Europe

Did I Make a Mistake? A Trip to Bratislava

/ Emily / 1 Comment

“When you travel, remember that a foreign country is not designed to make you comfortable. It is designed to make its own people comfortable.”
― Clifton Fadiman

I am not even a little ashamed to admit I didn’t tell any of my teachers that I was going to Bratislava. After having my host mom get a little bit paranoid about me traveling last time (and that was with another person), I was not in the mood to have people start worrying about me. So as far as they know…I’m going to Austria and Germany…which is true…but not just Austria and Germany.

Why Bratislava? Because I wanted to ensure I saw some new things, not just new cities, but also new countries.

Ideally I actually wanted to go to Ljubljana in Slovenia. Because it is a bigger city and supposed to be up and coming as a tourist town. However, it put me way off track and I would have had to probably go through Italy. And I discovered last time that Italy on the Eurail pass sucks. Why? Because any train that takes you anywhere you need to go needs a reservation. Which costs more money and takes more time and effort.

So new country that was logically placed for this trip? Slovakia.

As my trip to Slovakia became closer I began to feel more and more nervous. It didn’t help that on my first night two of my roommates were in awe that I would dare to go to a more “eastern” European country by myself. I’ll have to post later on traveling alone as a woman, but that definitely did not put me at ease.

I’d done everything in my power to be prepared. Read a few things on Slovakia. Picked up an ebook of Slovak and other eastern European languages. Booked a hostel that was supposed to be excellent. But no matter how much preparation you do, there’s only so much you can ease anxiety.

I boarded my train and spent most of my ride simply trying to ease my worries. Everything was going to be fine. I was only going for a night. I could just hide in my hostel if need be right?

I arrived and immediately started feeling waves of anxiety as soon as I stepped off the train. The station itself was grubby and disorderly. Not in the way that most train stations are. There was a pile of dirt in the middle of the one of the floors with a few rails around it and no sign of anyone actually doing construction. I walked out the main doors and heard the chatter of a language I didn’t understand a single word of, and certainly couldn’t begin to speak. After having spent so much time in Prague, I’d become used to hearing a little English almost everywhere. Here I felt completely alone.

Feeling like I was maybe in over my head, I immediately decided to head towards my hostel. However, they’d told me to take tram 1. And in front of me I only saw buses. But maybe the hostel had mistranslated?

I didn’t really like the thought of taking the bus, but I would do so if need be. So I walked over and looked at the schedule.

No bus 1 listed. No anything 1 listed. All the numbers were 203 and 46. I looked at a map but again felt hopelessly lost. And most of it was covered in graffiti anyways.

I hesitated to ask directions. Did anyone even speak English here? I had no idea? Maybe. Would they respect me asking them that in English? I was feeling panicked so I headed back to towards the station and had a seat. A homeless man came over to bother me for money as I tried looking on my phone to see if there was any indication where a tram or bus 1 might be. My phone wasn’t giving me clues so I glanced at the hostel directions again. Sure enough it still said tram 1. I was toying with calling them. Or maybe trying to walk.

Just as I was beginning to feel hopeless I looked up and noticed a sign.

A bright yellow icon of what looked to be a tram.

I sprang to my feet and grabbed my bags and rushed towards this beautiful sign that was leading me back towards the station. I hustled onwards, trying to keep my smile in control even as I wanted to laugh and shout for joy.

Sure enough after heading down a long corridor and down some stairs I came to where a line of trams were waiting. One of them had the number one on its sign. I did my best to not start exclaiming my happiness as I stepped onto the transportation and settled into a seat.

I was surprised to see the tram was fairly modern looking. Decently clean too. Actually cleaner than some of the German transport I’d been on. And they even had the screens that play advertisements, showing several for tourist things and including English. I smiled as I began to realize it wasn’t as bad as I’d made it out to be. Clearly this place was trying. Perhaps it wasn’t quite the hellhole my imagination had made it out to be.

I arrived at my stop and walked a short ways to my hostel. I found it with no problems, which was another reason to celebrate. I headed up to the reception and checked in.

I stayed at Hostel Blues, which again had been given really good reviews, even won a Hoscar or two (yes that’s right…hostel awards…such things do exist). And sure enough I soon found out why. The price was really affordable for being right downtown, and it was really quick walking distance to the old town too. On top of that the staff was the friendliest and most helpful of any other hostel staff I have EVER encountered. So incredibly kind and warm.

