It never sounds like all that much danger when you plan some new hair-brained scheme with your friends in a pub. Someone has already done it before, someone knows a guy who can fix things, someone talks you out of any worries. So when someone suggested that we hang out at the dumpsters on a Saturday night and watch the wild bears come down from the mountains, we all agreed that it was a great idea.

We were in Braşov, a small city in Transylvania nestled among the Carpathian Mountains. There are very few bears left in Europe, but the Carpathians are one of the few places where you’ve got a really good chance of encountering one. European bears, or Eurasian brown bears, are generally smaller than their North American kin, and considerably less dangerous. There are very few attacks on humans, and the bear population in Europe has dwindled to the extent that the few surviving bears are wisely reluctant to come into any contact with humans. They do, however, like our waste food. Our Romanian friend, who lived on the outskirts of town right at the foot of the mountain, assured us that you were more or less guaranteed a sighting if you loitered by the huge apartment block bins.

And so that’s where we were when a mother bear and two cubs, each the size of a large Labrador, emerged from the darkness. Their eyes reflected the light, glowing in the darkness, and you could just make out their dark brown fur that had matted on their rumps as they lolled around the perimeter of the apartment block. The mother led the way, her two cubs hanging back a little, nervous of the human landscape. An experienced scavenger, she quickly turned her attention to the waste, well practised at dealing with plastic bags, and began to pull scraps from the piles of rubbish. A crowd of spectators had joined us and gathered to watch these surprisingly graceful beasts as they padded around the large metal bins.

Suddenly the crowd to my left started shouting, and I turned to discover that a group of young men were trying to get one of the cubs into their car. These guys didn’t seem to be too worried about any possible danger, and I had the sickening realisation that they were here to profit from the cruelty so often inflicted on these beautiful, wild creatures. But the protests from the crowd grew louder, and the men shouted back even more loudly (my Romanian wasn’t up to translating, but I’m guessing that they weren’t too polite), and the mother bear heard the commotion and trundled over, giving off a low growl. The men stepped back from the cub and it ran over to its mother, who continued to growl at the men but backed away with her cub. It was a lucky escape.

My British friend and I had been transfixed by these happenings, and had somehow been unaware that the other cub had quietly approached us, apparently out of a simple, child-like curiosity. She and I looked at it, uncertain. By now it was only about two feet away. We just stood there, motionless, each of us regarding the other. The cub took a step forward and did something I never would have expected in a million years. It got hold of the arm of my friend’s sweater, which was wrapped around her waist, and tugged on it.

‘Oh my god, ohmygodohmygod, what do I do?’ she whispered to me. I stood with my eyes wide open, barely able to breathe. What do you do when a bear literally has a hold on you? We both knew that the bear was unlikely to seriously harm us, but we really didn’t want to take our chances with the mother, who was already growling unhappily at the human presence. I looked up and saw an elderly man watching us with unveiled bemusement. With a broad grin, he walked over and gave the cub a swift tap on the head. It let go of the sweater in surprise and trotted away. The moment it had let go, she and I had run as fast as possible to the door to the apartment block, preferring to watch from the safety of the door’s window pane. The young bear ambled back to its mother’s side. For a second, I caught the eye of the old man who had rescued us and he gave me a knowing smile. Whether he was laughing at our foreign inexperience, or glad to see the bear return to the wild, I cannot say.

Megan Palmer is an Oxford based writer with an interest in history, wildlife, the great outdoors and general travel. In recent years she has been fortunate enough to summit the Torres del Paine in Patagonia, discover wild gorillas in Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park, scale the walls of Constantinople in Turkey, cruise the (not so blue) Danube in Budapest and explore some of Rajasthan’s most spectacular Jain temples and ancient pilgrimage routes. Travel is her passion, and she is always seeking out new adventures and experiences. You can check out a selection of her travel writing and fiction on her blog.

I rode Tram 21, the “tourist tram,” up to Prague Castle, but instead of getting off at the castle with the rest of the tourists I decided I wanted to see where the tram ended. The journey stopped in what seemed to be the suburbs of Prague. I had to catch another tram going back down the hill.  It was just me and the local woman with the blond hair in front of me.  She was staring out the window wistfully and I thought it looked like a cool picture.   I took a few pictures and she looked behind at me to see where the noise of my camera was coming from.  Soon thereafter, we returned to the castle and the tourists got on the tram to ride back down the hill and the quiet moment on the tram was gone.

Just over the Charles Bridge toward the Prague Castle site is a long road filled with shops and restaurants.  The buildings are a myriad of pastel colors, here the buildings were Easter egg pink, blue and yellow. But then there’s the old gray and brown, medieval bridge alongside the buildings. I thought it was a cool juxtaposition of old and new.

