Three Types of People

Before my trip to Amsterdam i thought there were two types of people, those who can ride a bike and those who cant. this doesnt really include BMX riders or mountain bikers and stuff but thats what i thought. then i went to visit a good friend that is living and working outside of Amsterdam, in a city called Haarlem and i found out there are in fact three types of people; Those who cant ride a bike, those who can.... and the Dutch... They ride their bikes and roll cigarets, they ride there bikes and hold hands with each other, they ride there bikes and walk their dogs, they ride their bikes and do everything. Ive never seen so many people so good at riding bikes. I found myself so happy to be in such an active society and with such a free people. I got to Amsterdam with a really good friend of mine from Berlin to meet up with my friend from Charlotte. As soon as we all met up we were tossed into the nightlife of Amsterdam which is lit by the neon lights of the Red Light district, it all swirls with the Smoke from countless 'coffee shops' and is fueled by countless Heinekens and Amstels.We had a few drinks and watched the local soccer club win on tv and get ignord by our server who was also watching the game with everyone else in the bar. We then roamed through the very open underbelly of the city and saw all of the store fronts with things a bit too harsh to mention but was memorible to say the least. We then went back to my friends place, he lives behind the people he works for and told me that he had to get up really early to get the boys ready for school and make them breakfast so odviously i offered to help and was so glad i did. We woke up early and headed into the house of his employers to wake up the children that he takes care of and i met all three of the little hellraisers (which i mean in the best way possible) and we got them  ready and jumped on the bikes and rode to school with them after making their lunches, found lost shoes, and made sure backpacks and jackets were all zipped up. Afterwards we ran a few errands and proceeded to cruise the streets of Haarlem which is amazingly eazy, one because there are more bikelanes then roads and two it is AMAZINGLY flat so it takes no effort to get around. The day ended by us picking up the kids, wresteling for 2 hours and then making dinner and had a few beers before we put them to bed. Once the weekend rolled around things got very interesting, going to sleep as the sun came up and getting back up after the sun went down just to start it all again. the story of most weekends really. But then monday came back around and it was back to work which was actually more like fun for me because it consisted of riding bikes, making food, wresteling with kids, playing video games, and having a few beers. After a week of this i was feeling like a part of the family and the parents of the children were so great and were always happy to have me around... or at least they said so. Once i felt i was about to overstay my welcome i made my train ticket to get back to switzerland so that  i could say goodbye to all the friend i had made here before they left for vacations and moved back home after a semester of study abroad.

The next few days will be goodbye parties and nights out on the town so until next time ... Cheers

Now Thats A First

I went to Brussles to see a good friend from that I played rugby with in the US and his wife who moved there a few months ago for work. I left Paris for Brussels around eleven in the morning on the speed train expecting to arrive an hour and a half later. the weather was kinda nasty but nothing too extreme, a little rain and a little wind. around me sat 2 other backpackers, one from the UK and another from Argentina. Two really sweet girls that i hit it off with very quickly. about 30 minutes away from our destination the train started to slow and came to a halt in the middle of the track with an anouncment that came in four languages stating that the train had stopped... odviously... and that we had a delay of 30 minutes.... no big deal, if everything on my trip went to plan i wouldnt have had nearly as much fun as i am having. but 30 minutes passed and another anouncment came on saying the delay was closer to 2 hours.... nice. then all one of the train opperaters walked through the train speaking in very fast french and everyone seemed pretty angry all of a sudden and we were frantically looking for some to translate what was happening. so through three people we finally got the message that the train had been cancled due to flooding on the tracks and we would have to get off at the next station and take busses into brussels. well we get to the next station and there are no busses but we must go to another terminal and get on city trains one stop and a train there would take us the rest of the way. so one stop later we had 2 more companions, a guy from Chicago and a guy from Amsterdam. so now 5 strong we get off only to be caught in mass confusion in too many different languages to get any information... As we looked for someone to ask what was going on a sweet looking girl came over to us and asked if we were trying to get to brussels, we frantically said yes and she said we must get back on the train and go for a few more stops. now six people strong we got back on the train and found nice seats to take the 30 minute train to another city so that we could finally make it to brussels. we all started to talk and found out that our new companion was a north carolina girl from hikory and that we actually knew some of the same people... small world, i know. so we finally made it to the correct stop and caught the correct train to brussels, our one and a half hour journey turned into 5 hours but in the process we gained a lot more friends and once i found my way in brussels i met up with two of the train crew and we saw all the sights together... that was a first for me. But getting into brussels my friend Va'a and his wife Shinobu picked me up from the train station and with a great sigh of relief i sat in there car happy to not worry where i was or if i was ever going to make it to my destination. for the next few days i saw the beautiful sights of brussels with Va'a, his wife, and my new friends from the train, i tried alot of the belgium specialties including chocolate, beer, waffels, fries, and mussels. I also had the privalege to go to rugby practice in brussels and get smashed by some really great guys that really know their rugby. As the week came to a close we decided to go to Bruges for a day and saw the belfry, alot of the great shops, and the same places that are in the colin ferrel movie "In Bruges".
Early on friday morning i jumped back on the train and headed back to Berlin to hang out with the great friends ive made there. so far weve all been out to the bar together, made nice dinners together, and went dancing together. This past weekend we decided we wanted to go to the hottest club in Berlin called Berghain but saturday night we were just too tired so like any normal people would do we thought it would be perfect to get up on sunday morning and go to the club... at 7:30 in the morning... so we did... we got up at 7:30, got ready, had screwdrivers for breakfast and got to the club around 10 to a pounding beat that you could feel from outside and people actually in line... i knew this was gonna be fun. we got to the door and the bouncers looked at us and he was actually contemplaititng not letting us in.... on a sunday morning.... but we made it in and  started with a few energy drinks to wake us up and began dancing for the next 8 hours to some pounding electro. i saw things i hope to never see again in that place, guys in bondage outfits, girls with shaved heads, and too many other things that im trying to force from my brain. but it was an amazing time and ill never forget it.

