I've been getting a lot of the "so how is it to be back???" type of question since getting back home. The truth is that it's both good and bad. First of all, I'm not going to lie: I had a 20min love affair w/my bed after I finally got home on Thursday night (i.e. "I love my bed. I love my pillow. I love my sheets. I love my blankets." etc). I also love having actual toilets (i.e. not squat toilets and not toilets w/out seats) and toilet paper. Readjusting to other things are a challenge, though - like sitting in front of a computer all day, immediately starting a Perl programming course at a local community college, going to Wal-Mart and seeing the rather disgusting force that is American consumerism - combined w/our warped sense of "need" v. "want", etc.
Overall, I think my mind is still trying to process the experiences of the last two months and I think it will be a while before I feel like I've really integrated what I've learned along the way. There's a big part of me that will be searching for ways to involve myself in more "meaningful" endeavors in the coming months, but I still have to work on defining "meaningful" in that context. For now, we'll just have to wait and see what the future brings...
That said...
Am I glad that I went? Hell yes.
Would I do it again? Hell yes.
Wednesday, October 11, 2006
When in Rome...
Rome is...something else. I went w/the somewhat naive expectation that it was just going to be fantastic to see classical Rome (after all, I'd had such a positive experience at Pompeii); however, it turned out that classical Rome really underwhelmed me. It's not that it wasn't impressive or meaningful; it just wasn't what I thought it would be while I was sitting at home watching it on tv (a la Rick Steves, or the travel geek/guru of your choice). On the flip-side, religious Rome totally overwhelmed me in a positive and unexpected way. Point being that you just can't predict how you're going to react to certain places; it's all about the experience of being there...
So... I arrived in Rome after 1hr on the Circumvesuviana between Sant' Agnello and Naples, and the 2hr train betw Naples and Rome. I lucked out & didn't have to wait very long in Naples for a train. (I guess by that time, I had good train karma or something.) My hostel in Rome was just...sad; I won't go into details beyond that, but trust me. It revealed itself as increasingly sad as the days passed. If it weren't for the fact that I would've had to waste my limited time in Rome searching for another affordable place, I would've just moved someplace else & written off the money I paid there up-front. But, I digress... The good thing about the hostel was its location. I was ~5-7min walk from the Colosseum, Forum and Palatine, which was great. Trevi Fountain was ~10min walk & the Spanish Steps were ~15min walk. (To me Trevi & the Spanish Steps were ridiculously overhyped tourist spots that I could've done w/out. I snapped a few photos at Trevi, but didn't even bother at the Spanish Steps...) Vatican City was ~45min-1hr walk, depending on your speed.
My first afternoon, I just visited the Forum and gawked at the Colosseum from the outside. It's architecturally and historically impressive, but the tourist curiosity outside it (inc. photo ops w/guys Roman solider costumes, a wide array of overpriced "tour guides" shouting/touting their services in several languages, and the bevvy of Indian and African guys selling their wares) is something to be seen.
The next day, I bought the Palatine/Colosseum combo ticket (i.e. visited Palatine Hill & went into the Colosseum), and then went to the "Pope's Church" i.e. the Basilica of St. Giovanni in Laterano, and the Scala Santa. The basilica is impressive in its own right, but the Scala Santa (aka Sacred Stairs) are something else. It's a big Catholic pilgrimmage spot where you can climb a staircase in front of a crucifix, but you can only climb it on your knees while praying at each step. When I was there, the stairs were packed w/the faithful; there was literally no space left and people were standing in line waiting for their opportunity to climb on their knees - including old women who could barely walk to begin with. A powerful sight.
Other than that, I went to a horde of churches and basilicas (because they're beautiful - and FREE), visited the Capucchin crypt containing the remains of ~4000 Capucchin monks (similar in nature to the Kutna Hora ossuary, but more powerful in terms of symbolism), went window shopping in Italian boutiques, visited the Vatican and did the whole Vatican Museum/Sistine Chapel thing.
The first time I went to the Vatican, I got there in the morning before 9am & intended to go straight to the Sistine Chapel, but wasn't smart enough to figure out where I needed to go. So... I went inside St. Peter's Basilica & it was mostly like "my own private Vatican". I saw masses going on in three different languages (simultaneously, in different chapels), but there were very few tourists in the basilica at that hour. It was lovely and somewhat surreal. I also went through the Tombs of the Popes, and witnessed the profound emotion people had while praying before the tomb of John Paul II. Eventually, after standing in line for ~1.5hrs, I did make it to the museum and to the Sistine Chapel. The Sistine Chapel was "interesting". Yes, Michaelangelo's work is fantastic and awe-inspiring. However, for me, I was more amazed that people kept trying to sneak photos when it's made abundantly clear that no photos are allowed, and that most people focused only on a single panel of the ceiling, rather than really stopping to LOOK at what was there. For me, that single panel of ceiling is nice but not the most impressive or intriguing; it pays to keep your eyes open. I was also in awe of the fact that people were spending <5min or so actually in the chapel, while it took Michaelangelo something like 20yrs of work to paint the ceiling. I kept thinking of the amount of himself (i.e. personal power / life force / what have you) he'd invested in the ceiling; it's really quite humbling.
Now, if you know me, you know I've had some, uh, "differences of opinion" with The Church - and, of course, the Vatican is completely symbolic of The Church; however, I was surprised to find that I really felt a sense of peace inside. It didn't matter that my beliefs differed from those of at least 99% of those present; we were all (or mostly all) there as spiritual people - and it was beautiful in that sense. I walked around the basilica and found tears coming of their own accord. The experience of being there wasn't about our differences; it wasn't about problems or centuries of grievances; it was about finding similarity and appreciating Beauty and Spirit. That was something I could totally get on board with...
I actually went back to the Vatican on my last afternoon. I wanted to buy a rosary there; it was that powerful and I wanted to remember it. My second Vatican experience was decidedly different than my first, though: there were hordes of tourists present and there was actually a LINE to get into the basilica. I wound up buying two rosaries from the Vatican Post Office outside the basilica (having mailed a few post cards from Vatican City the day before & noticed that they had an assortment of affordable options) and then sitting at the base of a column in the rotunda to write in my journal for a bit. Eventually, the line started going down & moving faster, so I decided that I'd go in the basilica one last time. (After all, how many times are you really in Vatican City, anyway?) It turned out to be perfect timing. Once inside, I learned that mass was going to be held at the high altar (though not the papal altar) in 15min. So... I decided to go.
