My Kind of Town (Chicago Is)

If you didn't already know, Marco and I are flying to Chicago next week! Since I am from Chicago, and it is my favorite city in the world, I figured I would write a little tribute post before we board our plane.

I have been trying to get myself pumped up for going back to the U.S. by checking out the latest things that are going on in and around Chicago. Earlier this year, Chicago launched a $2.2 million tourism campaign titled #ChicagoEpic. Not a big fan of that campaign name, but oh well.

Here is the first commerical advertisement from this campaign (gotta love that stereotypical Chicago accent):

Ignoring the fact that it makes Chicago look like L.A. with its depictions of people surfing and playing volleyball on the beach, it does make me feel a little bit homesick. However, I recently saw something even better posted to Facebook recently.

This is a short tourism film for Chicago from 1977 titled "Chicago is...":

If you ignore the misogynistic remark where they call women in bikinis "other popular attractions," it's pretty great. Just listen to that music! Chicago iiiiiis exciting! Chicago iiiiiis fun!

Since my parents live in the suburbs, Marco and I reserved two nights in an Airbnb in Old Town. This is our first time using this platform to book a place to stay, so I will make sure to let you all know how it ends up. 

Chicago iiiiiiiisss exciting!

How Much Does it Cost to Fly between the USA and Germany?

I have flown between Germany and the U.S. a total of 4 times in the past 4 years. With my upcoming trip to the U.S. in September, this number will soon be 5.

Every time I have made this transatlantic flight, I have done it with a different airline and had a connection through a different airport. And since the German boyfriend and I were able to snag such a great deal for our upcoming trip (with yet another airline), it got me thinking about what I have paid to fly between the U.S. and Germany in the past. So, here is an overview of each of my transatlantic flights, including how much I paid for my tickets.

SWISS

This was my very first time leaving the U.S. It was also my first time searching online for airline tickets. So, I basically just typed "Chicago to Hamburg" in Google, clicked on the first search result, and begged my parents to pay for it. Looking back, I can see that the tickets were a little bit expensive, and I probably could have found something cheaper, but you live and you learn. I am also happy that I got the experience of flying with SWISS (because it's pretty nice).

USA to Germany
Chicago (ORD) to Zurich (ZRH)
31 August 2011 from 19:55 to 10:55

Zurich (ZRH) to Hamburg (HAM)
01 September 2011 from 14:55 to 16:20

Germany to USA
Hamburg (HAM) to Zurich (ZRH)
Zurich (ZRH) to Chicago (ORD)
-- This is on my receipt, but I didn't actually end up taking this plane due to technical problems. Instead, I was put on a Lufthansa plane through Munich.

TOTAL: 1,039.01 USD / 741.07 EUR

US Airways

This was hands down my worst experience flying between the U.S. and Germany. The flight was unbearably long, the planes were old, and I had two stops on the way back to the U.S. It is important to note, however, that this was the most quickly-planned trip as well. My departure was in September, and I bought the tickets at the end of July. For the best deals, you need to book about 4-5 months in advance.

USA to Germany

Chicago (ORD) to Frankfurt (FRA)

11 September 2012 from 16:00 to 10:20

Frankfurt (FRA) to Hamburg (HAM)

12 September 2012 from 12:05 to 13:10

Germany to USA

Hamburg (HAM) to Frankfurt (FRA)

11 November 2012 from 08:25 to 09:45

Frankfurt (FRA) to Charlotte (CLT)

11 November 2012 from 11:05 to 15:00

Charlotte (CLT) to Chicago (ORD)

11 November 2012 from 18:05 to 19:14

TOTAL: 813.00 USD / 661.50 EUR

LOT Polish Airlines

This is the first/only time I have ever bought a one-way ticket. Unfortunately, one-way tickets do not cost half of a round-trip, but I got an okay deal on this one when you consider that I was flying in July - one of the most expensive months to fly. 

I was very happy with LOT Polish Airlines since I got to fly on their brand-new Dreamliner 787. I also had a whole row of 3 seats to myself, which probably made this my most comfortable flying experience as well. However, having to go through Warsaw Airport was the absolute worst. So, the SWISS flight still remains at the top.

USA to Germany

Chicago (ORD) to Warsaw (WAW)

24 July 2013 from 21:50 to 14:05

Warsaw (WAW) to Hamburg (HAM)

25 July 2013 from 17:25 to 19:00

TOTAL: 506.39 USD / 388.77 EUR

Lufthansa

This was my last flight to the U.S. over Christmas. Lufthansa is a solid airline, and our experience was with them was great. I also really like the Munich airport, so having to sit around there for a few hours between flights isn't too bad. The only bad thing I can say is that Lufthansa does now charge for seat reservations, so Marco and I each paid 50 EUR each to reserve seats for each of the transatlantic flights. We didn't reserve spots for the shorter flights, and we did have to sit on opposite ends of the plane for one of the trips.

