016) As we’re travelling through the USA we can’t help but think of the movies and TV series that we have watched over the years based in various locations in the States. Forrest Gump was very excited to be ‘in our nation’s capital’ on his visit to Washington D.C., so we smiled when we walked past the Washington Monument and along the reflection pool. This was the very spot where the movie’s characters, Jenny and Forrest found each other again.
The scenes from the films we remember did not actually occur, but it sometimes feels like a real memory when you walk around the corner and see an iconic, yet familiar structure that appeared in West Wing or House of Cards. Walking the National Mall in Washington certainly felt like this a little more so than other places we have visited in the US.
Lincoln Memorial, Washington DC, USA
Most visitors and locals consider Washington D.C. to be an expensive city. The accommodation and restaurants certainly help to create this impression, but as a tourist, this city can be a great place to visit on a budget. The Smithsonian museums, all the memorials on the National Mall and a tour of the Capitol do not cost a cent. Once you have figured out how to catch the subway to the Smithsonian station, you can keep yourself busy for a few days seeing all the sights for free, all within walking distance.
The National Mall includes a green belt covering 3km (1.9 miles) with a number of monuments throughout. On the one end sits the majestic Capitol, the home of the Senate and House of Representatives. The free tour from the visitor’s centre not only included viewing the building’s wonderful architecture and artwork but also helps you to understand the purpose of the two houses and the way in which the government operates.
Interior of the Capitol, Washington DC, USA
The Capitol, Washington DC, USA
From there you walk past various Smithsonian museums to get to the massive obelisk that is Washington Monument. Surrounded by a ring of stars and stripes flags, this monument is better viewed from a little distance – close-up simply gives you a sore neck.
Washington Monument, Washington DC, USA
Just past the monument, you can see the White House to your right as you make your way to the World War II memorial. This memorial is a beautiful tribute to those who served and is well worth the visit.
World War II Memorial, Washington DC, USA
You walk past the reflection pool when making your way to the Lincoln Memorial, where you stare up at this incredible marble statesman. Off to one side is the Korean War Veterans Memorial and on the opposite side is the Vietnam War Veterans Memorial. Although all these memorials are striking, they do leave you feeling sad at what now seems like a senseless loss of life.
Korean War Veterans Memorial, Washington DC, USA
We only visited three of the Smithsonian Museums during our time in Washington and each one was awesome. The Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum brought out your inner child, and you quickly become completely engrossed in the exhibits. The displays show everything from our ability to first fly and then travel through space. You also see how our knowledge of space developed, and get to view the latest photographs from the Hubble telescope.
Inside the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum, Washington DC, USA
Our visit to the National Gallery of Art first took us on a journey of the great American artists. Crossing the hall, we were wowed by the likes of work by Monet, Van Gough, Degas, Toulouse-Lautrec and Renoir. Our only regret in visiting this museum was that we arrived too late in the day and did not have enough time to see everything before it closed.
Monet’s Woman with Parasol (Madame Monet and her son, 1875), National Gallery of Art, Washington DC, USA
We also visited the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History. The highlights here included the IMAX movie on the National Parks, the Butterfly Pavilion where we had hundreds of live butterflies all around us, and the Nature’s Best Photography Awards exhibit.
We were able to take lovely close-up photos of all the butterflies at the Butterfly Pavilion, Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, Washington DC, USA
With all these free attractions and exhibits, Washington is a wonderful city to visit, even if you are on a tight budget for food and accommodation. One of our tips for good affordable food would be to walk along Maryland Avenue (just outside the L’Enfant Plaza subway station) and select from multiple gourmet offerings available from a row of food trucks.
Once you have your belly full and have had something cool to drink, you are all set to visit more museums, monuments and memorials.
(Originally posted 1 November 2016) Lauren’s sister, Nikki, was travelling for work, we were all hoping she would be able to meet up with us 160 days into our round-the-world trip. When we first suggested meeting in Lagos, some explaining was necessary as we were not going to spend four days in Nigeria’s largest city, but rather in the idyllic beach town of Lagos in Portugal’s Algarve region.
After meeting in Lisbon, the bus trip to Lagos was the perfect start to this part of the trip. Schalk could read his book while us sisters, could spend three hours of non-stop talking to catch up on news. Arriving at our destination, we battled to hail a taxi and persuade him to take us to our Airbnb – he insisted it was close enough to walk and we insisted our bags were too cumbersome to drag for a few blocks. Although the apartment complex was close, finding the correct apartment took some time and driving up and down the road on a particularly warm summer’s day – the air-conditioned taxi was the right choice!
