Croatia Sailing
Croatia Sailing Trip
Friday, October 29, 2010
Some Pictures!
Well I have returned home and have some updating to do on the last bits of my trip. However, before that post happens here are some pictures for those of you that are not on Facebook! So sorry for not keeping the pictures on my blog updated, I completely forgot about those of you that are not among the Facebookers!
Croatia Sailing
Croatia Sailing Trip
Croatia Sailing
Croatia Sailing Trip
Sunday, October 3, 2010
A rather massive post
Days in San Sebastian were sometimes ambitious and other times lazy. Getting up late, having a cappuccino from the shop a few doors over, wandering around the old district, checking out the beach and being as inefficient as one could possibly be if they were at home. San Sebastian makes you want to just slow down and enjoy the simple things in life.
After one night of BBQ and one night of Pinxchos I was about done with eating out, something that happened far too often on this trip, so we decided that another family dinner was in order. It was Kyra’s last night in with what was now a dwindling group, however we were gaining back Daniel who had finally caught up again from his stay in Madrid, or rather in Colmenar with Carlos. We started with many in our little group and by the end of the week there would be just two of us left. The four of us headed down to the beach for an evening by the waves, not really wanting to follow the crowds into the old city to spend our Euros on finger food and over priced Sangria.
We sat on the docks and reminisced on old times (even though only 2 weeks had passed, which to a traveler is a small lifetime as so much can happen and change in those days). Goodbyes were said to Kyra as she had an early and long bus to Paris the next day. The rest of the night was spent with Daniel and Jordan down at the beach until it got too cold to remain.
The next day Daniel and I took the walk up to the top of one of the two closet hills in San Sebastian. The only thing on top of this hill, other than a beautiful view of the swimmers beach, is the giant Jesus statue. I will tell you, up close it is equally as confusing as from the beach. He is huge and wears a bit of a scowl. However, the views of the San Sebastian harbor are magnificent and many a picture was taken. I can understand why people come there and never leave. I was tempted myself. Seven nights was not enough, though I imagine had the weather not been as amazing as it had been I might feel slightly different about it.
At the top of the hill we spotted the lanky figure of Jordan who had a new friend in tow, Fu, another traveler that was to join our little group for the day. Tapas, drinks, sitting at the beach and building some sand sculptures was all that was accomplished that day but I will tell you, that right there is all you need to do in San Sebastian and it felt fabulous. The only thing missing was siesta.
The next day plans were made to get up early as there was to be a massive regatta in the harbor at 11. Now I know what you are thinking, 11 is not exactly an early hour but when most of your nights are spent up until 3 in the morning, 9 and 10 come much earlier than you would hope. Unfortunately, the regatta was something you had to pay to go see and although I am sure it was fun, I had no intention of paying to watch something I had no vested interest in and probably would not be able to understand.
With our plans dashed we decided to walk around to see where our feet led. Eventually, we found ourselves heading up the hill on the other side of town off of the surfers beach. With many different paths all leading eventually to the same places, we let ourselves get lost in the hills for the afternoon, finding the many gorgeous areas and breathtaking views that San Sebastian’s higher points had to offer. We stumbled upon the HI Hostel hidden up on the hill and I have to say if I were to stay in San Seb again I would spend a night there for sure, it is nestled away from town making it completely impractical if you want to get in and out of old town but the views I can only imagine would be stunning in the evening. I almost considered renting a room there for that night just for the sake of it, but as I had already paid for my current accommodation it would have been rather impractical. So we moved on.
By the time we returned to the old town, the regatta had finished and the massive party had started, or rather had probably started several hours earlier. The streets were packed and an absolute mess. Garbage, bottles and food were scattered everywhere making it impossible to pass through without stepping on something. I had not seen a mess like this since the Carl Cox concert on the Riva in Split (which was the most disgusting sight the morning after).
In San Sebastian it was hard to try to organize meets between all of us as the hostel we were staying at had 3 or 4 different properties and no way of really contacting someone outside of facebook which is completely inefficient if you are on your way out and do not check the internet all day. So when we arrived back to the hostel I found a note from Jordan on my door. He had been searching us out that morning after we had left already. It was his last night in town, he was heading back to Barcelona the next morning for another week in his favorite city.
Unfortunately, we were never able to connect in person again although I have spoken to him several times on facebook and he is still loving his traveling life. I admire his stamina, at 18 he is more willing to stay up all night, sleep on a park bench, or party the night away than anyone I have ever met. Nothing slows this guy down.
Daniel and I headed into the crowds to hop around and enjoy the vibe solo. Eventually after a couple hours of trying to avoid broken glass and urine we decided to head back down to the beach where we stayed for most of the late hours of the night, listening and enjoying a little peace and quiet away from the insanity that had begun in old town.
My last two days in San Sebastian were spent relaxing at the beach, building epic sandcastles that were admired by young and old alike. Our first attempts were rather pitiful but on day two of our architectural adventures we invested in a large pail and made a walled fortress city that the Romans would have envied. Unfortunately, a couple minutes after we started to walk away back to the hostel a group of children that had passed by several times ran up and stomped to death our village. No respect for art I tell you.
Leaving San Sebastian was a sad day and a miserably long one. I had decided a few nights earlier that I would not take the train directly to Switzerland but rather would go the longer route on the Busabout buses to save a rather significant amount of money. 13.5 hours to Paris, a slight accommodation error and a horrible nights sleep with another 9 hour bus ride the next day made for a difficult two days. As well, Paris is where the last of the family divided as I said goodbye to Daniel who was heading to London for the last weeks of his trip. Melancholic, I spent the day on the bus to Lauterbrunnen listening to music, being anti-social and sleeping.
Switzerland
I would like to say that I saw amazing things while I was in Switzerland but to be honest it was really like driving around BC. The landscape is similar and the weather about the same as well. Had the weather been a bit nicer I would have gone up to the highest train station in Europe atop Jungfrau, where they filmed one of the Bond movies, but the clouds made me not want to spend the 130Euro on what was bound to be a miserable view of nothing.
So I spent my days hiking around near the campsite, catch up on laundry and relaxing in solitude. I finally was able to use my tent and although it was a bit chilly the first night I enjoyed the chance at having some privacy. It was the first time since Rome that I had a ‘room’ to myself. I enjoy the community feel of a hostel, you make friends quickly and you get to know people in a way that you would not normally if you were at home. However, having a shower you don’t have to wait in line for and a bed that doesn’t rock or squeak every time someone rolls over in their sleep is a glorious thing that you do not appreciate until you lack it for 3 months.
Everything in Switzerland is ridiculously over priced and I am glad I did not have much time scheduled there as I would be broke for sure by now. As well the scenery, as lovely as it is, is not surprising or awe inspiring for me as I have spent my life in similar surroundings.
After Lauterbrunnen I took the train to Luzern, where I stayed for 2 nights waiting for the bus to come to take me to Munich. Luzern is a small town that has a medieval wall near the old town, a few churches and some lovely scenery as it is located on a rather large lake. I was staying a 20 min walk from outside of town so I spent as much of the days in town and not at the hostel. I have come to really dislike using the public transit unless necessary so I tend to spend 95% of my travel time on foot. My only concession to this rule is when I am carrying around my backpack. If the walk is more than 10-15 minutes I won’t be doing it with my backpack on because that walk becomes longer when you are walking at a turtles pace with 40lbs of nonsense on you.
I had a brilliant time walking around during the days, I had spent the evening prior downloading what is titled ‘Europlaylist’ on my iPhone. It consists of many of the songs that became all too familiar on this trip. In a certain scene there are about 5 songs that get played everywhere you go. They were all over Croatia and Eastern Europe as well as in Italy and Spain. You slowly come to love the songs that you once hated because they remind you of the excellent times you have spent in different places with different people. So I spent the day walking around looking a bit foolish as I bobbed to the beats of my Europlaylist on repeat.
Munchen
The bus to Munich was buzzing, the energy clear as everyone was heading there for the same reason, Oktoberfest. Another sign of my incredible luck on this trip, this year happens to be the 200th anniversary of the fest and it had been promised by many to be an amazing sight to be seen. Our guide on the bus, Cal was dressed up already in her Dirndl, and spent the afternoon telling us different Oktoberfest facts teaching us different songs and dances that were ‘tradition’ in the tents.
Our first service stop was at a place called Heidiland, the single most random service stop I have encountered on the loops. You walk up to a building that has a small grocery store, salad bar/restaurant and some souvenir shops and above the entrance is a clock that on the hour sends out what I assume is Heidi, her goat and their friend who all sing to you. Yes even the goat. You can also enjoy this show at any other time for the small donation of 5CHF. Beside the entrance, is a pen that holds 4 or 5 goats. More of an awww factor than anything else except for the fact that there were Canadian flags everywhere in this pen. I am not sure if this is what the Swiss think Canada is like, goats and Heidi’s but they had deemed this the little piece of Canada in Switzerland. The consensus on the bus? Best rest stop ever.
Our next stop was a photo opportunity not to be missed; Neuschwanstein castle, the original inspiration for the Walt Disney logo. It was built by an absolutely mad man, Ludwig II of Bavaria, that intended for it to be a refuge away from people where basically no one would ever be allowed. Being insane he committed suicide before it was finished, or someone killed him. I don’t think they really know. Either way him and his psychiatrist were found dead together. And, to add insult to injury, his precious castle of solitude is now one of the single most visited sight in all of Europe with 1.3 million visitors stomping at the door every year. Immense.
We arrived that evening in Munich where I was greeted by Isabelle, a guide that I met briefly on the last days of Croatia Sail back in August. Her and Mandz were going to be with us for the next couple days as we did Oktoberfest.
Our first night at the fest was tame, checking out the grounds, eating some traditional German fair and tasting the 1L steins of beer. Beer is a huge part of the German culture and most of the beers hat are served at Oktoberfest are brewed specifically for the event. There are several main and massive tents and a few smaller ones, each boasting a different brew. It is estimated that at the fest 6 million liters of beer are consumed as well as 220 000 bratwursts. In case if ever comes up on Jeopardy.
Even in the middle of the week, a time that is supposed to be somewhat slower than the weekends, it is next to impossible to get a table unless you are there for the earliest steins. With our group it was easier to maintain an area in a tent as there were 20 or so people that could rotate in an out at will. Why is it so important to have a table you ask? Because no table equals no food and no beer. You cannot be standing, save for a few small zones that are marked, and be served. It’s one of the rules.
It was incredible to watch the serving ladies carry out 6-10 steins of beer at a time. I cannot imagine how their backs feel by the end of the 17 days. They are well compensated for their efforts though. Heard rumors of up to 30 000E between tips and wage for those 3 weeks. Not bad.
Outside of the tents was a massive landscape filled with food, souvenirs and carnival rides. It was like being at the PNE but way more entertaining. The rides were expensive but terrifying enough to make it worth it. We went on a number of them between the 3 nights that we were all there. It was a blast.
On day two I went in search of a dirndl all of my own so that I too could fit in with the local scene. I would say that 2/3 of the people that participate in Oktoberfest dress up in the traditional outfits of lederhosen and dirndls. It’s all part o the experience and I was not about to miss out on it. I am now prepared for any German theme party, Oktoberfest party or possibly Christmas party (as mine is very much in Christmas style colours).
The last night I was in Munich I was met once again by my favorite driver Vlad. I cannot believe how many times I have run into him on the loops these last few weeks, every time we say our final goodbyes for the season and then suddenly, there we are again in the same city. It is always good to see a friendly face though and fun to catch up and once again say goodbye. This time it was for sure the final time as I was no longer going to be traveling with Busabout. The group, including several of the Busabout guides that were in town all hung out that evening at one of the tents, going on rides and enjoying some of last times together.
If there is one thing that surprised me the most in this trip it was how much I enjoyed my time with Busabout. I was wary when I first booked the things that I did, not wanting to experience Europe like one would if they traveled with Contiki. From the first day, when I met Nick from Tsawwassen (it was a sign), it has been a blast. Everyone I have met and had the best connections with were on Busabout. All the places that I chose to go to even without having heard of them before were because of recommendations from other Busabout people. It is a completely different experience because we are all doing Europe in a different way than people on the organized tours. This mindset, creates a massive group of people that are all in it for the same reason. To experience what we can, sometimes alone and sometimes surrounded by people who think the same way we do. Contiki passengers murmer names like ‘Busaboring’ and ‘Boringabout’ because they think that the only way to see Europe is through a haze of alcohol. However, everyone I met had amazing stories to share of where their trips had taken them and I can say in certainty that we had far more fun than our Contiki counterparts gave us credit for and who never saw Europe except for the inside of the bars (bars that were usually Aussie theme bars at that, way to leave home guys). A bit of a rant sorry.