Not being Catholic (and understanding what a big thing mass at the Vatican is), I didn't want to sit front-and-center; instead, I opted to sit in the 2nd-from-the-back row of pews, on the far left. Ironically, I couldn't have picked a better place if I'd tried. From where I was sitting, I had a completely unobstructed view of the processional of priests and altar boys coming in from the sacristy - candles and cross raised high, massive censor swinging and smoke billowing out. It was breathtaking. I've never seen anything quite like it. The tears just started pouring down my cheeks and continued through a good part of mass (in Castillian Spanish). I know the Spanish women near me were a little surprised at first by the tears, but I noticed them all with wet cheeks as the mass progressed; there was just something powerful about the ritual and powerful about being there at that moment.
After the mass, I just had time to walk back across town, grab some food, grab my bags at the hostel and walk to the train station to catch the 2nd-to-last Leonardo Express to the airport. (I spent the night in the airport since I had a 6am international flight...too early for public transit.)
Now, I'm no more Catholic than I ever was; however, I really couldn't have ended my trip in a better way. The resounding theme of my trip was of spiritual journey and recentering, working through "issues", reconciling death and impermanence, and just letting myself be "in the moment" and open to appreciating each new experience again. Attending mass at the high altar of the Vatican was definitely symbolic of that...
So... I arrived in Rome after 1hr on the Circumvesuviana between Sant' Agnello and Naples, and the 2hr train betw Naples and Rome. I lucked out & didn't have to wait very long in Naples for a train. (I guess by that time, I had good train karma or something.) My hostel in Rome was just...sad; I won't go into details beyond that, but trust me. It revealed itself as increasingly sad as the days passed. If it weren't for the fact that I would've had to waste my limited time in Rome searching for another affordable place, I would've just moved someplace else & written off the money I paid there up-front. But, I digress... The good thing about the hostel was its location. I was ~5-7min walk from the Colosseum, Forum and Palatine, which was great. Trevi Fountain was ~10min walk & the Spanish Steps were ~15min walk. (To me Trevi & the Spanish Steps were ridiculously overhyped tourist spots that I could've done w/out. I snapped a few photos at Trevi, but didn't even bother at the Spanish Steps...) Vatican City was ~45min-1hr walk, depending on your speed.
My first afternoon, I just visited the Forum and gawked at the Colosseum from the outside. It's architecturally and historically impressive, but the tourist curiosity outside it (inc. photo ops w/guys Roman solider costumes, a wide array of overpriced "tour guides" shouting/touting their services in several languages, and the bevvy of Indian and African guys selling their wares) is something to be seen.
The next day, I bought the Palatine/Colosseum combo ticket (i.e. visited Palatine Hill & went into the Colosseum), and then went to the "Pope's Church" i.e. the Basilica of St. Giovanni in Laterano, and the Scala Santa. The basilica is impressive in its own right, but the Scala Santa (aka Sacred Stairs) are something else. It's a big Catholic pilgrimmage spot where you can climb a staircase in front of a crucifix, but you can only climb it on your knees while praying at each step. When I was there, the stairs were packed w/the faithful; there was literally no space left and people were standing in line waiting for their opportunity to climb on their knees - including old women who could barely walk to begin with. A powerful sight.
Other than that, I went to a horde of churches and basilicas (because they're beautiful - and FREE), visited the Capucchin crypt containing the remains of ~4000 Capucchin monks (similar in nature to the Kutna Hora ossuary, but more powerful in terms of symbolism), went window shopping in Italian boutiques, visited the Vatican and did the whole Vatican Museum/Sistine Chapel thing.
The first time I went to the Vatican, I got there in the morning before 9am & intended to go straight to the Sistine Chapel, but wasn't smart enough to figure out where I needed to go. So... I went inside St. Peter's Basilica & it was mostly like "my own private Vatican". I saw masses going on in three different languages (simultaneously, in different chapels), but there were very few tourists in the basilica at that hour. It was lovely and somewhat surreal. I also went through the Tombs of the Popes, and witnessed the profound emotion people had while praying before the tomb of John Paul II. Eventually, after standing in line for ~1.5hrs, I did make it to the museum and to the Sistine Chapel. The Sistine Chapel was "interesting". Yes, Michaelangelo's work is fantastic and awe-inspiring. However, for me, I was more amazed that people kept trying to sneak photos when it's made abundantly clear that no photos are allowed, and that most people focused only on a single panel of the ceiling, rather than really stopping to LOOK at what was there. For me, that single panel of ceiling is nice but not the most impressive or intriguing; it pays to keep your eyes open. I was also in awe of the fact that people were spending <5min or so actually in the chapel, while it took Michaelangelo something like 20yrs of work to paint the ceiling. I kept thinking of the amount of himself (i.e. personal power / life force / what have you) he'd invested in the ceiling; it's really quite humbling.Now, if you know me, you know I've had some, uh, "differences of opinion" with The Church - and, of course, the Vatican is completely symbolic of The Church; however, I was surprised to find that I really felt a sense of peace inside. It didn't matter that my beliefs differed from those of at least 99% of those present; we were all (or mostly all) there as spiritual people - and it was beautiful in that sense. I walked around the basilica and found tears coming of their own accord. The experience of being there wasn't about our differences; it wasn't about problems or centuries of grievances; it was about finding similarity and appreciating Beauty and Spirit. That was something I could totally get on board with...
I actually went back to the Vatican on my last afternoon. I wanted to buy a rosary there; it was that powerful and I wanted to remember it. My second Vatican experience was decidedly different than my first, though: there were hordes of tourists present and there was actually a LINE to get into the basilica. I wound up buying two rosaries from the Vatican Post Office outside the basilica (having mailed a few post cards from Vatican City the day before & noticed that they had an assortment of affordable options) and then sitting at the base of a column in the rotunda to write in my journal for a bit. Eventually, the line started going down & moving faster, so I decided that I'd go in the basilica one last time. (After all, how many times are you really in Vatican City, anyway?) It turned out to be perfect timing. Once inside, I learned that mass was going to be held at the high altar (though not the papal altar) in 15min. So... I decided to go.
Not being Catholic (and understanding what a big thing mass at the Vatican is), I didn't want to sit front-and-center; instead, I opted to sit in the 2nd-from-the-back row of pews, on the far left. Ironically, I couldn't have picked a better place if I'd tried. From where I was sitting, I had a completely unobstructed view of the processional of priests and altar boys coming in from the sacristy - candles and cross raised high, massive censor swinging and smoke billowing out. It was breathtaking. I've never seen anything quite like it. The tears just started pouring down my cheeks and continued through a good part of mass (in Castillian Spanish). I know the Spanish women near me were a little surprised at first by the tears, but I noticed them all with wet cheeks as the mass progressed; there was just something powerful about the ritual and powerful about being there at that moment.
After the mass, I just had time to walk back across town, grab some food, grab my bags at the hostel and walk to the train station to catch the 2nd-to-last Leonardo Express to the airport. (I spent the night in the airport since I had a 6am international flight...too early for public transit.)
