Flying: Favorite European Cities

I'm going back to Las Vegas tomorrow.  My employer seems determined to tempt me into bankruptcy through gambling.  It’s been a while since I’ve been out of the country, almost two months with the exception of my short excursion to Canada.  As a reserve flight attendant, my trips are unpredictable.  I never know where I’m going until the night before at the earliest, 4 hours before I board the plane at the latest.  

I enjoy living in the states and visiting everywhere else.  It’s like living in a small apartment and having lots of friends with mansions.  It’s great to visit but I don’t envy the bills they have to pay to keep it.  Recently, it  feels like my friends aren’t inviting me over anymore.  It’s part of the job.  I really shouldn’t complain.  Most American’s never leave the country, much less frolic around Europe and get paid for it. 

Having said that, right now I’m missing the old countries of Europe.  I was wondering recently, what is it that I miss?  This post is my romanticized memory and recommendations for your own travels.

 

Munich, Germany.  It may be because I have some German blood in me, it may be because other than English, German is the language I’m most comfortable with, but either way, Germany tops my list of places to visit in Europe.  History is all around you when you walk down the cobblestone streets of downtown Munich in a way that America is lacking.  People were walking those streets, and most of the streets in Europe for centuries before Columbus climbed on his boat and rediscovered the new world. 

 It’s not that the history of Munich is better than the history of any American city (I’m not sure what better is when it comes to history), its just much bigger.  There is a unique feeling of history when you’re walking through it.  If you find yourself in Munich the first thing you should do is visit the original Hofbrauhaus.  Not only is it one of the oldest beer houses in the world, it’s also the place where Hitler rose in influence and power.  He used to hold Nazi meetings in the famous beer hall.  The Germans are very conscious about preserving their history, the bad along with the good. 

Take a walk through the expansive parks if it’s a nice day.  If it’s warm enough, you can swim in the river with locals and tourists alike.  The first time I was there I took a bike tour (Mike’s Bikes if I remember correctly).  It’s a fun way to see the city and get some history if you don’t mind being a stand out tourist. 

 

Amsterdam, The Netherlands.  How did that country get such a wilderness-like name?  You hear a lot about the sex and drug culture of Amsterdam.  What you don’t hear a lot about is how friendly the people are and how beautiful the city is.  I wrote about my first visit there in this blog before, but since it’s one of my new favorite cities, I’ll bring it up again here. 

The red-light district is worth a walkthrough.  They also have some famous art museums and the Ann Frank house.  It’s such a diverse city that I think I’ll have to go back a few more times before I can give you a real to-do list.  Trust me, I’ll do my best to do just that.  If you want to read about my first visit, here it is: http://planeprose.blogspot.com/2008/07/flying-exploring-new-city.html

 

Paris, France.  It’s one of the most hyped up cities in Europe and for a good reason.  Some of the native Parisians are a little course towards Americans, but for the most part they let us be.  There is nothing as artistically inspiring as walking through Paris on a warm day and taking in the architecture.  There is no city in the world that tries so hard to remain beautiful.  The Eiffel Tower is a must see, but once you’ve seen it and climbed it, it’s attraction fades.  The real gems of the city are the Arch de Triumph and the Louvre. 

You could spend a decade walking through the Museums in that city and still not comprehend the true value of the art.  My personal favorite so far is the reconstructed Napoleon Apartments in the Louvre.  The man had everything he owned plated in gold. 

After you’ve seen the sights you can really start to appreciate the city.  Find a café, overpay for the food, and sit there for hours and relax with a friend over a bottle of wine or two.  I’ve been there enough now that I can skip overpaying for the food.  I find someone who is feeling social, we buy a loaf of bread, some cheese and a bottle of wine and sit around talking until they’re gone.