During the past two weeks, the only sunny days were ones I spent in airports and on airplanes. Despite the cold and rain, I still had a fabulous time. In Athens, I explored the Acropolis and other ruins (for free, as a student in Denmark) and went to the beach, where the water was warm but I would have died if I went swimming because the air was so cold and wet and windy. What stood out most about the Acropolis was the broken umbrellas, more than the ancient ruins that I was too cold to really enjoy and appreciate. 
Still, I was very much aware of the history around me as I stood on a weathered, rocky outcropping at the base of the Acropolis overlooking the city. It really made me realize that for all that history repeats itself, for all that things can be restored or recreated, nothing will ever be the same.
Bucharest is bleak and sad, in a very post-communist sense, I think. At the same time, it felt surprisingly familiar and safe, especially inside of restaurants and cafes and museums. There were definitely many happy people, but I did notice one ride on the Metro when everyone in our car looked glum and sad. There were plenty of nice buildings falling apart, with yards in disarray. And the amount of neon billboards is almost astounding, and all for international corporations. It's hard to find Romanian beers to try, because pretty much all the restaurants and bars serve Carlsberg and Tuborg. I wish I knew more about recent Romanian history, because the city seems very unsure of its identity. They love the French, and recently unveiled a statue of Charles de Gaulle, who really has no relevance whatsover to the city or country. However, I can see Bucharest being the next Berlin in 15 years. It felt perfectly safe to walk around, at least with someone else, despite all the grafitti and buildings in disrepair, except when we had luggage. Walking out of the airport Dan and I were accosted by illegitimate taxi drivers trying to rip us off. The same happened when we walked by the train station on our way to our hostel. In general, people weren't particularly helpful. A woman who worked at the airport claimed there was no ATM. One young woman who spoke English helped us at first, but when she missed the first bus to town because she was confused about where to catch it, she stopped talking to us completely.Dan and I expected a similar experience when we got off the plane in Bratislava, but instead we felt a welcome return to the
European Union. Everything was clean and in good condition. The cold wet rain we had been experiencing farther south turned into dryer and more fun snow. Bratislava is like a smaller, cheaper, less tourist-filled Prague. The clean streets are filled with random statues, there are enough places of interest to fill more than a day, and a full night out (dinner and drinks) for two can cost about 20 dollars. Basically, Bratislava is a hidden gem of Central Eastern Europe.
Dan and I had a snowball fight and built mini snowmen at the castle.My parents come on Thursday(!!!) so I get to be a tourist again, this time in Wonderful Copenhagen. I'm excited to go to museums and eat at restaurants. Until then, I'm locking myself away to write a paper.
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