The Jewish cemetery, located in Prague’s Jewish quarter was so fascinating to me.  There’s an estimated 100,000 bodies buried here in about 11 layers of graves. The Jewish belief is that bodies cannot be moved from their original resting place. So since there was no more room in the area they just put layer on top of layer.  Now there are about 12,000 visible gravestones.

Some clever entrepreneurial Czechs offer tours of Prague in these cool classic convertibles.  Even though it was about 40˚F in the sunshine, every car I saw pass me by was filled with tourists. Too be honest, if I had the money I would’ve done it too!

This small bread store was just a little carved out hole in the wall and it was packed.  The powerful aroma of fresh baked bread was all it took to draw in the crowds who grabbed baskets and filled them with an assortment of breads.

There were many stores in the old city of Prague with touristy items to take home to those who weren’t so fortunate to visit the city. But none were as cool this marionette store which was filled to the brim with every kind of character you could imagine from ballerinas to clowns.  I loved this old marionette couple hanging in the entryway.

With all the tourists walking around, it was difficult to catch a good picture of the trams. I especially loved this shot because, as you can see if you look in the background, that the tram came through a small tunnel built into a building. The tram only came through every 10 minutes and I wanted a picture of the tram coming through the tunnel without any people walking by.  After about 45 minutes, the crowds were finally beginning to disperse  and the tram came through. Right as it came through a couple walked right out in front of me as I was taking the picture. Luckily, they were walking quickly and I managed to get a shot of the tram as it came toward me.

Jerri Stephenson is the co-founder of DIWYY. She recently toured Amsterdam, Berlin and Prague, and loved them all, but Prague was definitely her favorite.

If you want to discover Russia, then Saint Petersburg is the place to do it. This iconic destination encompasses the engaging history of a country that endured centuries of turmoil – as well as being an excellent example of real Russian beauty.

It was in the city’s Senate Square that the Decembrists took to the streets to revolt against the reign of Tsar Nicholas I and here that the country’s peasants headed in search of a new life at the dawn of the industrial revolution. It was also on these streets that the seeds were sown for the Russian Revolution of 1905.

The “City of Three Revolutions”, as it came to be known, has stood witness to the twists and turns of 20^th Century events, and withstood the forces that contrived against it as it changed from Saint Petersburg to Petrograd to Leningrad and back.

This pivotal city has long held a draw for visitors from across the world, including the many architects who contributed to the stunning cityscape that appears today and with the end of the Cold War, Saint Petersburg is now firmly back on the tourist map. Visitors now flock from across the world to experience this excellent example of urban Russia, with wide range of experiences and attractions on offer.

Visiting St. Petersburg

Saint Petersburg is a year-round city, but the best time of year to visit is in the month of June when the city enjoys its famous “White Nights” when the sun does not set and tourists can enjoy long hours of sightseeing. If you do plan to visit in the winter months be sure to pack thermal clothing as the winters here are harsh and unforgiving. Travelers heading for Saint Petersburg from outside the Russian Federation will need to contact their local embassy for visa requirements well in advance of travel.

What to See in St. Petersburg

Popular choices for those visiting the city for the first time include:

• The Hermitage Museum: Housed in the stunning 18^th Century Winter Palace that was the pet project of Catherine the Great, this museum houses some of the most amazing collections of fine art in existence. Artists from Da Vinci to Van Dyke and Reubens to Rembrandt are all on show within the sprawling palace that took over a century to complete.
• Catherine Palace: Just a short drive out of the city of Saint Petersburg itself (where hire cars are readily available) the Catherine Palace at Pushkin is well worth a visit and is the summer palace of Catherine I. This amazing example of Rococo architecture has been fully restored to its former glory after being sacked by retreating German forces at the end of the Second World War.
• Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood: Built on the site of the assassination of Tsar Alexander II and dedicated to his memory, this cathedral is one of the city’s best known landmarks with its many colorful onion domes and meter upon meter of amazing mosaics.

Today’s photo of the week featuring a beautiful shot of Barcelona, Spain shot by Lily Allyn Gordon. After a semester spent falling in love with Barcelona and exploring Europe and Northern Africa, Lily has returned to Berkeley, CA to finish her senior year at Cal. You can follow her on Twitter as she begins to cross a few items off of that looming first-steps-into-the-real-world checklist.

When most people hear ‘Amsterdam’ their first thoughts are of windmills, tulips, clogs, and Anne Frank. But this vibrant capital city boasts incredible art & architecture, a population of 1.3 million, impressive markets and parks, and a vibrant nightlife.

