A Little Taste of the Spanish Countryside

My second week in Barcelona I would describe as being more touristy than the first, as we decided to visit the famous sites around the city.


After a nice first evening with Betta and the rest of the family, we woke up the following morning and took the train to the Sagrada Familia, Gaudi's most famous building.


As we were forced to wait in the line for the good part of an hour, it gave us a good chance to admire all angles of the exterior of this unusual building. As Gaudi died before he was able to finish his masterpiece, even today construction is underway to finish the remainder of the structure.


The iconic design of this cathedral is also evident on the inside. The most fascinating parts of the internal structure are the staircases that stretch from the floor to the roof and have an incredible, uneven, spiral shape.


Over the following few days we also visited Park Guell, the monstrous park with great views over the whole of Barcelona, and The Fundacion Joan Miro, a great museum filled with hundreds of Miro's works from his early painting to his most recent works.


Having had a great few days being a tourist in Barcelona, we were again ready to explore another side of Spain. Hans proposed to us a fabulous idea to head to the Spanish coast for an overnight road trip in his little camper van, to which we excitedly accepted.


Early on Saturday morning we all jumped in the van and together the three of us drove to Figueres. After a few hours driving and an interesting encounter with a hitchhiker who spoke a language somewhere between French, Italian and Spanish, we arrived in the traditional Spanish town. After a coffee and boccadillo at a local cafe we went to the Salvador Dali museum. For a few hours we admired the unusual and, in some cases, rather strange works produced by this interesting man.


From Figueres we drove another hour or so to a little coastal town called Cadaques. From the top of the hill there was an unobstructed view of the town and it's iconic houses all painted white with fabulous blue doors... it gave me the feeling I was somewhere in The Greek Islands.


We had a brisk walk around the bay (as by this stage of the afternoon it was freezing) which was quite deserted due to the fact that summer had ended months ago and as a result it was only the locals who remained in the village. We had some tapas and a drink at one of the cafes nested on the edge of the town with spectacular views across the bay before we got back in the car and drove to L'Escala.


That evening we had a fantastic long walk from L'Escala to a few nearby seaside towns as the sun disappeared and Nina and Hans reminisced about their many holidays at this part of the Spanish coast. After Hans picked up some of 'Spain's best anchovies' from a little old lady in her shop in one of the back lanes, we headed back to L'Escala to have some dinner. On the way we observed kids making a bonfire and together we then shared a little bundle of roasted chestnuts that a local man was cooking on a fire on the beach.


When I felt like I was almost going to burst from the amount of food we'd had, we parked the van next to the fantastic Hotel Empuries and 'set up camp'.


It was a magical way to wake up the following morning... With a view of the sun rising over the ocean which was only about 20 steps away from the door of the van. Hans went for a swim and we then had a croissant and coffee on the balcony of the hotel.


Satisfied with breakfast we got back in the van and drove to the Far de San Sebastian... A beautiful old lighthouse positioned on the corner of a cliff with fantastic views of the entire coastline. Hans pointed out to us where he had been sailing only a week or so prior to that moment when he was undertaking his sailing course. We had our second coffee at the cafe that was part of an old hotel that sat on the top of the hill.


Having been invited to lunch by Hans' friend and his daughter, we bought some wine and biscuits but before arriving at their house had a quick stopover in La Fosca. Nina was very excited to see the beach where she had spent so many long summers and how it hadn't changed since.


We had a delicious lunch in the garden of Nani's house before we headed back to Barcelona as Hans needed to be back at the boat to continue working. Nina and I were also due back as we were leaving in two days and still had to pack our bags and organise everything.


We left Hans and it was a sad departure for the two of them as it would be at least eight months until they would meet again.


Later that night we met up with Simone and Bevan and went out for some drinks at a cosy little bar that was promoting '2 for 1' for girls all evening. After a few cocktails we then migrated to one of the clubs nearby and had a great few hours dancing before leaving to sit outside with the two boys we had befriended. At about 6am as the rain had decided to ruin the beautiful morning we went back to Betta's and subsequently to bed.