The centre of town is picturesque with cobbled streets lined with eateries and bars. There is so much to choose from it makes it difficult to decide where to stop. Performers keep you entertained in the main square where gigantic chilled beers are served to keep you hydrated. Meandering through the streets and alleys buying souvenirs and leather products, eating and drinking, and even getting a haircut kept us entertained.
Shopping up a storm in Lagos, Portugal
Just another lazy afternoon in Lagos, Portugal
Another day was spent walking to the beach where we found a shady spot at a café to watch all the bronzed Portuguese bathers in amongst the severely sunburnt Brits. This helped remind us to keep applying that sunscreen in between sipping decadent cocktails, beers and sangria. By the time we headed home, it was a good thing we were walking and not operating heavy machinery.
Beach-goers in Lagos Portugal
A must-do day trip from Lagos is sailing to Ponta da Piedade, where you see the colourful grottos along the shoreline. The water has washed away parts of the sandstone cliffs creating dramatic sculptures in the crags. We received a large lunch on the boat, enjoying their speciality cocktails and overall having a lovely day out.
Ponta da Piedade, Lagos, Portugal
Sisters chilling on our sailing boat
When you are in Lagos, be sure to visit the fish market. Although the market itself is great, the tiled décor and restaurant at the top with a view of the marina is an excellent place to spend an afternoon.
Entrance to the fish market in Lagos, Portugal
If we had known how lovely Lagos was going to be, we would have stayed longer, but unfortunately, before we knew it we were back on a bus to Lisbon to spend some time in the city.
Before this trip, I would not have chosen Portugal as a beach destination. Circumstances and timing made us consider the area and ultimately take a chance and book. Overall, all three of us would agree that the contrasting combination of a lovely historic cobbled street town, dotted with ultra-sophisticated restaurants and stores, right next to the golden sandy beach covered in bikini-clad bathers, makes Lagos a great holiday destination.
Featured image: Lauren and Nikki sightseeing in Lagos, Portugal
(Originally posted 18 October 2016) “Each book was a world unto itself, and in it I took refuge.” ― Alberto Manguel, A History of Reading.
Reading is a wonderful way of escaping to new places. Therefore, if you cannot travel, reading is the next best thing. But to be able to do both, now that is my kind of utopia.
In the first country we visited on our round-the-world trip, we were sitting in a little backpacker hostel reception on Cat Ba Island in Vietnam waiting for a bus to Sapa. To pass the time, I (Lauren) picked up a dog-eared copy of a Vietnam travel guide and scanned through the content. I came across a book that it recommended called “Catfish and Mandala” written by Andrew X. Pham where he gives his account of going back to Vietnam to cycle across the country many years after leaving as a child refugee.
Getting hold of this book seemed like a great idea. Not only would I be travelling through the country myself, but I could broaden my experience by also seeing it through someone else’s eyes. So that is how I started selecting a book for each country that was either about or based in the nation we were visiting on our travels.
A few weeks later, waiting in a bus station in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, on the verge of a really ‘ugly’ cry I read the final pages of “In the Shadow of the Banyan” by Vaddey Ratner. Having days before visited the Killing Fields and seen the horrific evidence of Pol Pot’s genocide, I finished this very touching novel. It was a wonderful story of survival and this book certainly also left its mark.
After that, I needed something lighter but also wanted to get a better understanding of Buddhism as we were surrounded by it in Siem Reap, Cambodia. An amusing tale written from the perspective of a very self-centered feline, “The Dalai Lama’s Cat” by David Michie was my next choice.
We would be heading to India soon, and Schalk was reading “Shantaram” by Gregory David Roberts – a book that had inspired me to include India on our itinerary. So I also needed something based in India, and after a google search settled on “The God of Small Things” by Arundhati Roy. I don’t normally read books like this and prefer easier reads with a quick pace. This book was a real struggle for me and on several occasions, I wanted to give up. But I had never ever read such beautifully crafted words. In the end, the toil was well worth it.
