As my geological trip across Iceland was progressing, I had run out of targets in north and central parts of the island. The next destinations were the east and south. Given the speedy sampling that we got done in the previous days, we were ahead of schedule. As a result I would soon embark on an impromptu journey across Iceland, from Snæfell in the east to Mývatn in the north.
Following our drive from Dreki, we spent the night at a guesthouse in a remote area in east Iceland. The owner was a big intimidating looking, bearded Icelandic gentleman. With a dog by his side and an axe in his hand, his visage combined with the isolated location gave us pause. Paul and I were wondering if we’d survive the night, or the man would chop us up into little bits. In the end our host turned out to be a warm and welcoming fellow. Genuinely curious about our work, he could not for the life of him wrap his head around what exactly was the purpose of my study.
Our AirBnB host’s doggie
The following morning we were supposed to get a replacement vehicle from the car rental company. We emptied the Landcruiser and waited for the rental agency representatives to come make the exchange.
Upon their arrival, they inspected the damaged car inside and out. I will never forget the hilarious moment one of them stuck their head inside the car and the foul smell created waves of wrinkles along his face. The odor of spilled food and beverages due to the absent suspensions made that car smell like a collage frat house. After the exchange we ended up with a smaller, more compact SUV in the form of a Dacia Duster.
Driving across the lush green landscape of eastern Iceland
How ironic that in Iceland of all places I’d end up behind the wheel of a Romanian car brand.
The snow-capped Mount Snæfell
Finally on the road again, we set off towards our new target area, Snæfell. An imposing snow-capped mountain, Snæfell is one of the tallest mountain peaks in eastern Iceland. When I gazed upon the mighty mountain, my hiking senses were tingling. However, our sampling points were not on Snæfell per se. Rather they were located on the various hills and in gullies surrounding the grand mountain.
The snow-capped Mount Snæfell rising above the horizon
This is where the novelty of Icelandic landform names had worn off for me. Ever since then, when other foreigners would come up to me and ask whether I could pronounce the name of the famous Eyjafjallajökull volcano, I would say “Please, that’s child’s play”. Then I would throw a few names from eastern Iceland at them like: Langihnjúkur, Nálhushnjúkar, or Vestri Sauðhnjúkar.
Some of the many “jukurs” and “jukars” we traversed and sampled
Indeed, there were many strange “jukurs” and “jukars” we trekked in our days around Snæfell. As we traveled further inland, with each new spot, we’d end up edging closer once more to the vast Vatnajökull ice field stretching across central Iceland. At around mid-day we took a lunch break atop one of our hills, marveling at the gorgeous view of Vatnajökull.
Nothing like having lunch with a panoramic view of Iceland’s largest ice cap
Another great day for sampling
Our first day in the east was quickly turning into another great success. With splendid weather and road conditions, we managed to sample over half of our targets around Snæfell. With but a few locations left, we decided to call it a day towards the late afternoon. That’s when I realized I didn’t have my borrowed geological hammer on me anymore.
The illusive hammer hiding in plain sight
Losing ones tools is such a typical rookie geologist mistake. Paul was eager to see how I’d deal with the problem. I was fairly certain I had forgotten it on our last outcrop. But the landscape was so uniform that it was hard to retrace our steps precisely. It didn’t take me long though to realize we had our GPS trackers on. So with some help from technology I quickly recovered the missing hammer. With a sly smirk on his face, Paul was visibly pleased with my quick thinking.
With a successful bounty in tow, we drove towards our new lodging, Laugarfell. A quaint mountain lodge fairly close to Snæfell, Laugarfell, with its two natural hot springs was quite a step up from the cramped and crowded huts we stayed at in central Iceland.
Natural hot spring at Laugarfell with Mount Snæfell in the background
The monolith
The second day the sky was overcast and there was a light drizzle in the air. We drove back towards Snæfell to continue our rock-hunt. During one of our stops we hiked along a mossy valley with lingering patches of snow and ice. The rocks and landscape clearly carved out by expanding ice sheets not long ago, geologically speaking.
I just loved the visual of the green-yellow vegetation seemingly seeping out from the dark rocky valleys and crevasses
All was going well as we circled the mystical Mount Snæfell, now covered in a thick layer of clouds. Our sampling for the entire region was nearly done. As we drove around, we spotted a large rock pillar sticking out of the side of a slope in the distance. We had time to spare so we decided to investigate.
