The trip of a lifetime

So this post is a summary of my adventures across Europe. I took a week before my Irish happenings to journey to a few of the places I needed to reach in my life. This post is quite long so read it in pieces and by dates unless you want your eyes to fall out of your sockets. Here goes:






Tuesday August 26th 2008:


The trip got off to a rocky start. Upon leaving the O'Connell house, our group of Greg, Kevin, Jenna, Andrew, Christine, and Courtney all went to the bus. We missed the first bus and consequently had to wait for a later one. This pushed our schedule back a bit to the point where we were checking into our flight at the last minute.

We got through check in and started passing through security. All of us are nervous about catching our plane already, but then to top it off the Dublin security stops my bag. I have to open it up and pull out my huge jar of peanut butter. The guard says I can't take a carry on bag with a "paste" item in it like this, so I run back to the counter to look into checking it.

The desk is closed.

So now I am in a crunch, and decide finally to abandon my food source and run through security. We book it to the flight and barely catch it. We may have lost the PB, but at least we were heading for Rome!

The flight was a nice place to take a nap even though it was quite loud. We arrived in Ciampino airport on the outskirts of the city. A bus took us to the main train station, and from there it was a few blocks to our hostel. We dropped off Courtney, Christine, and Andrew at their hostels, and tracked to ours. The hostel owner was very nice and even staying up for us to await our arrival! It was an excruciatingly long day and all of us crashed straight into our beds.






Wednesday, August 27th:


Since this was our first day of excursions all four in our group were ready to go in the morning. One of the other kids in our room was a German by the name of Alexander Stein. We began talking to him and after a while he told us about the entire city as well as what we wanted to see. We finished the breakfast Pano brought us (croissants, juice, and coffee), took a walk with Alex, and headed out to Rome!

We stopped at many places right away, most of which you can see pictures of in my Rome album. The sights were unreal. Churches were everywhere, people were bustling; it was phenomenal. And of course being Notre Dame students, we made it high priority to see the dorkiest stuff ever created, and we did it fast.

By lunch we had seen the Roman Forum, Coliseum, four or five random Basilicas (not only were they churches, but yes, most were basilicas), and the Italian Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Lunch that day consisted of grilled salami sandwiches from a cart on the street. After that we saw the Pantheon, Spanish Steps, Trevi Fountain, and several other random places. The pictures tell much better stories than I can, so check those out!

That night we met up with the other group traveling in Rome. We all went to an Italian cafe situated on the street and had dinner. The pasta was the best I have ever tasted. Ravioli, Tortellini, Lasagna, you name it, it was awesome. A few of us also split a bottle of red wine, which was delicious. After that Allison joined our group, and we now had five. We decided to retire for the night to Hostel Beautiful and relax in our room. Tomorrow would be an even bigger day than the first... the Vatican!






Thursday, August 28th:


This day was by far the biggest day on my agenda. I had been looking forward to visiting the Vatican practically since the day I discovered it existed. An entire country dedicated to the faith? How sick is that?

The day was off to an early start with the same breakfast. We hopped on a bus and sped toward the Vatican. We were not even sure where to look or what to look for, but once the bus went over the river we knew it was close. At the next stop we scooted off the bus and walked the same way other people were walking. Out into an open street and under a few columns, I still was not quite sure where we were.

And then I stopped and gazed at St. Peter's Square. I don't know if my life will ever be the same again.

In real terms it was not extreme by any standard. The square (which is actually an oval-shaped section... go figure) was not terribly large, and the steps up to St. Peter's Basilica make it look like another of the large churches dotting Rome.

But then you get to look closer. I began examining all around me. I started seeing what was really in the vicinity.

There were statues of saints dotting all the ridges of the arch crescents. Atop the Basilica was Jesus the high Messiah. Along his sides were the twelve apostles. Guarding the sides of the steps was Peter holding the keys and Paul holding a sword. The dome of St. Peter suddenly arched even further into view, and the Obelisk loomed higher than ever before in the middle of the square.

It was incredible, and we only arrived.

After a few moments of wandering around, looking, mostly simply staring in awe, we decided it would be a good idea to find our Scavi office so we could take the tour of the Necropolis (for those of you that don't know, Father Warner at ND got us tickets to go into the underground catacomb tombs of the Basilica. Tour of a lifetime!)

We walked out back toward the way we came and arrived at two Swiss guards. See the picture of the guards, they were huge and not to be messed with, regardless of their funny outfits.

After giving them our proper documentation, we passed by into the back of the Basilica. There we found the Scavi office and signed in. After a few minutes there were about 15 of us to travel down into the Necropolis.

