Paris, in Pictures

Sunset in Paris (Photo by Avery Cropp)

So, I've been trying to figure out how to write this entry for the past couple of days. But I've done so much here that I don't think I could write something that's not a book. You see, Paris is a place that is hard to put down in words. It's so beautiful that everything falls short of explanation. That's the problem with language sometimes, it's limiting, and this is coming from a long-time writer. So, since a picture is supposedly worth 1,000 words, I've picked the 17 best photos that I think can walk you through my trip here, scroll on down to see this city through my camera lens.

The Metro 

Travel around Paris is done by metro, and it's a pretty easy system to figure out.
I'd recommend buying a week-long pass for 30 Euro if you're there for that long.
 If not, buy another type of pass from the info desk or make sure you have a card that has a
chip and pin combination or else getting tickets to get on the metro can be a pain.
 (Photo by Avery Cropp)

The Eiffel Tower

Now, you know you're in Paris when you take far too many photos of the Eiffel Tower
and don't know what you're going to do with them all. These are three of my favorites.
I did go to the top of the Eiffel Tower, simply because it was on my bucket list for Paris,
but I don't know if I'd spend the 15 Euros again.
You spent more time waiting in lines than actually getting a good look out of the top of the tower.
Though the view is incredible.  (Photos by Avery Cropp)

Notre Dame

 

 

Notre Dame is the most beautiful cathedral I have ever been to.
The view from the Love Lock Bridge (top)
 the statues on the front of the cathedral, St. Dennis in particular,
 the rose windows and the gorgeous interior make you just stop and stare.
 It's also very beautiful at night as the last picture shows. (Photo by Avery Cropp)

Versailles

If you want to see the very definition of royal opulence go to Versailles. The home to famous royals such as Marie Antoinette and King Louis XIV will have your jaw dropping to the floor when you walk in. The gardens are great for a walk and the inside gives you a look at what life was like for royalty pre-revolution here in France. (Photos by Avery Cropp)

Museums

 

 

 

The Louvre is a must-do when you go to Paris, it's beautiful and the collections are extensive.
The best thing to do is pick three exhibits that you really want to see and go see them,
otherwise history nerds, like me, could spend an entire day wandering around and seeing their collection.
A walking tour guide of mine said that you could spend 7 days  straight looking at all the collections
 if you gave each piece a minute of your time. 
I'd also recommend the Musee d'Orsay,
there's no photography allowed there though so I don't have pictures from there.
(Photos by Avery Cropp)


 

Well, that's all for now I think.

Until next time,

Avery Cropp



My version of heaven: Vevey and Lausanne

In this week's "off the beaten path edition" I'm going to let you in on a couple of secret and not so secret places to visit around Geneva: Vevey and Lausanne. I visited them on Thursday while my friend Adi was in class.

A window in Lausanne (photo by Avery Cropp)

Both are very beautiful but offer something completely different.

Vevey is a picturesque little town that is right on Lake Geneva. There are lots of things that it offers to visitors, a nice walking path around the lake with fantastic views of the mountains, Musee de Alimentacion (the museum of food), several fancy old houses, and a lovely little castle that people can check out.

Lausanne is a larger city just outside of Geneva. Now, disclaimer time, I spent less time here than in Vevey, because it was one of those days that you really just wanted to relax so I don't know how great of a description you'll get from me about Lausanne. 

While in Lausanne  I had time to visit the old town center and walked TONS of stairs. It is the epitome of what you would think of when you think of a little French town. Geneva is in the French-speaking part of Switzerland.  

Most of my day in these places was spent just walking around and taking pictures since I was nearing the end of my budget for this leg of my trip, but they are well worth the short train journey. Since I have Swiss friends I was able to take advantage of a pass that allows you to travel on all public transportation in Switzerland for a whole day which was really beneficial.

Vevey

I originally started my trip travelling in the direction of a place called Montreux, but when I arrived the station was all boarded up so I figured this probably wasn't the place the spend my day. So I backtracked on my line to Vevey which looked much livelier.