Monday morning was set aside for preparations for Turkey and organising my packages to send home, however after that we were free to enjoy the final few hours in the city. We met Simone and Riley at a local vegan joint where we ate a delicious vegan burger and shared some delightful cakes- one carrot, one pistachio and raspberry and the last chocolate and coffee.


Simone then took us on a shopping adventure as she was hunting down a coat so she could cope with the cold temperatures we were about to face in Turkey. Funnily enough we returned to the burger place for dinner where I had a delicious seitan burger.


As we were not tired, and since Nina and I had long ago decided to have an 'all- nighter' at least once on a trip, we felt that our final evening in Barcelona presented the perfect opportunity. As we had to leave for the airport at 5am and had got into bed at 7am the previous morning, it didn't seem like such a big deal. In fact the hours passed very quickly as we did much the same as the previous night, and as we said goodbye to Simone knowing we would meet up in Istanbul later that day we got the bus to the airport.


It was a strange feeling leaving Spain as it really felt like a big chunk of our trip had ended, however I couldn't wait to see what adventures we would now have in Turkey.

A Home Away From Home

There was a chilling wind blowing as we walked the half hour from the train station to our hostel in the Spanish coastal town of San Sebastian. I was overwhelmed with happiness as we neared closer to the town centre and was able to take in the strong, salty smell of the ocean. Despite the chill outside we were welcomed with immediate warmth when we arrived on the doorstep of Urban House, and both Nina and I took an instant liking to the place.

Initially we had thought that two days would be sufficient in San Sebastian for our much anticipated ocean swim and to explore the city, however each day we pushed back our departure date leaving only when our eurail pass was to expire. It wasn't only the place itself that seemed attractive, but also the coincidental appearance of Riley, who we knew from primary school, and Simone, who we recognized from our drama days together. 


Our first day in San Seb the clouds had clearly set in for the day and consequently the beach didn't seem overly appealing so instead we explored all four corners of the surrounding town. In the afternoon we had a peaceful few hours on the beach with our iPod and books. As Simone and Riley had already been in San Seb for two weeks, they knew the great places to go out in the evenings. Atari, an atmospheric little bar in the heart of the old town was where we we taken the first evening and, not surprisingly, each one after that. It didn't matter what time of the day or which day of the week, Atari was famous for being busy and maintaining a very traditional Basque feel.

We stood at the bar and had our first taste of the iconic Basque cider and pintxos (similar to tapas but generally with a bread base). It was also our first taste of the most amazing patatas bravas, which we then found out were only temporarily available as they are apparently very un-Basque. A truly devastating discovery for all of us.

From Atari we made our way to Zabibo, the local club similar to Atari in that it never ceases to have a crowd. After some drinks and dancing in the club we made our way home in the early evening and drifted into a deep sleep to the sound of Marcus playing his guitar.

The following few days we passed with similar movements... Simone, Riley, Nina, Bevan and whoever else we had befriended the night before made our way to the beach to lie in the sun and watch the surfers in the waves. We were often confronted by some fairly graphic scenes as the Spanish locals proudly strutted around the beach stark naked. Ryan, Pete, Kez and the rest of us then went to the edge of the pier to the sunset spot. It was a place frequented by all of the locals who discovered that it was the perfect place to watch the sun set over the ocean without the obstruction of the mountain.

After some communication via the old facey, I was shocked to discover that I was also staying in the same hostel as Bel, another good friend from home. I couldn't hold back the excitement to see another familiar face, and one whom I hadn't seen for almost a year. As she had arrived late the previous evening we made plans to meet for some dinner that night at Atari. We had an exciting few hours together where Nina and I heard all about their relaxing time on the coast of Portugal and we likewise shared our travels to date. As they were leaving the following day for the amazing coastal town of Biarritz, we said goodbye, however it would be not long before I would be meeting up again with Bel in the UK.

The next night we went on a pub crawl organized by Bevan and Kez (and therefore very low key), however as it was a Tuesday many of the pubs we visited were empty apart from the ten or so hostel guests.

