The Mainland

This post is going to be a little longer because I was in five different cities over the last week.

The first part of leaving the UK was actually spending the night on the streets of London. This entire trip I have been talking with God and saying, “I am ready for anything, and if that means spending a few nights on the street because of whatever reason, bring it on.” Welp, it happened. When you think of booking tickets, you would think that if you’re supposed to leave the next morning, then you can wait in the station or terminal until you need to board. That’s usually how it works in airports and other bus stations I have been in. But, that can’t be said for one of the busiest cities in the world, London.

I have to be honest though and say it was pretty awesome. I didn’t really get any sleep with all the people and cars going by; however, the night I happened to be in London with nowhere to go, was the night of the 2014 London Cancer Night Walk. Now, I have my own opinions about how or where the money goes when it comes to cancer research but to see these people walking through the night in support of something that relates to me personally was cool to see. The second part of the night was meeting Ricardo from Portugal. He had just arrived in London and I saw him walking around looking down at his phone. When he walked past me the second time, I assumed he was lost and told myself that if he walked past me again I would ask if he needed help (you know, me being such a great person with direction (extreme sarcasm)). But, I actually ended up being the one who walked towards him because some old guy walked past me and looked at me like he was going to rob me so I thought it best to move haha. Long story short, we walked around for about an hour trying to find a hotel, hostel, B&B, or just about anything he could afford until he found a place to rent for the upcoming school year. Again I say, it is moments like this that I can’t help but think God is working. I never would have met him or seen the parade of people walking if I weren’t stuck overnight in London.

Barcelona! After spending over twenty-five hours on a bus I arrived at one of the most beautiful cities I have ever seen. For those that know me, I don’t really like water unless I am taking a shower or drinking it; but I would have been a fool not to go to the beach in Barcelona. And that’s exactly what I did about twenty minutes after arriving. I didn’t get into the ocean, but I sat in the sand under the sun for about an hour just soaking in the fact that I was actually there. After getting a little suntan, I stopped and enjoyed an amazing chicken sandwich from a local shop and then walked around the city until my friend Marina got off work. I originally met her in Dublin and reconnected hoping to crash on her couch and meet her family for the two days I would be in Spain (I know what you’re thinking and I agree, two days was not long enough). If you have been reading this blog you’ll know that I talk a lot about the people that I meet because it is as if each new place I go, I meet more and more amazing people. Marina, her sister Elsa and their parents definitely rank high on my list of people that will forever be on my heart.

The rest of the first day was spent walking around the city learning all about the culture and history of Barcelona. I wasn’t much of a history guy growing up so I wasn’t aware of the constant struggle between Catalonia and the rest of Spain. Catalan is actually a language (where as I thought everyone spoke Spanish), and they are an extremely tight nit culture and people. Marina showed me some of the old buildings, churches and monuments, while giving me a lesson on the history. It was like having a private tour guide. That night I had dinner with the family and was able to share more about myself and learn more about them. Elsa became like my little sister; she has dreadlocks, listens to reggae music and is traveling to Finland soon to study. Their mother is a really cool success story in my mind because she started at the bottom, cleaning and working in McDonalds and worked her way up and is now working in the human resources department. But; I have to say (and this might get me into a little trouble haha), but their father and I were like instant best-friends. We both studied similar things (journalism/advertisement/design) and he works in an office and also freelances, designing artwork and logos for different companies. 

He is a really amazing artist and after looking through one of his sketch books, he decided to draw me my own unique sketch which I have to admit is one of the best souvenirs I will bring home with me. The second evening I was able to experience something I never would have been able to if I were just staying in a hostel on my own. Marina and Elsa brought me to a tradition human tower building practice. The coolest thing ever and words cannot explain the strength and precision needed for something like this, but watching a six year old climb five levels high while the tower is being balanced, seeing the strain of their faces and the determination to keep their pose is quit remarkable. Although I wasn’t able to get right in the middle of the action, I was able to participate in a couple of the towers. Two days was not long enough and I will for sure be back!

After Barcelona I was back on a bus for another twenty-four hour trip to Amsterdam. I was actually born in Amsterdam…..New York that is, but still funny to be able to say that. I absolutely loved walking through the streets because there are dozens of canals throughout the city. It’s as if there are a ton of little islands a hundred feet apart. I was a little disappointed that my money was running low because I couldn't go into any of the attractions or museums, but I did try a traditional waffle (delicious), saw the I

AMSTERDAM sign, and walked through the red light district (during the day when the crazies are asleep). The best part however, was staying at Shelter Jordan; Christian hostel run by volunteers from all over the world. I was blown away by their hospitality and the amazing bible study that night. Being able to share, learn and grow with others in a country known for their partying and drugs was an absolute blessing.

The next morning I had a pancake breakfast and then got on a bus to Brussels. Knowing that I only had one day there, after racing around looking at as much as I could, I sat down for a cup of Belgian hot Chocolate (I would go broke living there with all the chocolate) and looked on the events calendar for the couchsurfing website and saw that they were having a language exchange night at a local bar. There ended up being over a hundred people that showed up and it was all about learning and teaching languages as well as really getting to know new people. Although I would love to learn French, I spent most of the time speaking in English. As the night went on, a group of six of us ended up spending most of our time together chatting about everything from how to know what kind of handshake or high-five to expect (I’m kind of an expert so if you’re confused, it’s all about the angle of the persons hand), to goals and expectations for the future. After our time at the bar I walked around with Wim and Cindy until about three in the morning; they showed me the giant square in the middle of Belgium where everyone goes to party (we moved very quickly through that portion), and also the extremely odd, yet apparently famous peeing statues of the little man and women. I said goodbye and waiting by the bus station to catch my bus at six to Cologne, Germany.

Cologne is a really nice city with one of the largest and most detailed cathedral’s I have ever seen. It took well over two hundred years to complete and the towers are over five-hundred feet tall. I wish I could go back in time and watch it get built, so if you’re ever in Cologne, you have to go see it. After the cathedral, I walked around the city a bit and came upon a shop called Oil&Vinegar. You all know I am a foodie, and if I’m being honest, I would move back to Cologne just so I could shop there. Walking into the shop you are hit with an unbelievably amazing aroma of herbs, spices and fused oils (I definitely spent a good amount of time sampling all the flavors. I am also staying at the best hostel I have been to so far. Most are simply for a bed, maybe a cheap breakfast and it's very crowded. But this one is like staying at a high class hotel, only two hundred dollars cheaper! The only downside to being in Germany is the fact that I couldn't make it to Munich where the two friends I met in Ireland live. For some reason they don't have a cheap bus that goes to that city, but I can guarantee when I save up enough money, I'll be going to Germany again!

I leave tomorrow evening to visit the last city on my list, France, and then it’s back to Dublin.