Lake Geneva is so blue that it looks like a sapphire and there are tons of swans everywhere. When I got there there was fog on the lake which is surrounded by the alps. It looked as though you had just entered some otherworldly place. It was magnificent and relaxing. It was wonderful to just kill some time after travelling so much for the past month.

Plus the lunch time view was absolutely wonderful as you can see below:


Not bad for a lunch spot! (photo by Avery Cropp)

By the way if you get to Vevey and you're on a budget I highly recommend a place called Babette's Sandwiches. The lunch time specials are fantastic.

After spending lunch in Vevey I then headed back toward Geneva on my way to Lausanne.






Lausanne

A woman takes a break for lunch

The city is the fifth largest city in the country with a population of over 130,000 people in the middle of what qualifies as Switzerland's wine country.

The tourism information center located in the train station was very helpful and quickly helped me narrow down what I could see in a limited time. They recommended I check out old town first and then if I had time to walk by the water.

 I saw the medieval city at the top of one of the big hills in Lausanne and also explored the city center a bit as well. For lack of a better description the places really do remind you of little towns in France. The architecture is beautiful and there's plenty of things to keep you occupied. There's a cathedral, some stairs that take you all the way down the huge hills, and lots of little shops and cafes that you can check out along the way.

From Almost Italy



Lucerne, Switzerland (Photo by Avery Cropp)

If the unfortunate circumstance arose that I had to stop my trip right now for any reason beyond my control, I would be content. Switzerland is a beautiful country, the people are pretty friendly, the scenery is fantastic and I'm having a great time exploring.

My friends here might be happy to know that Switzerland might even be edging out Spain for the ranking of favorite place in the world.

It's been a busy few days here in Zurich, Switzerland. My friend Carlo showed me around to several places in the Zurich area, including a town called Lucerne and on Sunday we went south to "Almost Italy" in Southern Switzerland.

The most epic Imax movie ever (photo by Avery Cropp)

By "Almost Italy" I mean that you can see the Italian border or could take just a short train and you'd be there. The cities are Bellinzona, Ascona and Locarno.

Now, I've always wanted to go to Italy, but due to time constraints it won't happen on this trip, so I think settling for "Almost Italy" is okay by me.

I travelled through several trains and German, English and Italian language changes on this little trip. So by the end of the day my head was spinning.

Despite the long train ride it was totally worth it because on the route we followed I felt like I was in a really epic Imax movie. You just twist and turn around these mountains and they are so green and beautiful. You pass a bunch of little villages and lakes and the landscape constantly changes as you pass through the tunnels. It was better than a movie.

It was more about the journey than the destination for me.

As you get closer to the Italian border the signs change to Italian, the train ticket checkers greet you with a "buon giorno" and little children beg their parents for Gelato.

Ascona, Lago Maggiore, Switzerland (photo by Avery Cropp)

These little towns, when you arrive are just so beautiful that words are hard to describe them. Ascona and Locarno surround the lake, Lago Maggiore, while Bellinzona isn't near a body of water. They're so quaint, peaceful and beautiful you don't want to leave.

There are nice little cafes and restaurants everywhere and little shops you can look at too, as long as they're open.

These little towns are what you make it. For me it was a lot of photography, walking around and having my own personal tour guide tell me a

Bellinzona, Switzerland (photo by Avery Cropp)

little bit about these places since he's spent a lot of time here recently.

It's totally worth the day trip, especially if the weather is nice. Tomorrow I head for Geneva, Switzerland so keep an eye out for more entries soon!

Until Next Time,

Avery Cropp

Coffee, Austria style

I'm currently indulging in a Viennese coffee tradition in which you essentially pay for a cup of coffee  at a fancy café and a little something to eat and you don't have to move from your spot all day if you wish.

Bring a book, bring some work, or borrow one of the many newspapers these cafes have on hand and you're set for the day. When you're trying to kill nine hours of time before you catch your train  to Zurich tonight at 10 p.m. this can be very convenient.