Glad to mix up our nightly routine, the next night we took a taxi to the Cider House fifteen minutes from town where for €28 euros one can have a four course meal and unlimited cider. It was quite an interesting place with over twenty vats of different cider varieties, however to be honest I struggled to taste the difference between many of them. To finish the night, Marcus, Simone, Riley, Bevan, Eloise and I sat in the cute little park just below the hostel and made plans for Simone to join us on our trip to Turkey. The following day we were on the bus to Bilbao to check out the Guggenheim. An edifice of architectural wonder, it has an incredibly unique design as well as an impressive selection of art in the collection.  I was fascinated not so much by the temporary exhibitions on display at the Museum but by some of the permanent installations on the ground floor.

The hours passed quickly in the Guggenheim and as the afternoon continued we caught the tram into the old district to hunt down some food. We settled for a salad and some patatas bravas, and were predictably disappointed by the quality compared to those at Atari that melt in the mouth.

A brilliant plan was devised the next afternoon to embark on a pintxos crawl through the streets of San Sebastian. At 9pm we set out to out first destination, Bardi Berri. We were all smiling as we indulged in their house special, the mushroom risotto, however it was the cheese risotto that we sampled after that was the most tasteful.Our next stop was aesthetically a rather sad looking bar. However by this stage of our trip Nina and I had learnt not to judge a place by it's exterior, and not surprisingly it was in this rundown place that we had some exquisite garlic mushrooms and patatas bravas. 


Having overestimated the capacity of our stomachs, by this stage we were feeling rather full and so made a joint decision to head to Atari for some cider to aid with digestion and some more pintxos for anyone who still had an appetite. Christine, our new friend from America tried the beef cheek, a specialty of Atari that Nina and I had tried on our first night. 
The night ended much the same, everyone migrated to Zabibo before returning to the hostel.


Our second last day in San Sebastian was spent on the beach, and to treat ourselves further we had lunch out at a local vegan restaurant which Simone (being the vegan) had discovered. We arrived at 2:30pm to be told that they were booked out for the entire afternoon (well until 3:30 which was when the kitchen closed).Overcome with devastation we sat silently for a moment... After a minute or so we devised a great plan; to sit out on the front step in the hope that at some stage over the next hour or so a table would become available.

For the next hour we sat nervously waiting, analysing each group that entered or exited from the tiny cafe.

At 3:20 after each taking turns lingering in front of the door making sure we were seen by the waitresses we were finally given a table. The food was well worth the wait, I was treated to a delicious pumpkin and pistachio soup followed by an interesting vegan lasagna. Feeling rather full we then returned to the beach in Spanish style for a little siesta.That evening a big group of Danish hitchhikers arrived. After meeting them we learnt that they had just finished a hitchhiking race from their home (in Denmark) to San Sebastian, an incredible 1500km.We were both feeling rather glum in the morning as our fate was sealed and we had to leave, however we did enjoy a beautiful swim in the rough ocean and a few hours of sunbaking as a farewell. We also took the funicular up to the top of the hill for a great view of the two iconic bays and the wider ocean. For the lucky people who can afford it, there is a hotel that sits on the highest point of the mountain on the edge of a childrens theme park that must have some pretty special views.From the train window I watched the sun set over the Basque country of which we had so quickly warmed to, all the while accepting I'd have to return on my next trip to Spain.

Twenty Four Hours in Torino

We could not help but let out a huge sigh of relief when we stepped off the train in Torino after a disastrous train ride from Budapest.

Every hour for the entire length of the journey we were shaken awake by different border security guards and customs officials who scrutinized our passports and interrogated us with questions.

On the other hand I was glad as the train did not travel directly to Torino and we had to change trains in Venice, allowing me to have a quick glimpse of floating city and have a wander through the all too familiar streets beside the Grand Canal, and to five Nina a quick five minute tour.

Moments after arriving at the station we were met by Martina whom I had come to visit. We accompanied her to the familiar apartment where I enjoyed a lovely reunion with the rest of the Pistis'... Matteo, Rosella, Stefano, Nonna and the other relatives.

That evening Nina was able to finally experience the beautiful Italian cooking which I had spoken about so often. Rosella prepared a delicious range of dishes including salads, vegetables and a number of meats and cheeses.

The following day we slept into the late hours of the morning due to the lack of sleep the previous night. After organising our train to Barcelona we shared lunch with the family and then had a little outing to pick up Martina from school and have a delicious gelato.