Behold the Monolith, Sótaleiði
It was thus that we found Sótaleiði, or as I called it, the Monolith. This giant gravestone-shaped rock pillar composed of dark volcanic breccia was likely a large loose block remobilized by the receding ice sheet. A hiking trail panel nearby described the Monolith as Sótaleiði, a gravestone for the mythical giant Sóti.
Even though it wasn’t exactly the rock type we were looking for, we decided to take a sample for geochemical analysis, just out of curiosity.
Paying homage to the “gravestone”
Leaving the Monolith behind, we made one more quick stop on our way back to Laugarfell and grabbed the last of our target samples in eastern Iceland.
A journey across Iceland
Thanks to our good fortune and hard work, we were one day head of schedule. So I was hoping I could get Paul to go do some touristy sightseeing the following day. Specifically the Mývatn area which had caught my eye a few days before while we traveled around north Iceland. Unfortunately Paul had paper work he wished to catch up on, so he handed me the car keys and set me on my solo journey across Iceland.
The decision to let Paul solely drive throughout our trip came back to haunt me that day. I was quite reluctant about taking the wheel as it had been many years since I had driven and my past driving experience from Romania was minimal. Regardless, I wasn’t about to pass up an opportunity to go sightseeing in Iceland because of my driving fear and anxiety. So with shaky hands and heart in throat I set out towards Egilsstaðir and Mývatn.
The journey across Iceland, from Snæfell to Mývatn
The weather was not great that morning. Heavy rain and wind were constantly battering the car throughout my journey. In some parts of the drive the wind was so strong that it felt like it was trying to tip the car over. Regardless, I kept on going with my loud music blasting on. My main gripe at the time being how I couldn’t enjoy that wonderful moment of my life because of my high anxiety. I was freely driving alone in Iceland to my Norwegian black metal music. Something I couldn’t even have dreamt of years before and all I could think of was what could go wrong on the road.
Mývatn
As I got closer and closer to Mývatn, I was finally starting to relax. I had completed the 240 km drive (my longest continuous drive at that point) from Laugarfell to Mývatn. There was of course the little issue of driving back, but I wasn’t going to worry about that just yet. I was going to take my time and enjoy some sightseeing.
Oh my Dacia at the Dimmuborgir lava fields
Dark Fortresses
My first stop was the Dimmuborgir lava fields. To me this was a major attraction that I never thought I’d get to see, so I was super hyped. The main reason being that there is this Norwegian symphonic black metal band that I was a big fan of for years called Dimmu Borgir. Translated as “Dark Fortresses” their name was clearly inspired by the geologic feature in Iceland.
Orientation dial at the entrance to the lava fields
So what actually is the Dimmuborgir of Iceland you may ask. Simply put, it’s an expansive field of lava formations, including caves, pillars, and arches, which were created during a volcanic eruption approximately 2300 years ago.
Dimmuborgir lava fields, Iceland
This dramatic landscape formed when a large lava lake from the eruption began to cool and solidify on the surface while molten lava continued to flow beneath it. When the underlying lava drained away, the crust collapsed in some areas but left other sections standing, resulting in fascinating, unique, irregular features.
One of the many contorted lava features at Dimmuborgir
The name was given to reflecting the eerie, castle-like appearance of these lava structures. According to Icelandic folklore, the area is considered a mystical place, believed to be home to trolls and other supernatural beings. The site also ties into local legends about the Yule Lads, mischievous figures associated with Icelandic Christmas traditions.
I was in my element then like never before
The gloomy dark grey clouds above combine with the otherworldly landscape around me were fueling my vivid imagination. It was like an ancient dark fantasy conjured up by my young brooding mind had come to life. I deeply savored each moment of my time there.
The towering features resembling dark fortresses that earned the place its name
After a good couple of hours of walking around the lava fields I went back to the car and had some lunch. It was still fairly early in the afternoon so I decided to go check out one more attraction in the area.
“R” for Reverse
My point of interest was Hverfjall, a large volcanic crater nearby. There was just one little problem. I seemed to be having a tough time figuring out how to put the car in reverse so I could back out of the parking space. The “R” on the stick shift clearly showed left-down, but no matter how much I tried it wasn’t going in reverse. To make matters worse, the parking lot was on a cliff. So each time I’d tap the gas and it would go forward instead of backward, I’d be creeping closer and closer to the cliff’s edge.