Now, I'm no more Catholic than I ever was; however, I really couldn't have ended my trip in a better way. The resounding theme of my trip was of spiritual journey and recentering, working through "issues", reconciling death and impermanence, and just letting myself be "in the moment" and open to appreciating each new experience again. Attending mass at the high altar of the Vatican was definitely symbolic of that...
Saturday, September 30, 2006
In the shadow of Vesuvius
I thoroughly enjoyed my time around the Amalfi Coast. I spent 5 nights in Sant' Agnello, a suburb of Sorrento. It rained 2 of the days I was there, but it was still good. I spent a couple of afternoons in Sorrento, took a crazy bus ride down to Amalfi (during which the bus driver totally rammed a parked scooter into the wall - it had to be physically pried out from between the bus and the wall before we could continue on) and, of course, went to Pompeii & Herculeneum. In the end, though, I just couldn't be bothered to head out to Capri or Ischia; I opted for a day lounging about and reading in the hostel garden instead. (Believe it or not, you sometimes do need a vacation from your vacation...)
For me, the Amalfi Coast was too touristy - full of sunbirds with money to blow, like I imagine Miami to be. Pompeii was amazing, though. I spent much longer at Pompeii than many (~5hrs) & then went through Herculeneum rather quickly (~1.5hrs) because I was in full sensory overload. It's hard to put into words how I felt walking through those streets or standing in the Pompeii amphitheatre, but it was very powerful. I also loved that there was greenspace where I could escape the throngs of tourists and just be by myself, appreciating the fact that I was actually at Pompeii after all the years I've spent dreaming of going there. (It also didn't hurt the overall experience that I kept running into the very attractive Swedish art teacher from my hostel...) I think the thing that suprised me about Pompeii and Herculeneum, though, was just how far they are from Vesuvius; seeing the distance with my own eyes allowed me to better appreciate just how strong the volcanic explosion must've been...
More than anything, though, my time in Sant' Agnello convinced me that those living in the shadow of Vesuvius are the "forgotten Italians" - if there be such a thing. I rode the Circuvesuviana train a fair bit, and the towns between Sorrento and Naples are in rather "interesting" shape - more like Tijuana or parts of Romania than you'd expect to find in Italy. There are towns like Via Nocera where young children get on the train for a few stops & play cheap plastic accordians trying to get $$ from the tourists; they do this every day, all day - and they're school age children. So, what, maybe they make 1-2 Euro/day? Is it worth it? Scenes like this are definitely what they try not to have the tourists see - or at least what they hope we don't remember. Then again, maybe that's part of the distinction between tourists and travellers: tourists likely won't remember scenes like that, whereas travellers will. Just a thought...
For me, the Amalfi Coast was too touristy - full of sunbirds with money to blow, like I imagine Miami to be. Pompeii was amazing, though. I spent much longer at Pompeii than many (~5hrs) & then went through Herculeneum rather quickly (~1.5hrs) because I was in full sensory overload. It's hard to put into words how I felt walking through those streets or standing in the Pompeii amphitheatre, but it was very powerful. I also loved that there was greenspace where I could escape the throngs of tourists and just be by myself, appreciating the fact that I was actually at Pompeii after all the years I've spent dreaming of going there. (It also didn't hurt the overall experience that I kept running into the very attractive Swedish art teacher from my hostel...) I think the thing that suprised me about Pompeii and Herculeneum, though, was just how far they are from Vesuvius; seeing the distance with my own eyes allowed me to better appreciate just how strong the volcanic explosion must've been...More than anything, though, my time in Sant' Agnello convinced me that those living in the shadow of Vesuvius are the "forgotten Italians" - if there be such a thing. I rode the Circuvesuviana train a fair bit, and the towns between Sorrento and Naples are in rather "interesting" shape - more like Tijuana or parts of Romania than you'd expect to find in Italy. There are towns like Via Nocera where young children get on the train for a few stops & play cheap plastic accordians trying to get $$ from the tourists; they do this every day, all day - and they're school age children. So, what, maybe they make 1-2 Euro/day? Is it worth it? Scenes like this are definitely what they try not to have the tourists see - or at least what they hope we don't remember. Then again, maybe that's part of the distinction between tourists and travellers: tourists likely won't remember scenes like that, whereas travellers will. Just a thought...
Sunday, September 24, 2006
Napoli!
Ciao from Napoli (aka Naples). I arrived at my hostel around 1pm, got a free map and some advice (including the tidbit about it being some kind of a municipal holiday so museums were free), and set out on the town...Everyone says bad things about Naples. It's dirty; it's not safe; it's ugly. (I could go on.) However, I actually think Naples isn't bad. To me, it's less sketchy than some parts of Tijuana...
Anyway, the one things I really wanted to do here was visit the Museum Nazionale (which houses all the artifacts that have been removed from Pompeii). Getting in for free was a bonus. There were some stunning black marble statues with haunting white eyes (not from Pompeii), amazing Pompeii mosaics, a special phallic/sexual art archive section, and what was the most interesting to me...busts and statues from the temple to Isis (who knew?) and a gorgeous icon of the Hindu goddess Lakshmi (again, who knew).
I also got into some Palace for free - and need to do some research to understand what exactly I was seeing. :) Other than that and general photo snapping (e.g. of Mt Vesuvius across the bay), I just had time for some genuine Napoli pizza. Good stuff. :)Tomorrow, I'm off to Sorrento (or, actually, someplace slightly outside it) where I plan to base myself for 5 nights so I can see Pompeii/Herculeneum, the Amalfi Coast, and Capri...
Saturday, September 23, 2006
Tuscany, O Tuscany...
On Thursday, I took a daytrip to Siena by bus. Siena (and the Tuscan countryside we drove through) is beautiful, no question about it. I went w/a German girl from my dorm and we caught the last bus back to Florence that night because we were busy seeing so much... Everything we did was pretty much religious in nature: a combined ticket got us into the cathedral, baptistry, crypt, and museum. We also walked around & visited others churches that were free.
By sheer luck, we happeneded to be there during the short time of year when the mosaic floors of the duomo are uncovered. Very, very cool. It was really interesting, too, to look around the duomo and realize how much pre-Christian symbolism was present; it was all over the place. (Side note: There's also pre-Christian and Judaic symbolism on the exterior of the Duomo here in Florence. I spent a while just walking around & looking at it last night. It's kind of like they intentionally included the symbolism of other traditions so that they would feel included/welcome in the new tradition.)