Germany to USA
Hamburg (HAM) to Munich (MUC)
20 December 2014 from 13:00 to 14:20

Munich (MUC) to Chicago (ORD)
20 December 2014 from 15:40 to 18:55

USA to Germany
Chicago (HAM) to Munich (MUC)
3 January 2015 from 21:30 to 13:20

Munich (MUC) to Hamburg (HAM)
4 January 2015 from 15:00 to 16:15

TOTAL: 828 USD / 622.19 EUR

Finnair

This is the itinerary for our upcoming flight in September. This was by far the best deal either of us have ever gotten on an airline ticket between Hamburg and Chicago, and I am not really sure it would be possible to find something cheaper. Also, in typical Courtney-fashion, we have chosen to fly with yet another new airline.

Germany to USA

Hamburg (HAM) to Helsinki (HEL)

13:00 to 15:50

Helsinki (HEL) to Chicago (ORD)

17:25 to 18:40

USA to Germany

Chicago (ORD) to Helsinki (HEL)

22:00 to 14:50

Helsinki (HEL) to Hamburg (HAM)

17:30 to 18:30

TOTAL: 418.03 USD / 385.12 EUR

What was the best deal you ever got on plane tickets?

We're Going Back!

After moving to Germany in 2013, I was not able to visit the U.S. again until over 1.5 years later. So, when I came back from visiting my parents over Christmas, I never imagined that we would be going back less than one year later!

But we are! Last week, Marco and I booked plane tickets to go to the Chicago for 2 weeks in September!

We made the decision to do this during Easter break. I suggested it as we were talking through the possibility of going on a summer vacation. Since I am currently in the middle of my Master's degree, the next 1.5 years of my life are pretty much set in stone. And since the summer semester in Germany runs from April to September, I have no time for a proper vacation during the summer.

However, classes end on July 10. That means that students get July, August, and September to take their final exams, write their term papers, and take a breath before the new semester begins. Since exams are generally held in the first six weeks of this time, that means that the end of August and the month of September is the best opportunity to get away.

Although I could choose to go home over the holidays again like I did last year, it is much easier for Marco and me to travel between semesters. Christmas holidays at the university only last two weeks, which means that the last time we traveled to the U.S., I had classes the day before I left and the day after I got back. 

Taking this trip between semesters means complete relaxation without worrying about any uni-related stuff. I will be done with my summer semester classes, but will not have yet started my winter semester. Marco will be done grading the summer semester exams, but does not yet have to start preparing materials for winter semester.

Since we booked the tickets one week ago, Marco also hasn't shut up about drinking a cold Miller Lite, grilling steaks with my dad, and playing bags in the back yard. Let's face it, visiting Chicago during the summer/fall is the way to do it. Forget about Christmas.

Top 5 European Cities to Visit Next

During my time abroad, I have been very fortunate to see some truly beautiful cities. But at the same time, there are still so many places left to go. For instance, I have only visited 5 of what the Huffington Post listed as the top 50 cities to see in your lifetime.

Red=Visited     Blue=Lived     Yellow=Want to Visit

By scrolling around this map, you can see all of the places that I have already been are marked in red. Click on any of the pins to see the city name.

I was very lucky to have traveled around the U.S. a lot as a child, and the only major region that I still have yet to visit in the U.S. is the West Coast. Since I am currently living in Germany, however, I am focusing all of my current attention (and money) European destinations.

You will find the top five destinations I want to see in yellow. Germany itself is already covered in red pins, but all of the neighboring countries are quite bare. So, here are the top 5 European destinations I would love to visit next:

1. Copenhagen

Copenhagen is about 5 hours away from Lüneburg, and the trip can be made by train for less than 100 Euro. So, this city tops my list of places to go.

Copenhagen by JamesZ_Flickr

With a rich history as a Viking fishing village, Copenhagen is quite unique among European cities. Yet, as Denmark's capital with over one million residents, it is also a major cultural and economic hub. This makes it it a great city to both awe at fairy tale-esque architecture as well as enjoy great shopping and nightlife.

2. Nice

Whenever Marco and I talk about taking a beach vacation, the first words out of his mouth are always "Côte d'Azur." So, it is only natural that Nice is also on my list of the top 5 cities I want to visit next.

Nice by Dhinal Chheda

Located on the French Riviera, Nice is an incredibly popular vacation destination that is known for its beautiful waterfront. I would love to visit Castle Hill (Colline du Chateau), hike up to the top of Mont Boron, and swim in the picturesque blue sea. If you are wanting to go to Nice like me, the online hotel booking website Venere has a large number of hotels, B&B's, and apartments in the city.

