Hey there! I just returned from my 3 1/2 week whirlwind tour of Europe and am therefore finally updating my blog! Just forewarning, this may be a long post, so now would be a good time to grab a snack, a pillow (in case you need to take a nap mid-way through), some advil (in case my writing gives you a headache), a glass of water, and a comfy chair that you can hunker down in--ladies and gentlemen, it's going to be a wild ride! 

Here's the itinerary: March 22-25 Berlin, Germany; March 25-27 Poznan, Poland;March 28th-April 1 Berlin, Germany; April 1-April 4 Vienna, Austria; April 4 stop in Salzburg, Austria on the way to Munich; April 4-April 8 Munich, Germany; April 8-9 Luzern, Switzerland; April 10-13 Paris, France. Now that you know where I went, let's begin! 

The journey started out leaving Copenhagen by bus with my DIS Medical Practice and Policy group, and taking a ferry mid-journey to arrive in Berlin. On the way to Berlin we stopped at a concentration camp from WWII, Sachsenhausen. This was, of course, a very eerie experience and left me feeling an unfamiliar sense of emptiness. I'm not sure how else to explain the sensation. It's one thing to read about these horrifying places of torture, and quite another to set foot there and bear witness to a place of such atrocities. Not exactly an enjoyable start to the trip, but quite meaningful and one of the most moving experiences I had. When we got to Berlin we had dinner at this really cool restaurant where you eat in complete darkness to emulate a world without vision. This was quite the experience, as my friends and I were led to our table by our blind waiter, and proceeded to explore our surroundings with our senses of touch, hearing, and smell. We ate our food with our hands (after many failed attempts to cut the food and bringing up forkfuls of nothing, it was easiest and more fun to eat with our hands, and hey, nobody could see you to judge your messy face!). The next two days in Berlin we went on a guided tour of the city, saw numerous WWII memorials, including the Berlin wall, went on some academic visits (such as an anatomy clinic where we were able to see bodies and organs that had been donated to educate medical students!), and saw some other important sites of Berlin. These included the Reichstag, where parliament meets; the Brandenberg Bridge, which symbolizes the reunification of Berlin; the Berliner Dom; a WWII bunker; and a church that was half-destroyed by bombing during WWII. Berlin definitely is the place to go to learn more about WWII and other historical events in a hands-on way. To complete the study tour, we went to Poznan, Poland for a couple days and were able to shadow a gynecologist, visit a pediatrics ward, and take a tour of the city. It wasn't the most exciting place, but it did have a colorful, lovely town square and we had some wonderful Polish food. I am glad I was able to go to Poland, but it's not somewhere that I need to revisit. 

Once the study tour was over (my group left for Copenhagen on friday and I stayed an additional night in Poland to meet my friend, Lauren, in Berlin the next day), I set off for Berlin. It was fortunate that we were meeting in a city that I had a general feel for, since I had already been there, because I was quite nervous about traveling by myself. Luckily, everything went really smoothly (once I hurtled over the language barrier in the Polish train station and finally made it to my train!), and it was wonderful to meet with a friend from home and catch up. The second time around in Berlin was much more relaxed and I was able to visit some museums on Museum Island, see the Charlottenberg Palace, and enjoy some brattwurst and cabbage, as well as gelatto for dessert. 

After Berlin, we left for Vienna, Austria, which turned out to be my favorite city. While there, we spent a jam-packed day exploring the city and saw Schonbrunn Schloss (Palace) as well as its beautiful grounds that overlook the entire city; the Parliament building, Stephansdom Cathedral, and the numerous city parks that were blossoming with the springtime. That evening, we went to a classical concert in the city concert hall and it was pretty incredible being in the city that is the heart of classical music listening to such a beautiful melodious production. The next day in Vienna we went on a hike in Grinzing, which is just north of Vienna, and it was so invigorating to be out in the mountains hiking after spending so much time sightseeing and touring museums. I would love to go back to Vienna if I ever have the opportunity!

After leaving Vienna, we made a 5-hour stop in Salzburg so we could do a mini-Sound of Music tour. On this expedition we saw Leopoldskron Schloss, which was the von Trapp home in the movie, as well as the outside of the concert hall where they performed, and the church that they were married in. We also saw Mozart's residence and toured the Maribel Gardens, which were beautiful. We then continued on our journey to Munich...the luxury of traveling by train with Eurail!

In Munich we went on a free guided tour the first day, which was a wonderful idea because we were able to gain an overview of the city and decide what we needed to further investigate. I thought the Glockenspiel was pretty cool, with the figures that dance and joust to the music of the bells (although the bells are quite out of tune). We also saw numerous memorials to WWII victims (like a shopkeeper whose store was destroyed during Kristallnacht) and a trail of golden bricks that commemorated the efforts of those who resisted the Nazi regime. These memorials are very subtle in the city so as to remind people of the atrocity while not constantly haunting those who live there, which allows the city to rebuild and grow while still remembering the past so it's not repeated. We enjoyed a wonderful German meal, complete with Bavarian beer (see picture below). We also visited Olympia Stadion, where the Summer Olympics were held in 1972, and it was a lovely park with rolling hills and this crazy architecture for the arenas themselves...quite different than the stadium in Berlin! The last day of our tour in Bavaria (which is beautiful country, well-worth a visit!), we went to Fussen to see Neuschwanstein Castle. This castle was built by Ludwig II and is the "fairy-tale" castle. It is simply stunning and is nestled into the mountains over the town. By far one of the highlights of my trip. 

We left Munich and headed to Switzerland for a day. Luzern was one of the most beautiful places I have ever been. It is a small city with the large, crystal-clear Lake Luzern in the center and bordered by the Swiss Alps. I was able to take a cable car ride up to the top of one of the mountain peaks, Mount Pilatus, and see a breathtaking view of the city and the glorious peaks covered in snow. It felt a bit like Snowbird in Utah, except I passed over a bunch of sheep and a a person yodelling on the way up to the top! If Switzerland wasn't so expensive, I would love to live there one day!

My friend Lauren and I parted ways in Luzern and I headed to Paris to meet my friend Anna from Elon. After taking 9 local trains (the holiday weekend complicated my train travel quite a bit!) and traveling for 14 hours, I finally made it to Paris! It was an exhausting day, and it was so nice when I finally met up with Anna the next day. We went to an adorable French restaurant (Angelina's Cafe) and had the most amazing hot chocolate and croissants. Then we walked around Paris, I saw the major sites like the Eiffel Tower, Arc de Triomphe, the pyramid of the Louvre, Luxembourg Gardens, the Pantheon, Notre Dame, Saint Chapelle, and so much more. It was also fun to see where Anna is studying and to be with someone who knows me so well from home. Unfortunately, Paris was teeming with tourists for the holiday weekend, so I didn't go up the Eiffel Tower or into Notre Dame, but I suppose I will just have to return to Paris one day :).

On Monday morning I flew back to Copenhagen, and I was surprised by how much I missed it. It was such a relief to be back in my European home and to finally be able to unpack my suitcase. Copenhagen welcomed me back with sunshiny warmth, and it is now very green and pretty here--no more gray clouds! I am so eager for the last month of my time here, I'll let you know how it goes! Thanks for bearing with me, enjoy the photos below!