Yesterday, I got up early and got to the Uffizi before 7:30am to start standing in line so that I could get in reasonably. (They open at 8:15am.) I was one of the first 20 people to buy a ticket & get in, but that would not have been the case if I was a few minutes later - by that time, there were literally a few hundred people in line. Crazy. That said, the sacrifice of getting up early (and the high 9.5 € price tag) was totally worth it; the artwork & sculpture was amazing. There were, of course, highlights such as Boticelli's "Birth of Venus" and assorted works by Da Vinci, Michelangelo, Raphael - and even Rembrandt - but I really found that I enjoyed the lesser known (to me) artists. ...and I was smart enough to start writing down their names so that I can research them later... :)
Today, I've just been wandering around visiting churches that are free, sitting in the park watching little Italian grandmothers play with their grandchildren, and generally just relaxing. That's part of what makes a trip like this enjoyable, I think - having the time to be able to do that.
I also booked my train down to Naples for tomorrow morning & actually made reservations for my remaining destinations in Italy. I'm reaching the somewhat surrealistic point where thoughts of home, and of the end of this trip, are starting to manifest. ...but I'm doing my best to block out those thoughts for at least another week :)
By sheer luck, we happeneded to be there during the short time of year when the mosaic floors of the duomo are uncovered. Very, very cool. It was really interesting, too, to look around the duomo and realize how much pre-Christian symbolism was present; it was all over the place. (Side note: There's also pre-Christian and Judaic symbolism on the exterior of the Duomo here in Florence. I spent a while just walking around & looking at it last night. It's kind of like they intentionally included the symbolism of other traditions so that they would feel included/welcome in the new tradition.)Yesterday, I got up early and got to the Uffizi before 7:30am to start standing in line so that I could get in reasonably. (They open at 8:15am.) I was one of the first 20 people to buy a ticket & get in, but that would not have been the case if I was a few minutes later - by that time, there were literally a few hundred people in line. Crazy. That said, the sacrifice of getting up early (and the high 9.5 € price tag) was totally worth it; the artwork & sculpture was amazing. There were, of course, highlights such as Boticelli's "Birth of Venus" and assorted works by Da Vinci, Michelangelo, Raphael - and even Rembrandt - but I really found that I enjoyed the lesser known (to me) artists. ...and I was smart enough to start writing down their names so that I can research them later... :)
Today, I've just been wandering around visiting churches that are free, sitting in the park watching little Italian grandmothers play with their grandchildren, and generally just relaxing. That's part of what makes a trip like this enjoyable, I think - having the time to be able to do that.
I also booked my train down to Naples for tomorrow morning & actually made reservations for my remaining destinations in Italy. I'm reaching the somewhat surrealistic point where thoughts of home, and of the end of this trip, are starting to manifest. ...but I'm doing my best to block out those thoughts for at least another week :)
Tuesday, September 19, 2006
Venice & Florence
I took the night train from Vienna to Venice. 12hrs. It was, hands down, the nicest night train experience I've had. The train was mostly clean, had toilet paper, had only 4 people in my 6-bed couchette, required no passport check (since both countries were EU countries) and even had little extras (like mini water bottles when you boarded and coffee/rolls for breakfast). After spending so many of my train rides outside the EU, I think I've gotten used to lesser quality; these days I'm easy to impress :)
That said, it was raining in Vienna when I left - and raining in Venice when I arrived w/out reservations. Not good for a cold. I bought an umbrella tried some hostels (which were full) and then got a recommendation for a 1-star hotel that also had a dormitory for 20€/nt. I jumped on that because I needed someplace to stay. The rain let up a bit, so I went out for a walk - and then proceeded to get caught in a major downpour. I bought a geeked-out raincoat/poncho, huddled under an overhang, and watched how the Venetians dealt w/ the weather. (Actually, I think that's when I fell in love w/ Venice.) People were so good natured about the weather - laughing and smiling and singing and playing accordian; it was great.
Only stayed two night in Venice (because that "hotel" really was a pit - I'll have to describe it when I get back to do it justice), but had a great time. I went to the Guggenheim museum, Palazzo Ducale and a couple other museums. I walked across a flooded Piazza San Marco & went into the cathedral. I also walked into a variety of small churches, and got myself lost in the back alleys of Venice. Good fun.
Venice seems to be a place that hit or miss among travelers; for me, it was a definite hit. If I have then opportunity (and make actual reservations for something not crap), I'd love to return...
This morning, though, I caught a train to Bologna and then another to Florence (arriving at 3pm). Again, I didn't have reservations. This time, however, I hit gold on my first attempt. I'm staying at the Novella Inn for 20€/nt. Clean, spacious dorm, great bathroom w/ hot water - again, I'm easy to please these days. I've booked 5 nights here so that I have time to really see Florence. So far, I love it - and I've just walked about with a German dorm mate.
I didn't really intend to have internet time, but I got stuck chatting/walking with a seemingly nice Indian guy, but I didn't want him to see where I'm staying and internet here is comparatively cheap. So...
That said, it was raining in Vienna when I left - and raining in Venice when I arrived w/out reservations. Not good for a cold. I bought an umbrella tried some hostels (which were full) and then got a recommendation for a 1-star hotel that also had a dormitory for 20€/nt. I jumped on that because I needed someplace to stay. The rain let up a bit, so I went out for a walk - and then proceeded to get caught in a major downpour. I bought a geeked-out raincoat/poncho, huddled under an overhang, and watched how the Venetians dealt w/ the weather. (Actually, I think that's when I fell in love w/ Venice.) People were so good natured about the weather - laughing and smiling and singing and playing accordian; it was great.Only stayed two night in Venice (because that "hotel" really was a pit - I'll have to describe it when I get back to do it justice), but had a great time. I went to the Guggenheim museum, Palazzo Ducale and a couple other museums. I walked across a flooded Piazza San Marco & went into the cathedral. I also walked into a variety of small churches, and got myself lost in the back alleys of Venice. Good fun.
Venice seems to be a place that hit or miss among travelers; for me, it was a definite hit. If I have then opportunity (and make actual reservations for something not crap), I'd love to return...
This morning, though, I caught a train to Bologna and then another to Florence (arriving at 3pm). Again, I didn't have reservations. This time, however, I hit gold on my first attempt. I'm staying at the Novella Inn for 20€/nt. Clean, spacious dorm, great bathroom w/ hot water - again, I'm easy to please these days. I've booked 5 nights here so that I have time to really see Florence. So far, I love it - and I've just walked about with a German dorm mate.I didn't really intend to have internet time, but I got stuck chatting/walking with a seemingly nice Indian guy, but I didn't want him to see where I'm staying and internet here is comparatively cheap. So...
Vienna wrap-up
I never really found that part of Vienna that I loved - though I really liked the subway. : ) I made a fairly decent attempt at seeing the sights, though, for being sick. (Somewhere between the cold nights in Cesky Krumlov & the warm weather in Vienna, I got quite a cold - which has continued through for a while.)