3. London

Thanks to budget airlines like Ryanair, flying from Germany to London only costs around 50 Euro round-trip. Unfortunately, we would still have to budget quite a bit for a place to sleep in the city, which is why this is a trip that has not been made yet.

London, England by Tim Morris

As someone that has never been, there is probably not much that I could say about London that you do not already know. I must say, however, that the idea of walking around a foreign country where the native language is English and the streets resemble those of Germany much more than the U.S. will be quite strange. To keep costs down on this trip, Marco and I will probably end up taking this trip in the off-season, which is generally between November and April.

4. Amsterdam

Much like Copenhagen, Amsterdam is also just a 5-hour train ride away from where I live. So, what excuse do I have for not taking what would probably be one of the most amazing weekend trips of my life? None.

Amsterdam by Joao Maximo

With beautiful canals cutting through the city, Amsterdam is often known as the Venice of the North. However, I have a feeling that I will like Amsterdam much more than I would like Venice. Despite its party reputation, I would be most excited to simply meander around the city on foot or by bike and take in the city's unique atmosphere. Of course a stop into the city's world-famous museums such as the Anne Frank House and the Van Gogh Museum would be obligatory.

5. Cologne

If you look back at the map, then you will notice that there is a pretty big gap in Western Central Germany that I have not visited. I would like to fix this by visiting Cologne.

Groß St. Martin und Dom by Sebastien Bertrand

Best of all, Cologne is only 4 hours away by car or train, meaning that it could be another simple weekend trip (isn't living in Europe great?). Cologne is most famous for its cathedral, the Kölner Dom, which was actually the tallest building in the world in the late 1800s. If we are really feeling up to party, we could even visit during Karneval, which takes place in February and is the biggest celebration in Cologne.

So, those are my top 5 European cities I hope to visit next. 

What cities in Europe do you want to visit?

This post is included in the Travel Tuesday link-up.

3 Years Ago Today...

It was exactly 3 years ago today that I arrived in Germany for my semester abroad. This trip encompassed many "firsts" for me: first time traveling alone, first transatlantic flight, first time outside of the U.S.

So, I was quite nervous to say the least, and I definitely would have never guessed that this semester abroad would have such a huge impact on the rest of my life.

This is my journal entry from that fateful day. I wrote it during a 4-hour layover in the Zurich Airport. If you choose to read it, please do not laugh at my silly reactions to the transatlantic flight (keep in mind it was my first one).

I started this journal on the day I left Chicago, which was August 31, 2011. The first entry was written in O'Hare Airport. Unfortunately, I only ended up writing in this journal about 15 times during that semester. But still, it is nice to read these snapshots of where I was, what I was doing, and how I was feeling on a certain day.

I actually wrote on October 31, 2011, for example, that it would be so cool to be able to come back and do a Master's program in Germany. Who knew I would end up getting accepted to grad school in Germany a few years later.

Crazy what can happen in 3 years.

Have you ever kept a journal? Do you still have it?

Summer Tour of Germany, Week 2

Welcome to week two of my summer tour of Germany. This is a look back at my two-week vacation around Germany with my parents from July 11 to July 25. If you missed week 1, go check that out first.

Day 9: Bamberg

We started off week two of our summer German tour back where Marco's father lives with his girlfriend near Bamberg. So, since the few days before were quite hectic, we decided to have a relaxed day sightseeing around Bamberg.

We got back to their home around 6 p.m. so that we could enjoy a nice relaxed barbeque that evening.

Day 10: Nuremberg

For our last full day in Southern Germany, we traveled to Nuremberg. The first thing we did was take a bus tour to see all of the historical sights in the city. After the bus tour, we enjoyed a nice snack of some Nürnberger Bratwurst, and then we walked around the grounds of the Nuremberg Castle.

On the way back to the train station, we also got to ride on one of Nuremberg's driver-less subway trains.

Day 11: Back to Lüneburg

We spent much of the day saying our good-byes and packing. Then, at 6 p.m., we departed on the three-hour train ride from Würzburg to Lüneburg. Since we got home around 10 p.m., we then went straight to bed.

Day 12: Lauenburg

Looking to have a more relaxed day after so much travel the day before, we made the 20-minute drive to Lauenburg. I have written a post about this quaint little town before, so make sure to check that one out for more pictures.

We got home in the early afternoon, so we packed a picnic lunch to enjoy in Kurpark, a nearby park in Lüneburg. Since the park is just a 10-minute walk from our apartment, we spent the whole afternoon there walking around, visiting the salt wall, and playing frisbee.

Day 13: Bremen

For day 13, we made our final excursion to Bremen, a city-state in Germany located on the River Weser. First, we visited the Bremen windmill.

Next, we headed over to the city center and an area called the Schnoor, which is the oldest quarter in Bremen known for its narrow streets and alleys.