I  told you about the coffee tradition because that really defines Austria for me. It's a country with a much slower pace than Prague, which is beneficial, especially if you get sick while you're here. Thankfully it wasn't anything serious, so this won't be an entry about what it's like going to the doctor in Vienna.

Otherwise, this week has been really great. It's been very relaxing and wonderful to experience this lovely city. Over the past few days I've been to The Prater fun fair,  Waidhofen an der Ybbs to see my cousin Kenzie, and The Vienna State Opera House and those are just the highlights.

The Prater

The Prater Fun Fair is a vintage amusement park that's really cool to go to and take photographs at. There is a huge Ferris Wheel that you can pay 9 Euros to go all the way to the top and see a great view of the city. Of course my camera hadn't been charged so I wasn't able to get that shot for you but there's tons of other fun photos that I took. Ferris Wheels are my new favorite things to photograph. All kinds of rides, games and activities are at your disposal and you can also pass some time taking in the people-watching opportunities.

Waidhofen an Der Ybbs

Waidhofen an der Ybbs (Photo by Avery Cropp)

I took a train Tuesday to visit my cousin Kenzie in this little town in the country.  It's about an hour-and-a-half outside of Vienna by train, and you can tell, the air is fresher.

It's a beautiful little town that's been around for quite some time, since 1400 at least. It was wonderful to catch up with Kenzie and see the place she's called home for the past year while she's been teaching. Honestly I can't remember a lot about the town because we had so much stuff to chat about that we talked through most of the sightseeing.

But the pictures are gorgeous. It's on a river called Ybbs, and  has tons of medieval architecture. The people are really friendly and there are nice little cafes all over the place to eat and spend time at.

The Vienna State Opera



Inside the Vienna Opera House (Photo by Avery Cropp)

The one thing I knew I wanted to do here in Vienna was go to a classical concert of some sort. It just so happened that there was an opera showing here that sounded interesting. It was called Nabucco, which is the story of Nebuchadnezzer.

Power struggles, convoluted relationships and tragedy, everything you'd expect in an opera. Plus Placido Domingo, who is a legend in the opera circuit for those who don't know who he is, was performing the lead role which was pretty awesome.

I had never been to an opera before but it's been on my bucket list. I don't think I'll make attending the Opera a habit when I get home, but it was a great experience. Plus the building is gorgeous.


Other Things that are fun to do: The Schonbrunn Palace Gardens and The National History and Art Museums, the inside of the buildings alone are worth the Euro.

That's it for now, until next time!

 

Avery Cropp 

When in Prague bring a pair of really great walking shoes

On the Charles Bridge in the Czech Republic around sunrise. (Photo by Renee Burns)

Prague is a fast-paced and cobblestoned city, mostly untouched by World War II with fantastic architecture and history that seems frozen in time. Everywhere you look there seems to be a surprise and the stories behind the places can be mind-blowing if you know where to look, or have an awesome walking tour guide who is full of information.

The best part? You can save tons of money on public transportation if you stay near the center of the city. It's so compact that you can walk everywhere. In other words, bring a pair of really great walking shoes. Believe me, your feet will thank you for it later. I'm not gonna lie, by mid-week last week my feet were yelling at me to sit down for a couple days.

There are several great tourist attractions that you can visit in Prague. The ones I enjoyed included: The Astronomical Clock, The Charles Bridge and Prague Castle.

If you're interested in history, like me, The Museum of Communism teaches you about communism in The Czech Republic and The Velvet Revolution of 1989. Exhibits throughout Josefov, The Jewish Quarter, can be eye-opening.

Also, if you ever come to Prague you HAVE to take a walking tour with a tour group called Sandeman's New Prague Tour. They are fantastic, and Filip is a wonderful guide. Plus it's free, and the guide is paid on tips, so they have to be good.