I felt fairly proud as a psychologist that I made the effort to visit the Sigmund Freud museum. It was his Vienna house and office (not terribly exciting, but still obligatory for me) and then saw a very interesting exhibition upstairs that had all kinds of different couches, some scary looking paraphernalia from old sanitariums and even a video clip from Star Trek TNG (where Data is psychoanalyzed by Freud on the holodeck). Very surreal to be watching Star Trek (in English) in Freud's house in Vienna... Of course, you'll get no complaints out of me...
I also saw the Schonbrunn gardens (and the exterior of the palace), Karlskirche (and a very cool bear buddy exhibit), assorted street fairs, etc.
I felt fairly proud as a psychologist that I made the effort to visit the Sigmund Freud museum. It was his Vienna house and office (not terribly exciting, but still obligatory for me) and then saw a very interesting exhibition upstairs that had all kinds of different couches, some scary looking paraphernalia from old sanitariums and even a video clip from Star Trek TNG (where Data is psychoanalyzed by Freud on the holodeck). Very surreal to be watching Star Trek (in English) in Freud's house in Vienna... Of course, you'll get no complaints out of me...I also saw the Schonbrunn gardens (and the exterior of the palace), Karlskirche (and a very cool bear buddy exhibit), assorted street fairs, etc.
Thursday, September 14, 2006
First Thoughts on Vienna
Getting from Cesky Krumlov to Vienna was easy. I took the shuttle bus to Linz and the caught a train to Vienna. My hostel here is cheap (13.5 €) and pretty decent for a mega-hostel (i.e. it isnt a party hostel the way some others in the area are). I can't say that much positive yet about Vienna. I extended my stay to 4 nights because I'm feeling somewhat sick (weather here is still summer-ish, whereas Cesky Krumlov was closer to SAN winters in the evenings) and because I really want to try to find some part of Vienna that I love...
So far, I've just walked around town and gazed at the amazingly ornate buildings from the outside, visited a handful of cathedrals (which are free, yay!), hung out in Sigmund Freud park, and visited a few local bars. Don't get me wrong, the architecture here is quite nice; however, it's so much that I find it overpowering and really quite difficult to appreciate much of anything. Even the Stephansdom cathedral (which some American ex-pats living in Vienna talked up when we met in Prague) isn't that impressive to me. Oh well; you can't win 'em all, I guess.
Side notes: The € is my 6th and final currency on this trip. I'm glad to be able to stick with something for at least a couple of weeks... I leave for Venice Saturday night. (Affordable accommodation in Salzburg just isn't available, no matter how much I might like it to be - presumably due to people heading this way early for Oktoberfest.)
So far, I've just walked around town and gazed at the amazingly ornate buildings from the outside, visited a handful of cathedrals (which are free, yay!), hung out in Sigmund Freud park, and visited a few local bars. Don't get me wrong, the architecture here is quite nice; however, it's so much that I find it overpowering and really quite difficult to appreciate much of anything. Even the Stephansdom cathedral (which some American ex-pats living in Vienna talked up when we met in Prague) isn't that impressive to me. Oh well; you can't win 'em all, I guess.Side notes: The € is my 6th and final currency on this trip. I'm glad to be able to stick with something for at least a couple of weeks... I leave for Venice Saturday night. (Affordable accommodation in Salzburg just isn't available, no matter how much I might like it to be - presumably due to people heading this way early for Oktoberfest.)
Monday, September 11, 2006
Cesky Krumlov
I took the bus from Prague to Cesky Krumlov. It was very easy & cheaper than the train; it also did not require changing in Ceske Budejovice, which was good. As I was walking up from the bus station in Cesky Krumlov, all I heard was Pink Floyd wafting through the trees that obscured the town. Odd, but welcome - one of those little things that lets you know you're in exactly the right place at exactly the right moment. (It turns out a Czech tribute band was putting on an open air Floyd concert that night. I didn't even have to pay because I could watch from a lookout point near my hostel.)The hostel I'm at right now (Krumlov House) is really more of a communal living situation in a regular house. I love it. The people are amazingly friendly & it's a welcome dose commraderie. I went mushroom and berry picking in the woods the other morning with a few people and we made a mushroom cream pasta sauce w/our findings. (The guy working the hostel first reviewed the mushrooms to ensure they weren't poisonous, but I was still a little nervous; the mushrooms turned blue when you cut them and then a little red when cooked down. Interesting...) There's also great vegetarian food in Cesky Krumlov & interesting/affordable bars (e.g. Horor Bar). Overall, this town has been a welcome respite from Prague and Croatia - just a quiet place to chill by the river, in the forest, or wandering about the old buildings; it just gets cold here at night, which is really bringing home the message that it's basically Fall now and that I may have to think about buying warmer clothes and/or actual shoes... :)
Tomorrow, I take a shuttle bus to Linz, Austria (450CZK or ~$18USD, only 1.5hrs) and then a train to Vienna (another 1.5hrs). I wanted to go to Salzburg, but the hostel situation was not looking good (i.e. most affordable things were booked). We'll see how Vienna goes... So far, I've only booked 3 nights there...
Wednesday, September 06, 2006
Kutna Hora ossuary
Yesterday, I went to the ossuary (i.e. bone church) in Kutna Hora. A nice gay guy from my dorm at the hostel (who was curiously from Denton, TX - of all places) tagged along because he also wanted to go and had no idea how to get there on his own. We walked to the Prague Florenc bus station, caught the bus to Kutna Hora w/minutes to spare, and had an easy 1.5hr trip for the bargain price of 76Kc. Fortunately, once in Kutna Hora, there was an information map at the bus station and we figured out how to get to the ossuary on foot. (I had no idea about where it was in relation to the bus station; I just chose the bus because it's cheaper and, frankly, I prefer buses to trains because I'm strange like that.)
The ossuary, itself, was impressive, curious, and much smaller than I expected. I suppose it could be viewed as controversial (i.e. exploitative), but I choose to look at it from an artistic perspective that expresses the impermanence of life and tries to create something beautiful out of death. So, I loved it. It seemed fitting that I light a candle there, amongst so many others that have died, for those that have passed away in my life this year...
Getting back from Kutna Hora was mildly interesting. We caught a 5pm bus for 70Kc...that dropped everyone off at a metro station on the outskirts of Prague, rather than at the Florenc station. I also didn't have change to buy metro tickets and there's no means of getting change, unless you find a nice person who can break something into small coins. I didn't. Anyway, we hopped on the metro sans tickets and had to switch metro lines at the main station to get back to the hostel. Not a big deal in the sceme of things, but I was mildly paranoid that the "black rider" ticket guy was going to catch us w/out tickets & fine us the 400Kc (~$16USD)...which would've sucked... (I mean, come on, 400Kc is like 1-2 good classical concerts...)
