Author Archives: Katja

Munich can also boast the largest city park in the world: Englischer Garten. I don’t know where they got the English thing from, because it doesn’t look like an English garden in the least. Instead, it is a lush park with forestlike areas alternated with big open lawns and smaller, cozy openings. And the beerContinue reading “Day 14: The English Garden”

The Bavarian state library is just next to the Ludwig Maximilians Universität, and is this huge piece of a building which it is very hard to get a good perspective from the street. No picture I took could really capture it’s extreme, stylish squareness. I also realised that it mainly serves as a research library,Continue reading “Day 14: Bayerische Staatsbibliotheek”

Munich used to be the capital of a kingdom. Bavaria. A kingdom with aspirations and at least occationally a lot of money too. There are huge, intricately decorated buildings, wide boulevards, high churches, the biggest inner city park in the world and museums full of art by the big masters. I guess, in the EuropeanContinue reading “Day 14: At the heart of Munich”

In Munich, I was staying with Max, in an area called Laim. He is a geography student, really into urban planning and also a passionate photographer and cook. Max and his Canadian friend Shelayne couchsurfed with me and Lina in April. They were supposed to stay for three nights at first, but then some stuffContinue reading “Day 14-17: Couchsurfing with Max”

Tonight, Tuesday July 9th, is my last night in Sarajevo, this beautiful city that I’ve totally fallen in love with. As always, I’m way behind with my overly ambitious blogging (more than 10 days, in reality I’m about to round up day 25 of the trip, but have only posted things until day 13). IContinue reading “UPDATE: Last night in Sarajevo”

I’ve arrived in Munich and am lying on Max’s couch, FINALLY in my silk traveling sheets and blue sleeping bag. It’s not as if I haven’t been allowed to use them before, it’s just, I’ve been provided guest rooms and futons and bedding, and it would’ve felt silly unpacking my sleeping bag in all thatContinue reading “Day 13 / 14: Munich night”

I’ve been traveling from Amsterdam since 10. Now, it’s almost 5. I changed trains in Düsseldorf. On the train from Amsterdam, the conductor had to throw out three people who didn’t have tickets. It turned into a little argument just when he took my interrail card and I guess he had other things on hisContinue reading “Day 13: Report from a train”

In Amsterdam I stayed with Alison. A friend of friend of my mother’s. I remember meeting her once when I was nine or something, but don’t think I have met her since. But when I told my mother’s friend (Morena – I grew up playing with her daughter and she still lives in the sameContinue reading “Day 10-12: Staying with Alison”

I almost expected there to be more cool and innovative stuff. But, I guess, with a city that actually spends money to put up statues and other kinds of art pieces made by local artists, painting illegally on walls and the pavement might not seem as appealing.

Almost everyone seems to bike in Amsterdam, everywhere. With beautiful vintage bikes and flowers in their baskets. And I understand why. Amsterdam is a city that is very easy to bike in. It is densely built and the roads almost seem designed for biking on, narrow and picturesque, rather than to drive a car on.Continue reading “Day 11-12: Bicycles of Amsterdam”