The Astronomical Clock

The Astronomical Clock. Prague, Czech Republic
 (Photo by Avery Cropp)

The Astronomical clock is a beautiful piece of architecture. My tour guide, Filip, said that though it's beautiful it is the most disappointing tourist attraction in the world, mostly because people are expecting more than what the show actually entails.

Filip said to love the clock you have to learn to love it like someone from Prague or else you'll be disappointed.

Every hour huge groups of people gather at the bottom of the clock to see the show. When the bell rings the skeleton, representing death, rings his bell and the Turk in the lower corner starts shaking his head. A string of disciples comes through a window on top and other figures move their heads back and forth as if they are saying no. Then when the final bell tolls the raven at the top of the clock opens it's mouth and makes a very raspy sounding caw. Then you hear the disappointment from people about how unimpressive by modern standards the show was.

Now, according to Filip, residents of Prague know this so sometimes they come to watch the clock and the tourists to experience a little Schadenfreude. This means finding someone else's disappointment funny, in German. What the tourists don't realize is that throughout it's life the clock has only needed three major repairs, and survived some damage by the German army in 1945. What the clock really is, is a testament to surviving time. It's been around since the 15th century and is still functional today.


The Charles Bridge

Charles Bridge, Prague Czech Republic.
 (Photo by Avery Cropp)

The Charles Bridge could quite possibly be the most beautiful bridge in the world. It serves as the main connection from the City of Prague across the Vlatava River to Prague Castle. The bridge is named after Prague's best king, Charles IV. It's lined with statues of saints and is very impressive.

During the day it's packed full of people, performers and vendors selling their wares and it's kind of fun to be in the middle of the action.

But if you're a little crazy like myself and a roommate of mine, Renee, I'd recommend making the effort to get up before sunrise and watch the day begin from there. You might think this sounds crazy but it's a pretty magical sight, as the picture above shows. It gets even better when all the bells from across the city start ringing at the exact same time just as the sun crosses the horizon.


Prague Castle

Prague Castle, Czech Republic.
(Photo by Avery Cropp)

Prague Castle and the surrounding area is something you need to set aside a day to do. You can walk through the town surrounding the castle, do some shopping, find the Lennon wall, which is a graffiti wall; and also visit several different attractions within the palace walls.

Founded in 880 the castle is now home to the President of the Czech Republic and is the largest castle complex in the world. It's big enough to hold about 13 football fields. Also on the grounds there's a huge Cathedral called St. Vitus Cathedral that is absolutely stunning.


Stained-glass windows in St. Vitus Cathedral
(Photo by Avery Cropp)

There are tickets available for all the tourist spots on the complex which include the old royal palace, the basilica of St. George, the Treasury of St. Vitus Cathedral, Golden Lane, Prague Castle Picture Gallery, Powder Tower, Rosenberg Palace, and the South Tower of St. Vitus Cathedral.

If you want to save a few Czech Koruna just buy the pass to The Old Royal Palace, the Basilica of St. George, St. Vitus Cathedral,  and Golden Lane.  I'd recommend getting the audio guide to learn more about the places, as I didn't do so and regretted it later.

Catch the changing of the Guard Ceremony at 12 p.m. and feel free to walk around the gardens. They're very pretty. Plus the views from the castle steps are incredible!

Museums

Now for my final recommendations, the museums.

The Museum of Communism was interesting. The Czech Republic did not break from the USSR's communist rule until 1989 when student protests that happened after the Berlin wall fell really gained some steam. The museum is set up as a self-guided tour with several walls of posters and a few video clips about the history of communism, what life was like under the communist rule, and the eventual conclusion of the Velvet Revolution which was, supposedly, the most peaceful transition from communist to democratic rule during the fall of the USSR. It was fascinating to me because I didn't know that the Czech Republic had so recently gotten out from under communist rule and I enjoyed learning more about the history of the nation.

Now Josefov is a different story.

The Jewish Quarter is home to several synagogues and museums that cover the story of what happened to the Jewish population during World War II in Prague. 80,000 people lost their lives in the Halocaust in Prague alone. The sad reason behind why this Jewish quarter remained after WWII is that Hitler wanted to keep it as a monument to an extinct race. He was evil.