The ossuary, itself, was impressive, curious, and much smaller than I expected. I suppose it could be viewed as controversial (i.e. exploitative), but I choose to look at it from an artistic perspective that expresses the impermanence of life and tries to create something beautiful out of death. So, I loved it. It seemed fitting that I light a candle there, amongst so many others that have died, for those that have passed away in my life this year...Getting back from Kutna Hora was mildly interesting. We caught a 5pm bus for 70Kc...that dropped everyone off at a metro station on the outskirts of Prague, rather than at the Florenc station. I also didn't have change to buy metro tickets and there's no means of getting change, unless you find a nice person who can break something into small coins. I didn't. Anyway, we hopped on the metro sans tickets and had to switch metro lines at the main station to get back to the hostel. Not a big deal in the sceme of things, but I was mildly paranoid that the "black rider" ticket guy was going to catch us w/out tickets & fine us the 400Kc (~$16USD)...which would've sucked... (I mean, come on, 400Kc is like 1-2 good classical concerts...)
Tuesday, September 05, 2006
Prague - quick thoughts
Prague is lovely. The architecture is beautiful and the city is so compact that walking almost anywhere a tourist/traveller would want to go is not a big deal. It's just...different for me than Budapest (which is much bigger).
I've walked around and seen most of the "usual suspects" (got to take photos on my 2nd day, since it rained the 1st). I went to a classical concert in the Church of St. Nicholas in the old town (which is, to my amusement, different than St. Nicholas' Church/Cathedral) and was actually able to appreciate "lighter" classical music (flutes/harps) for the first time; I think the excellent acoustics combined w/the visuals helped. I went to a somewhat cheesy little Renaissance Faire in old town sqaure, etc., etc. I also visited the most beautiful church (St. Vitus' Cathedral) I've ever seen - hands down - and climbed the 287 steps to its lookout tower.
Other tidbits: I was eating street food in front of a sex shop on the main "square" and overheard a couple of 40-ish men haggling w/a "vendor" over the price of girls for 30min or 60min. Mmm. Yeah. I get it, but it would've been nice to have at least a 5ft radius of non-smut-talk while eating. ;-) I definitely love countries where you can buy good beer for less than $1USD...
I've walked around and seen most of the "usual suspects" (got to take photos on my 2nd day, since it rained the 1st). I went to a classical concert in the Church of St. Nicholas in the old town (which is, to my amusement, different than St. Nicholas' Church/Cathedral) and was actually able to appreciate "lighter" classical music (flutes/harps) for the first time; I think the excellent acoustics combined w/the visuals helped. I went to a somewhat cheesy little Renaissance Faire in old town sqaure, etc., etc. I also visited the most beautiful church (St. Vitus' Cathedral) I've ever seen - hands down - and climbed the 287 steps to its lookout tower.Other tidbits: I was eating street food in front of a sex shop on the main "square" and overheard a couple of 40-ish men haggling w/a "vendor" over the price of girls for 30min or 60min. Mmm. Yeah. I get it, but it would've been nice to have at least a 5ft radius of non-smut-talk while eating. ;-) I definitely love countries where you can buy good beer for less than $1USD...
Sunday, September 03, 2006
One Month "On the Road"
Today marks my "one month-aversary" for physically being in Europe. Yes, travel is tiring; yes, the unexpected can (and will) happen. However, it's really been an amazing month. Travel can (and will) change you in unexpected - and somewhat inexplicable - ways.
Now that I'm in Prague, I'm getting my sense of excitement and adventure back. I can't wait to see what the next month will hold. ...and I really don't know what it will hold. I have no reservations anywhere else; all I know is that I need to be in Rome in October to fly home. ;-)
Now that I'm in Prague, I'm getting my sense of excitement and adventure back. I can't wait to see what the next month will hold. ...and I really don't know what it will hold. I have no reservations anywhere else; all I know is that I need to be in Rome in October to fly home. ;-)
Hooray for Budget Airlines!
Last night I flew from Split to Prague on one of Europe's new budget airlines: SkyEurope. The plane ticket cost me ~65 Euro, including taxes (expensive for budget airlines, frankly, but I timed my purchase wrong - still very cheap by U.S. standards), and cut a journey that would've taken ~3days by train down to a 1.5hr flight. Awesome.
Finding the airport was interesting. In the end, it really wasn't that big of a deal, but...no one told me how long it would take to get there, so I was kind of stressed out... Instead of taking an overpriced taxi to the "Split airport" (which is really not in Split, and is closer to Trogir), I opted to take a bus for the bargain price of 15Kuna (2Euro). I had to find the local bus station in Split, take the bus headed to Trogir and figure out where to airport stop was with enough time to still make it off the bus w/my backpack. Well, it turns out that it's ~45min bus ride from the transit station to the airport. That little tidbit would've been good for the information people in Split (who told me what bus to take) to pass along, so that I didn't spend the entire ride scanning for signs of an airport. But I digress...
The SkyEurope team was great. They were young (early 20's, maybe), multi-lingual, and efficient. The plane was a newish Boeing that made a few odd noises in-flight, but landed all the same. My only complaint - being 5'9" tall - is that the seats were made for midgets (i.e. there was no hope of comfortably resting my head). Thankfully, however, it wasn't a full flight - so I had a bit more room. Overall, I would definitely fly them again.
By the time I got in to Prague, collected my luggage, found a toilet and an ATM, etc., it was ~11pm. There was no way I was going to futz w/public transportation to find a hostel in an unfamiliar city where I don't speak the language at that time on Saturday night; instead, I sprang for a taxi (519 Koruna, or ~$23-25USD). In my mind, it was totally money well spent.
I'll write about Prague, later, but... This is, easily, the nicest hostel I've stayed at yet; they certainly have the best breakfast. ...and that's important! :)
Finding the airport was interesting. In the end, it really wasn't that big of a deal, but...no one told me how long it would take to get there, so I was kind of stressed out... Instead of taking an overpriced taxi to the "Split airport" (which is really not in Split, and is closer to Trogir), I opted to take a bus for the bargain price of 15Kuna (2Euro). I had to find the local bus station in Split, take the bus headed to Trogir and figure out where to airport stop was with enough time to still make it off the bus w/my backpack. Well, it turns out that it's ~45min bus ride from the transit station to the airport. That little tidbit would've been good for the information people in Split (who told me what bus to take) to pass along, so that I didn't spend the entire ride scanning for signs of an airport. But I digress...
The SkyEurope team was great. They were young (early 20's, maybe), multi-lingual, and efficient. The plane was a newish Boeing that made a few odd noises in-flight, but landed all the same. My only complaint - being 5'9" tall - is that the seats were made for midgets (i.e. there was no hope of comfortably resting my head). Thankfully, however, it wasn't a full flight - so I had a bit more room. Overall, I would definitely fly them again.
