🚆 Email #7: The Central European Whirlwind
This post is part of the Europe & Asia 2005 Retrospectives series. It is a raw record of the journey, preserved exactly as it was written in internet cafes and sent as an email to family and friends. While my travel style has evolved, the desire to experience the world and the wanderlust expressed in these notes remain the same.
Original Email Date: November 6, 2005
Location(s): Venice, Munich, Salzburg, Vienna, and Budapest
Since I last wrote, I have been to Venice, Munich, Salzburg, Vienna, and I am leaving Budapest for Prague tomorrow. That's a lot to accomplish in a little over a week - I'm struggling with trying to see as much as I can in my last couple of weeks in Europe, and actually spending time in a city to get to know it more intimately. However, most of you know that I can be pretty restless, so I have been seeing the major sites and then getting on a train and heading elsewhere. BF, I completely agree with you and JF on Salzburg - I wish I had stayed there an extra day or two. How about having our ski trip in Austria when LH graduates from law school?
So after much thought, I have decided that Venice is my favorite Italian city. It is the only city I've been to that is more magical than how I imagined. Plus, I love the fact that the primary mode of transportation, besides walking, is a boat or a gondola. Not to mention that everywhere you turn, there's another bridge. I got lost every time I tried to go anywhere, but that was part of its charm.
Munich is a drinking and eating city. It does not matter that Oktoberfest is over - there are still massive quantities of beer and food being consumed. LH - thanks for the suggestion on Mike's Bike Tours and Hofbrauhaus - the surfing in the park is really a novel idea (from an American, of course). Also, it was the second time I rode a bike on this trip, and I haven't fallen yet. In Munich, I got dragged to a Futbol stadium again. This time, by a girl I met from Canada. I thought Hockey was their thing, but she found out that the Munich team was playing in the stadium that will be a host for the World Cup next year, so we went to watch the game. It was pretty anti-climactic, 0-0 after 90 minutes.
Austria is a beautiful country. If you love mountains and lakes, the area around Salzburg is really breathtaking - especially now with all the fall colors.
As for Vienna, it is a very metropolitan city that loves its arts. I saw an opera at the State Opera House, and I think it could be something that I can really get into. Anyone interested in going to the SF Opera when I get back?
I am so glad I decided to come to Budapest. This is one of the best cities I have been to, plus the dollar goes a little further here. I met up with a Hungarian whom I had originally met in Paris, and he spent two days showing me around. I had my own personal tour guide - it was great. The nightlife here is exactly how I pictured it would be in Eastern Europe - a lot of old alternative music like Depeche Mode and INXS, and it goes until 4/5 AM. I also went to a Turkish Bath, which was very cool, but I have to admit I like the modern-day spas a little better.
More to come from the final European cities...
JJ- It's just me right now unless I pick up some friends along the way. :) I'm planning to arrive in Berlin on the 9th or 10th, so let's figure out where and what time to meet. Also, where are you staying? I have not booked anything yet, so for convenience, I can try to get into the same area.
LC - I did a lot of eating gelato and drinking wine in Italy. But I skipped the gondola ride - it would have been a little strange to take a gondola ride at night by myself. :)
DH - I ate at the restaurant you recommended in Salzburg, and I had the best apple strudel ever!!!
SL - Greece was too far away for this trip, considering all that I wanted to see. How about Hong Kong for Thanksgiving? Since you are planning to start a new job anyway.
AW - Where are you and J moving to? Also, thanks for the Princess M pics.
The Retrospective Reflection (2026)
The pace of this trip reached a fever pitch in the last weeks of my journey through Europe. In just over a week, I moved through the canals of Venice, the beer halls of Munich, and the mountains of Austria, finally landing in the alternative nightlife of Budapest. Looking back at this entry, I realize how much I pushed myself to maintain a relentless schedule.
In 2005, I didn’t have the luxury of checking a weather app or a real-time train delay notification. I just showed up at the station and hoped for the best. The mention of the "personal tour guide" in Budapest is a perfect example of how travel worked before social media. You met someone in a hostel in Paris, traded email addresses, and actually followed through on meeting them weeks later in a different country.
I also laugh at my younger self skipping the gondola ride in Venice because it felt "strange" to be alone. Now, I cherish that solo time, but back then, I was still navigating the expectations of what a "romantic" city and experience should look like. Most importantly, I love seeing the longevity of travel recommendations. The restaurant that DH suggested, St. Peter Stiftskulinarium, is still there. It has been serving guests since 803 AD (more than 1,200 years). While I first visited it as a solo traveler on the 2005 whirlwind, I recently had the chance to return to celebrate my dad’s birthday. It is a beautiful reminder that while our travel styles evolve, the world’s most iconic corners remain.
