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Truly Embracing a Culture

November 23, 2010 / / 0 Comments

Traveling is great, as is seeing all the extraordinary sites each city and each country has to offer, but in order to truly experience a culture, you really have to socialize with the people. I’ve found that the times spent conversing with locals are what really helped me get the most out of any trip I’ve made so far this semester. I may have been at awe at numerous sites I visited across Europe, but it was my conversations with various locals that helped me embrace the culture and ensure my travels were a memorable experience.

I remember being in Munich all the way back in September for my first visit to a country outside England. I had felt slightly overwhelmed at the notion of being in a foreign country and not knowing a single word of their language. Luckily I was with four of my friends from the Cambridge group, but I soon discovered there was not a whole lot to be apprehensive about if I accepted that sometimes things might go wrong and if I was willing to ask for help when I needed it. Without any clue of how to get around Munich, we approached the manager of our Bed and Breakfast. To our delight she gave us everything we needed: A map of the city, a train map and bus routes. Along with those items, she also gave us a friendly face to talk to when we needed it most. She was helpful and was willing to answer any questions we had about the city (which was a lot). I found the same to be true for most people I talked to that weekend and I really can’t count the number of people who I found myself conversing with over the weekend. Almost everyone was friendly and it was because of people like them that I was able to gain a greater understanding of German culture and be able to consider it a successful trip.

Hanging out with a group of Americans I met before a football match in London

The same has been true for every place I’ve visited. While at Gatwick Airport in London and waiting for a screen to announce which gate I needed to go to, I decided to strike up a conversation with a random man standing close by. As it turned out he was headed to Madrid on the same flight as me! Javier’s English was very limited, but I was still able to converse with my own limited knowledge of Spanish. Before even landing in Madrid I had learned so much about the city and received advice that only a local could possibly tell me. He even pulled out his iPhone and showed me how to use the Metro (subway) to get to every site I intended on seeing during my stay. When we landed he helped me buy train tickets and then gave me his number in case I needed any more help while I was in Madrid. Wow, what a huge help. It’s amazing how approaching a complete stranger can end up improving your visit so much.

To some this may not seem like important information, but in my opinion, it’s some of the best advice I can give anyone before they travel to a new place: Converse as often as you can with the locals. No matter where I went I found that my conversations with the local are what really helped me to not only appreciate but also learn the most about a city or country’s culture. It may be intimidating approaching strangers at times, but the truth is people in Europe are generally friendly almost anywhere you go. Of course you may meet a few people who aren’t, but it’s worth the risk when you bump into someone and are able to have a wonderful conversation with them about almost anything. Sometimes you have to remember that they are just as interested in your own culture as you might be in theirs!

Seeing all the beautiful sites and exploring the city is great, but in order to really get a feel for the place you really do have to talk with the people who actually live there. As strange as it may sound, some of my best memories are all the conversations I’ve had with strangers in the various places I visited across England and the rest of Europe. Although I may never see some of those people again in my life, they helped give me a good impression of their country and hopefully I was able to do the same for mine.

A Deeper Look into History

November 18, 2010 / / 0 Comments

When touring London and visiting all of its magnificent sites, it’s hard to believe the city was once the victim of six straight weeks of bombing during World War II. Referred to as the “Blitz”, Londoners suffered intense bombing by German forces which killed over 43,000 civilians and left more than a million households destroyed or damaged. And that was all in London. Granted a huge part of Europe suffered similar if not worse devastation, it’s incredible to think about what people had to endure around 70 years ago.

A common sight in London during the ‘Blitz’ in World War II

On Tuesday I had the chance to visit the Duxford Aircraft Museum, which lies nine miles south of Cambridge and is considered to be one of the most important air bases during in Britain during the World War. The museum, which contains the largest collection of historic aircraft in Europe, is one of the best ways to really get a grasp of the atrocities and devastation caused by both World War I and World War II. The aircraft on display was astounding. The Spitfire, Concorde, Messerschmitt, Hurricane, you name it, and there’s a really good chance they have it.

Messerschmitt BF 109E – most famous German figher in WWII

One of seven hangers at Duxford Aircraft Museum


After learning about World War I and World War II in our British History course here in Cambridge, it felt appropriate to view the planes and a lot of the weapons and vehicles used by many of the countries involved in the war. I was able to learn a lot about the hardships the soldiers and pilots fighting faced, as well as the women and children on the home front. It’s crazy to think that around 7.5 million women were recruited for war work between 1939 and 1945. It’s even more shocking to think that around 100 million people died from both wars.  Visiting Duxford Aircraft Meseum was a very enlightening experience and it emphasized how much the world has changed and how fortunate I am not to have had to endure living in such a difficult era.

