Hello from Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.A.! I arrived back in the states three days ago, and it has taken me some time to process this re-adjustment back to normal life. With that being said, the last time I posted, I was sitting in my hotel room in the beautiful city of Trento, Italy, and I have traveled thousands of miles since then. I guess I need to fill you guys in on how I closed out this amazing trip.
We left Trento last Tuesday morning and boarded a train set for Innsbruck, Austria. I was really look forward to Innsbruck because my brother is actually studying abroad there through a University of Georgia program later this summer for about six weeks, so I am glad I got to check the box on this city before him. While there, we visited an authentic Austrian restaurant where I ordered a magnificent beef and dumpling soup as well as the most interestingly-shaped pasta I have ever had (I wish I took a picture). We also took three sky lifts rides to get to the top of the mountain in Innsbruck, which led to one of the most amazing views I have ever seen. There were goats grazing on the side of the mountain, and I even snagged a couple selfies with those fellas. After Innsbruck, we took another train to Vienna, Austria’s capital where my friends and I walked through the streets and saw some of the coolest designed buildings we had ever seen. On day two in Vienna, we went to the Vienna Zoo, which is generally agreed to be the top zoo in Europe by far. We saw a polar bear sunbathing, a group of loud sea lions being fed, and hundreds of other incredible animals in this one-of-a-kind zoological park. While here, we visited a nearby castle and monument, who’s name I can no longer remember unfortunately. Vienna was a blast, and I am glad this was one of our final stops. After Vienna, we took off to the last stop on this 15 city trip: Prague, Czech Republic. It is safe to say that what people say about Prague is true. The city is nothing short of incredible. From the cobblestone streets, to the city’s vibrant culture, to best architecture I have seen in Europe apart from maybe Italy, I would recommend Prague to anyone in a country nearby. We visited the castle and took a tour through St. Vitus Cathedral, which was absolutely astounding. At night, we visited a Jazz Club on the river, which was a highlight for me since I am a musician myself. On the final evening in Prague, we had our farewell dinner at a famous Czech restaurant and celebrated my buddy Chris’ 21st birthday. It was a wonderful way to close out such a memorable adventure over the course of these three weeks. I would do this trip 10 times over. I’d like to thank Dr. Junsoo Lee and Dr. Hasan Isomotdinov for coordinating this program.
Grant Alderman, signing off. Roll Tide.
