My family and I traveled through many European countries during spring break for vacation. Among these were the United Kingdom, France, Switzerland, and Germany. Flying out of Charlotte, we embarked on an overnight flight into London. Aside from the flight being much longer, flying internationally isn’t much different than flying domestically. Still serving mediocre airplane food and experiencing random patches of turbulence, there’s a sort of charm to flying. Finally touching down in London, we had only a few hours to explore the city before catching the Eurostar to Paris, France. Before we departed, this was enough time to see Buckingham Palace, Big Ben, and indulge in fish and chips at the train station. With limited time in London, we didn’t see much, and I wasn’t the biggest fan of fish and chips; however, the differences from America, no matter how small, proved to be an exciting start for the trip. One thing in all European countries that is different than America is the selling of drinking water. At every restaurant we visited, the water was not complimentary as it is in the United States, while also always having the choice between sparkling and still water. Although our stay in London wasn’t long, it was enough time to hit lots of the iconic locations. We boarded the Eurostar to Paris, France, travelling under the English Channel.

Arriving in Paris was a strange experience, as I hadn’t really slept in about 30 hours. Travelling to another country from the previous one, not having slept since being in the country before that, was surreal and exhausting. We made our way through the Paris streets to our Airbnb, nestled in a building that looked like every other building and every other street. While normally this would be depressing and boring, the intricate architecture turned the streets into little slices of Parisian culture, almost feeling as though we had been transported to the late 1700s. After a much-needed rest, we rose the next day, facing hours of walking and multiple iconic locations. First, we went to the Arc de Triomphe, a beautiful monument at the center of a large intersection connected via a roundabout. Going atop the Arc, we saw the Eiffel Tower, so we went there next. While stunning to see in the daytime, the Eiffel Tower at night was like nothing I’d seen before. One night we admired the structure from afar, while another night we went to the very top. While some say that the top of the tower is overrated, I would suggest going, as during the nighttime all the streets are illuminated, giving a magnificent view of the city. The other notable areas we visited were Napoleon’s tomb and the Palace of Versailles. Napoleon’s tomb was cool to see, just to know you were looking at where one of the greatest generals in history was buried. Versailles was nothing short of extravagant, however, every room was tainted with memories of the French Revolution. Seeing how pompous the royal elites were while the common people were starving tainted the seemingly perfect lifestyle presented by the palace.

After our time in Paris, we boarded a train to Lucerne, Switzerland. Switching to a brutalist style of architecture was jarring, as I prefer the architecture of Paris much more. While Switzerland was lacking in architecture, it delivered tenfold in natural beauty. One day in Switzerland, we took a bus ride into a town in a valley of the Swiss Alps. The staggering size of the mountains on either side made me feel like an ant in between two great hills. We decided to take a ski lift up to the top of one of these mountains, finding a small ski resort and a winter wonderland at the top. After taking many pictures on the top of the mountain, we got food at the ski resort. In many European countries, including Switzerland, I was of legal age to drink, so I ordered a beer to try for the first time. I thought it was alright, but having a drink on the top of a mountain was cool. The next day in Switzerland, my dad and I went paragliding in Lucerne. Now, we ran straight off the edge of a mountain instead of chilling out at the top. I’ve engaged in adrenaline-pumping activities before, so I more or less knew what to expect; however, every time I’m in the air for something like this, it is always exhilarating. After some aerobatics, we landed and finished paragliding.

Lastly, we took another train into Munich, Germany. Back to more traditional and intricate architecture, the look of Munich was second only to Paris. After reaching our Airbnb and checking in for the night, we rose the next day to go to Neuschwanstein Castle. One long bus ride later, we arrived at a castle straight out of a fairy tale. This would make sense, as this was the castle on which the Sleeping Beauty Castle in Disney World is based. A castle tour ensued, the most memorable room being the chapel constructed on the far left side of the castle. After leaving the castle and arriving back in Munich, we ate at a Hard Rock Cafe. The next day, although a somber way to end our trip, we visited the Dachau concentration camp. My suggestion to my family, I felt everyone needed to see it. Walking into an area where tens of thousands were killed was nothing short of surreal. Words truly can’t describe the emotions you feel just by stepping into a place like that. The most visceral reaction I had was walking through the gas chambers. I took pictures throughout to remember my visit, and I could not bring myself to take a picture of the gas chamber. Standing in there, I genuinely felt as though I was about to throw up. Just to be there in person and see how efficiently the mass killings were made to be was something that will stick with me for the rest of my life. While this wasn’t a fun visit by any means, it was an important visit, and returning to Munich, I only felt hope for the future, seeing as how Germany reformed from its past. 

Overall, running around some European countries was awe-inspiring, downright gorgeous at times, and filled with lessons and reminders of the past, both good and bad.