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The view from my hostel window!

They handed me a brochure on restaurants to try and different local foods I might enjoy, and pointed out various activities including a free walking tour they recommended. I’ve never had a hostel do this before, but when they handed me a map they went over it with me. Most just mark their hostel if anything, but Hostel Blues made a point of showing me what was good to see, asked how many nights I was staying, and told me the easiest ways to get around.

I headed off to the castle first. I’d read on Tripadvisor that it was a reconstruction, so I wasn’t particularly interested in going inside, and didn’t have time anyways if I was going to catch the walking tour. But I knew the views were supposed to be amazing, and I was right! It was a nice hike up the hill and then I enjoyed looking down at the city.

From there I headed down to meet the walking tour. For any looking it’s called Be Free Tours.

My hostel had said something about a statue, and I thought they’d said a man on a horse. But when I arrived at the square I could find no men on horses. And it was a big square too! Not the small little things I was used to. So I wandered up and down for a while trying to find a horse, only to see an orange sign and realizing I must have simply misheard.

Our guide was this small bubbly Slovak woman who was clearly very excited to share her country with us.

As Bratislava is not a really big place, she led us through the main sites, but she also took some time to share with us about Slovak history, culture, language, and food. In a bigger city I might have been annoyed by this, but I felt she showed us all the main points of the city that were close enough together to walk to, and found these additions a good way to balance and make it feel like we were getting our money’s worth. Plus her enthusiasm was simply contagious. No break, which I found unusual for a walking tour, but all in all I recommend it as a good way to get oriented if you are going to Bratislava.

She showed us the old town area, and the statue that’s supposed to bring you luck if you pat his head or babies if you rub his nose (I just patted his head thank you), and some of the other fun sites, before ending near the famous blue church.

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After it was over, I tried to head to a restaurant that both the guide and my hostel had recommended after. But unfortunately there was no menu posted, which didn’t put me at ease with eating there. So I picked up a discount ticket for another place close to my hostel called the Slovak Pub where they were supposed to have a great example of the garlic soup, a local dish that was supposed to be tasty.

So I headed over there. Unfortunately, the only space left to sit was smoking room only. Times I truly dislike Europe, but I was hungry and not in the mood to go find another place, so I sat down and figured it made for a more real pub atmosphere. My clothes smelled for a few days after, but what’s laundry for anyways?

Anyhow, I ordered the garlic soup and some salad (hadn’t been getting enough green veggies that’s for sure) and a local beer.

The garlic soup arrived and I was so glad I hadn’t ordered anything else as a “main” dish because it was HUGE.

Overall it wasn’t my favorite unfortunately. I’m not a big garlic fan if it’s not mixed in with other flavors, and I didn’t feel there was much else to flavor the soup. Very creamy and filling, but just not really to my palate, and there was WAY too much bread to possibly finish.

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After that I headed back to my hostel.

So overall would I recommend a stop in Bratislava? Well I can tell you (since I’m not really writing in real time) that I ran into not one, not two, but THREE groups from my Bratislava walking tour in Budapest (one of which was in my same room at my hostel…what the heck). So this is quite a common thing to do. I honestly think it’s a fun way to get a taste of another culture, and it makes for a very logical stop between Prague and Budapest.

Overall, I enjoyed myself, but probably wouldn’t have stayed a lot longer. Maybe one more day to see a few museums that I missed. So yes, I’d recommend it if you’re looking to add something different between some stops. Would I say you should go to Bratislava all by itself? Probably not worth the money, but it’s up to you! The main thing I’d say is I was more comfortable than I’d expected there. Certainly a little more out of my comfort zone than in “western” Europe, but still much better than I might have thought. So for any with similar anxieties, don’t you worry too much. Bratislava is a nice place, and I’m glad I had a chance to stop by!

There and Back Again: Prague

/ Emily / 1 Comment

“I keep going back as if I’m looking for something I have lost”–Heather Nova

So there were two repeat cities on my trip. However, one was more repetition than the other. I’ve been to Prague twice already.

That’s not to say you can’t enjoy a place you’ve been before. Honestly, I wouldn’t be on this voyage at all if I didn’t love France and it is technically my fifth time in the country…and my fourth time “living” here.

My first time visiting Prague was in 2011 with my high school orchestra. We did a European tour where we played in three cities and had chances to explore and see some of Europe too. I had a walking tour and saw most of the main sites then.

