So I have been home for about 2 weeks now, but I wanted to update the blog with the rest of my adventure because then you can hear about the ones that I forgot to tell! Day 3 in Prague was amazing. We went to the castle and watched the changing of the guards, which was a really long and formal process but really awesome to watch. There was a really beautiful LONG cathedral there that was one of my favorite cathedrals in all of Europe. It also had a lot of beautiful mosiacs on the side. We then went to the Kafka museum which was more like a haunted house. It was very dark and creepy, I believe you were supposed to feel as crazy as he was. We went to dinner at a cute little czech place where they confused our meal because of the language barrier and gave us delicious desserts on the house! We also had a crazy mishap with the laundry at the hostel because they told us it was charged as 1 price for all shirts 1 price for all pants etc. but they charge us per piece and it was going to be 67 euro! Which is more than we paid for the room for 3 nights for 2 people. Anyway, we got it resolved since it was their mistake and paid a cheap price. thank goodness!
Munich: Had some issues getting there we thought we could just catch a train but it wasnt going that day so they said we had to take a bus and make like 10 transfers but we hoped on the wrong bus that was still going to Nurmburg, where we needed to transfer and she said we needed a reservation. However she failed to tell us we could pay for the reservation on the train but when we asked she said of course. So why didnt she mention that in the first place? Anyway we went and got coffee and pastries (per usual) in the city center and then watched the Glokenshpiel go off.It played music and the characters moved around, but it wasnt that exciting. It was cute though.I thought it looked like a more modern Prague. We went to these giant gardens and watched people surf in the man-made wave that was in the river. Too funny. Everyone was playing in the park and we went and had Brautwerst, pretzels, wedge fries. Yum! People were sooo nice in Germany. They would instantly come over whenwe were looking at a map to ask if they could help us to find where we were going, even if they didnt speak English! The next day we took the S-Bahn out to Dachau to see the concentration camp. Because I took a class on the halocaust through film last year I thought it was sooo interesting. It is hard to explain because it is so sad, but I thought it was a really important and eye opening experience. It was kind of what I had expected. We walked through the Iron gates and saw a lot of rocks and white standard buildings. We went into the museum which is giant and read a lot of history about the war etc. A really memorable part was seeing the vistims passports and papers because it made it so real that every single person here wasan ordinary human taken away. We watched a documentary about the war/camp and then walked around, saw the dormatories, the crematoriums and the gas chambers. Very sad. We werent in the best mood, but took a walking tour around Munich and heard the story of the Glockenspiel and about how it is the story of fighting the Austrians. We saw where Hitler commited high treason and Dodgers Ally and the suddle memorial of a gold line for those who would walk down the ally and not salute Hitler. There was an outdoor concert for Munich being a candidate for the 2018 Olympics which was really fun!
Amsterdam: Took a night train to Amsterdam which was a bit of a mess just trying to sleep when so many people kept coming in during the night. I thought the city had beautiful houses and buldings. Many were red brick and really skinny and actually tilted! There were canals but I dont think they were as small and cute as the ones in Venice. The were bikes everywhere!!! Made a stop for some bagels and coffee which was yummmmy. Then took a walking tour, where we had a reallly boring tour guide and it was a loong 3 hours with him. I thought the Red Light District was so sad that those women were standing there basically trying to seduce people on the streets. We saw china town and Dam square the palace, statues. The hostel had really great dinners there and we went out for milkshakes! Day 2 we went to the Anne Frank museum. It was a really long line! It was very interesting, but a bit of a let down because her real diary wasnt there. The rooms and attics were all cool and it was awesome seeing the bookcase because it really did look secret! They had a really cool portion on her sister Margot and how people think she deserves attention too.Lots and lots of walking the rest of the day. Stroopwaffle cookies were the best thing ever. We walked around the square some more and listened to street performers. Amsterdam was probably my least favorite just because I just didnt feel a friendly vibe or a real connection with the city.

