Eurail BlogBootsnAll's one-stop Eurail ResourceNice is Nice BUT...- June 29, 2006 ...I'm tired. I think it is about time for me to admit that things are not always so rosey when traveling. I have developed a habit of only sharing the good stuff...which is easy to do, since the majority of my travels have been super fantastic. But here is some honesty -- four+ months on the road is starting to take its toll...the hostels, museums and streets are so much more crowded now. And the heat! It is unseasonably warm for Europe right now...I love warm weather, but it really wears...http://www.eurailblog.com/archives/002502.shtml Finally going to see Nice- June 27, 2006 Ten years ago when I left Barcelona with my two friends, we stayed on the train for a ridiculously long time, skipped our scheduled stop in Nice and pushed on to Italia...so I never set foot on the Mediteranean coast of France. So I have decided to make a definite stop in the Cote dAzur this time, to see it for myself...not just from the train window. I just returned from the Estacion de Franca here in Barcelona where I booked reservations for the two trains that will take me to Nice. First a.http://www.eurailblog.com/archives/002501.shtml Night Train to the Beach- June 26, 2006 The backtracking continues...I am headed back to Barcelona, a city I feel very comfortable in. I know my way around and I need a day or two in a place like this, to figure out my next move...what better place than the beach Yes, it will be crowded and hot but Im up for 48 hours of it. Ill travel by night train from Madrid this evening, get to Barcelona about 8 am, check into a fairly new hostel near Las Ramblas, then take in some sun and plan my next move...I might head to Girona for a day,...http://www.eurailblog.com/archives/002500.shtml Moving Around Madrid- June 24, 2006 Back in March I mentioned that Madrids metro was easy to navigate, and several months later I still agree...it is a breeze to get around this city...without a car. I think I would hate to have a car here, the traffic from the burbs that I have seen this week is not a pretty sight, esp. on the weekend when everyone is heading to the beaches. Ive been staying in Aravaca, slightly on the outskirts of the city but still considered Madrid. I take a regional train one stop and am then within the...http://www.eurailblog.com/archives/002499.shtml Berlin to Paris to Madrid- June 19, 2006 I left Berlin at 10:30 am on Saturday morning. Two days, seven trains and one amazing World Cup game later, I am now in Madrid. It has been a whirlwind week of international sport and travel, and I've loved every second of it...except maybe the sardine-packed trains after the US vs. Italy game in K-town. Since leaving Berlin, Ive taken a German ICE train, some regional trains in Germany and Spain, the sweltering Paris metro, and a French TGV night train with no sleeper car. All part of this...http://www.eurailblog.com/archives/002498.shtml More World Cup Action- June 16, 2006 It has been an absolute blast to be here in Berlin during the World Cup. The entire country of Germany is buzzing with excitement, but this city is the epicenter of energy, and it is thrilling to be a part of it. The Fan Fest down near Brandenburg Gate and Tiergarten Park is massive...so, no matter how big the crowd gets, there is always someplace to watch the games. I saw half of Brazil vs. Croatia there, and saw the Paraguay vs. Sweden game there last night...I love to see the fan support...http://www.eurailblog.com/archives/002497.shtml Reservations:- June 14, 2006 Are they always necessary Sometimes, especially in high summer season, but often you can wing it without one and will find unreserved seats to claim once you board a train. As the number of travelers continues to climb with the temps, reservations do become more and more helpful to have, espcially when you have a tight itinerary packed with specific destinations. Here in Germany right now it is a bit of a crap shoot. Yesterday we tried to get reservations at the last minute for our trip from.http://www.eurailblog.com/archives/002496.shtml Training Days- June 13, 2006 The night train was not bad at all. There were two other guys in my couchette, and although one snored a bit much, I slept rather well, from about 11 pm till 5 am. The train left Budapest an hour late so I was concerned that I would miss my connection in Munich the next morning. But overnight the train caught up (usually it stops for an hour in Salzburg but it kept going to make up the time) and we arrived exactly on schedule in the morning. All I had to do was walk to my next train on the...http://www.eurailblog.com/archives/002495.shtml Night Nerves- June 11, 2006 I'm taking my first night train this evening, from Budapest to Munich. It will be interesting to see how it goes -- I'm not too concerned about sleeping on the train, since I already booked my couchette. What I AM nervous about is making my connection in the morning. We arrive (hopefully on time!!) in Munich at 6:21 am and I need to get on a train bound for Frankfurt that leaves ten minutes later. PLEASE let me get that train...PLEASEEEEEEEE!!! it will really screw up my day if I miss it. Once..http://www.eurailblog.com/archives/002494.shtml Back in Buda- June 8, 2006 The long travel day went well yesterday. I slept most of the morning on the train from Split to Zagreb, then had about 2 12 hours to roam around the city center in Zagreb before boarding the train for Budapest. I grapped a quick lunch, mailed a letter and even had time to seek out an internet cafe in Zagreb and catch up on some emails. I used up as many remaining Croatian Kunas as I could, saving a few coins as souveniers. The Split to Zagreb train was one of these newer high-tech tilting...http://www.eurailblog.com/archives/002493.shtml |