The Netharlands, Holland and Amsterdam

Flying in to Amsterdam was amazing! Our first thought of the city was how well it was designed around the many canals that ran along the streets. It was so beautiful seeing many swans swimming through the water during all times of the day and night. The weather had improved for us since chilly Prague and we could leave our gloves at home.

Swans in the water

Canal at night

I visited the home in which Anne Frank lived during her family’s hiding in Amsterdam. This is where she had written her now famous diary. The home is now preserved as a museum and I was able to enter through the secret book case into the annex where her family was hiding with another in the 30’s. I remember reading Anne’s diary as a teenager and had always remembered how interesting it was to me. It was a crazy feeling to be walking on the very streets that were overtaken by the Nazis before WW2, and to see the small living quarters her family and friends lived in for almost 2 years.

Justin was able to visit the Van Gogh museum during this time. He was surprised to see how small some of his famous paintings actually were in person. He came home inspired due to the many colors he blends so well into his artwork.

We loved our row house we rented a room in. Once again we had a roof top terrace off our bedroom. This place was a bit more on the expensive side, but we did get quite a large space with a gracious host and his little pup.

 Our room

 This staircase is crazy steep and has 31 steps up to our room

Steep steps up to our row home

We were very fortunate to have heard about a small little industrial village close to town where the residents are still making homemade cheese, wooden shoes, and chocolate with the power of the windmill! This was a beautiful place. Very green and surrounded by clean air and farm animals. We saw a demonstration on how they used to make the traditional Dutch wooden shoes without electric tools.  Many were intricate and beautiful. The windmills themselves were an awesome site to see!! They were so large it makes sense that they could produce the power needed to run the business inside.

 J and I as kissing dolls

 Sheep

Windmills

Amsterdam also has some of the best deserts imaginable… our favorite was this fried bread roll with cream custard and powdered sugar on top! We went back a few times throughout our stay here.

Yum!!

The bike riding is CRAZY!!! There are more bikes in this city than I have ever seen!! While crossing the street you literally have to watch out for 1) cars 2) trams 3) bikes!!! Even when you think you can cross, you must run in case you missed something:) It is amazing how the whole city relies on public transportation or bikes. If you are in a car… you are the minority for sure. Everyone young and old has there trusty bike with them.

This is where you park your bike when getting on the subway... We wondered how you would ever find your bike when you return??

The other attraction the Netherlands brings is the legal use of Marijuana, which you can purchase in the “coffee shops”. Prostitution is also legal here and so comes the famous “Red Light” district. Prostitutes stand in their own window putting themselves on display for sale. It was quite sad to see… we did a little research on the subject before hand, and even though it is legal, it is still a scene filled with addiction, human trafficking and other crime. This city is quite an interesting one…

J in front of The Bulldog "coffee shop" We heard it is Snoop Dog's favorite in the city 

Keeping the tradition alive in Holland… Justin and I purchased each others Christmas gifts… SHOES:) We took an overnight (nightmare) of a bus ride to Paris last night and arrived at 6am this morning to rain

and a little cold!!! We are hoping to make it to the Eiffel Tower this evening after some well needed rest and relaxation.

We love you all and miss you a lot!! Thanks for keeping up with us!  

A week in Prague, Czech Republic

View from our room



The first thing we noticed about the Czech was how CHEAP it was compared to other European countries. We booked a room for $20 a night on the penthouse floor of a downtown apartment complex. We had an amazing view from our terrace.

We had a kitchen so we were able to do daily shopping and cook for ourselves. Justin got back to making his awesome breakfast scramble and I made some soups and somehow pulled off a little Thanksgiving dinner for the two of us:) Prague was festive with Christmas decorations and COLD weather!! It was once 28 degrees, the coldest we have experienced so far!!

We used the subway system every day in Prague... thinking the whole time it was free, later we learned it was free to the locals only:) Oops. Some of the major sites we saw included the Charles Bridge, Gehry's dancing house, Prague Castle, and an authentic Czech pub where we had an excellent meal of goulash and hot cider.

View from Charles Bridge

Czech gothic Pub with great food

One of the more interesting sites was the 600 year old Jewish Cemetery. It was closed to the public on this certain day, but we snuck a few shots through the fence. The government in the past confined the Jewish community into certain perameters in the city, including their cemetery. As a result, they were forced to burry their dead on top of their dead with up to 12 bodies deep! The concentrated site was dramatic and sad.

We mostly enjoyed walking throughout the city stopping for warm up's of hot chocolate and coffee. We saw the famous John Lennon wall, an ever changing peace inspired artwork displayed. Justin and I walked through a gothic church with beautiful stained glass windows and gargoyles. It was our longest stay in Europe so far, so we enjoyed relaxing, reading and experiencing the culture for a while. We even visited the Prague zoo. It was amazing with so many different species of animals. We even went into a cave with bats flying freely all around our heads! It was freeky!

John Lennon wall

Church with stained glass

View from a hillside park

Praha zoo fresh water otter :)

We took a flight to Amsterdam after Prague and have been here for two nights... We will recap that soon. We miss you all. Hope you enjoy the pictures!!











Roma

Roma Termini Train Station



3 nights in Rome was intense... with so much to see and so little time we walked till our legs felt like rigatoni.  We stayed in a place close to the Roma Termini train station and within a 10 minute walking distance to the colloseum.  It was clean and Nicola our host was helpful and friendly.  The elevator to our room was the old school weight and pully system with an exposed cage.  We got in late in the evening so our adventures didn't begin until the following morning. 