One of my favorite photos from Mývatn capturing the widely diverse landscape of Iceland with craters, lava flows, steam vents all in one
I was so frustrated and embarrassed that I’d constantly look around to make sure nobody was paying attention to my laughably futile maneuvers. Clearly there had to be some trick to changing the gear. Upon a closer inspection I noticed the line leading to the “R” was discontinued. I thought that perhaps there was a button there, so I tried pushing the stick down. Another failed attempt. As the car got closer to the edge, I was running out of tries.
I stopped once more to think carefully. That’s when it hit me! This was a Dacia and I had driven Dacia cars before. The way you put a Dacia in reverse gear is a little weird. You have to grab the ring around the fabric of the stick shift and pull it up. Then you can push it left-down into the correct gear socket. Eureka! I could finally back out of my parking space!
Lake Mývatn, Iceland
A short drive later I arrived at Hverfjall.
Hverfjall
With my renewed confidence I parked the car like a boss, and headed up the trail to the crater. Hverfjall is a phreatomagmatic crater, formed by explosive interactions between magma and groundwater or surface water.
Hiking up Hverfjall
These interactions led to violent eruptions that fragmented the surrounding rock and created the large, circular crater with a nearly symmetrical shape. This type of eruption results in a tuff ring, which is evident in Hverfjall’s steep 420 m high walls. The eruption occurred approximately 2800 years ago, producing a crater that measures around 1 kilometer in diameter and 140 meters deep.
There’s an entire hiking trail around the rim of the crater. However, I’m not sure if it’s possible to go down into the crater itself. Sadly I didn’t have enough time to do the hike or explore too much. I only spent about half an hour taking in the sights before I hopped back into my newly mastered car to drive back to Laugarfell.
The phreatic crater, Hverfjall. At least as much as I could fit in a photo
I was less nervous about the drive then in the morning, but I felt quite tired for the first hour. At one moment I decided to pull over and go out for a few moments to allow the cold breeze to wake me up. I was also taking in the awesome sights of northern Iceland one last time. In spite of my driving related anxieties, this turned out to be one of my most memorable days in Iceland.
By the time I got back to eastern Iceland, the sun was out and shining. With a gorgeous sunset on the horizon I was finally enjoying every moment of the rest of my drive.
As I mentioned at the end of my previous post, Gran Canaria to me was a sort of eye opener to a different world. A world of constant warm climate, sunshine, beaches, palm trees and luxury tourist resorts. A sort of idealized island paradise world, where, at least in the moment, one doesn’t care about money anymore. That’s because presumably one already has enough money if they end up in a place like this.
Well I didn’t have money… But I felt like I did. This feeling is what I mean by I got a small taste of “the good life”. Something I’d never felt before. I relished the feeling and wanted more. My experience in Gran Canaria ignited an ambition for success that would shape some of the most momentous decisions later on in my life.
The landscape of Gran Canaria
But I’m getting ahead of myself now. Let me first tell you about our adventures on the island.
Road trips across a volcanic island
We spent most of our days in Gran Canaria on the road. Driving around and across the island to observe its magnificent geological features.
Like the rest of the Canary Islands, Gran Canaria is a volcanic island made up of various volcanic rocks ranging from basalts to rhyolites. This range of rock types from silica-poor to silica-rich represents the typical evolution of ocean island forming magmas.
A rocky wall showcasing two generations of ignimbrites delineated by a scorched contact margin
Another typical rock type in Gran Canaria are ignimbrites. Ignimbrites are basically hardened volcanic tuff formed as a result of pyroclastic flows. For those unaware, pyroclastic flows are those superheated “grey avalanches” of gas and volcanic particles moving down the slopes of an angry erupting volcano at very high speeds. They are probably the most dangerous features of a violent volcanic eruption. Their direction is very hard to predict, you can’t outrun them and they incinerate and carbonize everything in their path.
The master volcanologist and igneous petrologist himself in action, Paul Martin Holm.
In the end, all that violent rocky and gassy outburst, coupled with erosion leads to some really unique rock formations.
Fuente de los Azulejos
The name of this colorful geological formation literally translates to the fountain of tiles. Located in the municipality of Tejeda in the center of the island, los Azulejos are a result of hydrothermal activity and oxidation, coupled with erosional features.
The colorful rocks of Los Azulejos in Gran Canaria
The rocks at los Azulejos are primarily composed of basalts. The green and blue colors come from an abundance of copper minerals such as malachite and azurite. Water and erosion over time contributed to the distribution of these colors across a large area.
A close-up of Los Azulejos
Roque Nublo
Another geological feature and major tourist attraction in the municipality of Tejada is Roque Nublo. Translated to “Rock in Clouds” this 80 meter high rocky monolith towers over the surrounding landscape.