Talk about awesome! There are unfortunately no pictures in my albums of the tour or the catacombs as there is no photography allowed. Rest assured though, if there is ever something to do in Rome, it would be this tour. We saw tombs thousands of years old, walked streets that used to be in the open air (the neighborhood was essentially buried and the Basilica built on top of it), saw iconic symbols dating beyond the times of Roman mythology. Eventually we arrived at the tomb of St. Peter, observed his bones, and even had the opportunity to say an Our Father in front of his remains. We were directly under the high altar of St. Peter, and it was absolutely phenomenal, I could not believe the energy surrounding me at that very moment.

Once the tour concluded we were let out into the throngs of people walking into the Basilica from below. We passed the tomb of Pope John Paul II, and headed up into the open church.

Again, words cannot express the amazement I had for this open area. This place was enormous, simply huge. There are pictures of the dome and other pieces of the inside, the artwork cannot be described in words. There were even side chapels larger than the Basilica of the Sacred Heart, and alleyways between those bigger than Maternity BVM. This even neglects the main hall to the altar of St. Peter, which is bigger than all the rest. It appears to not even be a single church but more a conglomerate of churches operating together in the same building. Mass was being said in one portion, confessions were in another (in about 20 different languages), and all around were people kneeling before the cross or admiring the work of Michelangelo and other artists.

We all spent a good portion in that church, and for good reason. It is a true testament to our faith and one that all Catholics should see at least once in a lifetime.

Once we felt we had seen the church a few times over, we began walking out onto the square and back into the streets of Rome to find some lunch. We found a small place that gave us a lot of pizza and gelato for relatively cheap, so we sat there and ate our wonderful Italian cuisine. Let me tell you, if any people can make food, the Italians can, all of their food is simply astounding.

We took a relaxed lunch and let the Vatican somewhat soak in. Afterward our group split up; Kevin, Greg, and Alli went to the Sistine Chapel, but since we only had a few hours, Jenna and I decided to walk around the City and ended up at St. Peter's Square where we sat and talked for an hour or so. It was pretty astounding, to simply sit there, watching all the people while realizing that your faith has been impacted in such a pounding way.

We had to catch a flight to Athens around this time, so we had to begin our journey back. We took the bus back to our hostel, collected our bags, and went down to the small store in Termini train station to buy some food and drinks. Before this we bought our tickets and Greg had checked the board to say that our train was actually a bit late and that we should be fine to catch it. Once we emerged back to see the board, Kevin realized Greg had read the wrong time, and our train was scheduled to leave.... in two minutes.

We booked it. I felt like Jason Bourne running through Europe, dodging people left and right. Kind of insane.

Nonetheless, we made it on time and got to the train. Once at the airport we checked in without problems, got on our flight, and headed to Athens.

The Athens airport can best be described as.... dirty. Much like the rest of the country in fact. We grabbed train tickets and rushed out to our hostel, hoping we would still be able to check in at this late hour (it was now pushing 12 since Greece is one more time zone over still from Italy, which is one more over from Ireland..... bloody time zones). We were able to check in, found our room, and collapsed. Long day indeed, but totally worth it.






Friday, August 29th:


We awoke to a beautiful Greek morning and decided right away to head out to the Acropolis, the only thing on our schedule for the day. Let me say that right off the bat the entire country felt more foreign than I could have ever imagined, most of which was brought on by the different alphabet. Signs are all unreadable or even undecipherable. It was rather intimidating, but that was not about to stop us.

We grabbed breakfast at a small cafe, which was a cheese and ham fried... thing. It was different and I have not found an American equivalent except to say it would be like dropping a grilled ham and cheese sandwich into croissant batter and frying it. Was not a bad choice at all.

It was still early so we decided to begin our climb up. We bought tickets at some of the first ruins we came across, which were part of the gate of Athena. Greece was much like Rome; old was mixed with new. One could walk down the street and find an arch that was older than Christianity.

No big deal.

So began the climb to the acropolis. Talk about an insane journey! We began walking the logical way; up. After a while we were dodging through alleyways, pushing through people's backyards, and generally getting lost. Tensions were running a little high and we did not really know where we were. We stumbled across the church of Metamorphosis, which was this older Byzantine sanctuary. That was quite interesting and I enjoyed the different view of religion in another country.

We continued to make our climb up the Acropolis, and an arduous climb it was. It was very hot and we didn't have much water. Sufficient to say, after a brief stint on rocks above the city, we reached the top and saw the Parthenon as well as several other temples. Here we made a nice relaxing recovery under a tree near a water fountain. It was a great view of the city and here I stood in awe at the sheer marvel of such an ancient city continuing to survive in the modern day.

That is one thing the whole of Europe has thus far taught me to appreciate; all peoples here have rich heritages and take great pride in where they come from. No matter where you go, these people are immensely happy with the fact that their culture stretches back to 3000 BC and possibly beyond. After a stint on the hill, we made our way down the acropolis and headed out to get some lunch. We found a cafe and I had another sandwich to stay light. After relaxing a bit and realizing we really had nothing else major to see before we arrived at our Ferry, we took off to Piraeus, the port district of Athens. Here we wandered the streets until we found a small meat shop that also sold wine, cheese, and bread.