Interior of Pantheon (coffered dome + oculus)

Interior



I got up early in the morning before Emily, and walked the city.  The Pantheon was calling my name.  This was a place I had always wanted to see, a place my teachers always raved about in school, and after seeing it, I understood why.  In ancient times it was built as a temple for the gods and to this day is probably the best preserved ancient piece of Roman architecture.  I am not sure, but I think it was the largest free spanning dome in the world until 1996, which is quite a statement seeing how it was constructed nearly 2000 years ago.  From the outside it doesn't look like much, but when you get inside the beauty emerges.  The oculus at the top of the dome is open to the elements so when it rains the water falls through.

The oculus and the sun

Obviously the Colloseum was a main attraction, the history and construction of the place makes it one of fantasy, horror, and astonishment.  The monument held up to 55,000 people in its day and under just one emperor it saw 10,000 gladiators and 11,000 wild animals fight.  The amount of blood shed that took place is overwhelming. 

The Colloseum in the distance



The sophistacation of this structure was most impressive with advanced tunneling and pully systems which allowed for elaborate scenery and staging to take place underneath.  At one event a giant mechanical whale was constructed and pulled on stage where its mouth opened and 600 wild bears poured out of it. 

The tunneling below the arena floor

Interior ruins



Gladiators would fight to the death in the arena, or at some points their lives would be spared if the emperor and the crowd believed the gladiator to have put up a good fight.  If you won you were a hero, praised and flowered with gifts and money.  Most gladiators were men, but there were a few women.  I can't imagine what they looked like.  This structure was the heart of ancient Rome... it survived fire, earthquakes, thieves and time.  Many of the travertine blocks from the original structure can be found throughout Rome where they were used on other monuments.

Em + J + Colloseum

Colloseum exterior

The Vatican and St. Peter's Basilica was our next stop.  Other than it being the home of the Pope and the heart of Catholocism I don't know a whole lot about the place.  I do know that the Church itself is Renaissance in style and has the largest floor plan of any church in the world.  It was beautiful and probably gave both Emily and I the most Awwww moments.  The beauty in the art and structures was nothing like we had ever seen. 

St. Peter's Basilica at Sunset

St. Peter's Interior

The Vatican Museum next to the Basilica is a rare collection of amazing works of Roman sculputure and famous frescoes including Michaelangelos famous Sistine Chapel.  It took him over 7 years to paint just one wall (The Last Judgement) which portrays life after death and how we will face the wrath of God.  I was unable to take pictures in the Sistine Chapel as it is considered a sacred place; However, I doubt the pictures would have ever done it justice.  I did however sneak a few seconds of film, which I will share with some of you at some point.  Here are a few shots of the Museum and surrounding areas.

Ancient Roman Tub

Bronze Statue

Interior frescoes

Piazza St. Peter's rotunda

There are so many more pictures to share and so many stories to be told, but I feel it will be better in person.  We visited many piazzas and fountains, basilicas and restraunts.  We found them all to be amazing in origin and taste.  Rome is a special place, with such great history that has shaped our world in the past and even today.  I like to believe I walk away a better architect, and overall a more well rounded person.  These next pictures are just a few shots of its richness.  We love you all and hope you enjoy.

View of St. Angelo Castle on a bridge over the Tiber River

Stone Sculpture

Piazza Del Popolo and Em

The Spanish Steps

Trevi Fountain

Em and Piazza St. Peter's













Barcelona, Spain

Catalunya

Our Europe trek has begun in the wonderful city of Barcelona, Spain.  It has been an exciting place with great food, interesting architecture, beautiful beaches, and friendly people.  With so much to see in 3 short days, we have been busy hopping the metro train and walking around the city, discovering special spots at every turn. 

Gothic Quarter Bridge

The first day was all about Gaudi, the most celebrated Spanish architect in the world.  His work is more impressive than we ever thought.  The tour included the Sagrada Familia (Roman Catholic Church), the Casa Batllo, the Pedrera, and Park Guell.  Each has a unique story, and familiar organic style.  The story goes that when Gaudi was graduating from architecture school his professor said, “I am either graduating a genius, or a madman.”  What do you think?

J + Gaudi

Sagrada Familia - backside

The Pedrera

Casa Batllo

Park Guell + Em

Park Guell + Em

The food markets here are nothing like we have ever seen.  People don’t shop for the month or the week, but for the day.  Why not… fresh fruits, vegetables, fish and other meats at their fingertips (and for cheap).  Outstanding red wines go for less the 2 euro a bottle.  Needless to say, we have put down a few.  I particularly have enjoyed the ‘pan con tomate’ and green olives.  The market near our hostel is in the median between to major streets, along a park walkway running right down the middle. 



If I were to not come back to the states... it would be because of this.

Mercat de Santa Canterina

Shark Head... Why not?

Today we made our way down Las Ramblas to the Mediterranean Sea, putting our feet in an ocean neither of us had ever seen.  We walked the boardwalk and discovered one of Frank Gehry’s famous fish sculptures, and enjoyed the sun.  It was a nice retreat from the busy streets.  Even in the offseason this city is a mad house.  It is estimated that 2.3 million people visit the Sagrada Familia alone each year.



Mediterranean Sea

Scary Gehry and his fish

Sand Castle on the sea

Barcelona is a special place, with more to see, but tomorrow we fly to Rome for new adventures.  We will be back towards the end of our trip… and look forward to it.  Hope you enjoy the pics.