Definately a few firsts and i hope a few more soon

My French Connection

My good friend from the rugby team in Switzerland came to me a few weeks ago and asked me if i wanted to go to Paris, i said of course and he found me a place to stay with a friend of his that lives and studies in Paris. I was emersed in culture, history, art and much more. I had 4 great friends that showed me the city with great knowledge of its inner workings and history. I saw priceless works of art from Van Gough and Monet, the wonder that is the Eifel Tower, the Arc de Triumph, and countless other priceless and beautiful pieces of art and history. This city is is a beehive of activity and movement, similar to New York with its tourists and busy nature. The friends that showed me the city were two friends from the rugby team and their girlfriends so i was playing the role of the fifth wheel pretty well which they didnt seem to mind and were quite willing to have me tag along. I walked the city for five to ten hours a day and loved every second of it. seeing the shops with things too expensive to buy, the cafè's too expensive to eat in, and the sights too expensive to experience i found it all very charming and didnt mind one bit not having the money. This trip has taught me that there are things better in life than what can be bought with money and that I cannot live for work but rather work to live so that i can experience life to the fullest and take in all of its wonders, because without life, life is not worth living. I worry sometimes what i will do when i get home but then i see the friends ive made here and remember my friends at home, I dont worry anymore because i know that i will never want for anything as long as my friends and family are at my side. One thing i have thought of alot in Paris is what i value and what i will take from this experience, ive decided that i have a passion for passion. what better place to come to this realization than in Paris, the city of love. I thought of my friends and family and what i see in them that attracts me and i came to see that they all have one thing in common, Passion. Passion for life, work, sport, learning, and countless other facets of living. If anyone knows me they know that i am a passionate person and live with happiness and excitement. sure there are parts of life that are less than desireable but as the saying goes, 'this to shall pass'. I am a firm believer in the power of a smile and I think that others pull energy and happiness from the energy and happiness of a smile so even when things get hard or are not so fun I always try to smile so that others can see in me that there will always be better times ahead and more smiles to come.

Brussles on Sunday...

Hopefully more break throughs and a few more beers

I Eat, I Drink, I Berlin

Berlin, the City, the State, the home of stark division, terrible war crimes, unspeakable horrors of the past and now the land of reunification, rebuilding, litterally and figuratevly, and some of the best times ive had in my entire life. The party never stops here in Berlin and i too have a hard time slowing down. Worth every penny, every second of lost sleep, every ounce of my energy, this place is amazing. Seeing the unforgetable sites and sounds of this place i was truely blown away by its people. Acceptance and excitment exudes from every corner, the people come out in their strange clothes, different backgrounds and languages, and their interesting lifestyle choices to make this place what it is. Berlin. i may have heard "Thats Berlin" 100 times but thats all you can say about this place... Thats Berlin. I arrived to meet a friend of a friend at the train station after a full 12 hours of train travel and proceded to make it back to her place in time to crash like a ton of bricks and sleep like a baby. the next day it was a free walking tour by a guy from Atlanta, GA which was awesome and yes i said free. He worked souley on tips and was very informed of the history and the fun tings to do in the city. afterwards me and my Berliner, (her name is Norina and is super sweet) went to a few other places not on the tour and met up with some friends and proceeded to get completely wasted, get denied from a trendy night club, get lost in east Berlin, find my way back to my group and finally get to sleep around 8 in the morning which i call an epic night in anyones book. The next day we proceeded to coordinate a massive taco night with new friends we met the night before and old friends of Norinas. Epic success if i say so myself... introducing Germans to Tacos was the highlight of the day. then some friends came in from Switzerland for some more siteseeing and some more touristy photos... cause im a tourist... and a nice sushi dinner at a really cheap but really good sushi place. the next day, a walk in the park and some of the best fast food from two of the really famous street vendors, Curry 36 and Mustafa Kebap, Amazing. And then a huge dinner with a shnitzel the size of my head. And all of this with a few drinks and a few more friends, im happy, alive, full, kinda drunk, and enjoying every second of Berlin.Im sure im forgetting alot of the action but as i said... "Thats Berlin"

Paris next week...

Hopefully more of the same...

