Currently, I am getting lost in Europe. I've had quite the struggle, honestly, with figuring out topics to write about while being abroad, because I only have one thing on my mind: Europe. So, this is my opinion on everything I have seen thus far.
One thing about Europe, that I've noticed, are the bathrooms. You have to pay between 20 and 70 cents if you want to use a public toilet.
London
This was my first stop on my adventure. Flying in, I could see the Tower Bridge and The Eye -- it was incredible. There's something about London that's magical. I'm not quite sure if it's because I'm obsessed with Peter Pan, but the vibe is perfect. I traveled via subway, aka "The Tube," majority of the time. It was my first time underground, and I thought it was the coolest thing ever.
You would think being in London there wouldn't be a language barrier, but in a very little way, there is. Sometimes it was difficult to understand what someone was saying if they had a thick accent and they use different terminology for things. 99% of the time, I was able to function in the city.
Big Ben was incredible. The red telephone booths were cliche, as well as the double decker busses. Harry Potter fans would love this place too because of all the scenes that were filmed there -- including Oxford University, which was incredible.
My favorite place though was Kensington Gardens. I fell in love with it. I could've stayed longer, but it was getting dark.
I wish I could've stayed in London for more than three days, but who knows, maybe I'll move there. Plus, there's the Eurostar train, which takes you to big cities all throughout Eastern Europe.
Paris
If I never have to go back to Paris again, I honestly would not be upset. It was cool to see the Eiffel Tower and eat macaroons like Blair Waldorf, but in the end Paris is just dirty. It has so much history though, and I enjoyed learning about everything. I have my memories, and I'm perfectly content with them.
I ate French Onion soup for almost every meal, and it was amazing. Going to the Eiffel Tower at sunset was the best decision I made while I was there. Homegirl Mona Lisa was cool to see, too.
However, being in Paris did put things into perspective for me. While we were at Notre Dame, we saw the French military with armed guns walking around. I assumed they always were there, but it turns out their was a terrorist threat nearby. We didn't find out until the next day, but it was a very eerie feeling to experience.
Belgium
We were only here for a few hours, just to stop on our way to Amsterdam, but when in Belgium... you must get chocolate and waffles.
Amsterdam
Holy moly, I love this town. It is an adorable city, that's heavily populated, but it's not crowded...if that makes sense.
Everyone rides a bike everywhere, and I rode one all around the city and country side for four hours. I've been having the time of my life here, and no -- it's not because weed is legal. I don't smoke (let me just make that very clear), but it has been interesting to walk by a "coffee shop" and smell the weed. Also, seeing prostitutes in windows in the 'Red Light District' was interesting.
I could see myself living here, honestly. It's surrounded by a canal, where people spend their free time boating on it or in fact living on their boat.
The Anne Frank house was very interesting to see. I cried. My friends cried. Everyone cried. It made me see Anne, and her life, in a whole new way. It has given me so much more motivation now to pursue a career in international affairs or something that can help people in other countries.
I truly could sit here and type forever, but this is pretty much a very small summary of my views on Europe so far. I am loving this continent so much.
Also, staying in hostels is the best choice while in Europe, because you can meet new people from all over the world and it's cheap.