Hiking towards Roque Nublo we got a view of these clouds rolling over the jagged landscape
One of the most iconic landmarks of the island, Roque Nublo offers spectacular panoramic views of the rolling hills and valleys of the Gran Canaria. On top of that, you get a spectacular view of Tenerife island in the distance.
The neighboring Tenerife island popping up in the distance above the clouds
Initially a landscape made up of various lava flows, ash and pumice, was shaped over millions of years by wind and water. In time, erosional forces have erased all but the most resilient of rocks which today make up the core of Roque Nublo.
The towering Roque Nublo
Dragon Tail cliffs at Mirador del Balcón
Located on the western coast of Gran Canaria, the Dragon Tail Cliffs at Mirador del Balcón are geological formation renowned for their dramatic appearance and panoramic views. The epic name was derived from the jagged, serrated edges of the cliffs, which resemble the tail of a dragon in silhouette against the sky.
The Dragon Tail Cliffs at Mirador del Balcón
The cliffs at Mirador del Balcón are composed of basaltic lava flows, which in time have been carved and sculpted by winds and waves. The dramatic shapes of these cliffs are a result of the high durability and resistance to erosion of basaltic rocks.
Bandama Caldera
Measuring approximately 1000 meters in diameter and 200 meters deep, the Bandama Caldera is one of the Canary Islands largest volcanic craters. Located near the town of Santa Brígida, the caldera offers yet more stunning views and geological features.
It was impossible to capture the sheer size of Bandama Caldera in one photo
The Bandama Caldera is the result of a massive volcanic eruption that occurred thousands of years ago. The subsequent collapse and erosion of the caldera left a large depression in the landscape.
On the road from the Bandama Caldera towards the coast you can find some of best examples of pillow basalts. These structures form during underwater lava eruptions, as a result of rapid cooling.
The perfect pillow basalt
Mapping ignimbrites
On one of the days we split into multiple teams and did a field study of different rock formations. My hotel roommates and I were assigned to map ignimbrites. As such, Nigel, Søren, Michael and I spent one day in the scorching sun noting down the features of this huge wall of rock along a sloped road.
Søren discovering a perfectly preserved volcanic bomb between the ignimbrite layers
Below us, in the valley, there was a raging pool party at one of the resorts. Not having an ounce of shade the whole day, we became quite disgruntled with and jealous of the people below. They were also playing that damned “Tunak Tunak” song on loop the whole day… To this day I can’t stand listening to that song because of this!
Hearing the Tunak Tunak song for the millionth time
Despite our complaints, we still had a great time doing fun geology things while sometimes stopping to admire the views of that incredible place. Later on we would compile a report of our findings, which would contribute towards the final grade of the course.
The tempting view while working in the hot sun all day
Leisurely evenings
After our daily road trips, sight seeing and geology work, we would spend our late afternoons and evenings doing various activities. Be it a dip in the pool, a walk across town, or a night of drinking on the terrace, there was always something to do.
Finishing up a long days work on the rocks
One of my favorite nights was poker night with my roommates. Søren had brought a poker set with him, so the four of us sat down for a very serious game of Texas Hold’Em. The stakes were high as we were playing for drinks. Losers buy the winners one and two beers respectively. After a crafty combination of luck, aggression and bluffing, I had managed to secure my second place and one free beer. However, my luck was up as the most inexperienced of us actually managed to win the big pot! Regardless, I was quite pleased with my results.
During the last evening, Paul Martin took us all out for a game of mini golf. This was after we had a few drinks. Among them a couple of shots of true Absinth. The 89.9% alcohol drink that gives you brain damage. To my surprise it tasted better than some other dreadful things I drank in my life – hint hint, Swedish bitter and Stroh rum… Ugh…
Tasty liquid death
On top of all this we had an incredible varied buffet dinner each night. I will never forget the seafood themed one. Just the variety and the taste of it all was so good! Suffice to say the nights were a blast.
Final thoughts on our trip
As a holiday trip and adventure, Gran Canaria is up there on my list with some of my most memorable trips. However, as part of a university field course? Hands down the best course I’ve ever taken!
Field courses are always more fun than just sitting in the class, or lab all day. I’ve done quite a few back in Romania during my Bachelors days. But of course the level of financing and opportunity between my Romanian and Danish Universities was incomparable.