We have read other novels in between, some more entertaining than others. For Spain, I selected “The Shadow of the Wind” by Carlos Ruiz Zafon set in Barcelona after the civil war. In southern Italy, one of our gracious hosts lent me a copy of “Stolen Figs: And Other Adventures in Calabria” by Marc Rotella. The author has a wonderful way of describing the tastes and hospitality you are bound to experience in this area, and our visit was richer for it.
A non-fiction book that both of us read in between our other books was “A History of the World” by Andrew Marr. This fascinating, yet easy-to-follow book, was relevant for many of our destinations because wherever you are travelling, you are bound to come across an interesting fact about those that have been here before. You can just imagine what it was like to go to Rome after reading so much about the great empire prior to our arrival.
By selecting books relevant to our travels, I read authors and genres I might not usually have selected. We knew our travelling would open our minds, but we are delighted by the multiplier effect these extraordinary books have had on us.
(Originally posted 15 October 2016) Not quite following the lyrics to the Otis Redding song “I left my home in Georgia, Headed for the Frisco Bay,” we came to Frisco from Big Bear, California, where we had been pet-sitting for two weeks. Our first view of this iconic northern California city was the lights of downtown as our bus crossed the Bay Bridge at night (only to realise later that we would need to go back over the bay to get to our accommodation a few minutes later).
We stayed in a suburb in Alameda, on the Alameda Island south of Oakland and east of San Francisco across the San Francisco Bay. Although you either needed to catch a bus or a take a costly taxi drive to get into the city, we enjoyed staying in this part of the greater Bay area. The suburb had a lovely relaxed pace, with only a few chain stores scattered in between the many owner-managed unique shops, restaurants, and pubs.
A good day in this area could involve walking along the lovely Victorian-style houses, to get to your favourite restaurant serving up their gourmet interpretation of a burger with craft beers on tap. To finish the day, you catch a film with buttered popcorn at the grandiose Alameda Theatre, originally built in 1932.
Quaint Victorian Style houses in Alameda, California
Alameda Theatre, Alameda, California, USA
But let’s face it, you can’t spend all your time in the burbs because as a first-time visitor to San Francisco there are a couple of city highlights you cannot miss. So since we would only be in the area for a week, we were quick to book our city tour, visit to Muir Woods, Alcatraz cruise and day trip to Yosemite National Park.
A city tour is always an excellent option to begin your stay in any city as it helps orientate you before deciding how the rest of your limited time will be spent. We started in the Fisherman’s Wharf area and went straight to the Golden Gate Bridge. We so enjoyed taking photos here that we were the last to make it back to our bus and almost needed to buy a round of drinks to make up for our tardiness. The rest of the morning, as we upped our pace not to keep anyone waiting again, we got to see all the highlights of the city as well as drive up to Twin Peaks for a lovely view of San Francisco.
Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco, USA
That afternoon we headed to the scenic Muir Woods where we were able to see some magnificent giant redwoods and walk around the park. We stopped briefly at Sausalito on our way back, the place that not only inspired but was also where the song “Sittin’ On the Dock of the Bay” was written.
Muir Woods, California, USA
On another day, after catching a local bus into the city and great old-style trams to Pier 33, we cruised to Alcatraz. A great surprise is the view of the golden gate bridge on your way to The Rock. The audio tour of the prison was fascinating and helped us understand what it was like here when it was still operational and housed some notorious criminals, among them Al Capone.
View of Golden Gate Bridge on the cruise to Alcatraz
Cell in Alcatraz Prison
The Rock (Alcatraz Prison)
Before our week was done, we did a full-day tour to Yosemite National Park – that deserves a whole blog post on its own which we will hopefully write soon. The park was lovely and is probably worth staying overnight, but even if you have to spend six hours in a bus to get there and back, it is a worthwhile visit.
Yosemite National Park, California, USA
Yosemite National Park, California, USA
We could easily have stayed for much longer and absolutely loved everything about our visit to the greater Bay area. But as travellers on a mission with more places to visit, we needed to move on and can only leave you with these lyrics:
Sittin’ here resting my bones And this loneliness won’t leave me alone, listen Two thousand miles I roam Just to make this dock my home, now
I’m just gon’ sit at the dock of a bay Watchin’ the tide roll away, ooh Sittin’ on the dock of the bay Wastin’ time
(Originally posted 5 October 2016) Even though it was mid-summer, the air conditioning on our overnight Greyhound bus trip from New York to Chicago was so cold that my husband bought two blankets at a gas station in the middle of the night to keep us warm. I had a bad head cold and was reasonably doped up, so at least I managed to sleep away most of the 18-hour trip. Nevertheless, we were excited to be visiting a US city that so many people had raved about.
