October 12, 2014

Berlin

October 12, 2014/ Andy McCulloch

Integrating the time that I had spent in Germany, it was somewhat of a black spot on my record that I had not been to Berlin. I would say that it is not all that surprising, given my interests are in the outdoors and not generally in cities, but Berlin is cool. So cool in fact, that all the Bohemian people that I knew - and going to a fancy private school meant I knew plenty of them with much disposable income - had lived there at one point or another and said how it was the "most ah-mazing place". Floating my boat is more the city's importance as the a capital, especially during the Kingdom of Prussia. But perhaps the most persuasive element was that leaving Germany without ever having visited the capital, especially as most other people that visit Germany make Berlin stop number one, would be setting myself up for many fruitless conversations in the future. So with no expectations, I would head north for the weekend and hang out with the cool kids.

October 05, 2014

Nordrhein-Westfalen: Aachen, Düsseldorf and Köln

October 05, 2014/ Andy McCulloch

I had some friends I wanted to visit in Köln, but as I had been there previously, I wanted to profit from being in the area and see something new. The nearby town of Aachen had always held great interest for me, so I formulated a plan to spend the Saturday there and then make my way to Köln on Sunday.

September 30, 2014

In and around Paris, part II

September 30, 2014/ Andy McCulloch

Paris and its surrounds provide no shortage of things to see and do. Indeed, this is my second post of things in and around Paris. In addition to the sights one might expect, I also visited the Musée Jacquemart-André, a beautiful residence showcasing the life collection of Édouard André and Nélie Jacquemart. I also took a trip to the fairy-tale Chateau de Pierrefonds and explored the medieval town at the end of the line, Provins. I later found out that Provins is an exceptionally popular place for grandparents to take their grandchildren, a trend that was well observed on my visit. But perhaps the greatest trip was saved for my last weekend in Paris: Versailles. Arriving bright and early I was surprised to see a line already formed some 30 minutes before opening, albeit quite a small one. Once the doors opened, I did not mess around and got to the front of the group, ensuring that I had every room in the palace to myself for at least a short time. I rushed though first in order to have the place to myself and take photos, but once I was done I went back to the start and took things more slowly. I loved every minute of my time in Paris and will sorely miss living there.

September 14, 2014

Le Midi

September 14, 2014/ Andy McCulloch

My final weekend in France and my last chance to see the remaining item on my list of "must-see destinations": Carcassonne. Famed for its citadel and as the home of cassoulet, the town is an icon of France. It is also in a poorly serviced area with respect to public transport, so I broke my trip into stages, also stopping in Narbonne and Toulouse. Narbonne was unexpectedly beautiful, even if I did not get access to my accommodation until well after midnight as someone had stolen the after-hours entry keys - for which I got a free breakfast. Carcassonne was as magical as I had hoped, but having cassoulet when it is above 30 degrees was a tough ask. I only had a few hours in la ville de rose, but from what I saw it is a gorgeous city thriving with culture.

August 31, 2014

Le Valais

August 31, 2014/ Andy McCulloch

Mia's parents were holidaying in Europe and rather than simply visiting Mia in Geneva, we decided it would be better if we went for a stroll in the Alps. After some deliberation, we settled on a hike along the Aletsch Glacier, on the south side of the Jungfrau massif and only a stone's throw from our previous outdoor escapades. We started our trip from Brig, where we caught a train and cable-car to gain some height before continuing on foot. We were cornered by cows and threatened by the weather, but this could not mar what is one of the most impressive sights around: the largest glacier in the Alps. The hike took its toll, but we were well-fuelled in the evening by Swiss cuisine and beer, which gave us the energy we required to descend the next day, in addition to visiting the Chateau de Chillon on Lake Geneva.

Adventures