Rome and Hospitality

This past week i went to Rome for a few days and had the time of my life. This was the first time I slept in a hostel and let me tell you it was really cool. i got into the Hostel around 5pm not really knowing what to expect and wasnt surprised by the accomodation, a bunch of bunkbeds crammed into a small room. each bed had either a person on it or a backpack lying next to it. There were so many countries represented that i felt at was at a United Nations party or something. A few australian guys, some spanish guys, a few asian girls, some south african girls and of course a few americans. It was great to see everyone in the same room so peacfully, either keeping to themselves or branching out to a new friend. Next were the bathrooms... interesting to say the least. one that didnt have hot water, one that had a lamp brought into it because it lacked any real light fixture, and one that may or may not have been cleaned... ever, but we all made do with them. The kitchen was a bit better with various utencils left by passing travelers and a few cheap appliances that the hostel ownerhad sprung for, presumably after a few complaints from disastisfied guests. But it was really cozy and in a way, pretty homey. The next morning the walkathon began. i attempted to see every sight in rome in a day which i must say, i got pretty dang close. photo after photo, ancient ruin after ancient ruin, and priceless work of art after priceless work of art i saw damn near everything a tourist could hope for. Then the evening held even more of a treat. all of the guests rounded eachother together for a big night out led by the creepy, italian employee of the hostel. Truthfully it was a blast and everyone had fun so mission accomplished on the night out. the next morning my faint headache was evidence of a good night out and it was time to head back to switzerland for another big night out with the rugby guys... OLMA in all its drunken, swiss glory. countless beers, countless sausages (the food ones) and even more Hospitality. The Rugby family is all about showing the newcomer a good time, and that they did. After the first round of beers were bought and i had three beers in my hand i knew it was gonna be a good night. I was not disapointed, even after attempting to by a bite to eat for a few of the guys i was literally pushed away so my teammate could buy it for me. I was presently surprised by the generosity of the people here and the great hospitality of the Rugby Family. I guess thats what its all about.

Hospitality and a few beers

Swing Sets

So I was asked how I came up with the idea to travel and pretty much do nothing for 4 months and the answer came to me while i was in a park today, doing something i haven't done in years. Swinging on a swing set. I mean i've been on a swing set and i've kinda swung a little bit but today for like 20 minutes i really swung and it made me feel like a kid all over again then it hit me, I wanna feel something again. I came here with no backup plan, no safety net, and really putting off some major decisions in my life so i could feel something i haven't felt since i was probably 9 years old, careless. Not in the sense that i dont care about anything because i do. i care about my family and friends, i care about the people in Charlotte that are living there lives, i care about my teammates here and in Charlotte. But i mean it in the sense that a kid understands the world. They live for the moment and do what makes them feel good and aren't worried about tomorrow. I need that one more time before i take on the responsibility and consequence-full life of the college graduated, working man, with bills to pay and responsibilities and countless other things that every person must one day face. im excited to do those things and will do my very best at them when i really begin to do them but first.... I just wanna swing.

Rugby and Trainpasses

Sunday's game went really well, we won 52 - 12 which seems really great but when you consider the other team played with 11 guys V. our 15 for, say oh, half the game that number seems a lot less impressive. Regardless of numbers the Bishops have another win. On another note i go to Germany on friday for Oktoberfest with a friend Olag, from St Gallen University and the rugby team. We hope to meet up with some of the other rugby guys so we'll see how it all goes.
Also I activated my train pass and reserved my ticket for Munich which, with the pass, only costs me 5 CHF (Swiss Franks). Hopefully, by the end of this trip that train pass will pay for itself because 1200 dollars is alot to spend on a piece of paper, even if it does give me access to almost every train and ferry in Europe for the next 3 months. Actually i take that back, thats a lot of free travel! So i look forward to Friday and live for today.
Until next time....

Europe So Far... Switzerland

Ok so this will be my first of quite a few of these i think, and i hope everyone will enjoy looking over these and seeing what i've been up to. Its the 24th of September and two weeks since i landed in europe. So far i've just been setteling in to the house im staying in, in Grub, Switzerland which is about an hour train ride from Zurich, the financial capital of Switzerland and most of the world. everything has been great so far, meeting people, seeing new and exciting places as well as some very historic but equally as exciting places, and just having a very relaxing time of it. i've done my best to keep up with the photos so everyone can see a bit of what i see and most of those are posted on my facebook. And i've started playing rugby with the local club called the St. Gallen Bishops which is a great group of guys from all different ages and backgrounds. I, shockingly enough, am the only American and they've thrown me into the Number 10 position which im not entirely used to but at this lower level of play (it's third division mens club) i feel pretty comfortable and have been helping coach the backs which again not used to but like i said its a pretty low level of play. I even scored in my first game with them and they put my name on the website http://www.bishops.ch/bishops.ch/Home.html which is all in German but about half way down my name pops up. We won that game which put us second in the standings so we'll see what the rest of the season holds and how the game this sunday turns out.
Next week i go to Germany and Oktoberfest so ill definately update everyone with the happenings with that
Thanks Everyone for your support.
- Michael Felts -