Only a few more days left to chronicle, Mannheim, Frankfurt, Olso and Bergen. This trip has gone by so quickly I cannot believe. I feel like it should still be summer, with heat waves and sunshine surrounding my every movement. However, I look outside and the leaves are falling from the trees and the rain is coming down in proper Vancouver style. My last two nights will be spent here in Oslo, chasing the rain in the day and sleeping in a cozy bed dreaming of the days gone by.
If anything this trip has inspired me to keep on going. This will not be the last time I set foot in Europe and definitely not the last time I will be picking up my backpack and heading on to a plane with hopes and fears in hand. I have learned so much these last months about myself and what is truly important to me. I know now that I will never be rich in possessions or savings accounts but I will continue my journeys and be rich in experience which is far more important than a new car or iPod.
I forgot to mention my friend Duane, a great guy from Edmonton that I met in Munich. He has a fantastic video blog on youtube that chronicles his trip and what brought him to a point in life where giving up a successful career, taking out a loan and hopping on a plane was the best option. His videos are brilliant and if you have a chance on a rainy day check them out, they are well worth it.
Picture links will be posted shortly for those of you that are not on my facebook. I apologize for the delay, I completely forgot about pictures. There are probably a several hundred for you look through now though.
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Spain and beyond
Madrid. What a cool experience. I was so excited to see Carlos again and spend a few days with him and his friends relaxing and enjoying a little peace and quiet away from the hostels. There is something to be said for not having to lock up all our belongings every time you leave the room or having a full nights sleep without someone coming in drunk at 4am, leaving for an early plane at 5:30am or that one obnoxious snorer that everyone wants to punch.
Carlos doesn't actually live in Madrid but rather about 35km outside of it in a village called Colemenar. It is a small town that really embraces the Spanish lifestyle. The one thing I could not get used to. I can appreciate that the culture is very different there than anywhere else in the EU let along North America but I found myself constantly cursing those hours during the day that everything would be closed. Yes everyone in Spain takes a siesta and no matter what it says on the store fronts posted hours, that siesta will last however long they feel like it. I think if Spaniard really wanted to go crazy all they would have to do is move to Switzerland, a place where they are so punctual you can set your watch by the train arrivals and departures.
I spent the days hanging out with Carlos and his roommates and though I felt a bit isolated because they mostly spoke very limited English, it was still a good experience not to mention a joy to see my dear friend again. One day we went to the bottom of the hills and picked wild blackberries to make jam with another day we went into Madrid and they all played tour guide, pointing out the important places. People from Madrid are very patriotic about their city and country.
Our time was unfortunately cut short as I found out that the next bus I was planning to catch was full so I had to leave a couple days earlier than I originally planned. It was sad to say goodbye but promises were made for another visit in the future.
The bus to San Sebastian was packed full, everyone excited for a place that they had heard rumors about the entire trip. There is something special, nearly magical, about this place and everyone comes away from it singing praises about what a good time they had there. I was wary because I had heard reviews like this before about places I did not end up liking but I was excited at the same time, caught up in the energy on the bus. Admittedly it was probably one of the two bus rides that I felt the worst physically on though. The bus from Barcelona nearly killed me as I had slept almost nothing the night before having spent too much time chatting with friends that had been made there and then not being able to fall asleep when I tried. Similar story for the bus leaving Madrid, up to late catching up with someone from Barcelona and then finding myself unable to fall asleep until very early in the morning and even then only for an hour or two. It is always miserable on the bus when you have not slept as it is near impossible to sleep decently when you stop every two hours for a service break.
However, as soon as we entered into San Sebastian all was forgotten. I should mention my favorite bus driver, Vlad, was the driver that day and I was also excited to be able to catch up with some stories from the road and share what experiences I had been having since I had last seen him. San Sebastian feels like a little piece of paradise. It reminded me of my days in Croatia with it's narrow streets lined with brick and stone buildings, hills surrounding the outskirts and beautiful beaches covered in sand. It is understandable immediately why people fall in love with this place and end up staying for obscene amounts of time. As soon as we got to the hostel I extended my own booking for 2 more nights and at the end of that I even added one more. Out of all the places I stayed on my trip, I was in San Sebastian the longest and if I could have I would have stayed even longer. I wanted to press the pause button on life and just hang on to those moments spent there.
The first night we were there most everyone from the bus went to a BBQ that the hostel was hosting up on the Jesus hill. The Jesus hill has a proper name but I never learned it. This hill was directly across from the swimmers beach and at the top had a giant statue of Jesus pointing his finger at the town. It is a bit strange especially at night when it is dark and lit up. However, it is Spain and Spain is very catholic so I can only assume this is a part of that. The BBQ where I tried my first Calimocho, a rather terrible sounding Spanish invention that includes red wine mixed with coke. I cannot decide if these are tasty or just ridiculous but they are definitely interesting. It was also the last night that we would have with Michelle, one of the girls that I had been traveling with for a couple weeks. As always it is sad to say goodbye to someone that has become a friend along the way. A punishment in the world of travel.
The next day myself and Kyra wandered around the shops in San Seb avoiding the torrential showers that were coming off and on all morning. I was starting to think that the rain was following me as I moved along and was worried that things would not look better in the week to come. By the afternoon though, the sunshine was starting to show it's face and things were looking up. That night the hostel was putting on a Pinchos tour and we went from one bar to the next sampling the many different types of Pintxos (pronounced Pinchos) which most people would probably associate more with the more well known Tapas. Pintxos, though similar to Tapas in the fact that it is small servings of various foods, generally meats, sandwiches, seafood ect. Pintxos is much more elaborate I found than Tapas and much more exciting. They had so many types of meats and seafoods as well as croquets, potatoes and so much more. The food was amazing and everyone had their fill after we had been to 4 different places. I don't think we could have fit any more into us if we wanted to.
Wandering around the next day with no real goal in mind we found neat shops and markets, hidden streets and buildings all over. That night I would say goodbye to Kyra as she was heading on to Paris but would gain back Daniel who had been traveling a few days behind us on the loops ever since Barcelona. Daniel (kiwi), Jordan (aussie that we also met in Barcelona), Kyra (aussie) and I all went down to the beach that night to watch the lights dance on the water and listen to the soothing sound of the waves crashing onto the shore.
There is something intoxicating about listening to the water. It is nearly magical in it's rhythmic consistency. I can still hear the waves coming in now. We spent nearly every evening at the beach just taking in all we could of this place. It was a special thing to be able to spend my last days with many in San Sebastian. We all were able to leave with the same pictures in our mind, the same memories.
It is late and my train leaves early tomorrow. My stories are nearly finished for this trip. Tomorrow I will watch the hills of Norway float by as I head on one of the final legs of my journey from Oslo to Bergen and back. In between my window gazings I will continue with San Sebastian and the massive trip from there to where I am now.
Carlos doesn't actually live in Madrid but rather about 35km outside of it in a village called Colemenar. It is a small town that really embraces the Spanish lifestyle. The one thing I could not get used to. I can appreciate that the culture is very different there than anywhere else in the EU let along North America but I found myself constantly cursing those hours during the day that everything would be closed. Yes everyone in Spain takes a siesta and no matter what it says on the store fronts posted hours, that siesta will last however long they feel like it. I think if Spaniard really wanted to go crazy all they would have to do is move to Switzerland, a place where they are so punctual you can set your watch by the train arrivals and departures.
I spent the days hanging out with Carlos and his roommates and though I felt a bit isolated because they mostly spoke very limited English, it was still a good experience not to mention a joy to see my dear friend again. One day we went to the bottom of the hills and picked wild blackberries to make jam with another day we went into Madrid and they all played tour guide, pointing out the important places. People from Madrid are very patriotic about their city and country.
Our time was unfortunately cut short as I found out that the next bus I was planning to catch was full so I had to leave a couple days earlier than I originally planned. It was sad to say goodbye but promises were made for another visit in the future.
The bus to San Sebastian was packed full, everyone excited for a place that they had heard rumors about the entire trip. There is something special, nearly magical, about this place and everyone comes away from it singing praises about what a good time they had there. I was wary because I had heard reviews like this before about places I did not end up liking but I was excited at the same time, caught up in the energy on the bus. Admittedly it was probably one of the two bus rides that I felt the worst physically on though. The bus from Barcelona nearly killed me as I had slept almost nothing the night before having spent too much time chatting with friends that had been made there and then not being able to fall asleep when I tried. Similar story for the bus leaving Madrid, up to late catching up with someone from Barcelona and then finding myself unable to fall asleep until very early in the morning and even then only for an hour or two. It is always miserable on the bus when you have not slept as it is near impossible to sleep decently when you stop every two hours for a service break.
However, as soon as we entered into San Sebastian all was forgotten. I should mention my favorite bus driver, Vlad, was the driver that day and I was also excited to be able to catch up with some stories from the road and share what experiences I had been having since I had last seen him. San Sebastian feels like a little piece of paradise. It reminded me of my days in Croatia with it's narrow streets lined with brick and stone buildings, hills surrounding the outskirts and beautiful beaches covered in sand. It is understandable immediately why people fall in love with this place and end up staying for obscene amounts of time. As soon as we got to the hostel I extended my own booking for 2 more nights and at the end of that I even added one more. Out of all the places I stayed on my trip, I was in San Sebastian the longest and if I could have I would have stayed even longer. I wanted to press the pause button on life and just hang on to those moments spent there.
The first night we were there most everyone from the bus went to a BBQ that the hostel was hosting up on the Jesus hill. The Jesus hill has a proper name but I never learned it. This hill was directly across from the swimmers beach and at the top had a giant statue of Jesus pointing his finger at the town. It is a bit strange especially at night when it is dark and lit up. However, it is Spain and Spain is very catholic so I can only assume this is a part of that. The BBQ where I tried my first Calimocho, a rather terrible sounding Spanish invention that includes red wine mixed with coke. I cannot decide if these are tasty or just ridiculous but they are definitely interesting. It was also the last night that we would have with Michelle, one of the girls that I had been traveling with for a couple weeks. As always it is sad to say goodbye to someone that has become a friend along the way. A punishment in the world of travel.
The next day myself and Kyra wandered around the shops in San Seb avoiding the torrential showers that were coming off and on all morning. I was starting to think that the rain was following me as I moved along and was worried that things would not look better in the week to come. By the afternoon though, the sunshine was starting to show it's face and things were looking up. That night the hostel was putting on a Pinchos tour and we went from one bar to the next sampling the many different types of Pintxos (pronounced Pinchos) which most people would probably associate more with the more well known Tapas. Pintxos, though similar to Tapas in the fact that it is small servings of various foods, generally meats, sandwiches, seafood ect. Pintxos is much more elaborate I found than Tapas and much more exciting. They had so many types of meats and seafoods as well as croquets, potatoes and so much more. The food was amazing and everyone had their fill after we had been to 4 different places. I don't think we could have fit any more into us if we wanted to.
Wandering around the next day with no real goal in mind we found neat shops and markets, hidden streets and buildings all over. That night I would say goodbye to Kyra as she was heading on to Paris but would gain back Daniel who had been traveling a few days behind us on the loops ever since Barcelona. Daniel (kiwi), Jordan (aussie that we also met in Barcelona), Kyra (aussie) and I all went down to the beach that night to watch the lights dance on the water and listen to the soothing sound of the waves crashing onto the shore.
There is something intoxicating about listening to the water. It is nearly magical in it's rhythmic consistency. I can still hear the waves coming in now. We spent nearly every evening at the beach just taking in all we could of this place. It was a special thing to be able to spend my last days with many in San Sebastian. We all were able to leave with the same pictures in our mind, the same memories.
It is late and my train leaves early tomorrow. My stories are nearly finished for this trip. Tomorrow I will watch the hills of Norway float by as I head on one of the final legs of my journey from Oslo to Bergen and back. In between my window gazings I will continue with San Sebastian and the massive trip from there to where I am now.
Thursday, September 23, 2010
A Massive Apology
So by now I can only assume that no one comes to my blog anymore for updates. It has been ages since I have posted and it is not for a lack of interesting things happening, it is more for a severe lack of time. I never realized that in the day there can be so few hours to do everything that you want to. It is hard to go back to tell you all that has happened in the last month but I will tell some of the highlights that I have experienced.
