One of my good friends from Canada recently came to visit so we planned a huge European adventure to coincide with a break I had from school. I had two weeks off so we wanted to plan something big! It took us a few months of Skype calls to plan everything, from figuring out destinations to booking transportation.
When my friend Rachel finally arrived, after having some initial difficulties with her flight, the adventure began. We started off with me giving her a tour of Brussels (where I’ve been studying), and taking in a lot of what the country really has to offer: beer, chocolate and waffles. Rachel had visited Brussels a few years ago on a high school trip, so she said it was interesting for her to see it on her own this time.
Two days later we were off to Amsterdam. Here we embraced the lively culture by visiting some museums and strolling along the famous canals. We were really lucky because the weather was amazing. The sun was shining and it didn’t rain at all.
Then we went to Paris. We stayed with a family friend, who lives outside the centre of Paris. I had travelled to Paris earlier this year in February, but this trip really had a different impact on me. I found in February, Paris could be described as very busy, and that people everywhere were in a rush and not very friendly to tourists.
This time around I found it to be completely opposite. Everyone was very friendly, a few people even offered to help us when we got lost. We also went to this amazing little tea room called Angelina. Their hot chocolates and deserts were just outstanding. For one of our dinners we went to Le Refuge de Fondues where we snacked on some cheese fondue. This place was quite the experience. You’re seated very close to your neighbours and wine is served out of baby bottles. Needless to say it was interesting. We met some American flight attendants there, who said they have been coming to that restaurant for a very long time.
We met a lot of people during our trip, a lot more more than I met on any of my other weekend adventures. I think meeting and talking to people while you’re travelling is a real character builder. It really forces you to come out of your comfort zone and talk to strangers. This can be just having every conversations but also asking someone for help when you are lost.
I found that Rachel was a lot better at that than I was because I wanted to prove to myself that I could do it alone. I also didn’t want to be a bother to people by asking them for directions. I also found that the people we met at dinner made the trip that much better. It allowed you to be social with people other than who you’re travelling with and change things up a little bit.
A few days later we took the train from Paris to Lucerne, Switzerland. We were only there for an afternoon because the next day we were taking the train along the Golden Pass Line to Montreux, Switzerland. Now this was a scenic train ride through Switzerland and I definitely recommend this for anyone traveling in Switzerland. The Alps and the lakes we saw were just amazing. We also stopped in a little village, Meiringen, for some lunch. This village was also home to a Sherlock Holmes Museum but, sadly, it was closed the day we went.
Finally, upon arriving in Montreux, it was almost love at first sight. The town is right on Lake Geneva and is a beautiful place to watch the sun set. We had some trouble finding our hostel (which seemed to be the only hostel in the town), but after finding it, the lady at the front desk was very helpful. She told us about some hikes and a nearby castle, then gave us a map and a bus pass. We took her suggestion and went to see the castle and hiked up the Rochers de Naye, a nearby peak in the Alps.
Montreux felt very lively at all hours; filled with family, students, and tourists.
One interesting tidbit we learned was that the song “Smoke on the Water” by Deep Purple is inspired by Montreux. The Montreux Casino is a famous casino in the city centre and in 1971, it burned down during a Frank Zappa concert. The smoke from the fire drifted out onto the water of Lake Geneva and inspired Deep Purple to write the song. Everyone seems to mention this fact when you tell them about Montreux.
Check back soon for the details on the second half of our journey to Scotland and London, plus I offer up some tips on packing, travelling and more!