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First time in Prague!

My second time was with a friend during study abroad in 2014. Like this trip, we’d decided to do a two week Eurail journey. Prague was a good stopping point, and since she’d never been there it made sense. We only spent a day there, and since she had never been to Prague we again stopped by most of the main sites. Also apparently there are NO pictures of me. Not sure why. Guess pics or it didn’t happen? So I’ve only been to Prague twice? Well, regardless you’ll just have to trust me.

So third time in Prague? What to do? Well, when I’ve visited Paris again I usually try to go see new things. I had a friend comment that she was sick of going to Paris. She’d already seen the Louvre and the Eiffel Tower and seemed to imply that was all there was to see. I disagree. There are so many museums in the city. So many different historical sites that are off the beaten path. And I’m sure the same goes for a big city like Prague… it’s only a matter of knowing what they are.

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3rd time in Prague. Hair is blocking the “Praha” part of the sign.

I admit I didn’t research as well as I probably should have, so when I arrived in Prague the first thing that sprang to mind was the big museum on Wenceslas Square. The first time I’d been there our guide had pointed it out. Sounded interesting to me.

So I arrived at my hostel early that afternoon. They’d mentioned free walking tours on their website, so I asked at the front desk. “Oh sorry those leave at two.”

I looked at the clock. It was well after two. Oh well, I’d seen most of the points they’d probably cover anyways.

I relaxed in my room for a bit. Oh my goodness, my cheapest hostel but the nicest by far. Looked more like a hotel with bunk beds than a hostel. Anyhow, so if anyone is looking for a good centrally located hostel for not too much money and a free breakfast I invite you to check out Hostel Orange. Perfect location!

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Wenceslas Square!

Anyhow, I set out after a quick break to go check out the National Museum on Wenceslas Square. It’s a big square, so it probably was still two blocks from my hostel crazily enough. I arrived and was confused that I didn’t see any entrances into the building. It looked like they were doing construction, so I didn’t understand why there weren’t signs telling tourists what entrance to use.

I walked a little more and noticed a newer building that had signs about being the National Museum. I perked up and headed towards that, glancing at the prices and pulling out enough Czech crowns before heading in.

I asked the lady for a ticket and she looked at me blandly and handed over two pamphlets.

“You can only visit these special exhibitions.”

I frowned and looked them over. One was on fashion and the other on Noah’s Ark. Perhaps interesting, but not what I’d come to see.

“But I want a ticket for the main museum,” I explained.

“This is all that is open right now,” she said pursing her lips.

I thanked her and turned to the door, feeling utterly confused.

Looked it up later. The museum is closed for renovations other than special exhibitions and has been since 2011. It’s supposed to open in 2018. I couldn’t believe it, but it’s true. So to anyone going to Prague in the next few years. Don’t try to go to this museum.

Although I did look it up and there are other museums that are housing some of the collections right now, so check out the list and see if any match your interests.

Well with that not a possibility,  I walked back into the square trying to think of what I else I knew there was to do in Prague. I knew there was a Museum of Communism, which honestly was a very relevant topic to the city and I figured it might be worth trying.

So off I headed in search of this other museum.

The Museum of Communism was interesting, but it’s not something I’d highly recommend especially if you haven’t seen the main things (IE Old Town, Prague Castle, St. Charle’s Bridge, St. Stephen’s Cathedral, the astronomical clock tower, etc). It’s not really a very modern looking museum. Most of the signage is pretty outdated and it’s mostly just a lot of reading rather than anything more visually interesting. I know I know, I’ve been spoiled by some really nice museums, so when I get to the less fancy ones I’m always a little disappointed.

Again, a very relevant topic, however, so fellow people who’ve been to Prague more than once, yes you might want to check it out.

After that I simply walked around the old town a little. Bought some ice cream and relaxed. It was nice in some ways to be somewhere where I didn’t feel like I had to see everything. So I just enjoyed that no rush feel and let it carry me into the evening.

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I went to find a place to eat in the evening. I walked towards a restaurant my hostel had suggested. They provided me with a list which was awesome! I am in love with hostels that give you detailed information about what to see and do in a city. Nothing better than having some idea of what you might want to do…or eat!