By the time I got in to Prague, collected my luggage, found a toilet and an ATM, etc., it was ~11pm. There was no way I was going to futz w/public transportation to find a hostel in an unfamiliar city where I don't speak the language at that time on Saturday night; instead, I sprang for a taxi (519 Koruna, or ~$23-25USD). In my mind, it was totally money well spent.
I'll write about Prague, later, but... This is, easily, the nicest hostel I've stayed at yet; they certainly have the best breakfast. ...and that's important! :)
The Dalmatian Coast
I just got through spending 8 days on the Dalmatian Coast in Croatia (5 in Dubrovnik and 3 in Split - I'd planned to go island hopping, but decided to just be mellow instead). First, yes, Croatia is beautiful. I wouldn't trade gazing out over the Adriatic (or swimming in it) for anything, but Croatia wasn't at all what I expected...
After a week in Bosnia - and having such an intense reaction to / love of it - Croatia is so starkly different that it was difficult for me to tolerate. Hands down, Croatia is the most touristy place I've been yet - and I mean that in a bad way. There were hordes of rude, photo-snapping people locked into tiny streets and overpriced souvenir shops in "famous" old buildings. I don't know. Apparently the Italians love that kind of thing - because Croatia is a big Italian vacation spot - but it just didn't do it for me. I keep wondering whether I would've had a different reaction if I'd gone to Croatia before going to Bosnia or Romania, but I'll really never know...
To get from Mostar, BiH to Dubrovnik (where I had "reservations" at a hostel service), I wound up taking a very bizarre route. The sobe gals who picked me up at the bus station in Mostar told me that buses to both Medjugorje (pronounced "med-you-gore-ee-ah") and Dubrovnik left at 10am the next morning. Okay. So, I get to the Mostar bus station at ~9:30am & try to by a ticket to Medjugorje with the intent to make it to Dubrovnik by late that night. No dice. The bus to Dubrovnik left at 7am; there was another one that would leave at 10PM (and arrive in Dubrovnik at ~2am). There was, indeed, a bus headed to Medjugorje (and then on to Split) at 10am, but I'd have to cross my fingers about getting a bus back to Mostar to make the late night Dubrovnik bus. I didn't much like that option, either. So, I decided...since I'm not Catholic...to skip the 2nd largest Catholic pilgrimage site in the world (oy vey!)...and head to Split and then down to Dubrovnik from there. It wasn't a very efficient approach (i.e. I wound up spending 10hrs on the bus), but I got where I wanted to go in the end; I also got what I choose to view as a Dalmatian Coast sightseeing tour on comfy air-conditioned buses for very little money. Yes, folks, travel is all about "spin" and perspective ;)
When I finally arrived in Dubrovnik at ~10pm, I tried to get in touch w/the hostel service where I had a reservation. No dice - just an answering machine. So, since it was late and starting to rain, I wound up going home w/an old Croatian sobe guy from the bus station. The next day around noon, he drove me over to the address of the hostel service (for free) so I could get things sorted out; however, the hostel service was closed (and only had hours of like 2pm-5pm posted on their door). Using his mobile phone, and talking to a neighbor of the hostel service, we tried calling 4 different phone numbers to get a hold of someone. Still no dice. We even left a note wedged in the door w/a phone number - and never heard a word. So...I stayed with Josef and his wife while in Dubrovnik, and had a beautiful ocean view from my bedroom. I can't complain too much (though I'll be angry if I still get charged by the bogus hostel service).
Ironically, I much preferred Split (the 2nd largest city in Croatia) to Dubrovnik; I expected the opposite to be true. I stayed with an old German sobe guy & his wife (who didn't speak English) in a "separate" bed/bath (ooh, ahh) within easy walking distance to the beach & ~20min walk to Diocletian's Palace. It was the most expensive bed I've had yet (@ 25Euro/night) AND the worst bed I've had yet. Go figure that one. I was also rather unceremoniously kicked out at a 9am yesterday morning...
If I ever do go back to Croatia (which is conceivable if I make it back to Bosnia, which I hope to do), I'll make a point to island hop. I really wanted to go to Korcula and Brac, but there's just not enough time to do everything. C'est la vie.
Final thought on Croatia: As an outsider, there seems to be a single word there that's as popular and has as many different meanings as "Aloha" in Hawaii. The word "Dobro" was used all over - and seemed to mean things like "good / okay / yeah" and probably a few I'm forgetting.
After a week in Bosnia - and having such an intense reaction to / love of it - Croatia is so starkly different that it was difficult for me to tolerate. Hands down, Croatia is the most touristy place I've been yet - and I mean that in a bad way. There were hordes of rude, photo-snapping people locked into tiny streets and overpriced souvenir shops in "famous" old buildings. I don't know. Apparently the Italians love that kind of thing - because Croatia is a big Italian vacation spot - but it just didn't do it for me. I keep wondering whether I would've had a different reaction if I'd gone to Croatia before going to Bosnia or Romania, but I'll really never know...
To get from Mostar, BiH to Dubrovnik (where I had "reservations" at a hostel service), I wound up taking a very bizarre route. The sobe gals who picked me up at the bus station in Mostar told me that buses to both Medjugorje (pronounced "med-you-gore-ee-ah") and Dubrovnik left at 10am the next morning. Okay. So, I get to the Mostar bus station at ~9:30am & try to by a ticket to Medjugorje with the intent to make it to Dubrovnik by late that night. No dice. The bus to Dubrovnik left at 7am; there was another one that would leave at 10PM (and arrive in Dubrovnik at ~2am). There was, indeed, a bus headed to Medjugorje (and then on to Split) at 10am, but I'd have to cross my fingers about getting a bus back to Mostar to make the late night Dubrovnik bus. I didn't much like that option, either. So, I decided...since I'm not Catholic...to skip the 2nd largest Catholic pilgrimage site in the world (oy vey!)...and head to Split and then down to Dubrovnik from there. It wasn't a very efficient approach (i.e. I wound up spending 10hrs on the bus), but I got where I wanted to go in the end; I also got what I choose to view as a Dalmatian Coast sightseeing tour on comfy air-conditioned buses for very little money. Yes, folks, travel is all about "spin" and perspective ;)
When I finally arrived in Dubrovnik at ~10pm, I tried to get in touch w/the hostel service where I had a reservation. No dice - just an answering machine. So, since it was late and starting to rain, I wound up going home w/an old Croatian sobe guy from the bus station. The next day around noon, he drove me over to the address of the hostel service (for free) so I could get things sorted out; however, the hostel service was closed (and only had hours of like 2pm-5pm posted on their door). Using his mobile phone, and talking to a neighbor of the hostel service, we tried calling 4 different phone numbers to get a hold of someone. Still no dice. We even left a note wedged in the door w/a phone number - and never heard a word. So...I stayed with Josef and his wife while in Dubrovnik, and had a beautiful ocean view from my bedroom. I can't complain too much (though I'll be angry if I still get charged by the bogus hostel service).