We wrapped up the day relaxing by the riverside where my parents enjoyed some McDonald's apple pies (which they just had to get after I told them they are deep fried here).

Day 14: Steak Dinner

This day mostly just consisted of relaxing and packing. Since it was my parent's last day, we also decided to go out to a nice steakhouse for dinner. I turned to the internet to find a new place to go, and I found that a nearby place called Zur Alten Schmiede had great reviews. Neither Marco nor I had ever eaten here before, but it definitely lived up to what I had read online. By far the best steak in all of Lüneburg.

This was the view from our table.

Day 15: Departure

On day 15, we had to take off from the apartment around 6 a.m. to get my parents to the airport in time for their flight at 9 a.m. It was sad having to drop them off, but it was an amazing two weeks. I am so happy that they were finally able to see where I have spent so much of the past three years of my life.

Hope you enjoyed seeing pictures from our trip! 

What cities you would you visit if you were to take a two-week vacation through Germany?

Summer Tour of Germany, Week 1

On July 11th, my parents flew from Chicago to Hamburg to visit me in Germany. This was the first time I had seen them in exactly one year, and I had two whole weeks of activities planned.

I published a blog post just before they arrived with our planned day-by-day itinerary for their summer tour of Germany. For the most part, we kept to this plan. There were a few cities added to list, however. So, here is week one of my parent's summer tour of Germany in pictures.

Day 1: Arrival

We picked my parents up around noon from the airport in Hamburg. To my embarrassment surprise, all three of us were matching.

Once we got back to our apartment from the airport, we made Wurstsalat for dinner.

And although my parents were both pretty tired from their journey, Marco and I managed to keep them up until about 10 p.m. by taking a walk through the woods near our apartment.

Day 2: Lüneburg

For my parent's first full day in Germany, we headed into Lüneburg's city center. We walked through Am Sande, where a Kinderfest was going on, and then through Marktplatz, where the weekly farmer's market was taking place.

Next, we headed over to the old water tower, which offers great views of the city. Oh, and if you are wondering: yes, the church (St. Johanniskirche) is a little crooked. It is not my bad photography.

Day 3: World Cup Finale

We started off day three with a delicious breakfast buffet at a local restaurant in Lüneburg. Since it was raining, we then just hung out at home the rest of the day until about 3 hours before the World Cup finale. Then, with beer in hand, we headed over to a local club to watch the game.

Since they won (as if you didn't already know), we then stayed in the city center celebrating until about 4 a.m.

Day 4: Hamburg

Despite a hard night of partying, we got our butts out of bed the next day and got on a train to Hamburg. Just a short walk from the train station is Hamburg's main square, which is where city hall is located.

We then took the subway to the popular neighborhood of St. Pauli, which is home to the infamous red light district located along the Reeperbahn. Marco and my dad went for a short stroll along Herbertstraße, which is a street that only men over 18 are allowed to enter...

Hamburg is especially famous as the second-largest port in all of Europe. So, we also took the ferry along the Elbe to see all of the various ships and wharves located along the shores.

Day 5: Train to Würzburg

The next day, we took a taxi to the train station to catch our ICE (inter-city express) train from Lüneburg to Würzburg. The train ride was 3 hours long, and we arrived in Würzburg around 1 p.m. Marco's father and his girlfriend picked us up at the train station and showed us around the city.

After some sightseeing in Würzburg, we brought the day to a close at a local beer garden just a short drive from their home near Bamberg.

Day 6: Munich

On the morning of day five, all six of us made the nearly three-hour drive from Bamberg to Munich in an eight-passenger van. We had a hotel booked for two nights in Munich, meaning that we would be spending three days there.

We got in around 4 p.m. and then went directly into the city center for a little sight-seeing. We swung by the Rathaus to watch the Glockenspiel, and we ate dinner at the Hofbräuhaus.

Day 7: Munich

We started off our full day in Munich with a trip to BMW World, which is located right next to Olympia Park.

In the afternoon, we took a stroll the through the beautiful Englischer Garten and enjoyed a nice cold beverage (read: beer) in the beer garden.

When evening rolled around, we headed back toward the city center.

Day 8: Nymphenburg Palace and Garmisch-Partenkirchen

For our last day in Munich, we drove to Nymphenburg Palace. Our parents took a tour of the inside of the residence while Marco and I walked around the grounds.

Originally, the plan was to drive directly back to Bamberg from Nymphenburg Palace. Marco's father and girlfriend decided to surprise us, however, by driving one hour further south to Garmisch-Partenkirchen. This quaint little town in the Alps is located right on the border of Austria and is a popular skiing destination due to its proximity to Germany's tallest mountain, Zugspitze.

What cities would you visit if you were to do a one-week tour of Germany?

Make sure to come back on Thursday to see pictures from week 2!