Graham’s Notes

Here are those pictures:

I left off after Budapest, so first is Prague - a Frank Gehry building, because Josh loves Frank Gehry with all his heart.

Next is Innsbruck, Austria - we took a sweet hike, here are some of the people (and the mountain):

Here is a cow that greeted us at the hut on the side of the mountain:

Next we went to Berlin for about 5 days. Berlin is one of my favorite cities - they have lots of exciting stuff going on. The city has basically reinvented itself since 1989.

A berlin invention: Currywurst

They have a bunch of cool bears in Berlin - one for every nation in the UN. My faves:

Tunisia looks like demon or something.

And Cuba, how classy:

There is a sweet museum called the Pergamon with an entire old Babylonian gate reconstructed. This is a Lion from that gate:

We visited Sachsenhausen, a former concentration camp above Berlin (very intense):

From R-L: Our wonderful host Suse (we stayed at her apartment - a sweet apartment, btw) and her boyfriend on his kick-ass patio.

Of all the Doner Kepabs in the world, Balli has the best. This was right outside Suse’s apartment. I would kill for one of these right now. Mmmmmm..

Next stop, Amsterdam and the Heineken museum:

In Belgium we drank lots and lots of delicious beer from a chalice (as it should be). Heres a picture of one of the best:

We stayed in a little town called Namur for a few days:

The Medieval Fair on the top of the Citadel at Namur - pretty sweet:

Waffles in Brussels with ‘Chantilly Creme’

Brussels has a comic book museum - its all Belgian/French artists, but who knew the smurfs were Belgian?

The best ice cream in Paris (shown: 1 scoop of prunes and one of watermelon - pretty tasty)

A sweet picture Matt took:

Authentic (and ridiculously delicious) French Crepes:

The end at the Seattle Airport:

Wahoo! We were ready to be home.

The trip was totally sweet though - really good times. I want to go travelling again soon. If only I had any money…

We got back last week, but some scarly European virus hitched a ride and I was laid up all weekend.

I will publish some pictures of the end of our trip as soon as I get access to fast internet… out in the sticks we have some issues with advanced technology. I used a string tied to an empty can of beans until just last year.

Anyway, we made it safe. Thanks again to Suze and Peter and Hanne for all the awesome hosting that we recieved. I’ve updated the map to record our final jaunt!

Hello folks -

I updated the map to show where we currently are and where we have been. I will try to put some pictures up later today or tomorrow. Check out where we´ve been!

Wahoo… lots of cool stuff:

St Peter’s Basilica is way cool - down below is the tombs of the popes:

The guards:

Nice statue.

Totally sweet.

Sorry to Josh - we only saw the Aqueducts as we were leaving. You seriously need to come to Rome man.

On the steps of Palazza Venecia, I think? Quite the monument.

Matt on the Ferry to Croatia. We met some awesome Kiwis. Vinnie, you are in a good place.

Dubrovnik. Holy crap.

This is a Hilton. On fire. (in Dubrovnik in 91 or 92)

On the Island of Lokrum outside of Dubrovnik.

Croatian Mexican food. Actually really spicy.

Mmmmm.

Words cannot describe Plitvicke National Park… I miss it now. Many more amazing pictures when we get back.

Blacky, our pet slug.

Zagreb! I really want to come back to this place. Most beautiful city parks we have seen yet.

The Labyrinth in Budapest. Totally badass. I nearly lost my drawers.

If only I had this for Scategories.

You are not intimidating unless you have antlers on your horse.

We have till July 11th… Matt will be home then for sure, I am thinking of staying and going a few more spots. This is the best vacation ever. Pizza, beer, ice cream, every day.

It turns out its hard to find time to sit in front of a computer in Europe. We’ve got some down time in Athens while waiting to get on the train and eventually go back to Italy, so here are some pictures. Thanks for all the posts everybody. Sorry its been so long.

Highlights:

Zurich: Totally delicious fondue

Florence: Tiny Car

Florence: Gates of Paradise, anyone? (along with Florence crowds - totally crazy)

Pisa: The Tower (the baptistery was way cooler though)

CINQUE TERRE! Totally beautiful and awesome. Click the thumbnail for the bigger pic.

We skipped Rome (going back tomorrow) because all the rooms were full. Greece is cooler anyway.

The Acropolis (its really hot up there)

Why Greece is better than Italy: cheap and delicious food. Plus they put fries in it! They put fries on everything. (A Gyro is only 1.50 Euro)

Trip to Island of Paros:

Chillin in a bar - tasty beer:

Dusk:

Bicycle Trip:

What happened in the Seattle Airport (it has since completely cracked. It still plays music though. This American life on MP3 is totally awesome.)

The trip is flying by. Only 42 or something days left. Next up Rome, then Croatia and up through eastern europe. Wahooooo.

Har du det godt? (~How are you?)

Randers FC vs. Esbjerg FB

(also check out http://www.teamzimbabwe.dk -my cousin Peter’s football club!)

Weddelsborg Castle (Very expensive British Chesterfield couch)

White-tailed Eagle (the one on the right is eating a delicious fish).

Soren and Jeppe (pronounced ye-ben) - two of my many cousins over here. (Badass hat).

There are a million more but I don’t have the time.

I will put a picture of our wonderful host Peter and Hanne later…

London is very expensive.

(fixed image size finally)

Here are some pictures:

Matt

The fam

Outside my window at UP

The Bluff below UP

The Superfund Site below UP

Pictures from Banks:

Our House

Our Gas Station

Daisy

Click on the ‘Europe 2006′ link on the right part of the screen to see our current location!

I am taking a two month trip to Europe with my friend Matt.  This adventure is a long time coming.  I am stoked and a little scared - we leave tomorrow!  Here’s the history behind this trip:

When I was 12 I visited Australia.  We stayed in tropical resorts and dingy motels while riding on a giant bus down the Eastern coast.  I learned that travelling is just plain awesome - the world has much more to offer than the Portland Metro area.  I decided my next best opportunity would be to take a semester abroad in New Zealand.  I got everything ready to go - I was going to go right after field training for the AFROTC.

About two months before field training, my knee got bungled. I already had my FT camp assigned and was in massive prep mode.  Eventually, I had to have surgery and delay field training for a year.  After a year of surprisingly difficult rehab I did finally attend FT, but my travel plans were totally thrown off.  My friend I was going to go with had already gone to New Zealand and by now the prospect of studying abroad was complicated by classes I could no longer put off.
So I’m not going to study.  I’m going to backpack!  I would’ve hated studying anyway.  My friend Matt wanted a to take a backpack trip as well, so we merged our powers of adventure.
We’re leaving tomorrow.
This travel blog site has a sweet map on the right that will track our progress.  The internet is awesome.