Unfortunately my stay in Torino was short lived due to restrictive train timetables. However it was enough time to catch up with the latest happenings of the family and to share my travel experiences which they were very interested to know about. 

Later that evening we were farewelled with another gourmet dinner followed by some pastries from a local patisserie. We made our way to the station and I said goodbye to Martina, both promising each other to meet again somewhere in the near future.

Barcelona

Barcelona is a very 'happening' and energy-filled city. It professes a very cool and welcoming atmosphere, but at the same time has an interesting grunge feel to it.

I loved my first week in Barcelona as I was able to live as more of a local rather than a tourist with Nina, Maria and Hans, ex-residents of the city. 


For months Nina had been talking about the 'musts' in Barcelona, however for this first week we took things rather slowly and enjoyed exploring El Born, the groovy little area in which her apartment is situated. On Sunday morning the sun was shining and we headed down to the Port for a stroll alongside the ocean. Nina was having a great time recalling memories of when she once roller-skated along the area as we watched hundreds of others do the same, making the most of the flat surface. We then wandered through Barcelonetta, a grunge area just next to the sea where the streets are tiny, graffiti is sprayed like wallpaper on every garage door and above the road hangs the washing.

After the two weeks on the Mediterranean with deserted beaches and clean water, the sight of the beach in Barcelona was horrible. As it is shaped like a bay, the water doesn't circulate with the wider ocean and is dirty and littered with rubbish, as well as being filled with masses of people. I remember Nina telling me that she had only swum once in the beach in the seven years she lived in the city as they preferred to go elsewhere in Summer to avoid the tourists.

After watching a set of French fighter jets perform tricks over the bay we made our way to a little restaurant nearby where we enjoyed a nice Sunday lunch. The late afternoon had already approached and so we headed back to Nina's great little apartment in the heart of El Born in typical Spanish style for a little siesta. That evening after farewelling Hans who was returning to the boat, I could not contain my excitement as Nina and I went to meet Maddy who was coming to stay for a few nights. It was an emotional reunion as we hadn't seen each other for eight months. Back at the apartment Maria prepared a delicious carrot soup and some salad and for the remainder of the evening we sat on the great little balcony and shared our stories of our travelling so far. 


The next morning Maddy and I went for a stroll through the city, continuing to catch up on the past six months of travel. I listened as she told me about her great few months in London, her many couch-surfing adventures and most recently of her hilarious time on the chestnut farm in the French countryside. At 2pm that same day we went to Accademia, a delicious Spanish restaurant in Barcelona that is a favourite of Maria's. Mum had been taken to the restaurant with Maria and had enjoyed it so much that she generously offered to shout us all a lunch. We had a delicious meal of cauliflower with a white sauce as an entree, and for the main course lamb with a pear and mushroom sauce. 


Over a nice glass of red wine we heard the history of Maria's family in the small square outside the restaurant, all the while soaking up the great Spanish feel of the place. That evening after a nice meal again prepared by Maria, Nina Maddy and I went out for a cocktail in an old Spanish bar just off La Rambla. We woke early the next morning and headed to the Picasso Museum, hoping to beat the crowds. Maddy and I had a great look through the gallery for a few hours. My favorite work was a fantastic etching of a typical Spanish couple looking very serious. The detail was incredible and the expressions of the man and woman were captured perfectly. It was a sad farewell as we saw Maddy off that evening, however knowing we had lasted eight months apart meant we could easily last three. She was almost at the end of her travels and was excited to get home and start her new life in Sydney, where I am excited to join her in a few months time. 


The following day we had a nice mother-daughter shopping outing as we tried to hunt down some winter woolies for Maria who was heading to Switzerland for a few months. We were without success in that department, however we did hunt down some other bargains as Nina bought some nice clothes and a gorgeous pair of Spanish shoes. We almost had a heart attack when we realised it was 4:30pm and we hadn't eaten anything except for some fruit in the morning, however lunch at 5pm would not seem unusual to Spaniards. A few hours later Maria was off to a friend's dinner and so Nina and I went to Kasparo, the Spanish tapas bar which has been in the Triado family for many years. We had a huge jug of Sangria to share as well as some delicious tapas. Nina reminisced on the many memories she had of herself as a little girl running into the bar kitchen in the afternoons demanding food and being treated like the little blonde princess 'm sure she was!

