Hales is Goin' to Wales: Easter Break -- Part 2

Holy smokes... Where to begin!! I've finally arrived back to Swansea and have been settling back in, enjoying my time to relax before we have to get back into the swing of things.

The second half of our Easter break was wonderful, just as the first was. We started the second half with the overnight train ride from Krakow to Vienna, Austria. From there we traveled by train to Salzburg, Austria, and again traveled by train to Prague, Czech Republic. From Prague we flew into Paris, and then took trains back through London and finally Swansea.

Upon our arrival to Vienna, we found our hostel and dropped off our bags. Check in time was not for a few hours, so we walked to the main shopping street and explored for a few hours. When we finally checked in to the hostel, we immediately took naps because the sleep on that train was absolutely terrible! That night we got ready and found some traditional Austrian food at a little cafe. Then we figured out the underground system to find our way to a couple different cathedrals! It was fun to see them at night. The next day we got up and took a tour of the Schönbrunn Palace. They offered the head set so you listen along as you walk through and soak in all the history! It was great! After that, we toured the grounds of the Belvedere Palace. It was such a beautiful place. Our final stop before we left was at the Hundertwasser House. It is a crazy apartment building, unlike anything I'd ever seen! The colors and shape of the building was just unbelievable!

Salzburg was another great city. It was smaller than Vienna, which is kind of nice after dealing with the underground train system. The first full day we were in Salzburg we were able to enjoy a Sound of Music tour! Many scenes from the film were shot in Salzburg, so we were able to see where the classic Von Trapp family lived. The tour included Mirabell Gardens, Leopoldskron Castle, Hellbrunn Castle, Nonnberg Abbey, St. Gilgen and Lake Wolfgang, and Mondsee Cathedral. We were also encouraged to sing along with the music in the tour bus as we drove along on the journey! It was really fun to be in the exact places the musical was filmed and hear the songs. It was such a great time! After the sound of music tour we explored the rest of the city, including the castle in Salzburg. By the time we got there, it was dark out, so we kind of felt like we were intruding on some sacred grounds! It was so fun to explore and just see what was around the next corner! We obviously couldn't get inside of the castle, but we were allowed to explore and see the views from the top. It was a great night!

The trip to Prague the next day was also exciting. We got checked into our hostel and laid low until dinner time. We had a nice traditional Czech meal at a little restaurant down the road. The next day we got up early to go on a walking tour. It was really cold out that day, and after seeing the astronomical clock and a few other things, we decided to sit in the warm bagel shop with a bowl of soup and cup of coffee to thaw out! We ate at the world famous Bohemia Bagel shop, and really, the bagels were delicious! After we warmed up we decided to go to the market that was going on in Old Town Square. It was very similar to the one we experienced in Poland for Easter. All of the hand crafted items and paintings were so fun to look at! And of course, we had to try all of the traditional food. They made these pastry type things with cinnamon and sugar on the outside that were to die for. I also had a potato pancake for the first time! The next day we went out to do some sight seeing of our own. We went to the Prague Castle first thing, and the views from the top were amazing! There was also a cathedral inside that we got to tour. After the castle we saw the John Lennon wall and Charles Bridge. Both were absolutely amazing sights! It was a great time in Prague!

The next day we flew from Prague to Paris, France! I'm sure everyone's heard that Paris is a smelly city.... Well it's not a lie! The underground was the worst. It literally smelled so bad, and around every corner or in every new train station was a new stench that was terrible, and if not it was probably worse. We were also impressed with the large number of officers with machine guns in their hands just casually strolling through the streets and the underground. Thank goodness we bought passes! The first day in Paris, Natalie and I started at Notre Dame Cathedral. There was free admission due to the 850th year anniversary in 2013. After the cathedral, we went to Luxembourg Palace and explored the gardens. We made final stop at the Pantheon before heading towards the Eiffel Tower. We bought nutella and banana crepes and found a cozy bench to chit chat and relax next to the lit up tower. It was phenomenal! We even got lucky enough to happen to look at the clock at 11:11 and make a wish while the light show was going on! Doesn't really get much better. The second day in Paris we went to the Louvre to see the Mona Lisa, but for some reason the entire thing was closed. That was really disappointing, but I guess it just calls for a trip back some day! After that we took a boat bridge tour to see all of the famous bridges throughout Paris. Our final stop was again at the Eiffel Tower, except this time we went up to the top! It was AMAZING! I had sooo much fun. What made it even better was that it was rainy and extremely windy, so there wasn't really a line. I don't know why I wasn't scared at all, because at the top you could definitely feel the tower swaying just slightly. Maybe it was my imagination, but I was just on cloud nine that I got to be at the top of the Eiffel Tower. It was a once in a lifetime opportunity, and I'm so glad I did it! Natalie has some pictures of me fighting the wind and rain at the very top. I'll be sure to share those eventually.

And finally, we are back to Swansea. It's been great to relax, but I feel like I should be doing something. We've been going non stop for the last three weeks and now I can finally catch up on sleep and relax. I have so many memories, and so many pictures, I couldn't have asked for a better vacation! I hope the family is ready for some great souvenirs from all over Europe! With only two weeks left of classes before finals start, I'll be home before we know it! One last thing! I cannot wait for Hannah Hurlbert and her mum to visit Emily and I in May! It will be great to see some familiar faces!

Ciao for now!