EUROPE: A RECAP
JANUARY 19, 2023
A cafe in Paris, France. My very last night in Europe. I didn’t end up drawing much.
When I started this blog, I didn’t have any idea of what it would become.
I had my doubts that I would even keep up with it. I had set the goal to post weekly, and while I kept to that schedule for the first few weeks, I expectedly fell off that cadence 🤷♂️
However, in the 12 posts I managed to write, I am proud of what I can look back at. While my social media accounts hold more updates than this blog, I believe the musings I scrawled on this site dove a bit deeper and reflect more on larger themes than what I was willing to share on my Insta.
6 MONTHS. 18 COUNTRIES
Countries Visited [in chronological order]
Iceland 🇮🇸 Scotland 🏴 Netherlands 🇳🇱 Belgium 🇧🇪 Denmark 🇩🇰 Norway 🇳🇴 Sweden 🇸🇪 England 🏴 Poland 🇵🇱 Czech Republic 🇨🇿 Germany 🇩🇪 Austria 🇦🇹 Slovenia 🇸🇮 Italy 🇮🇹 Vatican City 🇻🇦 Spain 🇪🇸 Portugal 🇵🇹 France 🇫🇷
THE ROUTE:
The entire 6 months wasn’t constant travel. My home base was in Glasgow, Scotland, where I got to rest between excursions, The months of September and November was when I covered the most ground. The map shows a rough route of the entire trip, broken into colored lines to indicate different phases.
ORANGE
In August, I started off in Iceland, the very first stop from the US, then established the base in Glasgow. From there I took a flight to Amsterdam, went south to Brussels, Belgium, then headed north to cover Scandinavia before winter hit.
GREEN
Mid October was spent exploring the UK. A few trips to nearby Edinburgh, and a week excursion south to London.
YELLOW
The entirety of November was spent covering central and southern Europe, with a majority of time spent in Italy. I started off in Warsaw, Poland and ended in Madrid, Spain. The month of December was spent back in Scotland, catching up with friends and enjoying the Holidays.
PURPLE
The last phase of the trip was spent after Christmas into the New Year. Said my goodbyes in Glasgow (Visa was expiring anyway) and headed to Lisbon, then the island of Madeira, then Paris, where my return flight to the US was. At the end of it all I had 10 days to spare in accordance to the Schengen Visa regulations (90 day limit).
ALL THINGS COME IN 3’S
What was your favorite country? Favorite food? Favorite city? Any places you hated?
These questions are always a little tricky because travel is a very biased activity. Experiences vary from person to person and various conditions factor into whether a place was enjoyable or not. Mood is a big factor, and logistics like transportation and weather can weigh in. Regardless of that, there were certain places and events that really defined the overall experience for me. Looking back as a whole, there wasn’t a singular place that I hated, but rather places I don’t need to return to anytime soon.
Here are my favorites & least favorites.
MY 3 FAVORITE COUNTRIES:
3. THE NETHERLANDS
One of my first stops on the European Mainland was The Netherlands and it left a good impression. Aside from Scotland, it’s where I spent the most time (Italy is a close third). I was treated with nothing but hospitality and had some great adventures like biking the Rhine river west to the ocean, or exploring the beaches at The Hauge. I took a few day trips by train and bike out to Rotterdam and Leidan. It’s an incredibly beautiful country.
2. ICELAND
Speaking of beautiful, Iceland makes the list for its obviously gorgeous landscapes. I enjoyed Reykjavík as well, Iceland’s capital. Iceland was my very first stop and I’m glad I did the 5 day layover. I knew it wasn’t enough time to see much but what we did cover was more than enough to crave more. I covered the southeastern half, but when I go back I’ll rent a vehicle and explore the northwest regions.
1. PORTUGAL
More specifically, the Island of Madeira. This comes in at number one because it was the least expected. I’d heard nothing but good things about Lisbon on the mainland, but the island territory of Madeira to the south was an unexpected gem. The landscapes, food and people were all pitch perfect. This is a place I’ll continue to visit to get my fix on hiking and mountain biking.
MY 3 FAVORITE CITIES:
3. GLASGOW, SCOTLAND
OK, I’m a little biased with this one. Glasgow is where I spent a majority of my time when not actively on the road. I got to really know this city and it really reminded me of Milwaukee at times. The river, the drinking scene and the super friendly people. I got to know the good local joints and getting around by bus was very easy. It’s a short stint to the Highlands and Edinburgh is only a $14 train ride away. It’s a city I’ll be coming back to in the near future.
2. BERGEN, NORWAY
Getting to Bergen is half the fun. A 6 hour train ride from the capital Oslo, it’s a trip you want to take during the day for the scenery. Once in Bergen I was blown away by the scenery and picturesque hostel I stayed at, located on a hill above the city. One of the best stays I had, the hostel allowed me to meet a lot of great people. Did a lot of hiking and exploring. It’s a city I’d fly directly into rather than going through Oslo again.
