Euro-Trip, Volume II

Well, boys and girls
I am leaving tomorrow for another 2 weeks to Western (we are number 1, so much better than the East) Europe. I will soon be back with photos and awesome stories. Take care and hope to talk to you soon.

Itenarary for the next 2 weeks:

Luxembourg
March 23

Paris
March 23-March 26

Brussels
March 26-March 29

Frankfurt
March 29-March 30

Berlin
March 30-April 2

Part I

Budapest, Hungary
February 23-25, 2006

Driving from the airport towards the city one can really tell that there is a huge discrepancy between classes. The outside of the city is rundown. There are houses made out of cardboard and the streets are covered with sleeping people. All I could say to myself was, “I believe we have arrived in Europe’s Third World.” As we approached the inner city, the grand buildings sneaked out from the fog and showed us the city’s ‘true’ beauty. It seems that the inner city suffers from short term memory loss. It swims in the ocean of its riches and beauty while the other half stands by and watches in jealousy.

Budapest, Hungary

Institute for European Studies

After climbing the Statues of Liberty in Budapest...oh so tired!!!One of the nine connecting Buda and Pest

Budapest getting close to sunset

Budapest's Statue of Liberty. It's pretty alright, but damn, I had to hike to the freaking mountain in heels to see it just because we didn't have enough time to go to the hotel and change. It hurt like a MoFo, but now I have some killer calves. =)

Inside the Hungarian Parliament

Hungarian Parliament at Night.

I am speechless....

Cute Pic!!! Notice the Commi Hats. hahaha

Hot Drummer who all girls were drooling about when we are the Jazz Club.

Part II

Krakow, Poland

February 25-28, 2006

I was very much surprised by Krakow. When I heard Poland, my very first thoughts were of a city with Soviet remains, underdeveloped, and very cold. Even though it was cold in Krakow, I was proven wrong. Yes, there are still remaining issues within Krakow/Poland to resolve, however, this country is well on its way to obtaining its goals.

Krakow, Poland

Krakow's Town Square in the Old Town part of the city.

More Town Square...

The Dragon! Legend has it that Sir Krak ( I am not kidding!), slayed the dragon that threatened the small village. However, he did this by killing a couple of cows and opening their stomachs and placed sulfur in them. He put the cows in front of the dragon's cave. When the dragon awoke from his slumber, he saw the cows in front of its cave and ate them. Afterwards, it drank from the lake. The water's reaction to the sulfur caused the dragon to blow up like a balloon and, thus, it exploded. Krak became the king, hence, Krakow.

Town Square

THE HEAD!!!!

Church where John Paul II gave services before he became the Pope.

The City Theater in Krakow where we saw "La Boheme"

Club Viagra.....yup, and that's us inside the club's vagina (literally!). And of course, such occassion diserves the ShOcKeR!!!

Club Hopping with the Zebras

Part III

Prague, Czech Republic
February 28-March 2, 2006

Prague is probably the only city that could probably pass as a western European city. There is a sense in the air of self-assurance and confidence amongst the Praguers (if there could be such a term). I fail to say “amongst the Czechs” because this would encircle the entire country, hence, there is nothing else to do than to create a single word to describe this group of people. Walking through Prague’s city center, I noticed the lack of poverty and trash on the streets. There was not any or the city has done a very good job in hiding it. There is an ongoing growing young community with high hopes and new feelings of optimism. The youth and the city are evolving at the same time and only time will tell in which direction Prague (and hopefully the Czech Republic) will be heading.

Cheers!!!! Prost!!!! Salud!!! Oh, how I love my dunkel beer.

At the Hungarian Palace

downtown

Prague

Downtown Prague

Hot business mamacitas at the Charle's Brdige

The Charle's Bridge

Part IV

Tallinn, Estonia
March 2-5, 2006

I knew Tallinn was very different from the other cities we have visited as soon as I walked into the airport. From right there, one could see the differences in building structures including the material used and the magnitude (or the non-existent magnitude in this case) in which this building was created. The airport was very small just like the country, but I also knew at that moment that I have misjudged the Estonians. As I was walking out from the gate into the main part of the airport, I noticed a full grown man wearing a mouse or bear costume sitting quietly on a bench by a corner. A smile grew slowly upon his face when he saw his friends walk out to greet him. Of course, his friends were surprised and laughing hysterically. And just like his friends, I, too, was surprised at Tallinn’s over all attitude. Unfortunately, there is still a small reminiscence Soviet air, but slowly and surely the Estonian youth is producing a new type of aura in Estonia. One night I went to a club and I met some locals. They were so surprised when they found out I was American. “We are so happy! We rarely see Americans here,” they told me. Is this a step closer towards globalization for Estonia?

The market square

The Long Leg Street... hence the boot

IES invites you.... Final dinner at Tallinn, Estonia

The best drink special ever at Club Havana= 2 for 1 drinks... oh my it was sooo much fun...i danced with some "Russkis" ( a.k.a. Russians) who were so excited to find out that i was a Mexican-American...who would of thought? i made friends with the Soviets...hehehe

The boys being pretty with their cocktails...oh how manly of them!!!

awwww....

Russian Orthodox church... this is a bitter sweet land mark.... in this church the Soviets burned all the books and writing the belonged to the people of Tallinn.....also, when we went in there, there was a funeral going on...yikes!!! that was akward....

To go downtown you must pass part of the castle...

Beautiful...

Finland coast in the yonder

Tallinn, Estonia

We met these British guys at an Indian Restaurant...we ended up singing "God Save the Queen" and "The Star Spangled Banner" with them...

And here we go...

Back from East and Central Europe...
will post up pics in a couple of days....
don't worry, i haven't caught the bird flu...

lol

miss everyone....