We loaded up for dinner which consisted of bread pieces, various meats, feta cheese, and several different wines. Eventually we found the ferry and hopped on board, ready for Crete! After eating dinner on the deck, the boat took off into the Aegean Sea. Again, such an awe-inspiring sight! There were lights from islands all over, the sea swelled up against the large boat, and as the cruise-ship sized boat powered toward Crete, we all took some time to admire the real beauty of such an excellent land.

Eventually the night took the better of us and we began to settle down on the benches for a night's sleep. The next day would be Crete.






Saturday, August 30th:

We were as far away from Dublin as we were going to be, and our day started off blisteringly early. The ferry wandered into Heraklion (largest city on the island) around 6 in the morning. No one had really slept perfectly, and none of us were properly rested. Nonetheless, we pressed on.

Immediately upon stepping off the boat, we felt the need to sit down for a minute, gather our bearings, and decide what the day would bring. We sat in the port office and relaxed. We gathered a little to eat while I ate some of the food I bought in Italy. Kevin purchased Greek coffee, which turned out to be by far the worst purchase on our trip. It tasted like someone took a can of dirt, threw it into a boiler, poured battery acid into the mix, and served it at the cost of 3.50 Euro. Kevin wasn't happy.

We wanted to see the Palace of Knossos as well as go to a beach. So we set off to find the bus station which would take us to the Palace.

Problem is, we didn't know where we were, we didn't know the scale of our map, and we didn't know where we were going or looking for.

After about an hour or so of wandering around the streets in the bright Saturday morning, we finally stumbled upon it (it was about a quarter mile from where we started... go figure). We grabbed tickets and hopped on the bus. Once we arrived we took a look around. The Palace was pretty neat, there were several structures as well as ruins, and crazy animals like swallowtail butterflies and peacocks were all over the place. The Bronze Age stones were a sight and definitely put the place into perspective as one gazed out into the hilly countryside overlooking a vast and vibrant sea. It was clear that this was once a place central to culture, much the same way ball parks, universities, and downtowns are for us now.

After a bit of wandering, we realized our day was going to progress quite slowly and that unlike Rome, we had few things to see and plenty of time. At about 10:00 AM after we had sufficiently scoured the ruins, we decided to grab a table on an elevated covered portion and play cards out in the beautiful weather. It was so relaxing, I enjoyed every minute of the weather, friendships, and atmosphere.

We sat around and played cards for quite some time, and eventually decided to eat lunch. So we essentially packed up and moved to a restaurant across from the palace. Most of the group ordered gyros or other random things, but I decided to get adventurous and order Moussaka, which is a traditional Greek dish that is made with meat, potatoes, and eggplant together in a white sauce and baked in a pastry crust. It was quite tasty and I recommend it to anyone traveling in the Balkans.

Lunch ended around 1 pm or so. Of all the things in Europe, the view of time was by far the most embraced at this point. Our tickets took us back to the station and we sat there for a bit before deciding to take another bus about half an hour from the city to go to a beach. By chance we stepped off the bus at a prime place at a free beach. The sea was magnificent and so clear. Swimming was fun and eventually we made our way back to the beach and took a nice nap.

I was then rudely awakened by a guy trying to speak broken English to me. He asked if we were staying on the beach for a bit and I said yes. He told me it costs 1 Euro each to use the chairs. I wasn't exactly sure if he was telling the truth or not, but either way I was not paying this guy. I told him we would pay when we left. He walked away, apparently taking our answer. Fifteen minutes later, however, he appeared again and asked for money. I asked him if these chairs were part of the hotel that was right near us (we were told the chairs here were free but the ones on the other part of the bend were for hotel guests only). He said yes, and I asked if I could pay at the desk then. Apparently realizing his mistake, he stated the beach was not part of the hotel. At this point I knew for sure it was a hoax, and when he asked me to pay, I gave him an emphatic "no".

Walked away, and that was the end of that. It did throw me for a loop though, as that was the first time someone tried to swindle us on this trip. Not bad for five Americans in Greece.

The bus picked us up and we were back toward the dock. We got onto the boat and headed back to Athens. This time we found a place on the floor inside, which is apparently what all the smart travelers with our ticket do. The reception area was dotted with groups sleeping on the floor, which was quite amusing. If you can picture a Hilton-style front desk with the nice carpet, banisters and everything else that goes with a nice hotel covered with people laying down and sleeping, your estimate would be fairly accurate. So ended our stay in Crete. It was an interesting place and I can now say I've been there. I doubt though that I will be making it back anytime soon. I have bigger fish to fry.... like Berlin!