The last post I talked of my time in Italy, a beautiful country that left me with fabulous memories. Although the larger cities are the ones generally praised, the most enrapturing days for me were spent in Cinque Terra. Locate along the more north western coast is a set of 5 towns situated on the rock faces. These are connected via roads, rail and the wonderful 5 hour hike/walk. The feel in the towns is very relaxed, most people spend the days enjoying the beaches, soaking in the sun and relaxing.
When I was in Florence, I had met up with a few ladies that were also traveling with Busabout, the company I have been going through with off and on. As we were all traveling solo we decided to spend our days together checking out the little towns and hiking the trail. The trail between the towns is for the most part quite easy but there is one section between the last two towns that although it was not as hard at hiking to Stari Grad in Omis, still took the wind out of all of us. A massive number of stairs followed by rather narrow treacherous pathways made for a wretched combination. It did not help that as you are hiking there are little signs every 200m with emergency numbers posted on it...just in case.
We all survived and felt a glowing sense of accomplishment once we were done. This is one place I would love to return to as we only had a total of 3 nights there which was not nearly enough time.
After Cinque Terra, we made our way to Nice, France. Although it was a lovely place I have very little good to say about it as when I was there my credit cards and about 200euros were stolen from me the night before we left on the bus again. It left me with a rather poor image of this town. I imagine had these things not happened I would have something kind to say about the town but for now I still feel a bit scarred by it.
When we left Nice, I had no money, no cards. Only my busabout pass and my passport. Luckily, one of the girls that I had met in Florence helped me along and loaned me the money for accommodation in Barcelona where we were both going to be for 5 nights. I cannot imagine what would have happened had I not met these girls, they really did save me and kept me calm through everything. Traveling solo has many benefits but it also has massive drawbacks when things start going wrong. Meeting generous people that will trust you enough after knowing you for a short time is amazing.
To continue though, on the bus to Barcelona I met and started chatting with a fellow from New Zealand that had been traveling on the loops for several months already. He was spending 7 nights in Barcelona and then moving along the same route as a few of us that were left from the Florence group. With this meeting 'the family' was created. Something that has kept me from doing my blog posts, updating photos and keeping in proper contact with people at home was our wonderful little busabout family. We all ended up having a great time together as we moved through Spain, meeting up in different cities on different days. I am so grateful for the days we all spent together.
Barcelona was a beautiful little city though there were parts of it I never got to see. For the first few nights I was waiting for my new credit cards to arrive and had a bit of stress wondering if things were going to be ok. We spent a number of nights in the hostel common area, sharing dinners and stories from the road together. The days were spent either at the beach or wandering around trying to find the Gaudi buildings and artwork scattered across the city. Overall a very relaxing time with great times had by all.
After Barcelona 3 of the family moved on to Valencia for a couple of nights which would have been lovely had it not rained the one full day that we were there. Our motivation to see the city and to participate in some beach time was lost and we ended up spending too much time at our hostel or the areas around wasting the day away waiting for our bus to Madrid.
For now I must go but there is more to come. The next few days will be spent riding my trip solo and though I will be home in but 13 more days I will still finish this blog for those I will not see right away.
The last post I talked of my time in Italy, a beautiful country that left me with fabulous memories. Although the larger cities are the ones generally praised, the most enrapturing days for me were spent in Cinque Terra. Locate along the more north western coast is a set of 5 towns situated on the rock faces. These are connected via roads, rail and the wonderful 5 hour hike/walk. The feel in the towns is very relaxed, most people spend the days enjoying the beaches, soaking in the sun and relaxing.
When I was in Florence, I had met up with a few ladies that were also traveling with Busabout, the company I have been going through with off and on. As we were all traveling solo we decided to spend our days together checking out the little towns and hiking the trail. The trail between the towns is for the most part quite easy but there is one section between the last two towns that although it was not as hard at hiking to Stari Grad in Omis, still took the wind out of all of us. A massive number of stairs followed by rather narrow treacherous pathways made for a wretched combination. It did not help that as you are hiking there are little signs every 200m with emergency numbers posted on it...just in case.
We all survived and felt a glowing sense of accomplishment once we were done. This is one place I would love to return to as we only had a total of 3 nights there which was not nearly enough time.
After Cinque Terra, we made our way to Nice, France. Although it was a lovely place I have very little good to say about it as when I was there my credit cards and about 200euros were stolen from me the night before we left on the bus again. It left me with a rather poor image of this town. I imagine had these things not happened I would have something kind to say about the town but for now I still feel a bit scarred by it.
When we left Nice, I had no money, no cards. Only my busabout pass and my passport. Luckily, one of the girls that I had met in Florence helped me along and loaned me the money for accommodation in Barcelona where we were both going to be for 5 nights. I cannot imagine what would have happened had I not met these girls, they really did save me and kept me calm through everything. Traveling solo has many benefits but it also has massive drawbacks when things start going wrong. Meeting generous people that will trust you enough after knowing you for a short time is amazing.
To continue though, on the bus to Barcelona I met and started chatting with a fellow from New Zealand that had been traveling on the loops for several months already. He was spending 7 nights in Barcelona and then moving along the same route as a few of us that were left from the Florence group. With this meeting 'the family' was created. Something that has kept me from doing my blog posts, updating photos and keeping in proper contact with people at home was our wonderful little busabout family. We all ended up having a great time together as we moved through Spain, meeting up in different cities on different days. I am so grateful for the days we all spent together.
Barcelona was a beautiful little city though there were parts of it I never got to see. For the first few nights I was waiting for my new credit cards to arrive and had a bit of stress wondering if things were going to be ok. We spent a number of nights in the hostel common area, sharing dinners and stories from the road together. The days were spent either at the beach or wandering around trying to find the Gaudi buildings and artwork scattered across the city. Overall a very relaxing time with great times had by all.
After Barcelona 3 of the family moved on to Valencia for a couple of nights which would have been lovely had it not rained the one full day that we were there. Our motivation to see the city and to participate in some beach time was lost and we ended up spending too much time at our hostel or the areas around wasting the day away waiting for our bus to Madrid.
For now I must go but there is more to come. The next few days will be spent riding my trip solo and though I will be home in but 13 more days I will still finish this blog for those I will not see right away.
Monday, August 30, 2010
Italy Part 1
Again I have to apologize for the lack of updates along the way. The great thing about traveling around on your own is that you end up meeting fantastic people along the way. However, you tend to end up spending all your time with people and less and less time on the computer updating your wonderful friends and family at home.
I am currently in Barcelona, Spain but I will catch you up on what has happened up to this point. After my sail Croatia trip was over I had an entire day to waste in Split waiting for my night ferry to come at 10pm that would take me to Ancona, Italy. Luckily I was not the only person that was spending the day waiting. I caught up with friends as we were all leaving the boats and went for one last juice smoothie at Tonik, a place that could almost be considered our local stomping ground at this point. We said our final goodbyes to our guides and the people that were heading out by bus then I went for coffee for a few hours with a friend that was waiting for his plane that would leave that afternoon for Vienna and made arrangements to meet up in Rome on my last night there as we were both going to be at the same campsite just outside the city with our other busabout friends.
Because of my amazing luck up to this point in the trip I had found out the night before that the bus driver from our Eastern Trekker week, Vlad, was also taking one of the night ferries that which meant that I had someone to harass all day long instead of wandering around Split alone. We spent a few hours wasting time on the free wireless at one of the local coffee/bars called Charlies, sharing pictures and talking about places we have been or wanted to go to in the future, grabbed a quick lunch of the most amazing food ever, Burek, an eastern European hot pastry type food that is a type of filo dough wrapped around a special type of cheese. It's hard to explain but it is delicious, I had had it one other night in Omis as well and was pleased to be able to have it one last time before leaving what was probably one of my favorite countries I have been to.
We spent the rest of the day walking around for a bit and talking, Vlad is hoping to work in the US after the busabout season is done doing shuttle buses in Colorado to the ski hills. If this works out for him he wants to get up to Vancouver for a visit and some touring around in BC. He's never been to Canada but he already loves the place and wears a little Canada wrist band that was given to him by another Canadian on tour this season.
My ferry left a little later than his so I spent a couple hours waiting at the ferry terminal reminiscing on my Croatia adventure. I think that if could I would have spent my last weeks in Croatia and not bothered with anything else in western Europe. It isjust such a beautiful place. Eastern Europe as a whole is an area I have fallen in love with and I hope in the coming years to come back and discover more of it on my own or with friends. There is such a different feel there from western Europe and I adore it.
I had booked a bed on the night ferry and once I had gotten on and the boat had left the docks, was pleased to discover that I had a 4 bed state room all to myself for the night. You have no idea what a treat it is to spend time alone in a room. It is something that is afforded to the backpacker very rarely and it gives you a small sense of joy when you find out that you finally for one night at least have a little bit of privacy. I had a wonderful sleep on the boat and as we were getting closer to our destination I went to the front of the boat and watched my first glimpses of Italy come over the horizon. A mix of excitement and melancholy were in my head as I stared out over the water. I was glad to be moving forward in my trip but at the same time so sad to be leaving my Croatia.
ANCONA
When we docked I went through the EU border once again and was playing with my bags getting ready to find out how to get to the train station in Ancona which was near where my hostel for the night was when I saw Vlad coming through the customs. Apparently my ferry was about 2 hours faster than his so we ended up docking at almost the same time. It was nice to be able to be with someone else trying to figure out how to get where we needed to be as he was going to the station as well to catch a train to Venice. Traveling alone is hard, figuring out everything you need to do is hard, having no one to talk to when you are confused is hard. So when you are able to find someone that may not know more about the situation than you but is willing to figure everything out with you it is a wonderful thing. I was very greatful to have had a friendly face to spend time with and count on those couple of days. It just makes you relax a little bit more.
We parted ways at the train station and I found my hostel, unfortunately the hostel had a lock out time from 11:00 until 4:30 and I had arrived just after they had left so I was stuck in Ancona with all my bags for 5 hours killing time on the internet and wandering. There was nowhere for me to store my bags so I did not have the motivation to wander around much at all. When I finally did get let into my hostel I abandoned my bags, took a nice long shower and decided that I would sacrifice my tour of Ancona for an easy night of nothingness. Everything in the city was closed anyway as it was Sunday and a national holiday. So really I did not miss out on anything spectacular. Also, the only thing it says about Ancona in my lonely planet is that all it has to offer travelers is the ability to leave Ancona. Not really a positive review for the town.
The next day I waited for the bus to come and pick me up. Ancona is a halfway stop on the busabout loop so it picks up usually around 1pm instead of the usual 8am start. I arrived at the pick up point that Vlad had pointed out around 12:30 and waited. And waited. And waited. Around 2pm I started to panic a little and rushed across the street to the internet cafe to make sure I had not messed up on my bookings or the pick up time. Everything seemed in order so I sat down and waited some more, confident that they would not leave me stranded in Ancona. I knew no matter what I could go across to the train station and get a ticket to Rome easily enough so I was not getting too stressed. Around 2:30 the bus pulled up and I was beyond relieved. They had run into some very bad traffic that had set them back quite a bit.
ROME
We arrived at the Plus Camp Roma later in the evening and I found my tent accomodations set down my bags and walked around the campsite a bit to see what everything looked like. Camp Roma is like a little city within itself with a restaurant, bar, pool, park area, shopping store and of course the accomodations. I spent the night hanging out with a fellow from the UK and called it an early night as I had a walking tour booked for the next day.
The next morning I slept in, did my laundry and got ready to make my way into the city for the walking tour. I was glad to have a guide to show us around and give us a little run down of the history involved in the sights we were seeing. I am not the strongest history buff so it was good to have a review of the significant places we were seeing. In a strange coincidence one of the other people from the boats that I had met was also on the walking tour so we caught up a bit and swapped boat gossip from the week before while moving from sight to sight. After 3 hours of walking in the hot sun we were pretty exhausted but the end of tour left us at the coloseum so a few of us went to check out the line, which was only about a 10 minute wait, and ended up getting in to see the inside of this reviered place. It was awe inspiring to this place was built thousands of years before and yet still stood. Touching the walls that millions had touched, walking along the paths that had been walked on since it's beginnings.
That night I hung out some people from the walking tour listening to some live music by the restaurant and then ran into Vlad again, whom had also come in on the bus to Rome when I did and had a couple days off to spend at the campsite. I spent the rest of the night hanging out with him and some of the other busabout drivers/guides chatting and swapping stories.