Our geologist version of ‘The shining”
I mentioned how my trip to Gran Canaria turned on an ambition switch in my head that would pave the way for future decisions and successes. However, there was another thing I gained from my field trip there. An immense gratitude and respect towards my professor, Paul Martin, the University of Copenhagen and Denmark in general. So much so that when we flew back to Denmark I decided that I would sign up for the state offered Danish language classes and I would try to make Denmark my permanent home.
In my previous post I mentioned how I went to EUGEN Switzerland in 2008. I also said I would showcase the field trips I went to during the week there. Now again, because of how long ago this was, I sadly can’t recall the names of any of the places. Perhaps one of my EUGEN friends, Gaudenz, who was one of the organizers for EUGEN 2008, can help out in the comments.
As with each EUGEN event, there were a number of field trips to choose from during our week long stay. Some of them are organized twice, so that people have a chance to do all, or almost all of them. All the field trips are worthwhile, but we each have our own preferences for what we’d like to do and see. For me, it was hiking. I wanted to go out there and walk up some Swiss mountains and see some geology on the way! There were two perfect options for this. One of them involved visiting a big dam and then hiking for most of the day around that region. The second one involved a hike up a fairly tall mountain peak.
Hiking in the Swiss Alps – 2008
I believe the name of the place with the dam started with an L, so let’s just call that the L-dam. Then the mountain… all I remember is that there were cows and horses on the way, so I’ll go with cow-mountain.
The L-dam
The morning of our trip was fairly chilly and cloudy. We were all so tired in the morning. The late night partying combined with the early wake-up was a drag. Even now I can hear the organizers walking through camp in the morning, beating on metal pans and pots to wake everyone up. The horror…
My tired friends in the mornings, Switzerland 2008
I recall we took a fairly long bus trip to reach our destination. I also specifically remember the road was very winding with many sharp turns. This, because every time I tried to fall asleep the bus would turn and I’d end up banging my head against the window… concussion number 45.
Then finally, about two hours later, we arrived at the L-dam. The place must have been beautiful. Too bad we couldn’t see much due to the clouds. Ok, I’m exaggerating, but to be fair, it was pretty damn cloudy. At least for the first part of the day.
My friend Daniel in the clouds
We sat out on a trail following the lake. On the way, we had a few stops at several rock outcrops. I recall one of them had a bunch of nice garnets and, everyone took a piece with them. For the non-geologist readers, garnets are basically cool looking minerals that are sometimes used as gems. They kind of look like little mineral balls with nicely shaped geometric faces. Some of these garnets can even grow to a few centimeters wide. Take two of these big garnet balls and a long staurolite in the middle and you have a recipe for an obscene Bachelors dissertation project “wink, wink”.
The L-dam, somewhere in Switzerland
The weather started improving during the day and finally we got to see our beautiful surroundings. Gorgeous mountains on each side of the trail and the lake behind us. It was a wonderful field trip that I would gladly do again.
Hiking around the L-dam lake
Cow-mountain
On our second field trip in Switzerland we had the perfect hiking weather. Beautiful clear skies on a warm summer’s day, with just the right amount of a cool mountain breeze to keep us fresh.
The perfect weather and scenery for a lovely mountain hike
We started our hike from an already relatively high point and had to reach a peak of around 2500m. On the way we passed a bunch of horses and cows. For whatever reason this images stayed with me, hence why I decided to name it cow-mountain. Maybe it’s due to all the old “Milka” chocolate commercials with the cows and the Swiss Alps. Does anyone remember those?
Our EUGENeers gathering for some field geology
I recall our geologist professor/guide for the day had quite the hefty pace. So much so that some people had a hard time keeping up with him. I can’t remember what else we did during this field trip, except for walk, walk, walk, higher and higher.
Slippery terrain and impressive rock outcrops weathered by the elements
As you may imagine, the hike was absolutely worth it. The views we had on the way and especially from the top of the mountain were incredible. We even got to see some glimpses of snow here and there. Remnants of old glaciers, now just a thing of the past.
Me and Daniel: the brotherhood
Heading home
After the wonderful week in Switzerland we embarked on our multi-train journey back to Romania. All was going well, until we had to board the final train in Vienna. The second class cars were so packed that some of us had to upgrade to first class at extra cost to get on the train. When I mean packed, I don’t just mean all the seats were occupied, but that so many people were squatting on the train car hallways everywhere that there was simply no room.
