Aussie Friends and Amsterdam!

For right now, I'm giong to jumpt around chronologically and focus on my friends, the Australians. I just need a little distance from Copenhagen to separate the city from my bad mood that plagued my experience of it... Anyway, I mentioned in one of my first posts that there are so many Australians traveling in Europe. Fortunately, I met a few in Munich who are outstanding people--apart from the fact they make fun of my accent and make me feel like the super American, which I really don't think I am. But they make me feel it.

Munich, like I said before, was phenominal, made even better by the friends I met there. I can even say "friends" because I've managed to meet up with then in other cities--the friendship has lasted longer than 24 hours and more than just one city. Very, very impressive for a trip of this nature.

Adventures with Australians Part 1: Neuschwanstein Castle!!!
I am not ashamed to admit that the only reason I visited Munich was to see Neuschwanstein Castle: the castle built by King Ludwig II before he went crazy and mysteriously died, but maybe better known as the castle Walt Disney used as the model for the castle used in his theme parks and graphic used before his animated films. I managed to rope Brendan, Amy (both Melbourne) and Lily (Sydney) into coming along with me and we have a fantastic 4 hours together in trains and buses and then about 4 hours hiking up to the castle, seeing the sites and having a delicious late lunch of soup. A crew was formed.

Adventures with an Australian Part 2: 9 Hour Berlin Tour...
I may have mentioned this tour in the Berlin post, but it was outside and absolutely freezing. Led by this old man who knows EVERYTHING historically linked about Berlin. I learned a whole lot (probably forgot a whole bunch more), but survived this with Brendan. Evern after I had dealt with loss of functioning hands for about 30 minutes, which was actually incredibly scaring, Brendan helped motivate me to finish the tour because there can't be that much left....Well worth the 12 euro, and he even got some good pictures of me faux-eating a large chocolate sculpture of the an important building in Berlin...

Adventures with an Australian Part 3: Amsterdam with Amy!!!
After each suffering less than desirable traveling and hosteling experiences, Amy and I decided we needed each other in Amsterdam. Together, we managed to see the Van Gogh Museum, stumble upon the red light district and China town, got lost more than is reasonable while actually using a map AND replenished our wardrobes at H&M (hereby refered to as the premiere backpacker's paradise). I could honestly say that without Amy here in Amsterdam, I probably would have caved and booked a flight back to Chicago.

There is something to be said for having someone to share traveling experiences with or question the same things about situations you are put into. Just as you can strain a friendship if you spend too much time with that person (roommate friendships gone awry, for example), being around no one but yourself ALL THE TIME can have a similar effect. So, THANKS SO MUCH AMY!!! for spending Amsterdam with me and keeping me here to fall in love with the canals, winding alleys and feel of Amsterdam. Now who wants to move here with me? For real.