The U.S. Air Force’s F-15 Eagle

And for Americans like me and the rest of our group, the American Air Museum provided the perfect opportunity to admire the largest collection of U.S. aircraft outside of America. They had an impressive collection, housing famous aircraft such as the Boeing B-29 Superfortress, Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird (once the fastest jet in the world), P-51 Mustang… to name just a few. It was especially significant for me as my Uncle is a retired Major General from the U.S. Air Force and flew some of the aircraft on display, such as the F-15 Eagle. It was a special experience to be able to see up close and touch the same type of fighter jet he once flew. As a kid I was always fascinated by jets and to finally be up close to some was extremely memorable, to say the least.

Throughout the entire visit I learned a lot about European and American history. I considered myself to have a decent knowledge of past and current events, but I soon realized there was a lot of information I didn’t know. The museum taught me a lot, but it also helped open my eyes up and take a deeper look into history. It’s amazing what you can discover if you’re actually looking.

Gracias, Madrid

November 8, 2010 / / 0 Comments

“Ah, Madrid… you chose the perfect city to visit in Europe.” Those were the words of Javier, an extremely friendly Spanish guy who sat next to me on the flight from London to Madrid during the second week of my two and a half week Fall Break. After four days of being in Spain’s capital, Javier couldn’t have been more correct. What a great city, what a fantastic culture, and what an unforgettable experience in the heart of Spain.

My first taste of Madrid and Spanish culture arrived where most people wouldn’t expect, but for those who know me would hardly come as much of a surprise. Shorty after taking the Metro from Madrid Barajas Airpot to the western part of the city and getting situated at my friend’s apartment, I joined the masses and headed for the Vicente Calderon – the home of Atletico Madrid. Although nowhere near as popular or successful as cross-town rivals and world-renowned European giants Real Madrid, Atletico are one of the best teams in the La Liga, Spain’s first division, and just came off of a season in which they won the Europa Cup.

My first taste of Spanish football

I can’t say that I’m much of an Atletico Madrid fan, but going to a Spanish futbol match was undoubtedly something I just couldn’t pass up. Despite Atetico drawing 1-1 with U.D. Almeria, a smaller club from southern Spain, it was still a highly entertaining match and an experience I’ll never forget. Going to football games in England is one thing, but witnessing the beautiful game in the country that just won the World Cup was an experience of its own. It was without a doubt the perfect way to kick-off my trip to Madrid.

Plaza Monumental de las Ventas

One thing that made my trip successful was the easiness of Madrid’s Metro system. The system is actually the sixth largest in the world, but after a few days of hopping on and off at various locations around the city I found it to be the least complicated of its type that I’ve used before. I suppose it helped that I had been well accustomed to using such modes of transportation through the London Underground. Regardless, Madrid’s Metro was also my cheapest way of traveling around the city with each single trip across the entire network only being 2 euros and a 10 trip ticket costing just 9 euros.

Despite using train several times each day, I spent the majority of my time walking and taking all of the great sights and simply observing people go about their day. At times I walked with absolutely no clue of what direction I was headed in and somehow always arrived at a point of interest. But in a city as richly and historic as Madrid, how could I not? It’s nice to have a plan of where you’re going to go and what you’re going to see on a particular day, but often times it’s refreshing just exploring and getting lost in the magnificence and splendor of such a great city.

Plaza de Cibeles

One of the highlights of my trip was seeing the Palacio Real, the official residence of the King of Spain. I’ve seen Buckingham Palace on numerous occasions and I’ve always been in awe of it, but the Palacio Real might even trump it in my opinion (Sorry Queen Elizabeth!). Along with the Royal Palace, I also visited Plaza Espana, Puerta de Toledo, Plaza Mayor, Almudena Cathedral, the Debod Temple, Puerta del Sol, Plaza de Cibeles, the Santiago Barnebeu, Plaza Monumental de las Ventas and numerous other sights. It was a great couple of days walking around and viewing the sights and embracing everything Madrid has to offer. It was also a wake-up call for me, however. Apparently my Spanish isn’t as good as I thought it was as I found out at about every restaurant I attempted to order food at!

Seeing fascinating buildings and visiting historic sites is great, but in order to truly embrace a country and its culture you have to converse with the people. A sign at the airport when I arrived welcomed me by saying ‘Bienvenidos’, but it was the people in Madrid who really helped me feel welcome in their city. Everywhere I went people were friendly, even if they didn’t speak more than a sentence of English. I’ll always remember Madrid for its beauty and splendor, but I am absolutely certain I will never forget the countless people who chose to make a foreigner like me feel welcome in their remarkable city and wonderful country. Salud, Madrid…

Bear and the El Madroño Tree at Puerta del Sol

Palacio Real

To view more photos from my trip to Madrid visit my album.