The next day was a long one, an 8 hour tour of Vatican City. Vatican City is a sovereign country in itself and probably the single wealthiest country in the world. They do not have to be accountable to anyone for the wealth they possess so there is no real knowledge of how much they have within their walls. Most of the grounds are actually occupied by forest and garden areas but there are also the theology schools as well as the museum and the cathedral. We spent several hours walking through the Vatican museum which houses the largest collection of marble statues as well as some of the most incredible tapestries, size and detail wise, in the world. Of course the crowning parts of the our were seeing the ceiling in the Sistine Chapel and St Peter's Basilica as well. The insides were stunning and difficult to describe in words. I have many pictures to share though unfortunately none of the revered Sistine Chapel ceiling as they have guards everywhere to make sure you take no pictures in there. Apparently the reason behind it is not preservation as you might think but rather because Kodak paid for a great deal of restoration within the building on the terms that they had rights to all photography of the paintings. Ridiculous if you ask me. The 'shush police' as we referred to them would make people delete their pictures if caught and were kicked out.
The best part by far in the Vatican however was not all the art or the history but rather the Swiss Guard, or more specifically their outfits. It is an intense process to become the Swiss Gaurd that protects the Vatican, one that takes more that 2 years of training. How do they reward this men for their efforts? By making them wear the single most ridiculous outfit known to man. Please note the picture below.
After a massive day of walking I went back to the campsite and got there just in time to run into my friend from the boats that I had arranged to meet up with when his bus came in that night. We had dinner and talked about the last few days of our journeys and made friends with some other Kiwis at table beside us. The busabout guides and drivers came in and sat at the next table over as well and as they left I said one final goodbye to my dear friend Vlad as he was now heading north and I was heading south and it was unlikely that our paths would cross again on this trip of mine. After dinner was over my friend and I said our final goodbyes and parted ways. I was lucky to have a room once again to myself that night.
The night was sad as I said goodbye to a few people that I knew from both Eastern Trekker and the boats that I am unlikely to be seeing again on this trip. A consequence of making new friends that live nowhere near you, although it is possible to see them again it is unlikely you will see them all. I have made some amazing and wonderful friends in the last weeks and it is sad to think we all live so far apart. But at least I know there are now places to rest my head if ever I make it to their homes and vice versa for them.
I am currently in Barcelona, Spain but I will catch you up on what has happened up to this point. After my sail Croatia trip was over I had an entire day to waste in Split waiting for my night ferry to come at 10pm that would take me to Ancona, Italy. Luckily I was not the only person that was spending the day waiting. I caught up with friends as we were all leaving the boats and went for one last juice smoothie at Tonik, a place that could almost be considered our local stomping ground at this point. We said our final goodbyes to our guides and the people that were heading out by bus then I went for coffee for a few hours with a friend that was waiting for his plane that would leave that afternoon for Vienna and made arrangements to meet up in Rome on my last night there as we were both going to be at the same campsite just outside the city with our other busabout friends.
Because of my amazing luck up to this point in the trip I had found out the night before that the bus driver from our Eastern Trekker week, Vlad, was also taking one of the night ferries that which meant that I had someone to harass all day long instead of wandering around Split alone. We spent a few hours wasting time on the free wireless at one of the local coffee/bars called Charlies, sharing pictures and talking about places we have been or wanted to go to in the future, grabbed a quick lunch of the most amazing food ever, Burek, an eastern European hot pastry type food that is a type of filo dough wrapped around a special type of cheese. It's hard to explain but it is delicious, I had had it one other night in Omis as well and was pleased to be able to have it one last time before leaving what was probably one of my favorite countries I have been to.
We spent the rest of the day walking around for a bit and talking, Vlad is hoping to work in the US after the busabout season is done doing shuttle buses in Colorado to the ski hills. If this works out for him he wants to get up to Vancouver for a visit and some touring around in BC. He's never been to Canada but he already loves the place and wears a little Canada wrist band that was given to him by another Canadian on tour this season.
My ferry left a little later than his so I spent a couple hours waiting at the ferry terminal reminiscing on my Croatia adventure. I think that if could I would have spent my last weeks in Croatia and not bothered with anything else in western Europe. It isjust such a beautiful place. Eastern Europe as a whole is an area I have fallen in love with and I hope in the coming years to come back and discover more of it on my own or with friends. There is such a different feel there from western Europe and I adore it.
I had booked a bed on the night ferry and once I had gotten on and the boat had left the docks, was pleased to discover that I had a 4 bed state room all to myself for the night. You have no idea what a treat it is to spend time alone in a room. It is something that is afforded to the backpacker very rarely and it gives you a small sense of joy when you find out that you finally for one night at least have a little bit of privacy. I had a wonderful sleep on the boat and as we were getting closer to our destination I went to the front of the boat and watched my first glimpses of Italy come over the horizon. A mix of excitement and melancholy were in my head as I stared out over the water. I was glad to be moving forward in my trip but at the same time so sad to be leaving my Croatia.
ANCONA
When we docked I went through the EU border once again and was playing with my bags getting ready to find out how to get to the train station in Ancona which was near where my hostel for the night was when I saw Vlad coming through the customs. Apparently my ferry was about 2 hours faster than his so we ended up docking at almost the same time. It was nice to be able to be with someone else trying to figure out how to get where we needed to be as he was going to the station as well to catch a train to Venice. Traveling alone is hard, figuring out everything you need to do is hard, having no one to talk to when you are confused is hard. So when you are able to find someone that may not know more about the situation than you but is willing to figure everything out with you it is a wonderful thing. I was very greatful to have had a friendly face to spend time with and count on those couple of days. It just makes you relax a little bit more.
We parted ways at the train station and I found my hostel, unfortunately the hostel had a lock out time from 11:00 until 4:30 and I had arrived just after they had left so I was stuck in Ancona with all my bags for 5 hours killing time on the internet and wandering. There was nowhere for me to store my bags so I did not have the motivation to wander around much at all. When I finally did get let into my hostel I abandoned my bags, took a nice long shower and decided that I would sacrifice my tour of Ancona for an easy night of nothingness. Everything in the city was closed anyway as it was Sunday and a national holiday. So really I did not miss out on anything spectacular. Also, the only thing it says about Ancona in my lonely planet is that all it has to offer travelers is the ability to leave Ancona. Not really a positive review for the town.
The next day I waited for the bus to come and pick me up. Ancona is a halfway stop on the busabout loop so it picks up usually around 1pm instead of the usual 8am start. I arrived at the pick up point that Vlad had pointed out around 12:30 and waited. And waited. And waited. Around 2pm I started to panic a little and rushed across the street to the internet cafe to make sure I had not messed up on my bookings or the pick up time. Everything seemed in order so I sat down and waited some more, confident that they would not leave me stranded in Ancona. I knew no matter what I could go across to the train station and get a ticket to Rome easily enough so I was not getting too stressed. Around 2:30 the bus pulled up and I was beyond relieved. They had run into some very bad traffic that had set them back quite a bit.
ROME
We arrived at the Plus Camp Roma later in the evening and I found my tent accomodations set down my bags and walked around the campsite a bit to see what everything looked like. Camp Roma is like a little city within itself with a restaurant, bar, pool, park area, shopping store and of course the accomodations. I spent the night hanging out with a fellow from the UK and called it an early night as I had a walking tour booked for the next day.
The next morning I slept in, did my laundry and got ready to make my way into the city for the walking tour. I was glad to have a guide to show us around and give us a little run down of the history involved in the sights we were seeing. I am not the strongest history buff so it was good to have a review of the significant places we were seeing. In a strange coincidence one of the other people from the boats that I had met was also on the walking tour so we caught up a bit and swapped boat gossip from the week before while moving from sight to sight. After 3 hours of walking in the hot sun we were pretty exhausted but the end of tour left us at the coloseum so a few of us went to check out the line, which was only about a 10 minute wait, and ended up getting in to see the inside of this reviered place. It was awe inspiring to this place was built thousands of years before and yet still stood. Touching the walls that millions had touched, walking along the paths that had been walked on since it's beginnings.
That night I hung out some people from the walking tour listening to some live music by the restaurant and then ran into Vlad again, whom had also come in on the bus to Rome when I did and had a couple days off to spend at the campsite. I spent the rest of the night hanging out with him and some of the other busabout drivers/guides chatting and swapping stories.
The next day was a long one, an 8 hour tour of Vatican City. Vatican City is a sovereign country in itself and probably the single wealthiest country in the world. They do not have to be accountable to anyone for the wealth they possess so there is no real knowledge of how much they have within their walls. Most of the grounds are actually occupied by forest and garden areas but there are also the theology schools as well as the museum and the cathedral. We spent several hours walking through the Vatican museum which houses the largest collection of marble statues as well as some of the most incredible tapestries, size and detail wise, in the world. Of course the crowning parts of the our were seeing the ceiling in the Sistine Chapel and St Peter's Basilica as well. The insides were stunning and difficult to describe in words. I have many pictures to share though unfortunately none of the revered Sistine Chapel ceiling as they have guards everywhere to make sure you take no pictures in there. Apparently the reason behind it is not preservation as you might think but rather because Kodak paid for a great deal of restoration within the building on the terms that they had rights to all photography of the paintings. Ridiculous if you ask me. The 'shush police' as we referred to them would make people delete their pictures if caught and were kicked out.
The best part by far in the Vatican however was not all the art or the history but rather the Swiss Guard, or more specifically their outfits. It is an intense process to become the Swiss Gaurd that protects the Vatican, one that takes more that 2 years of training. How do they reward this men for their efforts? By making them wear the single most ridiculous outfit known to man. Please note the picture below.
After a massive day of walking I went back to the campsite and got there just in time to run into my friend from the boats that I had arranged to meet up with when his bus came in that night. We had dinner and talked about the last few days of our journeys and made friends with some other Kiwis at table beside us. The busabout guides and drivers came in and sat at the next table over as well and as they left I said one final goodbye to my dear friend Vlad as he was now heading north and I was heading south and it was unlikely that our paths would cross again on this trip of mine. After dinner was over my friend and I said our final goodbyes and parted ways. I was lucky to have a room once again to myself that night.
The night was sad as I said goodbye to a few people that I knew from both Eastern Trekker and the boats that I am unlikely to be seeing again on this trip. A consequence of making new friends that live nowhere near you, although it is possible to see them again it is unlikely you will see them all. I have made some amazing and wonderful friends in the last weeks and it is sad to think we all live so far apart. But at least I know there are now places to rest my head if ever I make it to their homes and vice versa for them.
Friday, August 20, 2010
Finally an update!
To try to put a week of sailing along the coast of Croatia into one single blog post is an impossible task. I cannot even begin to tell you how truely spectacular it was. Mere words cannot reflect the unending awesomeness that is to be found in these places nestled along the Adriatic. If I could I would spend the rest of time traveling in this place.
I should go back and apologize for the lack of posting over the last weeks. Time has been slipping away at a faster rate than I anticipated and every time I think to come online and continue with my stories it seems the day and time just get away from me. Free time was precious these last days as was power supply which was also a huge hindrance. But back to the story, no more excuses.
Our trip began in Split after morning of catching up with friends from Eastern Trekker that had just finished their weeks on the boats. Their golden tans and relaxed appearance was a teaser as to what the week would hold. They told great tales of life at sea, causing much envy and anticipation. After saying our final goodbyes we headed in the direction of what would be our homes for the next week.
The only scary part of the entire trip was the treacherous passage between the boats as they would all dock tied together parked in one long row. Sometimes we were at the front but for the most part, because of the size of our boat, we were near the end which meant walking across 4 to 6 boats to get to dry land. This may not sound like a major feat but keep in mind that the places to cross rarely met up properly, meaning they would be staggered by a few feet and there was always at least 2 feet of space to hop over though more often it was closer to 3 feet with nothing to stop you from falling into the water below. Only a couple of people fell in, I slipped once because of a water bomb ambush of which I was the main target, but that story is for later.
Sitting on the deck at the back of the boat we started to introduce ourselves around. A majority of the people were from Australia but we also had 3 Kiwis, 2 South Africans and of course myself, the token Canadian. I was actually one of two Canadians on all 6 of the busabout boats. Talk about being outnumbered.
Our guide Troy, also Australian, gave a little speech and told us what to expect over the week. He warned us that when it all came down to it we were at the whims of the sea and it dictated if we would make it to all the places we were scheduled to be at. Fortunately for us, the sea was kind and we had the most amazing weather I have experienced this entire trip.