We left Barcelona the following day and boarded the train to San Sebastian. As we rode away from the city I was already looking forward to the next time I would be back in Barcelona in a few weeks time.

Budapest

Nina and I could not contain our excitement as we stumbled through the door of Bubble Hostel in Budapest only to find a warm atmosphere and cosy lounge room filled with hostel guests awaiting us.


After feeling like outsiders in our hostel in Vienna (which was characterised by the divisiveness of a hotel) we were overjoyed that we had found staff eager to build a relationship between themselves and the guests.


As backpackers, the small things quickly become objects of appreciation... Such as a kitchen, a couch to crash on and complimentary tea and coffee, all of which we found in the first few minutes at Bubble. Olga is also the incredibly friendly owner who manages, astonishingly, to go out every night of the week to ensure her guests get the most out of Budapest's nightlife.


After a few hours of relaxing in the hostel and the preparation of a much awaited home-cooked meal, we joined the others and went to one of the local bars for a drink. After an hour or so sitting in the courtyard among many other Hungarians, we then migrated to one of the famous ruin bars, 'Instant'.


The ruin bars are known for their extraordinary interior and slightly rundown appearance, all the while maintaining a very cool ambience.


In the early hours of that morning after some dancing and chatting with the others we returned to the hostel and went to sleep.


The following morning while much of the city remained closed (the typical European way on a Sunday) we ventured over to the Buda side of the river and climbed up the Gellert hill. At the top we sat for a few hours with Allen, an American whom we had befriended in the shade of the statue.


From the bottom of the hill we walked along the river on the Buda side and enjoyed the view back across to Pest where we were staying.


We stopped for a delicious pea soup with pea confi and ricotta-filled ravioli (pity you weren't there, mum!) in a great deli/restaurant called Baldaszti's that was filled with couples and families alike enjoying their Sunday outing.


Extremely satisfied we then climbed the hill up to the Palace where we were treated to a breathtaking view of Pest and the fascinating architecture of the Parliament House which has a prime position on the bank of the river. We then had a wander through the buildings to a little square which we were later informed is in fact the setting in Katy Perry's video for Firework!


After our brush with fame we wandered back along the river, this time on the Pest side, with a great view back towards Buda.


That evening we went to another of the ruin bars, Szimpla. This bar was much more interesting as we were able to enjoy our drinks amongst many others in a big courtyard, one of the many unusual rooms in the club. It also houses rooms with dancefloors and one with a movie screening, all the while waitresses wander around offering raw carrots for anyone who is hungry but doesn't feel like greasy food.


We finished the evening by visiting another hostel in the city to participate in karaoke night. However by the time we'd arrived most of the guests had left and those remaining had exhausted their singing ability.


The following day we spent in Budapest's famous baths. Filled with an interesting mix of overweight men in skimpy swimmers and tourists eager to wade off their hangovers, it is certainly a great spot for observing the crowds.


It was a nice way to get a sense of the Hungarian culture however the temperature in the main outdoor pools was far too warm for someone like me who likes a refreshing bite to the water.


In the evening we dined at a local eatery (one that had been highly recommended by all of the other people in the hostel) known as the Hummus Bar. Like it's name suggests, the bar serves dishes filled with variations of homemade hummus. Nina and I both got a delicious falafel pocket and glass of homemade lemonade for an affordable price, and it was delicious!


Back at the hostel everyone was ready to go out to Morrison's, the best place to mingle with locals and tourists on a Monday night.


We spent many hours dancing in the club and requesting our favourite songs with Lola, Brigid and Freya, three Canberra girls whom we had befriended at the Bubble.


On Tuesday, feeling like we hadn't seen much of the city, we went for a walk around the streets of Pest and ventured to the Grand Market. Much like many of the other markets we had visited in Europe, it was filled with fresh fruit and vegetables and other produce. For lunch we returned to the hummus bar for another delicious falafel pocket before joining the other girls for a free walking tour.