Getting there:  Amsterdam Airport Schiphol is the main airport in the Netherlands. From there you can catch a train, taxi, bus or shuttle to the city center.  If you’re traveling by train you’ll likely arrive at Station which is appropriately located in the city’s center.

Getting around:  Amsterdam is not a motor-friendly city. With its canals, bridges, and one-way streets, Amsterdam belongs to bikers and pedestrians. Cabs and shuttles are a great way to get from the airport to the city center but be aware taxis in Amsterdam are known for being overpriced. Also note that most cab drivers do not speak English so be sure to have the address of your destination written out to show them.

When in Amsterdam do like the Dutch do and rent a bike or ride the tram. Bikes can be rented from train stations or rental companies like Mike’s Bike Tour. Single fare tram tickets can be a bit costly (2 euro for a trip within the city center’s Zone 1) but with a Stippenkaart ticket, the tram is a great way to get around the city. You can purchase a Stippenkaart from most train stations, tourist information stands and supermarkets. The ticket gives you seven Zone 1 trips for 7 euro and some change.

If you’re looking to do some major site-seeing, Mike’s Bike Tours or the hop-on hop-off style Canal Bus boat are great options.

Looking for a less expensive way to see the city? You can conquer most of Amsterdam by foot, but just be aware of where the bike paths are and be sure to stay clear of them, unless you want to take your life in your hands.

Where to stay: The Leidseplein area is the ideal place to stay for young travelers. Its center square is lined with restaurants, bars, pubs and clubs and is within walking distance of most of Amsterdam’s museums and popular attractions.

Where to eat: When in Amsterdam you’ll find a wide variety of restaurants ranging from Dutch to Asian to American and everything in between.

For traditional Dutch cuisine, head to D’Vijff Vlieghen. It’s a popular spot with great food, just keep in mind that it’s slightly more expensive with the average meal costing around 25 euro.

If you’re looking for a great burger, check out De Burgermeester, known for its gourmet beef, lamb and duck burgers. Try all three by ordering a mini burger platter.

T Blauwe Teehuius is a great place to grab a bite to eat after spending the day in Vondelpark & if Dutch beer is what you’re after, stop by the Cracked Kettle.

What to do: Amsterdam is full of historic locals and great museums. If you’re trying to see it all, consider purchasing a Museumkaart or IAmsterdam card. Both offer discounts on museums and transportation.

Red Light District: The Dutch believe that most things are easier to control if they’re legal and thus Amsterdam has the Red Light District, a centralized location for prostitution within the city. While the area is well maintained it still has its fair share of shady characters and it’s recommend that you’re planning to visit the Red Light District that you travel in a group, and avoid going at night.

Anne Frank House: You can tour the annex where Anne Frank and her family hid out during the German occupation of Holland at this popular museum. Just keep in mind, that the museum is just that – popular! The Anne Frank House opens at 9 am but if you want to beat the crowds, it’s not a bad idea to get there around 8:45.

Coffee Shops: Coffee shops are a popular destination for tourists who are fascinated by the city’s tolerance for soft drugs. There are coffee shops located across the city but some notable ones include Dampkring, which was featured in the movie Ocean’s 12, Abraxas with its three floor bar and the Bulldog. Keep in mind that while you can purchase and smoke weed inside these coffee shops (for now – there’s a proposed law that may change that) it’s illegal to smoke it outdoors, and also illegal to smoke tobacco indoors.

Museums: Amsterdam has an incredible collection of art stored at the Rijksmuseum. The museum has around 5,000 works, including pieces by Rembrant and Vermeer. And not far from the Rijksmuseum is the Van Gogh Museum which boasts over 200 paintings and 500 drawings from Van Gogh and his contemporaries.

Extras:  Dam Square is located in the historical center of the city and is home to the National Monument, Royal Palace, and Madame Tussaud’s Wax Museum, and is just blocks from the Central Station. Vondelpark is a great place to escape the bustling city. This large park within the city has plenty of open space plus restaurants, cafes, and coffee shops throughout the park. Bloemenmarktis the city’s floating flower garden and the only garden of its kind in the world. It’s a great place to wander around and pick up some souvenirs.

Beth is a recent Butler University grad and travel writer. During her undergrad she had the opportunity to travel around Europe to many cities including Amsterdam.

Today’s photo of the week was taken in Barrio del Carmen, a historic neighborhood in Valencia, Spain by Erin Thibeau. She is studying abroad for the year in Europe. This semester she is in Madrid, Spain. Check out her travel blog and her Flickr page to learn more about her adventures.

Today’s photo of the week was taken in the small, colorful town of Córdoba, Spain by Erin Thibeau. She is studying abroad for the year in Europe. This semester she is in Madrid, Spain. Check out her travel blog and her Flickr page to learn more about her adventures.