It was an over night train ride too, so since I was very tired after the long week and the previous train rides, I agreed to be one of the guys to pay the 50 euros extra for the upgrade to an actual bed. That didn’t stop me and my volunteer friends from moping all night about the expensive ticket. However, we found a satisfactory solution. This first class premium service included a complementary 0.5 liter bottle of water. We simply told ourselves that it was that damned bottle of water that cost us the extra 50 euros.
Us and our 50 euro water bottles
In my next post I will jump ahead one year to EUGEN 2009, which was held in The Netherlands. So stay tuned for that!
Alright, so this week’s post is going to be a bit different – and yes I’m really trying to turn this into a weekly thing.
I will go further back in time to my first travel adventure out of Romania. Well, at least the first non-family related one. This all happened in 2008, during my second year at University. I know, feels like a lifetime ago… So one of my friends and classmates shows up one day talking about a summer camp he found out about. An opportunity for geologist students to go camping in Switzerland, relatively cheaply.
The organization doing this was called EUGEN. Which is a fairly common Romanian name and also happened to be the name of my uncle’s neighbor. Oh but it’s not that Eugen, it’s actually the European Geoscientists Students Network. I guess they left the S out of the acronym because EUGESN doesn’t roll off the tongue as nicely as EUGEN.
What is EUGEN about?
Back then I didn’t know anything about them, but as I would find out, they are a German-based organization that had been doing yearly summer camps for geologists and geology enthusiasts for a few years. Each year participants would hold a voting session where they would decide what country would host the next year’s EUGEN event. The whole thing would be fairly cheap and even cheaper for students living in the poorer eastern European countries. The event would last a week during which there would be various field trips one could choose from, social events, lectures and a cultural trip. Oh and a lot, and I mean A LOT of alcohol. All in all it’s an absolute blast of a week. A chance to visit another country, meet new people, make a bunch of friends and have a great time. The best part is that EUGEN continues to date! So what are you waiting for geologically inclined reader? Go! Fly off to Slovenia for a great time this summer!
EUGEN Austria in 2018 – Udra Udra!
Alright, so I went off on a bit of a tangent there, but I’m always happy to do some PR for these guys. Shout out to all my EUGEN readers out there!
Back to 2008 and when I first heard about them. This was back when I was piss-poor, so any cost was a high cost for me. Regardless, the opportunity was incredible and my parents were happy to sponsor my trip.
Off we go
It was some time during August, as it usually is, when the event was hosted. We had a fairly large group of Romanians attending that year. Most of which were university classmates of mine. I remember the logistics of getting to the location were quite tricky. Mostly because none of us had cars to drive. There were no easy flights either, so the only option we had really were trains. I think we had to change 4, or 5 different trains in total. I believe it was over a day’s worth of train travel.
The obelisk of Horea, Cloșca and Crișan in Alba Iulia, Romania 2008
The first train was from Alba Iulia, Romania to Vienna, Austria. The second one would cross Austria and take us to around Innsbruck, where I think we had to change to another train that would cross over the Swiss border. Then I know for sure there was at least one, if not two more train changes within Switzerland. This was mostly because the event location was near a tiny little village that nobody outside Switzerland has heard of called Domat/Ems. The village is close to a bigger town that nobody outside Switzerland has heard of called Chur. Chur is actually pronounced Coor, or Cur, like ass in Romanian. Sorry, I just had say that – Gaudenz, I hope you’re reading buddy!
A quick stop in Vienna, Austria – Mandatory taking of photos as proof that we went there in 2008
The experience
Now, I won’t go into day by day details of my excursion to Switzerland. Primarily because it’s been such a long time that I can only recall bits and pieces of it. However, I will reserve my next post to go over some of the wonderful places we saw during our field trips.
As for here, I would just like to state that it was a fantastic experience. Not just for myself, but for all of us from Romania that went to EUGEN 2008. The amazing field trips, the great people we met, the evening parties, the incredible food! Oh God, the Italian food night when everyone had like 3 portions and then the toilets couldn’t handle it anymore… The Italians serenading the chefs with live music… What a night! I remain extremely grateful for the organizing team and EUGEN for the opportunity.
Switzerland was/is such a radically different country then Romania that it’s like night and day. A real eye opener to how nice and civilized a country can be. Well, kind of like Norway for those who have read my Norway series. For those who haven’t, well what are you waiting for? It’s right here!
Walking around Chur, Switzerland 2008
Starting to feel like this post is one big advertisement, eh? Well, you bet your Chur it is!
Hope you’ll stick around for my next post about our Swiss EUGEN adventure! Until then, I bid you farewell.