We were taken to many of the sites we had previously visited but this time accompanied with some interesting facts. Hungarians are famous for a number of inventions, the only ones that remain in my mind however are the underground train, the ballpoint pen and the rubix cube.


In the afternoon we had a coffee at an old coffee house at the top of Buda and then had a peaceful walk with our iPod back along the river while the sun set.


The agenda for our final evening in Budapest was to attend the weekly dress up party at a local club. Each week the hostel staff take their guests to the club to mingle with the others and check out the other costumes.
We (Nina, Brigid, Freya, Lola and I) had a fun evening with fifteen very posh Englishmen from Cambridge as well as many others for some karaoke and 'Beer Pong'.


The next day it was time to farewell Budapest and board another dreaded overnight train to Torino. Budapest was quite an interesting city, it's most unique feature being the grungy feel that could be felt when exploring the city. Our stay in the city was so enjoyable due to the helpfulness and friendliness of Olga and Sam, the cool and very relaxed stuff at the Bubble.

Prague

Our first views of Praha as the train neared the station were overshadowed by the dark sky and light rain which had been falling since we had left Cologne. We were pleasantly surprised as we were welcomed into Sir Toby's hostel with a free barbecue for all guests. As it was late and we hadn't had time to visit any shops to collect dinner items we joined the other people out in the courtyard for dinner.


After dumping our bags we went to the bar in the hostel and had a lovely few glasses of wine in the good company of two English lads- Barney and Ed. After a few drinks we decided at their suggestion to check out the five level club in the centre of Praha.


The rain had stopped as we took the tram into the city and we were overwhelmed with the beauty of the buildings and Charles' Bride which was decorated with lights.


We had an enjoyable night in the club, although there was some fairly shocking music being played (especially on the '80s' level), accompanied by some pretty shocking dancers. We made our way back to the hostel with the boys at around 6am and immediately collapsed into bed.


The following morning we had a delicious buffet breakfast and celebrated the fact that the sun was again shining.


We dressed and made our way to the beautiful castle that sits atop a hill on the outskirts of the city. The view from the top of the hill is spectacular... As one is able to admire Praha's iconic, medieval-style buildings.


We wandered through the the castle and then back down the hill to the Charles Bridge where we fought amongst tourists for a good snapshot of the river.


We had a Caesar salad for a late lunch in a great little cafe on the edge of the Jewish quarters. To watch the sunset for the evening we headed to the old section of town where the atmosphere was buzzing.


That evening we joined many others on a pub crawl of the city, and had a great conversation at one of the bars with a woman who was working for Amnesty International in the area of Women's Rights. We were very inquisitive and likewise jealous of her position and so bombarded her with questions for over an hour.


We ended our pub crawl early as the last stop was at the five level club which Nina and I agreed was definitely a 'once' experience.


The next day we went to the Jewish quarters but were unfortunately met with cold winds and rain. The rain created a very sombre and almost creepy mood as we wandered around the Jewish cemetery. Unlike most other cemeteries which have a very geometrical design, this one has layers of graves on top of one another and tombstones falling towards the centre.
This is due to the fact that for centuries the Jews were secluded to a ghetto and were therefore only given little space for each building.
The cemetery itself is very small, however we noticed on our information brochure that there is a separate summer and winter path advised for tourists. This is due to the fact that the cemetery is covered under layers of snow in the winter and imaginably is accompanied by temperatures well below zero.


For lunch that day we returned to Mistral cafe after we were so satisfied at the quality and price of the food.


The weather worsened that afternoon so we made our way back to the hostel and sat down in the bar to relax. We later met three girls- Kara, Kate and Elzy with whom we chatted and spent the following day together.


The weather was even more dreary the next day as we left the hostel to check out the flea market. It didn't take us long to realise it was just another market selling fake designer bags and other useless junk and so we headed back into the city.


We wandered around for a while however as the rain got heavier we again retired to Mistral cafe in the hope that it might clear in a few hours time.


After lunch we went to a great little bookshop Nina and I had found days before with an impressive collection of English books.


For dinner that evening we had a delicious pasta at a restaurant close to the hostel and went to bed early as Nina and I had a train at 9am the following day.