Paris!!Favorite city :) I was meeting Kristen there because I had to take a different train but we met at the Eiffel Tower. Of course I thought I could walk to the Eiffel Tower but def not true. I ended up being very late and luckily we still found each other. We spent the whole night there because the lines were so long but it was amazing. We took it all the way to the top! Its sooo high! I just cant explain how beautiful. We then went to dinner at an Indian Rest. and found out quickly that Paris is expensive! We then saw the Eiffel Tower again lit up at night. Amazing. I met a girl Julia the next day at breakfast was was great since Kristen left that day so after I did my walking tour we met up. My walking tour was great though. Saw Notre Dam, bridge with all these faces on it, the bridge from sex and the city, gardens, outside the louve, arch de triumpg, eternal flame. also had some amazing crepes while I was there! I went and explored the Montemar area up on the hill and saw the Moulane Rouge and the Sacre Coure.That night I spent at a hotel that my Aunt and Uncle gave me for graduating it was sooo nice! I had a big bed all to myself and a big shower that wasnt being shared with 10 people. I loved it! The 3rd day I just slept in a little so I could relax after who knows how many days of travel. I went to the Louve and saw the "invisible pyramid" and the inverted one. Inside I saw the Mona Lisa, the Venus de Milo and some cool stuff in the Egyptian wing like mummies.I tried to find a flea market, but failed. I met up with Julia to go shopping and we went into the giant department store that has an amazing celieing that looks like a cathedral. Kept shopping and found a dress for myself :)We went and met Julia's mom and class for dinner. They were so sweet and totally were friendly to me. Only slept for about 4 hours before it was time for the Chunnel in the morning to London.
London: My trip there was exactly what I needed. I was so tired and exhausted and London was just kind of hanging out with my friend from high school Natalie, who lives htere. She greeted me with coffee at the train station, so cute! I got to see her house and he school and her life there :) She is a bartender so I went to her bar and got to watch her work, also explored the neighborhood and saw St. Pauls cathedral I loved all the telephone booths and double decker buses everywhere! We went to the city center the next day and watched the changing of the guards and saw the Olympics count down clock. We had fish n chips in a park in Soho, how very london. I loved the Soho neighborhood, it was very fun and funky. We had coffee and went to Picadilly circus. We was to Big Ben and Westminster Abby. I actually was able to go to a service there. It was absolutely gorgeous, but I had to sit in the back. The choir there was amazingly beautiful. I went back to Nats house and her roomates and I watched Hitcock movies and they were so sweet. The next day we walked along the ricer and saw the London Eye. We walked through the museum Tate modern and saw some cool artwork. I then went to Hyde Park and took a nice nap :) We had some amazing Polish food too yum! My last day there I went to the British museum, I wasnt in the right mood because I wasnt really enjoying it and had been to so many museums. Met Nat and we went to Brick Lane and had some good burgers :) I had to leave at 4 am to catch a night bust to catch a coach to catch my plane to get to Madrid. CRAZY! I made it all though.
Madrid...again: Last day in Europe and I went back to Madrid to get my stuff. It was a long trip there. Of course it cost double what I thought it would cuz I had 2 bags, uhg! But owell. I stayed with my friend Marco, who was also in my program in Madrid. So nice of him to let me stay there, he even had a guest room so it worked out great. We went to the grocery store and I got some yummy foods to take back with me, Tresors of course and ham flavored chips! We wandered around looking for places to eat and then went to an Indian place outside, which was so fun. We just went home after since we were so tired! In the morning we went to my favorite bakery and got a Napolitana de Chocolate, kind of like a chocolate crissonte but better. I couldnt have left Madrid without one :) But the flight back was pretty long 10 hours to Dallas and then 3 from there. I was so ready to go home though. 24 days of travel was incredible but I missed being home and not having to worry about stuff all the time. Final thoughts: Paris was my favorite city, Venice was another top contendor, Germany had the nicest people, I NEED to go back some day, I made some amazing friends and had the most amazing trip/time of my life, so many beautiful cities, famous places, etc. I LOVE EUROPE!