Anyhow, I arrived and for some reason couldn’t find the restaurant. By the time I figured it out, I realized it looked to be more of a bar. Which wasn’t really what I was interested in for the evening. So I turned around and decided to try something else. That’s life traveling. You always have to be willing to be flexible.

Thanks to my list I knew there were several other places that were supposed to be good. Including a place on the Old Town Square itself!

It was called Staroměstská Restaurace. I had been told that if you eat on the terrace it’s twice as expensive. However, having taken out my normal budget in Czech Crowns (about 50-60 euros a night) I had quickly realized I wasn’t going to spend that because everything was much cheaper. So I was willing to sit on the terrace if need be. Only it was full, so I ended up inside. It was still a cute restaurant even without being out on the square. So I settled back and tried to decide what to eat.

The first time I was in Prague my tour group ate at a traditional restaurant one of our nights. I didn’t like the food very much. Which led me to a lifelong assumption that I didn’t like Czech food. The second time I visited Prague I convinced my travel friend that Czech food is awful. And we got Italian instead.

So I was hesitant to try Czech food, but I was trying to be brave and try things again, because I have found before that even if I didn’t like something initially…I might like it trying again.

So I looked over the menu and listed in the chef’s specialties was a “Moravian wedding plate” which sounded huge but also sounded like it would have a variety.

If you hadn’t noticed already, I haven’t been mentioning lunch at all. That’s because most days I haven’t been eating lunch. I usually am stuck on a train during lunch time, meaning I have to pay for more expensive and possibly not as tasty train food (also needing to leave my bags and things unattended at my seat), or wait and try to find something once I arrive, which cuts into my tour time. So I usually have been having some snacks on the train and then eating a lot for dinner. And in places like Germany and the Czech Republic, I can usually get large portions pretty easily and cheaply.

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So I went ahead and ordered it anyways, figuring I’d probably be able to eat most. The plate included a quarter of a duck, bacon dumplings, bread dumplings, potato dumplings, smoked pork, roasted pork, and red and white cabbage.

And I asked the waiter what he recommended to drink and he just pointed at beer, so I ordered one of those too. I said small, so either this is what Czechs think is small, or he misunderstood, but regardless it was decent tasting and paired nicely with the meal.

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Best meal of the trip so far! So incredible tasting. So just a reminder to readers to try things a second time, because sometimes you’ll change your mind. And also remember with food that sometimes a different restaurant can make a big difference!

After that I headed back to my hostel to get a good night’s sleep and tried to think about how to spend the rest of the crowns I’d withdrawn since I didn’t use all of them. For any wondering, Prague is cheap so you don’t need to take out as much money as you might in another big city…or just do a credit card…makes it easier.

Not a very full day, but regardless a good experience. Very glad I went to Prague. Maybe by the time I go back again that museum will finally be open.

And the next day is the real adventure… Bratislava.

A Stop in Dresden Doesn’t Hurt

/ Emily / 1 Comment

“It is good to have an end to journey toward; but it is the journey that matters, in the end.”-Ursula K. Le Guin

Honestly I didn’t have any great desire to go to Dresden. It really just was a logical place to stop between Hamburg and Prague. Although Prague was really just a logical place to rest between Hamburg and Budapest… wow. Essentially you can tell that I never ever want to do a night train again. (to be honest I had a bad experience, but I think if you do it better than I did and pay a little more you can actually have a quite nice time…but I don’t like spending more money and to use the Eurorail… again I’ll get to this in another post).

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So I headed to Dresden out of hopes of not exhausting myself and thinking I’d at least be able to see something new.

I arrived in the afternoon and caught a tram over to the Neustadt where my hostel was located. I stayed at Lollis Homestay, and I might just rave about this hostel a little.

Again, I’ll need another post just on hostels to cover this accurately, but the main thing you should know is that I really enjoyed my time here. And the reason for that was simple. The hostel strove to create a good environment where you could meet people. And it was small enough that it could do so effectively. But I’ll mention more on that later.

After checking in I headed out to go to the Zwinger palace and museums. They are absolutely gorgeous buildings, but inside there are also three collections. A porcelain museum, a fine arts museum, and a museum of scientific instruments.

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I was interested in both the porcelain and art museum. Figured I’d skip the science one. However, the tickets came bundled at a cheaper price, so I gave in and bought one for all three. I started with the porcelain. It was a giant collection, and I enjoyed seeing the variety. I can’t say I really took my time, but I did walk through the whole place and stop to examine some pieces n greater detail. Then from there I moved to the Old Masters art gallery.