Old Trafford: The Theatre of Dreams

October 26, 2010 / / 0 Comments

12 years is a long wait for anything. But for me, waiting 12 years to go to my first Manchester United match at Old Trafford felt like eternity. When you wait so long for something you wonder if it will be meet the expectations that have been built up over the last decade or so. But for me, there was no question that seeing my favorite football club in their famous stadium would not only meet my expectations, but surpass them.

Indeed it did.

I remember watching Manchester United when I was young. I remember my fascination and my immediate love for the club and all its players and most of all, I remember wishing that I would one day be able to witness them play. The years went by and my love for the club only intensified with every season and with every match, but my wish remained the same.

Recently I was finally able to accomplish my dream and make that wish come true. As soon as tickets had gone on sale for the Manchester United vs. West Bromwich Albion match on October 16th I purchased tickets and on day before the match I made the much-anticipated journey to Manchester, England. Less than an hour after arriving at the train station I arrived at Old Trafford – a Mecca for all United supporters. I stopped and admired the stadium I had seen hundreds of times on TV and for a moment, I even had to pinch myself. Being there simply seemed too good to be true.

Indeed it was.

Before I knew it, I was standing next to the pitch my heroes play on every week as part of a guided tour of the entire stadium. Minutes later I found myself sitting in the players’ dressing room where famous names such as George Best, Bryan Robson and David Beckham have sat… the same room where Sir Alex Ferguson gives his team talks and where the champagne is popped after a cup triumph. Some of the most famous athletes in the world occupied the same room on a frequent basis.

Following the tour of the stadium I walked through every room inside the museum, admiring all of the trophies and awards on display. With over 100 years of rich, unmatched history on show, I found it hard to make myself leave. Finally, after more than two hours inside the museum and an additional hour in the stadium’s Mega Store, I forced myself to move on. I suppose it helped that I would be back inside the stadium the following day as Manchester United hosted West Brom.

If I thought touring the stadium and its museum was something special, I was in for the experience of a lifetime on the day of the match. After bumping into a group of United fans who had made the journey down from Ireland, we hung out a supporters’ pub before the match as we counted down the hours until kick-off. We arrived at Bishops Plaize at 11:00, four and a half hours before kick-off, and astonishingly by this time the pub was already packed with supporters socializing and belting out chant after chant about their beloved club. It didn’t take long for me to join in.

The time for the match finally arrived and by then I was already hoarse. My voice would suffer further impairment as I spent the entire 90 minutes of the match participating in the numerous chants that rang around the stadium. Never before in my life had I experienced such a remarkable atmosphere at a sporting event. This was an experience of a lifetime, not just for me, but for most of the 75,023 fans inside the stadium. Despite the match ending in a 2-2 draw, I was still incredibly satisfied with the experience of being at my first Manchester United match. More than anything though, I was already plotting my return to Manchester for another taste of one of the most incredible experiences the world has to offer me.

Footage of the pre-match traditions: Bishops Plaize Pub

Amsterdam: More than just the ‘Venice of the North’

October 11, 2010 / / 0 Comments

When most people hear Amsterdam, they think about the Red Light District. But what most people don’t realize is there is so much else to see and do Amsterdam and it is those things that ultimately make it one of the most beautiful cities in the world. Spending three days in Amsterdam not only proved this to me, but gave me one of my best travel experiences in my entire life. With the city of Amsterdam being an incredible 60% water and only 40% land, every street I turned on to I found myself confronted with an absolutely beautiful view of the Amstel River. Nicknamed the ‘Venice of the North’, Amsterdam has more than 100 km’s of canals and over 1,500 bridges. In other words, it made for a fantastic weekend of touring Holland’s great capital.

Prior to departing for Amsterdam I did a lot of research about the city and made a list of things I wanted to do or places I wanted to see during my three day visit. When I traveled to Munich three weeks ago I failed to do adequate research about the city and what there was to do and ended up leaving with a feeling of dissatisfaction. I was determined not to let that happen this time around. All I wanted to do was make the most out of this trip and see as much of the city as possible.

Three days and 253 pictures later, I can definitely say I did. I’m not really one to pull out my camera at every significant sight I see, but I doubt I have ever looked like more of a tourist than I did in Amsterdam. I was okay with that though, mainly because the city was so stunning and I felt obliged to document as much of it as possible.

If ever you travel to a big city in Europe, take advantage of the guided walking tours. Most big cities in Europe have them and they are well advertised, both on the web and at hotels and hostels in that city. Not only are they free, but they ensure you see as much of the city as possible and provide information about the history of the city and the numerous sights you see along the way. My tour guide in Amsterdam was actually an Australian named Julian, but he probably knew more about the city than most locals. Along the way we saw the Royal Palace of Netherlands, the oldest and second oldest churches in the country (literally called the New and Old Church), the ‘Café In De Waag’ (once an execution building), the narrowest house in all of Amsterdam, the Dutch National Museum, a coffee shop where part of Ocean 12 was filmed, the house where Ann Frank lived and much, much more. The tour concluded at Boom Chicago, a fancy Dutch restaurant where if you finish your first plate of food you are served a second one for free. We all finished, of course.

