three days in paris, part I: food

  
We ate pretty fantastically in Paris: Late dinner at Les Cocottes after going up to the top of the Eiffel Tower at night (I've loved their logo since I was last in Paris three years ago and walked by on the way to Café Constant, which was also magnificent). Mussels and potatoes au gratin near the Louvre. A lingering final luncheon at a brasserie right on the banks of the Seine by Châtelet. Two very necessary Starbucks latte & muffin breaks. Surprisingly good pizza up near our hostel, on rue de Belleville. And of course many, many Laduree macarons. (Kelley very stoically returned to Laduree with me for a second visit on Easter Sunday after I was shocked/delighted to learn that cafes and also stores are actually open on Sundays in Paris, even Easter Sunday.) Even the eggplant/goat's cheese tart I bought at the train station for the trip home was excellent. Oh, Paris, you're pretty all right.

three days in amsterdam, part IV: windmills

I had visions of riding bicycles through the countryside, over dikes and past windmills, but since it was too cold to stand still outside, let alone be on a bicycle, we changed that plan from "bike tour" to "bus tour" pretty quick -- specifically, Tours & Tickets' Countryside and Windmills tour. The cheese factory tour in Volendam and the wooden clog-making introduction in Marken were surprisingly entertaining in spite of being just as cheesy as you'd expect, but the windmills of Zaanse Schans at sunset were legitimately gorgeous.

three days in amsterdam, part III: in the nighttime

Amsterdam's canals are particularly magical at night.

three days in amsterdam, part II: cafes & canals

     
Even though I'd been to Amsterdam on two different trips before, I'm not sure I had ever been in Amsterdam in the sunshine. It may have been freezing but that did not distract me from how much of a stunner the city is. I could not get over my love for the bicycle/bridge/canal aesthetic. Gorgeous.

three days in amsterdam, part I: cora

  
Stop #2 of Kellies' European Adventure: Amsterdam, the Netherlands, a three-day stay that started and ended with visits to Cora, a wonderful take-away sandwich shop on Prinsengracht canal. We both ordered the #1 both times we went: soft yet crusty bread, Dutch goat's cheese, grilled spinach, sundried tomatoes. I added truffle mayo to mine the second time but did not even consider ordering a different sandwich; why mess with perfection? There's an excellent spot to sit and enjoy your sandwich and freshly squeezed juice right across the street, on the canal. Perfect for pretending it's really spring and not just the longest winter that ever was. And do you see the color of that apple juice? Wonderful.

three days in prague

        
My friend Kelley came to visit me at the end of March, and I pretty much allowed her to stay in FFM for a hot minute before we took off on a cross-European tour: three days each in Prague, Amsterdam, and Paris. We started off with an overnight train from FFM to Prague.

Where we stayed: Hostel Mango, in a lovely private room for about EUR 22,- per person per night

Where we drank wine every night: Vinograf, which is right next door to Hostel Mango -- in fact, you can enter Hostel Mango through the wine bar without even having to go outdoors (key on a frigid evening!). Highly recommended: red wine and a snack of goat's milk Gouda.

Some places where we ate: U Dvou Sester (right around the corner from Old Town Square, tasty traditional Czech food); Maitrea (surprisingly excellent vegetarian food in Old Town); Bohemia Bagel (the second time we got bagels to go on the way to Prague Castle, and I had A Moment with my bagel on the tram)

Some highlights: wandering around town with my study abroad friend Laura; Easter markets, including the oyster shucking festival (if the participants accidentally drew blood while shucking, they were disqualified); Infant Jesus of Prague and his many costumes; amazing stained glass at St. Vitus; awesome baroque adornment at St. Nicholas Cathedral; the Jewish museum, especially the stained glass at the Spanish Synagogue; checking out every Manufaktura store in town; people-watching on the Charles Bridge

It was too cold to hang out at the beer garden Stephen had recommended, or really even to be outside for very long at all (darn it, extended winter!) but Prague still treated us fantastically.