Our first stop was Hvar, a place where the rich come to play. The harbor was full of super yachts that made our little boats look like toys. The one that we parked next to was six levels high, had thirteen full time staff including a Micheline 3 star chef. I am not sure that the boat even leaves the docks, it probably doesn't need to. The island itself was stunning with old buildings and a relaxed vibe. We spent the night out on the town with most of the other busabout boats with only one warning given to us, make sure you are back on the boat by 6:30am or you will be trapped on Hvar. Fortunately everyone was on the boat in the morning.
Our mornings were lazy, breakfast was served around 9 while we were traveling between destinations, lounge chairs were spread over the top deck providing ample room for laying in the sun and below on the main deck was a table with a bench that wrapped all the way around where we would play many a card game to pass the time lazily. Usually we would stop sometime in the late morning for a swim break and lunch then the boat would continue on to wherever we were headed next.
Our main stops were Hvar, Mljet, Dubrovnik, Korcula, Makarska, Omis and of course Split. Each place whether on the mainland or on the islands had it's own little story and it's own feel. All of Croatia is a rather laidback place and I think that I could probably spend many months there living in the sun sipping Croatian wine and enjoying the breezing coming off the ocean.
Mljet was our second stop along the way and we spent the afternoon in the stunning national park. In the park you find amazing saltwater lakes and a secluded abbey on the Island of St. Mary in the middle of the biggest lake. It was interesting to walk around St. Mary as it was a very small area and so isolated from everything else. Mljet itself is a small island so for me it is baffling to think that these monks wanted to isolate themselves even further from the world.
Dubrovnik. What a place. It is an UNESCO site because of the walls containing it which are the most fully intact fortress walls in the world. After an orientation walk Troy took whoever wanted to up to walk the 2km of walls. Talk about stunning views. Pictures do not do this place justice. I cannot even begin to describe the awe inspiring beauty that you are surrounded by up there. I wish that there had been more time in this place as I would have loved to have gotten lost in the streets of the old town, wandering among the shops and taking in the sounds. However even with only one afternoon/evening there it has found a special place in my heart. I have nothing but praises to sing for this place and nothing but wonderful memories of our time spent there.
Korcula, the apparent birthplace of Marko Polo, can be likened to a mini Dubrovnik. It also is a city of walls though not as intact as it's larger brother. We spent the afternoon wandering around with promises of a wonderful dinner together in town that night followed by cocktails in a bar situated at the top of one of the turrets left over from the wall. Korcula was an island of temptation with shop after shop filled with artisan jewelery. I am proud to say that I refrained from spending more of my precious Kunas on more jewels than I already have. Sometimes I forget that I am indeed traveling on a budget. It was an easy day and night and although some from the boat went off to do their own dinners most came to enjoy the pizza and pasta offerings at the restaurant of choice. I chatted a bit with the guide Troy and found out a little more of his travel history including a very interesting conversation about the time he had spent in Africa working with children in different social areas such as PE and schooling. For a person of only 30 he has done many things and it was interesting to get a chance to learn a little more about what had brought him to where he was today. I love learning people's stories and have found many time that by just asking the right questions you learn more about a person and who they are than by just observing them from afar.
Makarska nice relaxing stop off with many many many many little street shops lining the promenade areas around the main beach. We spent a few hours wandering through them, looking at the wears and purchasing things for our Pirate party the next night. As the sun started to go down we walked together to the beach to watch a beautiful and vast sunset. The pictures I took are not even close to the sight that was seen. But you will have to only take my word on it.
Omis, a famed pirate town from years past and maintains the nostalgic quality still. We arrived early in the afternoon, had an orientation walk and then a few of us spent an hour hiking up a rather sadistic mountain to the Stari Grad fortress at the top. You might think I am exaggerating but it truly was a miserable hike though completely worth it for the views at the top. After hiking back down to the boat, showers were had and preparation for the pirate party. In Makarska I had purchased some water balloons which I had spent some time filling up during our free time in anticipation of a potential cross boat water fight. After dinner on the top deck in our pirate outfits a plan was hatched by the guide Troy for several of us to ambush our boatmates on the dock when we were going to go out for the night. Little did I know that this would actually lead to my being completely soaked from head to toe after I was double crossed by my partner in crime. Apparently after a few of us left to set up the balloons everyone else was informed that they were to run and grab the balloons and start throwing them at me and the others. I can tell you for sure that I received the most water balloons but I did make contact with a few people in some choice places to pay back for the double cross.
Our last night was in Split once again, we arrived and it was like I had arrived at a place I had known for years. I had already been in and out of Split twice before and knew my way around better than probably any other town I have been too so far. After checking e-mails at the local Aussie run juice bar Tonik, I came back to the boat to commence the sad ritual of packing up my bags to prepare to leave the boat the next morning. The week went by so quickly and I would have gladly stayed on the boat and done it all over again.
That night we all went out to the Red Room, another Aussie run bar that all the Busabout and Eastern Trekker people meet up at when the boats and buses come in. We all st around reminiscing about the week past, laughing over stories and harassing over embarrassments that happened during our time. I had made friends on a few of the boats so for me it was nice to have everyone around one last time. I was also excited to once again see our guide and bus driver from the Eastern Trek I had done 2 weeks previous. They had just made another loop from Split to Prague to Split and had arrived that afternoon. Catching up with them was wonderful as was showing off my newly acquired Croatia tan. I found out that Vlad, the driver, was heading to Ancona the next night on the ferries as well and then would be heading to Rome the same time as me. It is always nice to have friendly faces around especially after spending so much time with a group I knew that to adjust the very next day to solitude was going to be difficult. So to have someone to spend the afternoon killing time with was a great blessing.
Overall I would say that Croatia was the highlight of my trip and again I wish that I could stay there for the rest of my weeks. I have completely fallen in love with the place. I hope that in the next years I will be able to come back again and enjoy the places I have already been as well as new places that I have yet to discover. For now all I can do is look at my picture and remember what was an amazing week and dream of the next time I will be able to be there again.
I should go back and apologize for the lack of posting over the last weeks. Time has been slipping away at a faster rate than I anticipated and every time I think to come online and continue with my stories it seems the day and time just get away from me. Free time was precious these last days as was power supply which was also a huge hindrance. But back to the story, no more excuses.
Our trip began in Split after morning of catching up with friends from Eastern Trekker that had just finished their weeks on the boats. Their golden tans and relaxed appearance was a teaser as to what the week would hold. They told great tales of life at sea, causing much envy and anticipation. After saying our final goodbyes we headed in the direction of what would be our homes for the next week.
The only scary part of the entire trip was the treacherous passage between the boats as they would all dock tied together parked in one long row. Sometimes we were at the front but for the most part, because of the size of our boat, we were near the end which meant walking across 4 to 6 boats to get to dry land. This may not sound like a major feat but keep in mind that the places to cross rarely met up properly, meaning they would be staggered by a few feet and there was always at least 2 feet of space to hop over though more often it was closer to 3 feet with nothing to stop you from falling into the water below. Only a couple of people fell in, I slipped once because of a water bomb ambush of which I was the main target, but that story is for later.
Sitting on the deck at the back of the boat we started to introduce ourselves around. A majority of the people were from Australia but we also had 3 Kiwis, 2 South Africans and of course myself, the token Canadian. I was actually one of two Canadians on all 6 of the busabout boats. Talk about being outnumbered.
Our guide Troy, also Australian, gave a little speech and told us what to expect over the week. He warned us that when it all came down to it we were at the whims of the sea and it dictated if we would make it to all the places we were scheduled to be at. Fortunately for us, the sea was kind and we had the most amazing weather I have experienced this entire trip.
Our first stop was Hvar, a place where the rich come to play. The harbor was full of super yachts that made our little boats look like toys. The one that we parked next to was six levels high, had thirteen full time staff including a Micheline 3 star chef. I am not sure that the boat even leaves the docks, it probably doesn't need to. The island itself was stunning with old buildings and a relaxed vibe. We spent the night out on the town with most of the other busabout boats with only one warning given to us, make sure you are back on the boat by 6:30am or you will be trapped on Hvar. Fortunately everyone was on the boat in the morning.
Our mornings were lazy, breakfast was served around 9 while we were traveling between destinations, lounge chairs were spread over the top deck providing ample room for laying in the sun and below on the main deck was a table with a bench that wrapped all the way around where we would play many a card game to pass the time lazily. Usually we would stop sometime in the late morning for a swim break and lunch then the boat would continue on to wherever we were headed next.
Our main stops were Hvar, Mljet, Dubrovnik, Korcula, Makarska, Omis and of course Split. Each place whether on the mainland or on the islands had it's own little story and it's own feel. All of Croatia is a rather laidback place and I think that I could probably spend many months there living in the sun sipping Croatian wine and enjoying the breezing coming off the ocean.
Mljet was our second stop along the way and we spent the afternoon in the stunning national park. In the park you find amazing saltwater lakes and a secluded abbey on the Island of St. Mary in the middle of the biggest lake. It was interesting to walk around St. Mary as it was a very small area and so isolated from everything else. Mljet itself is a small island so for me it is baffling to think that these monks wanted to isolate themselves even further from the world.
Dubrovnik. What a place. It is an UNESCO site because of the walls containing it which are the most fully intact fortress walls in the world. After an orientation walk Troy took whoever wanted to up to walk the 2km of walls. Talk about stunning views. Pictures do not do this place justice. I cannot even begin to describe the awe inspiring beauty that you are surrounded by up there. I wish that there had been more time in this place as I would have loved to have gotten lost in the streets of the old town, wandering among the shops and taking in the sounds. However even with only one afternoon/evening there it has found a special place in my heart. I have nothing but praises to sing for this place and nothing but wonderful memories of our time spent there.
Korcula, the apparent birthplace of Marko Polo, can be likened to a mini Dubrovnik. It also is a city of walls though not as intact as it's larger brother. We spent the afternoon wandering around with promises of a wonderful dinner together in town that night followed by cocktails in a bar situated at the top of one of the turrets left over from the wall. Korcula was an island of temptation with shop after shop filled with artisan jewelery. I am proud to say that I refrained from spending more of my precious Kunas on more jewels than I already have. Sometimes I forget that I am indeed traveling on a budget. It was an easy day and night and although some from the boat went off to do their own dinners most came to enjoy the pizza and pasta offerings at the restaurant of choice. I chatted a bit with the guide Troy and found out a little more of his travel history including a very interesting conversation about the time he had spent in Africa working with children in different social areas such as PE and schooling. For a person of only 30 he has done many things and it was interesting to get a chance to learn a little more about what had brought him to where he was today. I love learning people's stories and have found many time that by just asking the right questions you learn more about a person and who they are than by just observing them from afar.
Makarska nice relaxing stop off with many many many many little street shops lining the promenade areas around the main beach. We spent a few hours wandering through them, looking at the wears and purchasing things for our Pirate party the next night. As the sun started to go down we walked together to the beach to watch a beautiful and vast sunset. The pictures I took are not even close to the sight that was seen. But you will have to only take my word on it.
Omis, a famed pirate town from years past and maintains the nostalgic quality still. We arrived early in the afternoon, had an orientation walk and then a few of us spent an hour hiking up a rather sadistic mountain to the Stari Grad fortress at the top. You might think I am exaggerating but it truly was a miserable hike though completely worth it for the views at the top. After hiking back down to the boat, showers were had and preparation for the pirate party. In Makarska I had purchased some water balloons which I had spent some time filling up during our free time in anticipation of a potential cross boat water fight. After dinner on the top deck in our pirate outfits a plan was hatched by the guide Troy for several of us to ambush our boatmates on the dock when we were going to go out for the night. Little did I know that this would actually lead to my being completely soaked from head to toe after I was double crossed by my partner in crime. Apparently after a few of us left to set up the balloons everyone else was informed that they were to run and grab the balloons and start throwing them at me and the others. I can tell you for sure that I received the most water balloons but I did make contact with a few people in some choice places to pay back for the double cross.
Our last night was in Split once again, we arrived and it was like I had arrived at a place I had known for years. I had already been in and out of Split twice before and knew my way around better than probably any other town I have been too so far. After checking e-mails at the local Aussie run juice bar Tonik, I came back to the boat to commence the sad ritual of packing up my bags to prepare to leave the boat the next morning. The week went by so quickly and I would have gladly stayed on the boat and done it all over again.