Sunday, August 31st:


Sleeping inside had definitely afforded a better night for all of us, and even though it was 6:30 AM, we were ready to go. Our flight was an early one too though, and we had to make it literally across the city and then some to reach the airport. We immediately found the train station and found tickets, then hopped on the next train out. Maybe it was the boat, maybe it was being up early, I am still not sure, but for whatever reason this trip was not fun for me. I was feeling terribly nauseous. Attempting to run down a sidewalk at this hour was not exactly a picnic either. Trains were late and it was a mad rush to find our terminal.

Find it we did though, and onto our flight we collapsed. Berlin was next in route.

Again with the bus and train once we arrived, and we began wandering the city. And again, we decided to not have any idea where we were. Luckily we had no schedule by now and were only attempting to find two things: our hostel and a good lunch. Lunch first.

Where else would we enjoy a quality hamburger than in the land of Hamburg? Found it and an internet cafe, so I threw out a couple emails while I had my fill. After a bit longer walk we found our hostel which was again really nice. All of us were so tired, we took a mini-breather at our hostel. Since it was Sunday we decided to head downtown to St. Hedwig's Cathedral for mass. Unfortunately I did not bring my camera on this excursion, but you can take my word that it was a pretty awesome place. Mass was in German so we missed pretty much... everything. But God was watching, and that is enough for me.

Downtown was great, but we were getting hungry by the time mass was let out, and most things were closed since it was a Sunday. So we took the train back toward our hostel and sat down for dinner. I had Pfefferschnitzel which was really good. By this time Jenna and I walked back to play cards while Kevin, Greg, and Alli went out to one of the bars. I was so tired at this point, I fell asleep and ended my first day in Berlin.






Monday, September 1st:


Day two was going to be jam packed with awesome stuff, most of it dealing with the famous parts of Berlin like the Brandenburg Gate, Checkpoint Charlie, and the Topography of Terror. Our first stop would be Checkpoint Charlie. This was a famous hole in the Berlin wall that divided East from West. It was pretty interesting, here I was able to buy a piece of the actual wall which was also neat. It was hard to believe that where we were standing used to be such a divided and symbolic battleground between two countries that are now generally allies. Definitely a good piece of history to observe.

We turned a corner and walked down the street to find the Topography of Terror. This was essentially two pieces of history rolled into one: it served as an outdoor museum to the SS and the Nazi regime, as the foundation of the SS headquarters remained. It is also the site of the last consecutive piece of the Berlin wall which you could see and even touch. This place was definitely another mood changer; as you walked on the ground there were signs that specified the exact purpose of what you were walking on. Sometimes it was for prisoner transport, other times important officials had offices there. In any case the atmosphere was quiet and reflective, as if everyone in the vicinity was pondering exactly what had happened almost seventy years ago.

We stayed there for over an hour and a half, maybe longer. Time wasn't really important by then, what we were looking at was the memory of something that can't be erased. A few of us signed the book and decided to take the same approach many Berliners take: remember the event, but forgive and move on.

After that, a lot of wandering ensued. We traveled down toward the Brandenburg Gate, which used to be one of the main entrances into the city. Lo and Behold, near the gate we found the American Embassy! Taking the same Bourne Identity approach, we decided to try to get in, but the building appeared closed.

That is because it was Labor Day. Duh.

So no embassy. The gate was cool though, and as we walked past we found the Reichstag, which is the main government building in Berlin. The wait to get in was far too long so we pressed on into the central park of the city. There we found a Soviet war memorial as well as winding paths and beautiful greenery. With our stomachs rumbling, we went to the Train Terminal, the exact same one in Bourne Supremacy, which was again really cool.

While we were on the train, it decided to start raining. And when I say rain, I mean pour. It came down in buckets and all of us were about to get thoroughly drenched. We had about a seven block hike from the station to the hostel, and we ran. It didn't matter much as we all got soaked, including my backpack. The hostel room brought warmth and comfort. Clothes were laid out, bags hung up, pockets emptied, and another memory was made.

By now we just wanted food, any food. So we walked to the nearest place we could find, which just happened to be an Italian place. Here I tried the Berliner Pilsner, which was actually quite good, and also had spaghetti. The food was great and the service fantastic. The hostel welcomed us in, so we sat and talked with a few groups of kids from various parts in the UK. They were all really nice, and as we laid down for bed all of us were happy with the trip.













And so ended a great vacation. From here we flew back to Dublin, moved into our dorms, and have started getting acquainted with the city that will house us for the next four months. It is a little strange not going back home after this amazing adventure as that is what I usually do when I go on a trip, but it was still fantastic and I am so happy to have done it.


I will be putting pictures up as soon as I possibly can. There are many to sort through, but rest assured, I am trying very hard. I hope you enjoy this blog as a whole, please leave comments when you need something. From Dublin, cheers!