1. COPPENHAGEN, DENMARK
Much like The Netherlands, Coppenhagen is a biking town. Everywhere was easily accessible. I met great people, skied on top of a power plant in September and enjoyed walking around the old town eating street food. I really liked the history of the city and overall vibe. The hostel was in a primo location and the bar that adjoined it allowed me to meet some really rad people from all over the world. Coppenhagen was one of the few cities I extended my stay for multiple days.
MY 3 FAVORITE FOOD DESTINATIONS:
3. CZECH REPUBLIC
I didn’t know what to expect from the food in the Czech Republic, but it surprised me the most, which is why it ended up in the top. Prague had a lot to offer in terms of food. I’m grouping beer into the food category because you cant not talk about it when discussing Prague, where Pilsner was invented just north of the city. A good pint is literally cheaper than water in most establishments. The pork knuckle, duck and steamed red cabbage were great. Surprisingly, a lot of good Vietnamese joints. Prague hosts a large Vietnamese population; one of the largest outside of Asia. I spent a few nights eating Pho and flat noodles when I grew tired of potatoes and red meat.
2. SPAIN
The Spanish know how to eat. Churros with chocolate in the morning, 3 snacks between lunch, and 3 more between dinner. It’s a culture of eating and enjoying the small breaks. Oh and drinking. The nightlife was insane. The dinner rush starts later at around 8-9pm. There’s no rush when eating. I drank my weight in Sangria. The squid sandwiches, every assortment of prawns and Paella were all great. The best Paella is outside the city in smaller towns where it’s more authentic.
1. ITALY
This one might seem obvious but cliches are born from truth. I love my carbs and Italy served. I started in Venice, and I gotta say I was underwhelmed with the food there. I was told that disappointment is expected. Venice is incredibly touristy and its city center attracts people from all over the world. This makes the overall quality and authenticity of the food saturated with the attitude of “who’s gonna notice if it’s real Italian or not.” The other cities like Naples, Rome and Florence delivered. The best pizza being in Naples, the best Gelato in Florence and the best pasta in Rome. At least from my experience.
MY 3 LEAST FAVORITE CITIES:
3. PARIS, FRANCE
Don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed Paris, but I feel that I don’t need to return anytime soon. There’s no doubt it’s a beautiful city, but it’s also pretty dirty, and I’m still not sold on the people. I have no romanticized ideas about it, and there was not a single rat showing culinary promise. I’ve seen the highlights and that’s more than enough.
2. OSLO, NORWAY
Oslo is an expensive city. All of Scandinavia burned my pocket a bit but it was Oslo where I felt it the most. $13 for a pint of Guinness? C’mon, man. The city was pleasant enough and had some great public art, but people were a little stand-offish. It didn’t help my hostel felt like a hospital ward and that someone almost threw up on me in the bathroom. I was also tired from my previous adventures in Denmark. I was worried this was going to be my entire impression of Norway, but the city of Bergen proved to be a totally different experience, giving me a second wind.
1. LJUBLJANA, SLOVENIA
To be frank, I had no idea this city existed. Hell, I didn’t know the country of Slovenia was a thing. I only heard about it when trying to figure out a way to travel south through the Alps from Salzburg, Austria. It acted more as a waypoint to get to Italy. The city itself was pretty and clean enough, but more or less the same of what I saw in Austria. I think I was eager to get to Italy and the warmer climates, so that might of tainted the experience. I also encountered some minor racism (more of an ignorant comment than mean-spirited hate) and it rained non-stop. I’d return to Slovenia to see some of its other sites like Lake Bled, but not in a hurry to go back to Ljubljana.
3 “REGRETS” 🤷♂️
Hindsight is 20/20, eh? These were incredibly minor things, and didn’t take away from the overall trip.
3. LOSING MY GOOD SKETCHBOOK IN POLAND
Lost it at a restaurant in Warsaw. Oh well, shit happens. Hope someone at least found it.
2. NOT MAKING IT TO THE NORWEGIAN FJORDS OR FINLAND
Simply didn’t have the funds or time for either.
1. NOT EXPLORNG MORE OF THE HIGHLANDS OF SCOTLAND
Again, timing. I’ll be back in Scotland soon enough. Besides, I’d rather see them in the summer.
THE ART OF IT ALL
Some of my favorite on-the-road sketches and illustrations:
PEOPLE OVER PLACES
I didn’t start this journey so I could get the best pictures at the Colosseum, or be first in line at the Lourve. I started this because I wanted a fresh start. To shake up my daily routine. I wanted to meet some new faces and expand my horizons outside of Milwaukee. In no means am I bored of Milwaukee in any way. I still love everyone there and it’s a city I can see myself long-term in, but this trip was an opportunity to connect with people outside of Wisconsin, or New York, or just the US. I did just that, and made some great friends that I hope to keep in touch with.
