Hey all,

So I am currently in Berlin, just arrived a few hours ago. Settling into my hostel. This last week has been crazy. So with my class we went to Nice, Marseilles and Aix-En-Provence. It was a lot of fun. It again was nice to see Nice, we went to see the Matisse museum but the rude French man wouldn't let us in even though they were still open for business.

Instead we trekked through the town to the beach and relaxed. It was nice. We had Chinese for dinner. The next day we went to Marseilles and went around the city. We went to a couple museums and enjoyed the city. It is a very sketchy city though so it isn't somewhere I would want to go again by myself. We left in the afternoon to stay in Aix-En-Provence. We met some American's on the bus and ended up having dinner with one of them later. She was really nice.

She is doing a program in France where you work on a farm and in return get room and board. It is a pretty sweet experience. Sadly, you can't save up any money then. After dinner we hung out and celebrated our last trip together. The next day we had a laid back day, we went and saw the Cezanne exhibit in town and worked out all of our travel plans. I left in the early evening for Paris. I had an overnight train from Aix-En-Provence to another town and then from there an overnight to Paris. It wasn't bad.

They had banana like chairs and there weren't a lot of people on the train so it worked out nicely. Once in Paris, I got there at 7 in the morning, I found my hostel. The metro is very easy in Paris. I couldn't check in till 2 but they let me leave my luggage so I could explore the city. I first went to try to find the tourist office and couldn't so I took Paul's (my professor) wife's advice and go to the Orsay museum. It is a museum full of a lot of different art but mainly impressionist art. It was great. There was only a short wait and it was a beautiful day in Paris.

The art was great, I usually don't know many if any of the artists for the museums I go to but I knew almost all the painters. It was a nice variety.
After that I went to the Eiffel Tower. It was fun, I didn't climb it though, there was a long line and also it wasn't worth the money. I was going to get a hotdog but they were 5 euro and I didn't think it was worth it. After that I went to the Champ Elysees, it was very cool as well. There was a long line to climb that too.

Then I went back to my hostel. I met one of my dorm mates. He was nice, on vacation, he was from Canada. I unpacked and relaxed and took a shower. It was nice. This hostel was brand new so it was very nice. Then I went to go the the Louvre but sadly it was closed, online it lied about the hours. I was very disappointed. I really wanted to see it. There is nothing I could do though so I just went back and met my other dorm mates. I was in a 6 person mixed dorm. Two guys were from Sweden and there was another Canadian. Later I also met the last person who was a girl from Argentina. It was a nice variety The guys from Sweden went on a rant about the lack of quality of water in Europe and how Sweden has good water. It was funny.

We all hung out and later went out and got a little bite. I had a train the next day so I tried to get some sleep. The next day there was a little problem but it worked out. While the hostel was very nice, they were very unorganized. Everyone in my room had some kind of problem with the hostel. They took my passport to check my ID upon arrival and never gave it back. I assumed they would give it to me when I checked out. Well they didn't and I realized this while I was waiting for my train at the station. Luckily, I was able to get my reservation changed for only 3 euro more and ran back to get the passport. I was upset but then again it was more my responsibility than theirs.

I then left for Cologne. I got there and the metro is a little confusing but I figured it out and followed the directions from the hostel. The problem is that they tell you to go to a plaza and then nothing from there. I look around and no hostel. I ended up walking around for an hour or more before finding it (this is a problem a lot of people have) I eventually stopped and asked for directions and if I wouldn't of been so stubborn before then I would of found it quicker. It was a fairly nice hostel, there is more older people than young people though. There is a lot of variety though. I had a 6 person all female dorm. There was 3 Germany girls, 1 girl from Australia, and one from France. They were all nice. I hung out mainly with the one from France and a little with the one from Australia. It was really nice.

I was pretty tired and just spend most of the day planning what I would do the next day. At the hostel they give you free pasta and you pay 2 euro for sauce it is a nice deal. So me and the girl from France did that. When making the past we met 2 guys from Australia. They also had met a guy from Florida and we all ended up hanging out. Cologne is beautiful at night it is lit up and there is a lot of people out and about.

The next day was busy was good. I went to the town huge Cathedral and checked out the interior and decided to do the climb to the top. It's 500 something stairs. At first it wasn't bad, it was in a small enclosed tower. I thought I had reached the top but it was still another 50-75 stairs. At that point my asthma wasn't a problem anymore, the bigger problem was the next set of stairs was out in the open, and with my incredible fear of heights I just about chickened out. I was partway up and having trouble moving, I was so scared, I tried not to look down but its almost inevitable. Then these two Brazilian guys passed me and with some encouragement and also me telling myself to stop being a wimp I was able to climb the second part. I just had to keep telling myself that it would be worth it in the end.

The final set of stairs are very windy and scary but I made it and finally was at the top. It is very high but it gives you a full view of the town and the Rhine. It was great. After that I went to the Chocolate museum which was very interesting and of course tasty. I then crossed over the Rhine and then found the chairlift. For 4 euro you can cross the Rhine in a chairlift. It is a lot of fun. So beautiful. I then visited the zoo and aquarium. This was probably my favorite activity thus far. I love zoos and aquariums. This is one of the largest zoos in Germany, it was great. They give their animals a lot more freedom then we do in our zoos. Things are a lot more open. It was cool.

I was pretty beat after that but it was a great day. I did so much walking it felt great. I have been using the metros a lot. You can buy day passes for the metro fairly cheap. It is great. Germany in general has been cheaper than Italy and France. They give a lot of student discounts. So then after all that I hung out with my friends in the hostel, met a guy from Brazil, Mexico City, and this weird fraternity from Holland. It was fun. I had a train the next morning.

I left Cologne at 9 and got to Berlin at 1. It wasn't bad. I slept most of the train ride. My hostel is nice. It is the same kind I stayed at when I was in Paris. Thus far I've only met one of my dorm mates. He's from Canada. There are two other guys but I haven't met them yet. Anyway, I am off to explore the city a little. We get free guided tours, you just tip the guide 5 euro at the end. It is nice. I am going to do it tomorrow since there is so much to see in Berlin. It will be a lot of fun. Wish me luck.

So soon till I am home. There is so much to do. I will write again soon.

Kat