As much as I believe Praha to be a beautiful city, due to the poor weather I don't feel as if I got to know it like I did Paris and Berlin. Also, in all of the cities we had visited so far, Nina and I had always either sought out or stumbled upon the groovy, less touristy part of the city with the great shops and cafes, and we hadn't yet found this in Praha. I think that leaves nothing to say but that I will have to return in the near future to explore the city further.

Cologne

Our time in Cologne staying with Sarah, Andre and their kids Isabelle, Conrad and Felicia was luxurious to say the least.
Having been already told about the Peto-Madew mansion, we were both very excited to see it in the flesh. It is an amazing four storey, architectural wonderland that sits among edifices of the same size on the edge of the park.


I was overwhelmed not only by the interesting design of the house itself but also of the impressive collection of artworks from a range of well-known artists lining the interior walls of the house.


In the early evening Sarah took us for a bike ride through the park, a nice routine she has developed as it is the only spare hour in her day and it gives her a chance for a breath of fresh air.


Having not seen this family for many years, we spent the first evening catching up on the past few years and Nina and I shared many stories of our adventures so far.
Sarah and Andre also informed us of the best things to see in Koln.


Our morning began with another walk through the park, Nina and I both grateful for the opportunity for a nice place to exercise.


After taking the tram into the city, we went to the Roman-German Museum where we visited a number of exhibitions detailing the history of the Romans in Koln.


We then visited Cafe Perfetto after a recommendation from Andre that it was the best place in the city for a coffee. He was indeed correct- quick service and a delicious cappuccino.


I then farewelled Nina who was heading to Dusseldorf for the evening to see some of her family friends and made my way to the Friesenplatz area to have a wander around. There is clearly a strong art culture in this city as I discovered the wealth of little galleries hidden around every corner whilst walking around.


I decided to sit down for a nice lunch alone after stumbling upon a cute little cafe, Candia. I had a delicious aglio, olio and pepperoncino spaghetti and an Apfelshorle, a drink served everywhere in Germany.
For the hour or so I sat in the cafe I was provided with great entertainment as I watched the lady next to me give her little pooch the royal treatment.


Dogs are held in high esteem by their owners throughout much of Europe, and are welcome on public transport and in restaurants and cafes. She had her pup beside her and was feeding it individual fries and pieces of her leftover steak, all the while comforting it with compliments.


In the afternoon I visited the Ludwig Museum, the contemporary art gallery. There were some interesting works showcased in the gallery, but my favourite without question was Miro's 'Love'.


As soon as I stepped in the front door of the house that afternoon I was led by Felicia to her bedroom to start another game of monopoly. We continued to play for hours until it was time for dinner where Sarah kindly prepared us another delicious meal. We followed dinner with a cup of tea and spoke for hours, After which everyone retired to bed.


On Wednesday I walked into the city through the parks and met with Nina outside the city's amazing cathedral. We took a moment to go inside, and the most impressive aspect was the recently added mosaic glass window which was the work of Gerhard Richter, apparently the most highly paid artist alive.


We had an hilarious few hours as Nina and I were amazed at the amount of stories that can be shared having had only 24 hours apart.


We walked to St Ursula's church after lunch and visited the tiny room which is full of bones from the 11,000 virgins (apparently it had originally been 11 virgins but after the trade of their bones was bringing successes, so they conveniently changed the story to 11,000).


That afternoon, eager for some fresh air, Nina and I went for another ride through the park and on arriving back home were again persuaded into a game of monopoly by the charming Felicia. For dinner Sarah and Andre spoiled us with a very gourmet barbecue and accompanying salads.


Our last day in Koln we spent seeing a few more sites of the city. We went to the Kolumba Art Gallery and saw the new exhibition, but what is great about this building is that it stands on the original site of an old church and uses parts of the original edifice in it's contemporary design.


To celebrate our final night with the family Sarah prepared a typically Swiss dish of melted cheese on potatoes, a favourite of all of her kids.


We woke early the next morning and said goodbye to the family, extremely grateful to all of them for their hospitality and good company over the last few days. We said goodbye to Koln and prepared ourselves for the long day of travel as we made our way to Praha.