I told my mom afterwards that I’d seen the cherubs painting from our local coffee shop. It sounds dumb, but one of my favorite coffee shops back in my hometown in the US had a replica of this painting (or the cherubs I should say) and had them sitting with coffee at a table. It no longer exists sadly as the shop closed down, but I loved that painting as a child. I never actually learned the name of the painting until now. So I present the Sistine Madonna by Raphael. Better known for its cherubs than the madonna of course!

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This was the most famous work in the museum, but there were a few other pretty ones. All in all a nice collection and housed in such a beautiful place! I will mention you can feel free to roam the outside without paying. So for anyone not interested in the museums, you’re fine!

Last I stopped by the scientific instruments museum. I skimmed through it because I wasn’t all that interested in the content and was beginning to find myself zoning staring in display cases anyways.

So I headed out to go explore more of the city. It was beginning to get dark so I walked around downtown a little bit. I didn’t see quite as much as I wanted to, but I don’t know that I really would have wanted another day there since there weren’t a lot of other “major” sites to see. And I felt more self-conscious of my lack of German skills in a place like Dresden as well.

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I picked up a few groceries at an incredibly busy grocery store. Like in France, Germany has a lot of places that are closed on Sundays meaning the few that aren’t are incredibly busy. After eating two warm and fresh rolls on my way out of the store, I headed back to my hostel. They were having a free dinner. Carrot ginger soup and spinach rolls. And it was an awesome experience. I talked with so many other people from a variety of other countries. It was a good chance to connect and eat delicious food.

So I chatted with a girl from Georgia (the country) and a Korean and two ex-British men who were now living on the continent. I was getting sleepy with the filling and warm meal so I couldn’t stay as long as I liked, but  it was a great experience nonetheless. If any are interested in staying in Dresden I really recommend Lollis Homestay. It’s a lovely place! Very eclectic and fun and wonderful to meet people. I’d say its only downside is it’s a little far from the old town. But if you’re into the newer town with all the bars and such it’s a good location. Just depends what you want!

Off to bed before leaving Germany to head for…Prague!

Hello Hamburg!

/ Emily / 1 Comment

So day two of my incredible journey. Well two and three. Might as well just blog about my whole time in Hamburg in one go.

The train ride to Hamburg was much less eventful than the one to Cologne. Just was stuck next to a German boy with bad breath who kept coughing into his hands (why can’t European people use their arms like Americans do?). Oh and I also was squeezed onto the train with a crowd of people all trying to go to some convention in Dusseldorf. So I had to squeeze off because I was too uncomfortable to last for four hours and go hop on another car. It was much less crowded there. Sometimes people just move like sheep and all crowd in a space without paying attention.

Anyhow, once to Hamburg I headed straight to my hostel. Well, after a little bit of confusion over how the metro system works. No need to validate your ticket, which was very strange, and at first it can be hard to tell which line goes which directions, but at the station there is always something that shows the stops following. Once I figured that out it was much easier.

I decided to stay in Jugendherberge Hamburg Auf dem Stintfang. It’s a part of Hostel International, which I’ve enjoyed before, so I figured it should be good. What I wasn’t anticipating was a breathtaking view, pleasant facilities, and a delicious and filling breakfast all very close to the action and just a short walk to a metro stop! I think the only letdown was realizing there wasn’t any wifi. I usually don’t even bother to check because most places have it now a days, but if you need wifi…you’re in trouble in this hostel. Otherwise it is great. I enjoyed dinner there my second day. Very big filling and pretty tasty meal for only eight euros.

Regardless I checked in, used a small bit of time to recharge, before heading off to explore. I thought I’d go see the Miniature Wunderland, which is supposed to be an incredible collection of model trains and other mini figures etc. Anyhow, I took my time heading over to that, snapping pictures and enjoying the sights of the harbor. From what I saw of Hamburg, some of the best of it is just wandering and seeing the beautiful architecture, waterfront, and various sights.

I arrived at Miniature Wunderland, but unfortunately they told me it would be an hour wait to get in, because it’s a super popular attraction. Had I known, I would have booked tickets online, but it was too late by that time. I just said no thanks and walked out. I wasn’t going to spend an hour of my forty-eight (less actually) waiting in a room. No way.