Following the tour and after devouring two plates of fantastic Dutch food – Rockworst and potatoes – we headed to our hostel boat that we would be staying on for two nights. I was somewhat uncertain of what the boat would be like, but immediately after arriving, I knew it would be the perfect place to stay. It turned out it was too. The owner of the boat was an extremely friendly and outgoing man by the name of Hansen (although I still couldn’t pronounce it the proper Dutch way if it saved my life) and he made us feel right at home. Located in Oosterdok, a scenic harbor in the east part of the city, the boat provided a great place to relax after a long day of walking around the city.

I saw and did many great things during my stay in Amsterdam, but going on a canal cruise was undoubtedly my best decision of the weekend. I thought I had seen a lot during my walking tour the day before, but sitting on the back of a long boat as it wound through the Amstel River in the heart of the city was spectacular and definitely helped me get the most out of my visit. It also may have helped that it was such a gorgeous day, but as I floated along the numerous canals in various parts of the city, I realized how unique and beautiful of a city Amsterdam is.

From its laid back culture to its magnificent canals, Amsterdam is a place I’ll never forget. One of the coolest sights I witnessed was the numerous street performers at Dam Square, the historical center of the city and the setting for the Royal Palace and the National Monument. Huge flocks of people, not just tourists, gather around to either watch a trio of people play jazz music or a man perform magic tricks. It’s all quite entertaining, really. Not to mention relaxing. During all hours of the day and night the tables and chairs outside of the cafes and restaurants are filled with people, all of whom are enjoying a cup of tea or a pint of Heineken or Grolch (the premium lagers in the Netherlands). Most interestingly, people face the street while sipping on their beverage and conversing with their companions, something I have never witnessed before.

The city may be famed for its ‘coffee shops’, but if I had to sum up Amsterdam in two words, I would say relaxing and beautiful. That’s what I took from this great city, along with the 253 photos and countless memories, of course.

Five Important Things to do Before You Travel

October 5, 2010 / / 1 Comment

Planning a trip can seem somewhat daunting at times, especially if you’re traveling to a new country for the very first time. If you plan accordingly, however, you are guaranteed to get a much better experience out of it. And no matter how many hours of research you end up doing beforehand, it will be worth every second of it once you arrive at your destination. Based on my travels so far, here’s a list of the five important things to research or do before you depart:

1) Transportation – It’s not even worth mentioning you need to figure out how to get to the airport from your own house, but it’s important to research the best ways to travel to your hostel, hotel or friend’s house from the airport you’re flying into. It’s easy just to wave down a taxi outside the airport, but if you’re traveling by yourself or in a small group, there are often cheaper options. It’s not a bad idea to check if there are any buses or trains leaving from the airport towards the place you need to be. Most airports provide bus or train services for a relatively cheap price.

2) Contact Information – in case of emergency, it’s always good to make sure someone from back home knows where you are staying in whatever country you may be traveling to. The chances of your flight being cancelled may be slim, but in case an emergency does arise, such as Eyjafjallajökull (the Iceland volcano no one can pronounce) earlier this year, it’s important your friends or family from back home know where you are.

3) Communication – To go along with the second point, it’s vital to have at least some form of communication while you are traveling. Not all hostels provide internet access so it isn’t a bad idea to have a phone on you. I found that extremely helpful when I travelled to Munich with four of my friends. At times it’s easy to get lost or separated from your friends, and without a phone, it can be a nightmare trying to locate other members of your group. Lastly, if you do have a phone, make you sure find out what the country code is where you are so you can make calls. Here’s a list of country calling codes: http://www.countrycallingcodes.com/countrylist.php

4) Attractions – I can speak from experience when I say it’s a terrible idea to fly to a new country without any real idea of what you want to see or do while you are there. If you research what type of attractions your country has to offer you’ll be able to pick and choose what you want to do ahead of time, ensuring you get the most out of your visit and experience as much of the culture as you possibly can. The internet is full of information of what to do and see in various countries, and if that doesn’t suffice, most book stores contain travel guides for specific countries, even cities. Also, bring a map of the city in order to help you get around from place to place.

5) Budget – Some countries cost more than others and it’s safe to say that food, drinks, accommodation and the price of tourist attractions varies in each country. Do a little research beforehand so you can have a good idea of how much money you think you’ll need to spend during your travels. It’s always good to have an idea of how much things will cost so you’re not overwhelmed when you get there.

The list is by no means conclusive, but it can be a good start for anyone embarking on a trip to a new country. Most importantly, have fun and take full advantage of being in a place some people still dream of going to.

Cheers!

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