Happy Thanksgiving

I'm currently in Belfast, Northern Ireland and wanted to make a brief Thanksgiving post, but was struggling to make some sort of connection between the city and the holiday.  Then, I realized that Van Morrison was born in Belfast and on Thanksgiving night, 1976, he joined The Band at their 'The Last Waltz' concert in San Francisco for an awesome rendition of his song, "Caravan."  So, here's a video of the performance:

To everyone back in the States, Happy Thanksgiving and be thankful for those around you that make a difference,  big or small, in your life.  While it's got its advantages, traveling alone has made me re-realize how thankful I am for all of you--my family and friends who have helped (and continue to help) shape me into the person I am today. 

Enjoy the long weekend!

Beer: It's Good For You

This post is dedicated to Plzen, Czech Republic because it's played second fiddle to Prague in my last few posts; also, I'd like to thank my body for not shutting down on me despite the massive amounts of beer I drank and artery-clogging foods I ate while in Munich and the Czech Republic.  Now, without further ado, here's Plzen:



Plzen's main train station

Next up is the Pilsener Urquell brewery, Plzen's main attraction.

Entrance arch to the complex

Watertower

Packaging room

Entrance to the lagering cellar

While in Munich, I took a train to the town of Andechs.  At the top of a small mountain is a monastery and brewery, named Kloster Andechs.  The complex had some great views of the Alps and the picturesque German countryside.  There was a church, too, which had some nice architecture, but to be honest, I was there for the hike up and the food/drink that awaited me at the top.

Andechs

Bratwurst and sauerkraut

Grilled pork knuckle with potato salad

And what's a trip to Munich without some Oktoberfest pictures.  Well, I missed Oktoberfest by a couple of weeks (hostels jack their prices up nearly three times the normal rate during the festival), but the Munich Stadtmuseum had an exhibit on Oktoberfest, so I had to live vicariously through a museum...

The term 'buzzkill' gets thrown around a lot these days...

And I'll end with some random pictures of German beer halls, beer, and Czech food/beer.

My first meal in Plzen (all of this for about $6)

Chicken skewers from Old Town Square market, Prague

Potatoes from OTS market, Prague

Hunk o' meat from OTS market, Prague

U Medvidku Brewery, Prague

Potato dumplings stuffed with pork and served with cabbage and sauerkraut, U Medvidku Brewery, Prague

11%, U Medvidku, Prague

Just for some variety...