So I set off to go see the Planten un Blomen. It’s a gigantic park in the middle of Hamburg with all kinds of flora. I took far too many pictures there, so I’ll try to only post a few…but it will be difficult. It was absolutely beautiful, and I’m sure it’s even better in spring and summer with the fountains going too!

After that it was getting dark and starting to rain, so I figured I’d head back towards my hostel where I had been recommended a restaurant for dinner.

My hostel had recommended Block Brau for good German food. It was also incredibly close, which was very convenient. I walked over from the metro. No English menu posted. My hostel had to know what they were doing though right? But I noticed unlike a lot of German restaurants that there was a person at a sort of front desk area, making it easy for me to at least ask if they had an English menu. So I went in and asked and said I wanted to eat there by myself.

Now the day before I’d sat at a table awkwardly by myself and had my dinner. I mean, I get a little anxious sometimes about what people think, so it can be uncomfortable eating alone. But I’ve started trying to not care because I’m a young single woman who still wants to enjoy life. And sometimes that just means enjoying a good meal by yourself.

Well…unfortunately in this case it didn’t. It meant they looked around the restaurant and saw nowhere to seat me, just as two German ladies walked up and asked for a table. So they asked them if I could join. I don’t speak German, but I could understand that much. And I stood there feeling pathetic and embarrassed while they talked and then they both smiled at me and motioned me after them.

I embarrassingly admitted I didn’t speak their language and they said they spoke a little English. I apologized and awkwardly sat down at the same table with them. They kindly offered me a seat where I could look out the window and see the river. I thanked them more than once and focused on looking at the English menu. I’m only a little embarrassed to say I ordered a hamburger. Honestly…it was too funny not to. And the restaurant listed it as a specialty. Had a beer too, even though I’m one of those people who doesn’t care much for beer. When in Germany…

Anyhow, I thanked the ladies again when I left, and then went back to my hostel to relax a little for the night, but not before taking a few night harbor pictures.

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The next day I started by enjoying the lovely breakfast my hostel provided. There was meat, cheese, bread, fruit, yogurt, cereal, juice, and coffee all included in the price! So I definitely pigged out. My philosophy on food purchases while traveling is usually to make the most of included breakfast, buy a grocery store lunch, and eat out for dinner. Or sometimes I swap the first two. This trip I’ve been doing a lot of crackers and apples for lunch because I’ve hit awkward times for meals due to train rides. Saving money, but definitely ending up a little hungry at the end. So included breakfast can make a huge difference.

After breakfast I took the metro to the Rathaus, city hall where I was supposed to meet up with my walking tour. When I went to Berlin two years ago a girl in my hostel recommended Sandeman’s walking tour and I did it and LOVED it. Put Berlin on the map as one of my favorite cities for a long while. So I definitely wanted to check out the Hamburg Sandeman New Europe tour.

Definitely a good decision. Our guide was funny and insightful. He led us through the city helping to point out things I’d never have noticed just walking on my own. And relying only on tips, he clearly did his best to make it interesting and to be helpful. So at the end I was able to pay what I wanted to pay for his services. Makes it work very well!

We walked all over, but here are a few pictures of the different things we saw. If I was more into the party scene I would have been interested to see the evening tour covering the Rieperbahn which is a sort of party district…apparently quite famous.

After the three hour tour I headed to the hostel for a break, I was getting chilly and tired. So I recharged and then headed off in search of the International Maritime Museum.

Oh my goodness. I cannot begin to describe what an amazing museum it was. Ten floors of ship models and information on sailing and historical artifacts etc. I told my mother that only the main signs are in English, not each individual artifact, and I spent almost two hours there without being able to read everything. It’s an incredibly in depth museum, well worth the money and time in my opinion. Very nicely laid out and with great visuals. It looked like a great place for kids too.

I spent most of my day there and then headed back to the hostel for a dinner there. Figured I’d save money, be filled up, and not have to worry about getting put at a table with German people. Besides, who could resist the view! And the pumpkin soup they had turned out to be one of the most delicious things I’ve had so far on the trip!

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Walked around a little at night to enjoy the lights. As I’m not a party person and alone to boot, I didn’t go check out any of the scene here in Hamburg, but it was quite active even early on a Saturday night, so if you’re looking for that kind of thing Hamburg is certainly the place to be!

Off to bed in my hostel. Hoping for a good day tomorrow as I head to Dresden!