That night we all went out to the Red Room, another Aussie run bar that all the Busabout and Eastern Trekker people meet up at when the boats and buses come in. We all st around reminiscing about the week past, laughing over stories and harassing over embarrassments that happened during our time. I had made friends on a few of the boats so for me it was nice to have everyone around one last time. I was also excited to once again see our guide and bus driver from the Eastern Trek I had done 2 weeks previous. They had just made another loop from Split to Prague to Split and had arrived that afternoon. Catching up with them was wonderful as was showing off my newly acquired Croatia tan. I found out that Vlad, the driver, was heading to Ancona the next night on the ferries as well and then would be heading to Rome the same time as me. It is always nice to have friendly faces around especially after spending so much time with a group I knew that to adjust the very next day to solitude was going to be difficult. So to have someone to spend the afternoon killing time with was a great blessing.
Overall I would say that Croatia was the highlight of my trip and again I wish that I could stay there for the rest of my weeks. I have completely fallen in love with the place. I hope that in the next years I will be able to come back again and enjoy the places I have already been as well as new places that I have yet to discover. For now all I can do is look at my picture and remember what was an amazing week and dream of the next time I will be able to be there again.
Thursday, August 5, 2010
Finally some more pictures
Eastern Trekker
Bone Church
Krakow
Lake Bled (Slovenia) and Zagreb (Croatia)
Because people have been asking and apparently I forgot to mention it in my other posts about Eastern Trekker I will give a brief explanation of the Church of Bones or Ossuary that we visited on the first day of our trek. The story goes that in the 1400s the abbot of the monastery was sent to the holy land with a pile of money to bring back something for the church to make people think highly of it. He took the money, drank it all away and when he was supposed to come back with the holy item he had nothing. So he went to Golgotha picked up some dirt and brought it back with him. The king that sent him was so angry that he had brought back only dirt after all the money he had sent along, threw the dirt over the cemetry in a fit of rage.
Word spread that holy land dirt had been spread there and suddenly everyone and their uncle wanted to be buried at this particular church. In the late 1800's a fellow was commissioned to do something with all the bones and this is where our lovely Ossuary has arisen from.
Very creepy but so excellent.
Posts about Lake Bled my new favorite place to come soon! Enjoy the pictures for now!
Bone Church
Krakow
Lake Bled (Slovenia) and Zagreb (Croatia)
Because people have been asking and apparently I forgot to mention it in my other posts about Eastern Trekker I will give a brief explanation of the Church of Bones or Ossuary that we visited on the first day of our trek. The story goes that in the 1400s the abbot of the monastery was sent to the holy land with a pile of money to bring back something for the church to make people think highly of it. He took the money, drank it all away and when he was supposed to come back with the holy item he had nothing. So he went to Golgotha picked up some dirt and brought it back with him. The king that sent him was so angry that he had brought back only dirt after all the money he had sent along, threw the dirt over the cemetry in a fit of rage.
Word spread that holy land dirt had been spread there and suddenly everyone and their uncle wanted to be buried at this particular church. In the late 1800's a fellow was commissioned to do something with all the bones and this is where our lovely Ossuary has arisen from.
Very creepy but so excellent.
Posts about Lake Bled my new favorite place to come soon! Enjoy the pictures for now!
Monday, August 2, 2010
Eastern Trekker Part 2
(Part 2 was written on the 11 hour train ride to Bled Slovenia)
Arriving in Budapest in the mid afternoon we had maybe an two hours to waste before we had to be ready for dinner and our boat trip along the river. Dinner was at a small restaurant the served some traditional Hungarian fair and although I opted for the vegetarian options it was still quite nice. Everyone was still feeling a bit tired and under the weather but we headed down to the river for our little boat cruise and after a little fresh air and some loud music everyone was in a much better mood. It was stunning to see Budapest lit up at night, all the buildings with the shadows dancing. It was the best way to see the city I think and unfortunately the only way that I saw most of it.
I was supposed to leave the group after our two days in Budapest but I was having such a good time with everyone that I made a last minute decision to request to stay with the group all the way to Split. I am extremely glad that I went with everyone but am a little sad I did not get to spend much time at all in the city. Hopefully, if I have time I can return on this trip and if not it will be included in the next one.
The morning we left Budapest I suffered from a small heart attack because I could not find my passport which I keep with me at all times unless we were going out for a big night in which case I lock it up at the hostel. I must have been packing and slipped it into the back pocket of my jeans temporarily until I could stick it in my shoulder bag. After ripping apart everything and nearly bursting into tears I found it and hurried to the bus that was waiting with everyone on it already. Only a slightly embarrassing/stressful moment.
We crossed the border into Croatia and for the first time in a month I was no longer in the EU. Our night was spent at a national park called Plitvice which is the home of some beautiful lakes, streams and waterfalls though we did not walk around the national park until the next day. Our night was spent at a campsite in cabins just outside the park. I wish I could have put up my tent and enjoyed a single night on my own but it was already booked the way it was. Because we were not in a place that was near and easy to access city, it was tradition to have a big bbq that night, our last big family dinner. We all had a blast and were eventually kicked out of the open area so the part moved to the bus. We were eventually tossed out of the bus as well because it was still too noisy so many headed down to the lake closest to the campsite. When we came back we were unfortunately met by the local Croatian Policemen and told to disperse or we would be kicked off the campsite. A fun night all around.
Our next day we spent 4 hours walking around the trails in the Plitvice park, taking pictures, retelling our stories from the week and relating what the plans were for the future. It was not the best weather, a low cast of fog hung around and it even drizzled a bit but even with that dampness it was worth the trip out there, the scenes are mor beautiful than any I have seen so far on my trip.
The night in Split was relaxed, we all went our separate ways for dinner as there are only small places to eat and with all the boats for the Croatia Sail trips docking that afternoon there were an excessive number of people in a town that is probably the same size of Tsawwassen. Do not be deceived by the maps on google my friends, google lies. They make this place look like a large port town but in reality you can walk across the centre in about 10 minutes if you are going slow.
We all met up at a pub that night after our dinners to say a final goodbye and good luck on everyone's journeys. Slowly everyone peeled away and went to bed a little earlier than we had all week, exhaustion had hit everyone. Some people were flying home, some were picking up on with the ships the next day, some were heading down to Dubrovnik and some, like me, had no plans passed that point. I was able to find accommodation for the next night but had no idea what was to happen as I was not supposed to be in Split so soon and I could not spend a week there waiting for my boat trip the next week. But sometimes it is ok not to have a plan, it leaves you able to have some spur of the moment fun. Right now I am on a train headed to Slovenia to visit Bled Lake on the advice of several people. I had not planned in any way to be going here on my trip and although it is a long trip there and back again I am making the most of it, enjoying the rolling hills and crumbling buildings along the way. I will be there for a couple of days probably then I am not sure what next, maybe back to Zagreb or Ljubljana.
For the next two days relaxing at a beautiful Slovenian lake is going to give this traveler the energy to continue on for another two months as right now my reserves are limited and going home to a bed of my own is beyond tempting. However, considering how quickly this month has already gone I am sure that in what will feel like and instant I will be at home in bed dreaming of being back here. So for today I will continue living the dream.
Arriving in Budapest in the mid afternoon we had maybe an two hours to waste before we had to be ready for dinner and our boat trip along the river. Dinner was at a small restaurant the served some traditional Hungarian fair and although I opted for the vegetarian options it was still quite nice. Everyone was still feeling a bit tired and under the weather but we headed down to the river for our little boat cruise and after a little fresh air and some loud music everyone was in a much better mood. It was stunning to see Budapest lit up at night, all the buildings with the shadows dancing. It was the best way to see the city I think and unfortunately the only way that I saw most of it.
I was supposed to leave the group after our two days in Budapest but I was having such a good time with everyone that I made a last minute decision to request to stay with the group all the way to Split. I am extremely glad that I went with everyone but am a little sad I did not get to spend much time at all in the city. Hopefully, if I have time I can return on this trip and if not it will be included in the next one.
The morning we left Budapest I suffered from a small heart attack because I could not find my passport which I keep with me at all times unless we were going out for a big night in which case I lock it up at the hostel. I must have been packing and slipped it into the back pocket of my jeans temporarily until I could stick it in my shoulder bag. After ripping apart everything and nearly bursting into tears I found it and hurried to the bus that was waiting with everyone on it already. Only a slightly embarrassing/stressful moment.
We crossed the border into Croatia and for the first time in a month I was no longer in the EU. Our night was spent at a national park called Plitvice which is the home of some beautiful lakes, streams and waterfalls though we did not walk around the national park until the next day. Our night was spent at a campsite in cabins just outside the park. I wish I could have put up my tent and enjoyed a single night on my own but it was already booked the way it was. Because we were not in a place that was near and easy to access city, it was tradition to have a big bbq that night, our last big family dinner. We all had a blast and were eventually kicked out of the open area so the part moved to the bus. We were eventually tossed out of the bus as well because it was still too noisy so many headed down to the lake closest to the campsite. When we came back we were unfortunately met by the local Croatian Policemen and told to disperse or we would be kicked off the campsite. A fun night all around.
Our next day we spent 4 hours walking around the trails in the Plitvice park, taking pictures, retelling our stories from the week and relating what the plans were for the future. It was not the best weather, a low cast of fog hung around and it even drizzled a bit but even with that dampness it was worth the trip out there, the scenes are mor beautiful than any I have seen so far on my trip.
The night in Split was relaxed, we all went our separate ways for dinner as there are only small places to eat and with all the boats for the Croatia Sail trips docking that afternoon there were an excessive number of people in a town that is probably the same size of Tsawwassen. Do not be deceived by the maps on google my friends, google lies. They make this place look like a large port town but in reality you can walk across the centre in about 10 minutes if you are going slow.
We all met up at a pub that night after our dinners to say a final goodbye and good luck on everyone's journeys. Slowly everyone peeled away and went to bed a little earlier than we had all week, exhaustion had hit everyone. Some people were flying home, some were picking up on with the ships the next day, some were heading down to Dubrovnik and some, like me, had no plans passed that point. I was able to find accommodation for the next night but had no idea what was to happen as I was not supposed to be in Split so soon and I could not spend a week there waiting for my boat trip the next week. But sometimes it is ok not to have a plan, it leaves you able to have some spur of the moment fun. Right now I am on a train headed to Slovenia to visit Bled Lake on the advice of several people. I had not planned in any way to be going here on my trip and although it is a long trip there and back again I am making the most of it, enjoying the rolling hills and crumbling buildings along the way. I will be there for a couple of days probably then I am not sure what next, maybe back to Zagreb or Ljubljana.
For the next two days relaxing at a beautiful Slovenian lake is going to give this traveler the energy to continue on for another two months as right now my reserves are limited and going home to a bed of my own is beyond tempting. However, considering how quickly this month has already gone I am sure that in what will feel like and instant I will be at home in bed dreaming of being back here. So for today I will continue living the dream.
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| Eastern Trekker Crew |
Sunday, August 1, 2010
Eastern Trekker Part 1
Two days ago was the official one month mark on my journey. I spent than night in Budapest with my wonderful trip mates on my Eastern Trekker adventure. I was very wary of joining on with a tour group and even after getting on the bus I was worried that it was going to be a long and hard week filled with potential misery (keep in mind I had spent a few days in Prague watching the constant inflow/outflow of Contiki tour groups at my hostel). However, I am writing this post while sitting on the bus after extending my trip that was supposed to end two days so that I could finish off my tour with everyone else. So to say the least I had a great time.
I cannot begin to relate all the wonderful things that we have done on this trip but some of the most fun I have had so far have been in with this crew. Our guide, Rene and driver, Vlad have really brought us all to some special places.
On the first day we stopped to sleep in Olomouc a town about 6 hour driving from Prague. It was quaint and lovely to look at though we really were not there for long, only an overnight stop really. We went out for 'family dinner' as our large group dinners were referred to, walked around the town and went to take some pictures at a strange bar that is on old plane that had been donated to the town for some impossibly strange reason I am sure.
Mornings always come early it seems, as the bus is always on the road by about 8am. Our second day was very full. We drove through to Poland and to our first major stop of the trip, Auschwitz. We had a 3 hour guided tour including Auschwitz I and Birkenau. It is a very emotional and devastating experience to walk on the grounds and it is not something that can easily be described. I am glad that I was able to see and hear the history and statistics first hand but it was not something that leaves you with any kind of good feeling afterward. I am sure the near silence on the bus ride the rest of the way to Krakow was an indication as to how people were feeling after an extremely heavy afternoon. I did take pictures here for the sake of memorial but will not be posting them publicly. If anyone is interested we can definitely go through them together.
