Part II: Deutschland

So, my trip in Germany was one of extreme ups and downs. But, I had a blast and I survived the bumps in the road along the way. Despite having banking trouble, a delayed flight, and being on the verge of missing my train to bring me back here to Avignon, I was able to have one of the best times of my life. I'm not releasing all details or photos; I have to have some cool surprises for you guys when I return back home (which is in two weeks! That's crazy!).
It's summer time here in Provence, the pool is open and the beer is cold. The French flows much easier off the tongue now, and in all ways, I see ma vie en rose. I hope all of you are enjoying yourselves in the States and that you're all preparing for an all-American cheeseburger coming home party :) Until my next post, here are a couple of pictures of Bavaria and Munich. Ciao!

Meine Heimat und mein Abenteuer in Deutschland: Part I

Part 1
This is a two part blog series on my adventure in Germany. As I write this I am currently in Füssen, Germany. However, let me start at the beginning. I arrived in Munich yesterday at 17:30. The plane ride in was absolutely amazing. As I was flying in, I looked out the window and saw what I thought to be at the time, hundreds of white castles. I kept thinking to myself, "I don't remember Munich having this many castles." As the plane descended towards the earth, I noticed that it wasn't castles I was looking at, it was the snow-capped mountain tops piercing through the clouds. It was kind of a "duh" moment, but it was absolutely stunning and I will admit, it took my breath away. Upon landing in Munich, I found myself in a huge German city with no mountain views, but beautiful German architecture nevertheless. I had no map; I did have directions to my hostel, but lo' and behold, I had no idea which way was north or south--in other words, I stuck true to this blog's URL, kyle was lost in Germany! However, after a google map phone conversation with my mother, she, as she always does in my life, helped me find the right path. Once I made it to the hostel, it was time to explore; I had a map this time, so getting lost was fair game.
I went straight to the Hofbräuhaus, for reasons I'm sure you can guess. I explored as long as I could before it was pitch black and I forced myself to go back to my hostel to get some sleep. Munich was an okay first impression, but Füssen has sealed the deal (or mainly the train ride in). I believe all of you are going to have to book a flight and come kidnap me if you want me back because it is completely beautiful here. This is the land some of my ancestors came from and thus, in some way or another, where part of me is from. The climate feels just right, the air is fresh, there are plenty of mountains to satisfy a mountain goat like myself, and the beer--oh!--don't get me started. It's probably a good thing the Lederhosen is 300 Euro, otherwise, I would buy an outfit and be hiking around in it. I'm not joking. But, with everything aside, it's fulfilling to finally visit a place I've dreamed of for a long time. My aunt and uncle can tell you how many times I would pump them for stories about Germany, etc. It's also fulfilling to see a glimpse of where your ancestors came from. Sure, this isn't the exact spot, but it's close enough for me to feel at home, at peace, and ready for my adventure to continue with tomorrow's sunrise.

Lazy day far away...

So, I put this countdown clock on here to remind myself that I need to spend my time more wisely. This weekend I had fun, but it was an extremely lazy weekend where I did not travel nor did I do anything in town. I do have a good excuse. What is it? One word: Germany. I leave this Thursday; I'll be flying out of Paris (back to Charles de Gaule) and land in Munich around 17h30. I haven't been this excited since I first arrived; I feel like the adventure is starting all over again, which is something I've never felt in the United States. I'm traveling alone, which I'm really excited about. I prefer traveling alone because I can move at my preferred pace and I can do whatever I want to do. I have some great stuff lined up in Germany, as I should because it's (pause) my last big adventure in Europe. After Germany, I only have an excursion to Pont du Gard and then I'll be staying in Paris for a couple of days. After that, it's back on the big plane saying the two words that I hate thinking about, "au revoir." (INSERT SAD FACE)
Nevertheless, just reflecting on all I've done, I think I've done this continent some justice, but I can't make this statement official until my voyage in Germany is complete. Skype is an incredible thing, but it has made me extremely homesick--keep calling me guys, I enjoy it very much. My uncle and I took online chess to a level I don't think has been done in the history of mankind (we're proud of that one). Seeing the little princess and hearing her mumble "mmmmm" is fantastic. Wishing my mother a happy mother's day was ideal, as well as seeing my father (who always has my back, on holidays and non-holidays alike). Seeing my grandfather and being able to tell him about Chamonix and Mont Blanc. And of course, finally seeing ma chérie and getting to hear her voice. Thank you, Skype.
And as always, I love reading comments on the blog and I'm glad you all are enjoying your time on this trip as well. Please continue commenting and stay tuned because as of right now I have four weeks left and I have no intention whatsoever of wasting them. Prepare for the record books folks, we have some getting lost to do...

~Kyle,
l'un qui s'est perdu en France

Cote d'Azur...pourquoi pas ?

I have had an amazing weekend. This weekend I explored the French Riviera and all its glory. The scenery is absolutely stunning--mountains, crystal clear and bright blue water, sunshine, Pastis, etc. It's probably one of the best experiences I have had in my life. In a period of four days I've been to Cassis, Marseille, Antibes, and Monaco. Did I hike in Cassis? Yes, I did. Did I drink Pastis and eat mussels in Marseille? Of course. Did you gamble in Monte Carlo? Absolutely (I lost five euro and called it quits; I don't understand people's obsession with gambling. I have a beautiful trashcan in my room if you want to throw your money in it. But, you can't go to Monte Carlo and say you didn't gamble, in my opinion). Cassis is beautiful. The water is stunning and the hike I went on was absolutely gorgeous. Amazing views of the Callanques, the sea, the boats and mountains--I believe I'm going to retire here one day. Marseille on the other hand was different. Marseille has a bad reputation; it's not very clean, there's hundreds of pickpockets, and it's definitely a place you don't want to walk around at night. Nevertheless, I entertained myself at Marseille by hiking up to the cathedral and taking in the amazing views of the city and the Vieux Port, as well as the islands made famous by the Comte de Monte-Cristo. I then ventured to Antibes, a beautiful city along the Cote d'Azur, surrounded by snow-capped mountains and the sea. When it started raining the next day, I followed my philosophy of Pourquoi pas ?, or "why not?", and hopped on a train for Monaco where I saw the ritzy boats, the bourgeoisie's get away homes, the casinos, and also, Napoleon's famous hat and some of his drawings (which I snuck a quick photo of for all of you to enjoy). Enjoy the pictures and stay tuned because next weekend it's Alps time with Chamonix and another surprise location. Stay tuned!
>From the guy lost in France, who has no idea how he's going to get home