Catching Up on Pics (Really Long Post)

Gotta rewind a bit here to get caught up on pics. First, Budapest in Hungary. Was only there for a day, but saw quite a bit.

Here's the biggest synagogue in Europe (2nd in the world). Can't really tell since getting a big picture of it is impossible as it's surrounded by other big buildings.



Buda and Pest are actually two cities separated by the Danube. Here's a look over the Danube at Castle Hill in Buda.



I went into caves under the castle that have been in use for like 1000 years, but nothing down there was original (like this cave drawing) and they play this scary music. The scary music worked though. It was spooky since I was the only one down in the entire caves.



Contender #1 for the 4th Street Elevator's title as shortest and steepest railway. This was coming down from Castle Hill.



After Budapest, I hopped the train to Vienna. Arriving there I had to use the facilities. Those Viennesse know how to make anything sound fancy.



Here's the Royal Theater. I didn't go in there. I did catch Romeo & Juliet at the State Opera House the next night though. It was a ballet, they hopped around A LOT.



Went up in the famous ferris wheel. James Bond fans might remember this from one of the movies.



After Vienna, it was off to Salzburg. Here's looking over some gardens at the castle on the hill.



Happened to walk into the main square right as they were tapping a barrel forsome festival. Free beer? Yes, please.



Went up to the castle on the hill. On the way back down I got on the 2nd contender for the 4th Street Elevator's title.



Walking back to the train station I saw this store. Nice.



After the afternoon in Salzburg it was off to Munich. The first morning there I was looking for a place for breakfast and happened upon a beer hall. I really wanted a Coke or something to wake me up, but Coke, in a beer hall?



It was only 10 AM, but there were a couple large groups of Germans tying one on. 5 o'clock somewhere I guess. Here's one of the few original old buildings in Munich. Pretty cool.



The next day I went to Englischer Gartens, the huge park in Munich. Here's a link to the video of the guys surfing on the small river there:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9vRSnQ-VgUY
And here is the park. Look close, it's a fully nude park...



Next day I went to Dachau, but it was closed. Here's the main gate, one of the few buildings I had a good view of.



After Munich, I cruised down to Venice. Not sure what I was expecting, but stepping out of the train station to see floating buses wasn't exactly it.



Here's the main church there. I believe it's San Marco Cathedral.



Couldn't go to Venice without riding on the canal, but since gondolas are really expensive, I hopped on the boat bus thing.



Here's a view of Venice from the Campnile in San Marco's Plaza. Very crowded.



After Venice I headed up into the Alps to hit Switzerland. The train was driving on the edge of a cliff for like 2 hours.



The first day I was there I did some bike riding. A quaint countryside shot.



On a smaller trail winding up the mountains i passed a farm with some hippy cows. Get a haircut, hippy.



On the way back down I got lost and ended up riding on the highway shoulder. I don't know if that's allowed in Switzerland, though, as many people honked at me. It's too bad I didn't have a car from the 70's. The roads are clearly marked that it's OK to drive them.



The next day I did the coolest thing of my trip yet, went bungee jumping. Me looking very GQ sporting my gear.



This was about the moment I asked myself, "Wait a second, what the hell am I doing."



Down I go. 450 feet, the second highest in Europe.



The boat that eventually picked me up.



It was choice. If you have the means, I highly recommend it. (we watched Ferris Bueller one of the nights in the hostel)
The next day I went canyoning. This cliche was guarding the meeting place.



Looking good.



Canyoning is essentially rappelling down into a canyon, then swimming, climbing, jumping rappelling through the rapids in the canyon. It was also a great time. No bungee jumping, but still cool.
After Interlaken, I went up the mountain a bit further to Grindelwald. Not much to do there except hiking, so that's what I did, and a lot of it. Here's me studying the effects of global warming on a glacier.



On the way down, I took the bobsled thing, like they have at Chestnutt. My sunglasses fell off and I ran over them. That sucked. On to pair number 4 for the trip.



The next day I hiked up the mountain on the other side of the town and caught a local festival with all the traditional stuff. It was very cool. Here's some yodeling:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=806JDw8UY-U
and some alp horns:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JyGhGDPYVoY
and finally a shot of the festival. I wasn't lying when I said it was up in the mountains.




Well that's it for now. Probably won't be too much more until after the 4th. I'm currently making my way to Geneva which hosts the largest 4th party outside of the US. Should be crazy as finding a place to stay was almost impossible.

Catch up with ya later.