Krakow, our final destination that day, is a beautiful city, we all went out the first evening and then half of us woke up early for a bike tour the next morning and half took the afternoon. Considering it poured all afternoon I think the morning people were the winners that day. We visited the Jewish district, the historical sights and even the Schindler's factory.
After a day and a half in Krakow, which was not nearly enough time, we moved on to our next destination, Zakopane, which is a cute ski resort town in Poland. We got there early enough that we could ride up the funicular to the mid mountain area and walk around a bit. Unfortunately, the weather has not been cooperating with us on this trip and it was actually quite cool and wet that day so only a short while was spent outside. It was neat to walk through the street markets or as the Aussies like to call them, malls, where people were selling tourist novelties,leather and fur goods and smoked cheese. It was a bit odd that all the things being sold were the exact same in many of the shops and for the same price. There had to be at least 50 separate cheese stands that sold the exact same smoked cheese for the same price. Zakopane is not a big place so I'm not really sure the theory behind it all. Also, the ski hill although cute did not look overly challenging so it's probably not one of the ones I would hurry back to in the winter.
That evening we had another 'family dinner' at a place dubbed the 'Meat Palace'. As I am not much of a meat eater myself, the thought of going to a place with meat platters that held multiple different meats from multiple animals was not overly appealing to me. However, when in Poland one must participate in the local customs so three of us went in on one of the platter and I ordered a couple sides of veggies to go with in case they were to be my meal instead.
I have taken pictures of the monstrosity that was the meat platter and even without experiencing it that night I think most people would gag a little at the quantity included. I was only adventrous enouh to try a couple different bits but after that I resorted to eating my vegitable place. There were many people that after that night had, what we will call, stomach 'issues' that continued for the rest of the trip. Eating too much meat will leave you paying for many days apparently. I knew there was a reason I didn't much care for it.
The next day we headed to what was supposed to be my final destination , Budapest. The day was long, no one was feeling good on the bus and most were grumpy. Out of all the days I think that trip from Zakopane to Budapest was the most difficult. Even I felt like I was ready to strangle someone. Once again a late night and early morning had left everyone worn out.
To Be Continued....
I cannot begin to relate all the wonderful things that we have done on this trip but some of the most fun I have had so far have been in with this crew. Our guide, Rene and driver, Vlad have really brought us all to some special places.
On the first day we stopped to sleep in Olomouc a town about 6 hour driving from Prague. It was quaint and lovely to look at though we really were not there for long, only an overnight stop really. We went out for 'family dinner' as our large group dinners were referred to, walked around the town and went to take some pictures at a strange bar that is on old plane that had been donated to the town for some impossibly strange reason I am sure.
Mornings always come early it seems, as the bus is always on the road by about 8am. Our second day was very full. We drove through to Poland and to our first major stop of the trip, Auschwitz. We had a 3 hour guided tour including Auschwitz I and Birkenau. It is a very emotional and devastating experience to walk on the grounds and it is not something that can easily be described. I am glad that I was able to see and hear the history and statistics first hand but it was not something that leaves you with any kind of good feeling afterward. I am sure the near silence on the bus ride the rest of the way to Krakow was an indication as to how people were feeling after an extremely heavy afternoon. I did take pictures here for the sake of memorial but will not be posting them publicly. If anyone is interested we can definitely go through them together.
Krakow, our final destination that day, is a beautiful city, we all went out the first evening and then half of us woke up early for a bike tour the next morning and half took the afternoon. Considering it poured all afternoon I think the morning people were the winners that day. We visited the Jewish district, the historical sights and even the Schindler's factory.
After a day and a half in Krakow, which was not nearly enough time, we moved on to our next destination, Zakopane, which is a cute ski resort town in Poland. We got there early enough that we could ride up the funicular to the mid mountain area and walk around a bit. Unfortunately, the weather has not been cooperating with us on this trip and it was actually quite cool and wet that day so only a short while was spent outside. It was neat to walk through the street markets or as the Aussies like to call them, malls, where people were selling tourist novelties,leather and fur goods and smoked cheese. It was a bit odd that all the things being sold were the exact same in many of the shops and for the same price. There had to be at least 50 separate cheese stands that sold the exact same smoked cheese for the same price. Zakopane is not a big place so I'm not really sure the theory behind it all. Also, the ski hill although cute did not look overly challenging so it's probably not one of the ones I would hurry back to in the winter.
That evening we had another 'family dinner' at a place dubbed the 'Meat Palace'. As I am not much of a meat eater myself, the thought of going to a place with meat platters that held multiple different meats from multiple animals was not overly appealing to me. However, when in Poland one must participate in the local customs so three of us went in on one of the platter and I ordered a couple sides of veggies to go with in case they were to be my meal instead.
I have taken pictures of the monstrosity that was the meat platter and even without experiencing it that night I think most people would gag a little at the quantity included. I was only adventrous enouh to try a couple different bits but after that I resorted to eating my vegitable place. There were many people that after that night had, what we will call, stomach 'issues' that continued for the rest of the trip. Eating too much meat will leave you paying for many days apparently. I knew there was a reason I didn't much care for it.
The next day we headed to what was supposed to be my final destination , Budapest. The day was long, no one was feeling good on the bus and most were grumpy. Out of all the days I think that trip from Zakopane to Budapest was the most difficult. Even I felt like I was ready to strangle someone. Once again a late night and early morning had left everyone worn out.
To Be Continued....
Saturday, July 31, 2010
Update!
Update to come soon I promise! My Eastern Trek was wonderful but provided me with not much opportunity to post on facebook or here so bare with me my fan club hehe.
Thursday, July 22, 2010
Prague and Terezin
Leaving Berlin so early was a sad thing. I feel like I could have spent a week there and still barely scratch the surface of such a multifaceted place. But there is only so much time to spare and there was none left. It is a place I would enjoy returning to one day in the future.
The trip to Prague was excellent, he scenery in the Czech Republic, stunning. The rolling hills and lakes reminded me a lot of certain parts of the BC landscape. One of my favorite things to observe while I am traveling is the architecture and the differences in houses compared to home. Every town that we pass, the most noticeable structure is the church. You can see them from the highways with their large pointed bell towers looming over the little villages. I have yet to see a town anywhere along the way without one of these.
Also, the houses here are magnificent and depressing at the same time. Coming from a society that prides itself in structural upkeep, especially to the outside facade of the buildings, to see all these houses that have the paint peeling off, the stucco crumbling in parts as well as completely abandoned looking buildings all over is a bit of a shock. When you leave the downtown tourist areas you really see a difference in what is priority and what is not.
On the way to Prague we stopped at a place called Terezin. "Terezín was established at the end of the 18th century as a fortress; still surrounded by its massive ramparts, the town lies at the confluence of the rivers Labe (Elbe) and Ohře (Eger)." During the Nazi occupation the fortress was used as a holding place for political prisoners. It was not meant as a concentration camp though in my opinion it walked a fine line. Many of the people that were housed here were eventually sent to one of many concentrations camps, including Auschwitz. By the end of the second world war over 150 000 people have been through Terezin and 35 000 prisoners eventually died there as a result of stress, hunger, the atrocious accommodation and poor hygienic conditions. I will include a link below to the official Terezin website, it is interesting to read the history as well to be able to see an aerial picture of the area.
Now as for Prague. I have never been to a stranger place I do not think. It is hard to explain. I am not sure if it is because it is one of the few places that was not touched during the wars as it was Hitlers golden city or whether it is because it is Bohemia and the Bohemian influence has taken over all aspects. Either way, this place is just different.
I met some people from Australia the night I got in and we took a guided bike tour through the city the next day. Learning the history surrounding the Hussite wars, the World Wars and the Velvet Revolution made a huge difference in understanding the culture and heritage of this place. Czech people are very proud to be Czech. Walking down the streets you would think that every single brick and cobblestone would have it's own story to share about how it got there. Though it would be nice if they could tell me more practical things like what street I am on as reading Czech road signs and comparing to my map was nearly impossible. Apparently Czech is the fourth most difficult language in the world to learn with an alphabet of 40 letters and seven tenses (if I can add it is in the top five in my books for the most harsh to listen to as well. Czech is not pleasing to the ears at all.)
We started by watching the Astronomical Clock do it's performance as it does every hour on the hour. It was commissioned in 1410, designed and built by a man named Mikuláš of Kadaň. After it was completed the King decided it was so beautiful that he could not stand for this fellow to build anything like it again so he sent his men to burn his eyes out with hot metal. Before he died years later it is said he climbed to the top of the tower to render it nonoperational. It was so complicated that it took 60 years to fix and every 50 years or so it breaks down. The legend says that the clock is cursed and that anyone that tries to fix it will die shortly afterward. I have gotten the impression there are a great deal of gypsy 'stories' here.
Across from the main town there is a park on a hill that overlooks the skyline. This used to be the home of the worlds largest statue of Stalin (30m high) but in 1961 they strapped a truck load of dynamite to it and blew it up. In the early 90's they commissioned an art piece to be placed there and of course the only logical thing was erected: the worlds largest functional metronome. I really think they do too much Absinthe here.
On the other side of town is a tv tower similar to the one in Berlin. One major difference though, this one has a bunch of giant black coloured, faceless,cement babies crawling up and down it. These babies were another art project by the Metronome fellow. When he made them, there were not only the ones on the tower but other ones spread across the city on the ground. Every night he would have them moved 22 meters towards 'home', so every morning the babies were in a different place. In a town where Absinthe and Marijuana are legal I can only imagine the massive paranoia this project probably created.
Other than the oddities, Prague is stunning. Being one of the only places spared from the wars the buildings have a character that is unlike anywhere else in the world. It lives up to it's name as the town of spires. Overlooking the city from the Metronome platform you can see the spires shooting up across the skyline. Many of them have golden balls or gold plating incorporated into them and they reflect the light from coming off the river and from the sun. It was impossible to take pictures of everything I wanted to, it would have been easier to just video the entire place.
I have been fortunate to have been able to include these places in the more eastern parts of Europe, the feeling is completely different from the West. I am looking forward to the next week as I travel through Poland, Slovakia and Hungary. These places will be very a very special part of my journey. I wish I could go farther East but am not prepared to do so on this trip. For now I will enjoy the places I have been fortunate enough to see and save the dreaming of future adventures for when I return home in October.
Terezin Information Website
Terezin Pictures
Prague Pictures
The trip to Prague was excellent, he scenery in the Czech Republic, stunning. The rolling hills and lakes reminded me a lot of certain parts of the BC landscape. One of my favorite things to observe while I am traveling is the architecture and the differences in houses compared to home. Every town that we pass, the most noticeable structure is the church. You can see them from the highways with their large pointed bell towers looming over the little villages. I have yet to see a town anywhere along the way without one of these.
Also, the houses here are magnificent and depressing at the same time. Coming from a society that prides itself in structural upkeep, especially to the outside facade of the buildings, to see all these houses that have the paint peeling off, the stucco crumbling in parts as well as completely abandoned looking buildings all over is a bit of a shock. When you leave the downtown tourist areas you really see a difference in what is priority and what is not.
On the way to Prague we stopped at a place called Terezin. "Terezín was established at the end of the 18th century as a fortress; still surrounded by its massive ramparts, the town lies at the confluence of the rivers Labe (Elbe) and Ohře (Eger)." During the Nazi occupation the fortress was used as a holding place for political prisoners. It was not meant as a concentration camp though in my opinion it walked a fine line. Many of the people that were housed here were eventually sent to one of many concentrations camps, including Auschwitz. By the end of the second world war over 150 000 people have been through Terezin and 35 000 prisoners eventually died there as a result of stress, hunger, the atrocious accommodation and poor hygienic conditions. I will include a link below to the official Terezin website, it is interesting to read the history as well to be able to see an aerial picture of the area.
Now as for Prague. I have never been to a stranger place I do not think. It is hard to explain. I am not sure if it is because it is one of the few places that was not touched during the wars as it was Hitlers golden city or whether it is because it is Bohemia and the Bohemian influence has taken over all aspects. Either way, this place is just different.