We had arranged to stay in Irving Park in Chicago with a local who rents out a room on Airbnb. Although the area is quite a distance from downtown, we were within walking distance from the blue metro line into the city. Also, a great little Irish pub was on the way back from the metro station – a perfect stop for a drink or entertaining quiz night after seeing the sights in the city.
With a highly entertaining metro trip into the city, comprising an older guy in a camo kilt and a strange young woman dressed in an outfit that your granny would have crocheted for your dolls and placed over a net petticoat, we were wondering what other great people-watching we were going to be able to do once we hit downtown.
Jay Pritzker Pavilion, Millennium Park, Chicago
A day in the city involved a fascinating walk to Millennium Park, with an awesome stop at the beautiful Chicago Cultural Centre (the centre is free!). The building itself is lovely to look at and meander around, with plenty of art installations to view. As it was a gorgeously sunny Sunday, the park was filled with both local and foreign visitors taking a look at the Millennium Monument, the Jay Pritzker Pavilion and Cloud Gate – that gigantic shiny silver bean you have seen in many films or TV shows featuring Chicago.
Chicago Cultural Centre
Chicago Cultural Centre
Our walk took us via Monroe harbour, to Buckingham Fountain in Grant Park. We were even entertained by a group of regular Joes who were obviously not professional dancers, participating in a friend’s cause to make a dance video. Their enthusiasm far overshadowed their lack of talent keeping us entertained as we walked around the area.
Dance group rehearsing in from of Buckingham Fountain in Grant Park, Chicago, USA
One of the biggest advantages of travelling for an extended time is that you get to see what it is like to live like a local. This involves what some would see as mundane activities like doing laundry at the local laundromat, but for us is a complete novelty. While your laundry gets done, your hands get stinky from pumping all those grungy quarters into the machines. The laundromat is also a prime spot for watching people, seeing arguing families and loners making loud and very personal phone calls, all while the owner’s two pugs scrutinise each visitor.
We were determined to try the neighbourhood Golden Nugget Waffle House for an authentic local experience. This was very disappointing to our Airbnb host who had made recommendations for some fabulous award-winning eateries in Chicago. However, bottomless soda or coffee, soup, Chicken Parmigiana, and cake of the day – all for just about $10 – was a like meal made in heaven for us.
On another day, we took our recently acquired blankets and our Kindles and headed to the park. Although we kept moving into the shade, we both managed to get royally sunburnt and two pulsing red beacons headed home on the subway – that day we were the entertainment for the people-watchers.
Lauren’s very sunburnt face matches her shirt
Overall, we thoroughly enjoyed our stay in Chicago, and although we can’t be sure we would say the same in winter, it is a great city to be in in the middle of summer – just remember your sunscreen.
Feature image: Schalk in front of Cloud Gate, Millennium Park, Chicago, USA
(Originally posted 5 September 2016) Our accommodation in Barcelona was a little out-of-the-way, but we couldn’t have been happier with our decision when we visited at the end of June 2016. Barcelona accommodation in the summer is on the expensive side. After trawling many of our go-to online booking websites, we came across something that would work within our budget and booked it immediately.
Residencia Àgora BCN is a university student residence that rents out the rooms during the summer vacation. A colossal breakfast buffet was thrown in with the price, and they were so well organised and efficient that we quickly made ourselves at home.
Catering for students, like the food and drinks available in the vending machines, the residence was priced just right for budget travellers. Our room was comfortable with air-conditioning, two single beds, two desks and a private bathroom – everything we could possibly need for our stay in Barcelona.
Although the campus is a little out of the downtown area, the metro stop was within walking distance. After a quick subway ride and on a beautiful summer’s day, we wandered the streets of Barcelona. A walk down Passeig de Gràcia was an incredible way to start the day with the lovely architecture, including the fascinating and other-worldly masterpieces by Antoni Gaudí.
The sights to be seen by walking down Passeig de Gràcia
We then walked to the old gothic area, but after spending a month in Italy, what church could impress us? The Basílica de Santa Maria del Pi was no ordinary place of worship. The architecture and the interior are breathtaking. We quickly filled up our camera’s memory card, leaving us with the predicament of deciding which of the stunning pics we needed to keep.
