Wien and Velenzia

Something that everyone must know when traveling is that the city names that we are familiar with such as Vienna and Venice are not what they are called else where in the world which is why I titled my post as the Actual names. I have had to learn this very quickly looking up bus,train, and flight tickets. 

After leaving prague I headed to Vienna where I stayed from Monday to Friday and met some new friends and building my friend base around the world! It's fantastic. In vienna I payed for the all inclusive tour of St. Stephens Cathedral which I got to see the two spires, treasury, catacombs and a tour of the main cathedral part. This church was amazing and the catacombs were very weird as many bishops, kings, queens and there kids were buried and organs saved( I don't know what for but they were all in metal jars). 

I also came across many other ornate churches and buildings and took a free walking tour offered by my hostel of the all the main sights in the city. Vienna (wien) is very well known for it's orchestra music and the buildings it's played in.I don't remember all of them but here are a few pics I took. 

Yes that is a ice skating track infront.

And here are some pics of what i

The city looks like from a tall

I think Vienna is one of the most beautiful cities I have been to this far. I also lived off kebab's that were sold in a market right across from my hostel for 3 euro very big and probably not healthy but filled my belly

Venice is the weirdest place in my opinion. It also is extremely beautiful but there is no logic in how the streets are laid out or where the canals are or where they put the bridges. It is the biggest maze known to man kind. 

I have never been so lost in my life but always seemed to find my way home. Chris (katherines brother), Wes (his high school buddy) , and myself met in Venice and We stayed in a campground with cabins which were 12euro a night each and went to the grocery store each morning buying bread cheese an orange and Nutella and spending about 24euro a day which is approximately $30 a day. I have 4 months still to travel so gotta penny pinch once in a while haha. 

Carnivale was going on so everyone was dressed to impress with amazing outfits and crazy masks. We didn't have any masks and didn't want to spend the 2 euro for the cheapest mask so we bought a beer for 1euro and made out own masks. They were very janky but we got compliments and we saved money. 

Each day we walked around finding new landmarks and new roads and canals and got lost probably a million times. But we saw more of the city then most tourists would have seen in 2 weeks and we were there for 5 nights. We met many Americans dancing in the different squares as well as britains, And Italians. The weather was gorgeous most days but Saturday was cold and rainy but we still had a wild day. We ended up loosing a backpack with some of our belongings. Wes backpack and phone, my travel book, and chris food and water bottle all replaceable. 

Venice was very beautiful but I did not like the fact that the buildings were so close together you could not appreciate the buildings architecture and massiveness. 

I've been learning lots and am getting use to meeting new friends every place I go, and I'm getting good at saying bye because everyone comes and goes while traveling. But I add them on Facebook and hope to see them again in the future! I am also learning quickly that I can't communicate with everyone but make do with what I can. 

Venice was so much fun. Forgot to mention that there are no public restrooms and if there are you have to pay. Most restaurants don't even have a restroom, so the street is where you go, just have to find a nice n quiet ally.

I'm headed into southern Italy Such as Florence, Rome and maybe even further south but no plans of yet. 

Pivo

The reason I named this post Pivo is because it's the Czech word for beer, and it is the national drink of Czech. On one of my free walking tours the guide told me this and continued to tell us that on average the Czech citizen (of age) drinks one liter of beer everyday. The most expensive beer I bought in prague was 50crown which comes to about $2.50 while on average I was paying about $1.75. Enough of the beer talk and let's talk about the time spent here. 

I learned very quickly to use the bathroom not when needed but when convenient or a free bathroom was present, it costed money to use the bathrooms in prague. 

Also coins are a large part of currency in other countries and making sure I use them is becoming part of daily life. It adds up

I was staying with Hazar in istanbul and had to wake up at 245am for a cheap flight I bought to prague between public transit and check in I was ready to board my flight at 530am. I flew from Istanbul to Kiev Ukraine to Prague. AFTER arriving we went to walk through the old town square and across Charles bridge then went to Katherine to sleep where I stayed for the duration of my stay in prague. 

I did a lot of traveling by myself as she had school so I would find things to do and just wander around and look at the magnificent architecture and buildings that are 3x older then the oldest buildings in the USA. There are many notable sights to see but I will give you a quick rundown. 

Charles bridge was started in 1357 and have had many statues on it over the past 700 years. 

The Astronomical clock which was built more then 600 years ago. This clock which is only adjusted 2 times a year can tell the time, it also reveals babylon, old bohemian, German, sidereal time, zodiac information, and the position if the moon. It also has the 12 apostles that come out and a rooster that crows. 

 We also went to the top and this is what it looks like from up there.

I saw many cathedrals, Saint james, church of our lady before tÿn, church of Saint Nicholas, st. Virus, and church of St. Peter and St. Paul. Although prague has all these beautiful churches and they take such great care of them only 11% of Czech population attend church regularly.

Besides that we also went to the John Lennon wall, prague castle, vysehrad, golden lane, went to the Jewish town and saw buncha old synagogue and the old Jewish cemetery, and Wenceslas square. 

Prague castle up top there

Vysehrad cemetary

This is a pregnant lady that is supposedly contemporary art. 

The national museum

In the communist museum 

And the torture museum

Came across a bunch of these guys

See John Lennon? That's why this wall is names after him

Had a bunch of weird food that I didn't know what it was. I took on the idea of pointing and shooting (close my eyes and pointing randomly at the menu and ordering that) 

All in all had a fantastic time and now making my way to Vienna Austria via a bus that was $20.  Will be staying at a hostel and hopefully make a few friends. 

Missing everyone and I hope your still enjoying the pictures and such.