I met some people from Australia the night I got in and we took a guided bike tour through the city the next day. Learning the history surrounding the Hussite wars, the World Wars and the Velvet Revolution made a huge difference in understanding the culture and heritage of this place. Czech people are very proud to be Czech. Walking down the streets you would think that every single brick and cobblestone would have it's own story to share about how it got there. Though it would be nice if they could tell me more practical things like what street I am on as reading Czech road signs and comparing to my map was nearly impossible. Apparently Czech is the fourth most difficult language in the world to learn with an alphabet of 40 letters and seven tenses (if I can add it is in the top five in my books for the most harsh to listen to as well. Czech is not pleasing to the ears at all.)
We started by watching the Astronomical Clock do it's performance as it does every hour on the hour. It was commissioned in 1410, designed and built by a man named Mikuláš of Kadaň. After it was completed the King decided it was so beautiful that he could not stand for this fellow to build anything like it again so he sent his men to burn his eyes out with hot metal. Before he died years later it is said he climbed to the top of the tower to render it nonoperational. It was so complicated that it took 60 years to fix and every 50 years or so it breaks down. The legend says that the clock is cursed and that anyone that tries to fix it will die shortly afterward. I have gotten the impression there are a great deal of gypsy 'stories' here.
Across from the main town there is a park on a hill that overlooks the skyline. This used to be the home of the worlds largest statue of Stalin (30m high) but in 1961 they strapped a truck load of dynamite to it and blew it up. In the early 90's they commissioned an art piece to be placed there and of course the only logical thing was erected: the worlds largest functional metronome. I really think they do too much Absinthe here.
On the other side of town is a tv tower similar to the one in Berlin. One major difference though, this one has a bunch of giant black coloured, faceless,cement babies crawling up and down it. These babies were another art project by the Metronome fellow. When he made them, there were not only the ones on the tower but other ones spread across the city on the ground. Every night he would have them moved 22 meters towards 'home', so every morning the babies were in a different place. In a town where Absinthe and Marijuana are legal I can only imagine the massive paranoia this project probably created.
Other than the oddities, Prague is stunning. Being one of the only places spared from the wars the buildings have a character that is unlike anywhere else in the world. It lives up to it's name as the town of spires. Overlooking the city from the Metronome platform you can see the spires shooting up across the skyline. Many of them have golden balls or gold plating incorporated into them and they reflect the light from coming off the river and from the sun. It was impossible to take pictures of everything I wanted to, it would have been easier to just video the entire place.
I have been fortunate to have been able to include these places in the more eastern parts of Europe, the feeling is completely different from the West. I am looking forward to the next week as I travel through Poland, Slovakia and Hungary. These places will be very a very special part of my journey. I wish I could go farther East but am not prepared to do so on this trip. For now I will enjoy the places I have been fortunate enough to see and save the dreaming of future adventures for when I return home in October.
Terezin Information Website
Terezin Pictures
Prague Pictures
Monday, July 19, 2010
Berlin - Advice to any Canadian traveling abroad included!
Waking up early makes me feel like I am at work but on the days that I am traveling the choice is no longer mine. My bus left from the Flying Pig Uptown hostel at 8am on Friday morning so I was packed and out the door of my hostel by 7:30am.
I found out that day how small the world really was as the fellow that was acting as guide on the bus was from Tsawwassen of all places. To think that in a place halfway across the world I would find myself talking to someone about people and places from my home town.
Our day was long, the trip was planned to take about 10 hours but because of some unforeseeable traffic delays we did not arrive in Berlin until just before 8pm. The drop point was thankfully only a 10 minute walk from my hostel so walking in the 33 degree heat (yes even at 8pm) was not as bad as I thought it would be.
With a hot evening and a tired body from the long ride I decided not to try and navigate Berlin in the dark and called it and early night. There is no way to describe to you my ecstasy when my head fell upon the worlds most wonderful gift to me so far on this trip: a feather pillow. It was as if my cries had been heard in the previous weeks and I was rewarded for my patience. It is such a tiny thing but when you live life out of a backpack and you spend most days a little bit lost and disoriented (no matter how many times you look at your map), the simple joy of a soft pillow to rest your weary head is a little slice of heaven on earth.
When I finally ventured into the city I found myself with so many things to see, so much history to take in, in a very short time. Walking down one of the main roads Unter den Linden you find yourself surrounded by memories from a world gone by. I will admit to being surprised at how much the people of Berlin embrace their sordid history. I want to write about all the history here but with my simple knowledge I could never do it justice.
Seeing the original book burning square where in 1933 the Nazi's held the first of many book burnings was something that made me stop and think for awhile. As a lover of all types of literature the loss of such a library is heartbreaking.
The Memorial to the Murdered Jews was also something that inspired much thinking. It encompasses a massive area of ground that undulates as you walk along between what start off as smaller blocks of cement of uneven heights that eventually turn into blocks nearly twice my height only to return at the other side back into the small blocks again. There are a series of rules for entering this art piece although I do not think many see them. You are to enter slowly and quietly, you are to be reflective as to their meaning and the story that surrounds them. With many different routes to take from one side to the other you could spend much time just wandering and thinking all seemingly away from the rest of the world.
The Neue Wache has a rather glorious and almost Roman styled front facade but when you enter you encounter a very different atmosphere. The entire room is coloured dark, it is large in size with massive vaulted ceilings. Yet the only thing that rests in this room is a statue of two people cradling each other. This statue lies under a large round hole in the ceiling that is opens to the sky above. When it is sunny the statue is basked in sunlight and when it rains, the statue is also rained on.
My first day ended after a good deal of walking and a lot of pondering and appreciating the things of the past.
Only two days in Berlin is admittedly not enough, there is far too much to see to even crack the surface in the short time I had. I am sure if I took public transit I could have seen more but I have been enjoying these last few days of just walking between the places I want to see. You cannot see the different neighborhoods, the different people, the small little details when you spend all your time on the sky train or metro. Some of the places I enjoyed seeing the most were not on the tourist map and could be seen from a train.
My second day was supposed to start early but I was able to catch up with a friend from home online first thing so my activities were delayed. Communicating with people from home in real time is a difficult thing to do with a 9 hour time difference and it is always something I enjoy as there has been little opportunity for these moments in the last three weeks. So it is no sacrifice at all to put off my plans for a little while to chat and enjoy a friendly conversation with someone familiar.
After talking and having breakfast I made my way out to the East Side Gallery, the longest stretch of the Berlin Wall that still remains intact. The portraits go on seemingly forever and each one has it's own character and they are done by people from all around the world. I even found one done by people from Quebec. Each carries it's own message and it's own meaning. One part that surprised me was how small the wall was. It is not thick nor is it that high. To think that such a small thing could divide an area so vehemently.
After walking the gallery I crossed the river and made my way back to the Jewish Museum. It took much longer than I assumed and after 5 hours of walking already that day I was starting to feel weary. I walked the museums permanent exhibitions and learned a lot about Jewish history and tradition as well as a good deal of information about the war time persecutions and so forth. Definitely worth spending some time in.
I finished my day relaxing and repacking. With another early bus to Prague in the morning I thought that taking it easy, doing my 'chores' backpacker style (which is basically reorganizing all the things in your pack and trying to make them smaller).
One piece of advice I will give to anyone who goes to another country is this, I saved it for last: bring something from MEC (Mountain Equipment Co-op). It is probably the best, somewhat covert way of telling people you are Canadian. I did not sew any patches on my backpacks because I did not really care to advertise where I was from but even still, my shoulder bag is a MEC bag and people notice. Canadian people notice. Walking across the river the first day I passed by two guys that were taking photos and going the other way. As I pass all of a sudden I hear, 'Hey! She's Canadian' exchanged between the two of them. I turned around and we introduced ourselves. They had been traveling in the Baltics and had not encountered one Canadian that they knew of for almost a month. They were both from North Van and were excited to meet one of their own. 'We saw your MEC bag and knew you were one of us.'
Better than a flag.
Berlin Pictures
I found out that day how small the world really was as the fellow that was acting as guide on the bus was from Tsawwassen of all places. To think that in a place halfway across the world I would find myself talking to someone about people and places from my home town.
Our day was long, the trip was planned to take about 10 hours but because of some unforeseeable traffic delays we did not arrive in Berlin until just before 8pm. The drop point was thankfully only a 10 minute walk from my hostel so walking in the 33 degree heat (yes even at 8pm) was not as bad as I thought it would be.
With a hot evening and a tired body from the long ride I decided not to try and navigate Berlin in the dark and called it and early night. There is no way to describe to you my ecstasy when my head fell upon the worlds most wonderful gift to me so far on this trip: a feather pillow. It was as if my cries had been heard in the previous weeks and I was rewarded for my patience. It is such a tiny thing but when you live life out of a backpack and you spend most days a little bit lost and disoriented (no matter how many times you look at your map), the simple joy of a soft pillow to rest your weary head is a little slice of heaven on earth.
When I finally ventured into the city I found myself with so many things to see, so much history to take in, in a very short time. Walking down one of the main roads Unter den Linden you find yourself surrounded by memories from a world gone by. I will admit to being surprised at how much the people of Berlin embrace their sordid history. I want to write about all the history here but with my simple knowledge I could never do it justice.
Seeing the original book burning square where in 1933 the Nazi's held the first of many book burnings was something that made me stop and think for awhile. As a lover of all types of literature the loss of such a library is heartbreaking.
The Memorial to the Murdered Jews was also something that inspired much thinking. It encompasses a massive area of ground that undulates as you walk along between what start off as smaller blocks of cement of uneven heights that eventually turn into blocks nearly twice my height only to return at the other side back into the small blocks again. There are a series of rules for entering this art piece although I do not think many see them. You are to enter slowly and quietly, you are to be reflective as to their meaning and the story that surrounds them. With many different routes to take from one side to the other you could spend much time just wandering and thinking all seemingly away from the rest of the world.
The Neue Wache has a rather glorious and almost Roman styled front facade but when you enter you encounter a very different atmosphere. The entire room is coloured dark, it is large in size with massive vaulted ceilings. Yet the only thing that rests in this room is a statue of two people cradling each other. This statue lies under a large round hole in the ceiling that is opens to the sky above. When it is sunny the statue is basked in sunlight and when it rains, the statue is also rained on.
My first day ended after a good deal of walking and a lot of pondering and appreciating the things of the past.
Only two days in Berlin is admittedly not enough, there is far too much to see to even crack the surface in the short time I had. I am sure if I took public transit I could have seen more but I have been enjoying these last few days of just walking between the places I want to see. You cannot see the different neighborhoods, the different people, the small little details when you spend all your time on the sky train or metro. Some of the places I enjoyed seeing the most were not on the tourist map and could be seen from a train.
My second day was supposed to start early but I was able to catch up with a friend from home online first thing so my activities were delayed. Communicating with people from home in real time is a difficult thing to do with a 9 hour time difference and it is always something I enjoy as there has been little opportunity for these moments in the last three weeks. So it is no sacrifice at all to put off my plans for a little while to chat and enjoy a friendly conversation with someone familiar.
After talking and having breakfast I made my way out to the East Side Gallery, the longest stretch of the Berlin Wall that still remains intact. The portraits go on seemingly forever and each one has it's own character and they are done by people from all around the world. I even found one done by people from Quebec. Each carries it's own message and it's own meaning. One part that surprised me was how small the wall was. It is not thick nor is it that high. To think that such a small thing could divide an area so vehemently.
After walking the gallery I crossed the river and made my way back to the Jewish Museum. It took much longer than I assumed and after 5 hours of walking already that day I was starting to feel weary. I walked the museums permanent exhibitions and learned a lot about Jewish history and tradition as well as a good deal of information about the war time persecutions and so forth. Definitely worth spending some time in.
I finished my day relaxing and repacking. With another early bus to Prague in the morning I thought that taking it easy, doing my 'chores' backpacker style (which is basically reorganizing all the things in your pack and trying to make them smaller).
One piece of advice I will give to anyone who goes to another country is this, I saved it for last: bring something from MEC (Mountain Equipment Co-op). It is probably the best, somewhat covert way of telling people you are Canadian. I did not sew any patches on my backpacks because I did not really care to advertise where I was from but even still, my shoulder bag is a MEC bag and people notice. Canadian people notice. Walking across the river the first day I passed by two guys that were taking photos and going the other way. As I pass all of a sudden I hear, 'Hey! She's Canadian' exchanged between the two of them. I turned around and we introduced ourselves. They had been traveling in the Baltics and had not encountered one Canadian that they knew of for almost a month. They were both from North Van and were excited to meet one of their own. 'We saw your MEC bag and knew you were one of us.'
Better than a flag.
Berlin Pictures
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