Basílica de Santa Maria del Pi
Meandering around the city, with a quick stop at a bar that claimed to serve the world’s best Mojito, we were able to walk to the waterfront enjoying the gorgeous weather and great city vibe.
The Barcelona Marina
Another good thing about our time in Barcelona was the opportunity to meet up with old friends who were also in town. A night out trying local beers and tapas in good company topped off a great visit to this beautiful city.
Barcelona has plenty to offer in terms of art and design, architecture, nightlife, and excellent food and drinks. Staying in a student residence saved us a lot of money, and the metro is also an easy and affordable way to get around. So there is no excuse not to find a way to fit Barcelona into your itinerary anytime you are in Europe.
(Originally posted on 25 August 2016) We were pretty tired when we arrived in Munich on a warm June morning, having travelled on an overnight bus from Rome. The regimental bus drivers wanted everything to run smoothly and were rather strict and abrupt with the passengers. Reflecting on this, they made us all feel like we were back in school on a trip chaperoned by those kinds of teachers who hated the profession.
Sitting in our designated seats, to our surprise, we heard Afrikaans spoken by the girl next to us while she was on the phone. Apparently, we were the first fellow South Africans she had bumped into after a year-long exchange programme.
As grumpy as you are after trying to sleep on a bus, we woke to see beautiful green but snow-capped mountains. The scenery from northern Italy, through Austria and into Germany is just lovely, with each new view, as you dozily open your eyes, taking your breath away.
Views from our bus trip from Rome to Munich
We said our goodbyes to our new young friend, who still had a way to go on the bus, and made our way to the train station in central Munich. As our Airbnb accommodation would only be available that evening, the train station would serve as our base to grab breakfast and store our bags while we jumped on a hop-on-hop-off bus trip around the city.
Schalk, Emma and Lauren after travelling
on an overnight bus from Rome to Munich
Everything works like clockwork. There are machines to give you the change you need for your coin-operated luggage storage container. The tourist office is right outside the train station with free maps to help you on your way, and the tours start across the road.
This efficiency is a great thing for the sleep-deprived. The hop-on-hop-off tour was our attempt to keep busy for the day doing something interesting but requiring minimal effort in our semi-comatose state.
Two zombies travelled the sightseeing bus listening to the guide talk about the interesting places we passed but not having the energy to stop anywhere but Starbucks for a caffeine fix. Tomorrow would be just fine to go exploring again (after sleeping in a real bed) because we had had the foresight to purchase a 48hr bus pass.
The following day when we were well-rested and got back on tour, we realised that the city was lovely. It has many museums, lovely gardens, and beautiful architecture ranging from palaces to churches and the city hall. It is very neat and has dozens of beer gardens splashed all around Munich. Schalk thought he had found heaven – expensive but still thirst-quenching heaven!
Munich, Germany
Rathaus mit Glockenspiel, Munich, Germany
To see a little more of Bavaria, we booked a tour to Neuschwanstein Castle. Our guide for the day, seeing that our surname was Van Der Merwe, quickly switched to Afrikaans and started chatting to us about our visit and how he had come to live in Germany from South Africa.
The train ride allows you to see more of the countryside with the rolling green hills. After a few bus rides, you see the fairy-tale Neuschwanstein Castle, built by the “mad” king, Ludwig II of Bavaria. The castle and the surrounding area are so picturesque that taking good photos becomes easy.
Neuschwanstein Castle, Bavaria, Germany
We tried the popular street food called curry worst in the little village below the castle. We noticed a grumpy old man on a scooter that practically ran over a group of tourists when parking outside the café. With all eyes on him, he stomped to the back of the restaurant, mumbling to himself and searching for plastic bottles in the garbage. Just as abruptly as he arrived, he was off again, only to be spotted at the lake’s garbage bins a few hours later doing the same thing. We noticed him on his quest yet again in the village as our bus passed him by and finally on the platform while waiting for our train to go home. This guy took his recycling seriously and did not let anyone get in his way!
We enjoyed our visit to this part of Germany and will need to come back someday to explore other areas (and perhaps to bump into some more South Africans). The polite people and the immaculate city make it hard to believe that Munich was the birthplace and is seen as the capital of the Nazi Party. The efficiency might make sense, but who could be that angry with so much beer around?
Drinking some of Munich’s finest beer
Featured image: Nymphenburg Palace, Munich, Germany