It was sobering to learn about the history. One of the most heartbreaking displays in the quarter was a collection of drawings done by students in the Concentration Camp called Terezin.

Just some background information: Terezin was a work camp based just outside of Prague and served as a front for the Nazi's. It was essentially a good PR camp that they used to show people that everything was fine after the Jews were moved to camps. It was used in several propaganda films throughout World War II. What they didn't tell you was that conditions were as bad as other camps and most of the people held there were eventually sent to Auschwitz.

Anyway, back to the story. A teacher at this camp used art to help children work through the tragedy they were experiencing. The pictures cover everything from how the children felt when rules changed and they were removed from schools and forced from their homes. There are also pictures about life in the camps and their hopes for the future. The children who did the drawings were anywhere from 8 to 15 years old. To see this chapter of history through the eyes of children was very sad, but I think it helped to make a significant impact on the viewer in a different way than you usually find at other Halocaust memorials.       

Until next time,

 

Avery Cropp 

Pelhrimov: It's the journey, not the destination.

Hello folks,

I'm currently writing to you from Prague, and I promise there will be an entry in the next couple of days about my time here in this beautiful city, but it will take a lot of organization since I did take on so much stuff, so bear with me as I try and sort it all out in a logical manner that will be easy for you all to read.

In the mean time, I'd love to tell you about my recent trip to a small village outside of Prague to see my friend Marie's hometown of Pelhrimov.

There comes a point in every traveler's life where you just need to get out of the big city you're based in and breathe some fresh air. Pelhrimov was that escape route for me over the past couple of days.
I just returned this morning.

The added bonus to the fresh air and great company was the fact that there was a celebration here in the Czech Republic which roughly translates to "The night of the burning witches"

I went to Pelhrimov with Marie and two friends that we connected with through our editor from I Love Chile, Kayla.

The celebration is based on folklore.

The smoke over Tambour signifies the start of the celebration
(Photo by Avery Cropp)

According to local legends April 30 is the night of the largest congregation of witches in the world. To prevent the witches from flying over on their broomsticks and causing all kinds of trouble small towns and villages in the Czech Republic will organize huge bonfires and create an effigy of a witch to burn. The smoke allegedly prevents the witches from flying over the towns or disorients those witches that try to create chaos and keeps the residents of the town safe until the next congregation of witches.

Kids dress up as witches and parade around, parents hang out and have some fun, and us 20-somethings, we do the same.

In reality, the celebration is  an organized excuse to have huge bonfires and drink some delicious Czech beer, but I prefer the first story better. What can I say, I'm a romantic.

Though we missed the primary witch burning for a variety of reasons that involved labor day holiday traffic, a missed bus, and a wonderful father willing to pick us up in a town an hour away from his home, it was a great time.

One of the small bonfires for the celebration
(Avery Cropp)

So now that I've piqued your interest:
The last direct bus to Pelhrimov was full by the time we arrived at one of the main stations here in Prague so we opted to hop on another bus that would supposedly connect us to Pelhrimov in another town, Tambour.

Well, we got there and there wasn't a connection until much, much later, if at all; so Marie called her dad who agreed to pick us up. We walked around Tambour and ended up popping into a pub where we ordered some drinks and ended up having a nice chat in Spanish with the owner.  We ended up flagging down Marie's dad who passed our meeting spot because he didn't see us right away and all four of us squished in to a little Ford Fiesta to get to Pelhrimov.

Along the way Marie's dad treated us to trivia about all of the little towns that we passed through which was pretty interesting.

After we arrived at Pelhrimov around 10 p.m. or so,We had fun cooking sausage over the fire, being able to actually see the stars, and talking or attempting to talk with some of the locals at the party (I wish I knew Czech, it's such a pretty language). It was a great evening, and one of those things that you don't quickly forget.

 

Until Next Time,

Avery Cropp