Ironically, I much preferred Split (the 2nd largest city in Croatia) to Dubrovnik; I expected the opposite to be true. I stayed with an old German sobe guy & his wife (who didn't speak English) in a "separate" bed/bath (ooh, ahh) within easy walking distance to the beach & ~20min walk to Diocletian's Palace. It was the most expensive bed I've had yet (@ 25Euro/night) AND the worst bed I've had yet. Go figure that one. I was also rather unceremoniously kicked out at a 9am yesterday morning...If I ever do go back to Croatia (which is conceivable if I make it back to Bosnia, which I hope to do), I'll make a point to island hop. I really wanted to go to Korcula and Brac, but there's just not enough time to do everything. C'est la vie.
Final thought on Croatia: As an outsider, there seems to be a single word there that's as popular and has as many different meanings as "Aloha" in Hawaii. The word "Dobro" was used all over - and seemed to mean things like "good / okay / yeah" and probably a few I'm forgetting.
Saturday, August 26, 2006
The Universe smiled when Bosnia was born...
...Man just had to go & fuck it up.
Those of you following my journey (if anyone out there is actually reading this) may have been a little perplexed by the fact that I dropped off the face of the planet for the period I was in Bosnia. It´s not because they don´t have internet there; they do. I was just enjoying myself too much to sit in front of a computer...
In a nutshell, I love Bosnia and would go back again and again and again - and hope to be able to do so later in life. The people are so friendly, the mixture of (and tolerance among) cultures is amazing, and the impact of war is still visible in building facades, large cemetaries, the tunnel museum, and the memories of people my age and younger. Take that, plus the fact that the natural environment (e.g. the drive between Sarajevo and Mostar) is simply breathtaking, and you might understand a bit of why I love it so much. The Universe smiled when Bosnia was born; I really believe that.
Yeah, so... I took the night train down from Budapest to Sarajevo. That was an ˝experience˝ I could´ve lived without. Only two train cars actually go to Bosnia; the others disconnect in Pecs, Hungary. The kicker is that, of course, those train cars left are Bosnian train cars - old, with windows that barely work and don´t stay down on their own, riddled with mosquitoes. I was in a car with three university students from Banja Luka who were very nice - and much impressed by that fact that an American in their general age group would come all the way to Bosnia to try to understand things; they wished more people would try to do the same. The interesting thing was that they were absolutely mystified by my American passport; it was as though they were looking at the Holy Grail (or equiv) because of the kind of freedom it represented to them. Their reaction really put me in my place, let me tell you. Anyway, after 4 passport checks and 3 ticket checks, I finally made it to Sarajevo. (No, it was not a train for sleeping...)
For the most part, Bosnia is something that has to be experienced; I don´t think words will do it justice, but Iĺl try...
I went for a walk the 2nd day I was in Sarajevo (since I was knackered the 1st day after no sleep) and stumbled on lots of bombed-out buildings and the Holiday Inn. I later realized that I´d taken a leisurely stroll through ˝sniper alley˝ without knowing it. Talk about crazy irony. I went back later and really looked - and saw the bomb footprints painted red and other things. No real words to describe it, though. I took a tour to the tunnel museum through another hostel; it was short, but useful to contextualize everything. I also also went to the Sarajevo Film Festival and saw two films - one Croatian (about human trafficking between Bosnia/Croatia) and one American (about the Moroccan Fez Music Festival).
I only had a day in Mostar, so only got to see the bridge and lots of bombed-out buildings - but still a rather profound experience once you get away from the tourist trap.
Today, I am in Dubrovnik - after quite the adventure getting here yesterday. Itś beautiful, but expensive...
EDIT (11/08/2006):
Someone in an online community recently asked a question regarding safety in Bosnia, which got me thinking. As I thought back to my trip, I remembered something noteworthy that I (perhaps intentionally?) left out at the time: Shortly before I arrived in Sarajevo, someone bombed the grave of President Izetbegovic (the first president of BiH) in Kovaci cemetery. According to the story I heard while in Sarajevo, a grenade was placed on the grave and later exploded. I believe no one was injured, but the act does illustrate that things remain in a delicate balance in the former-Yugoslavia.
Even still, I would return to BiH in a heartbeat...
Those of you following my journey (if anyone out there is actually reading this) may have been a little perplexed by the fact that I dropped off the face of the planet for the period I was in Bosnia. It´s not because they don´t have internet there; they do. I was just enjoying myself too much to sit in front of a computer...
In a nutshell, I love Bosnia and would go back again and again and again - and hope to be able to do so later in life. The people are so friendly, the mixture of (and tolerance among) cultures is amazing, and the impact of war is still visible in building facades, large cemetaries, the tunnel museum, and the memories of people my age and younger. Take that, plus the fact that the natural environment (e.g. the drive between Sarajevo and Mostar) is simply breathtaking, and you might understand a bit of why I love it so much. The Universe smiled when Bosnia was born; I really believe that.Yeah, so... I took the night train down from Budapest to Sarajevo. That was an ˝experience˝ I could´ve lived without. Only two train cars actually go to Bosnia; the others disconnect in Pecs, Hungary. The kicker is that, of course, those train cars left are Bosnian train cars - old, with windows that barely work and don´t stay down on their own, riddled with mosquitoes. I was in a car with three university students from Banja Luka who were very nice - and much impressed by that fact that an American in their general age group would come all the way to Bosnia to try to understand things; they wished more people would try to do the same. The interesting thing was that they were absolutely mystified by my American passport; it was as though they were looking at the Holy Grail (or equiv) because of the kind of freedom it represented to them. Their reaction really put me in my place, let me tell you. Anyway, after 4 passport checks and 3 ticket checks, I finally made it to Sarajevo. (No, it was not a train for sleeping...)
For the most part, Bosnia is something that has to be experienced; I don´t think words will do it justice, but Iĺl try...
I went for a walk the 2nd day I was in Sarajevo (since I was knackered the 1st day after no sleep) and stumbled on lots of bombed-out buildings and the Holiday Inn. I later realized that I´d taken a leisurely stroll through ˝sniper alley˝ without knowing it. Talk about crazy irony. I went back later and really looked - and saw the bomb footprints painted red and other things. No real words to describe it, though. I took a tour to the tunnel museum through another hostel; it was short, but useful to contextualize everything. I also also went to the Sarajevo Film Festival and saw two films - one Croatian (about human trafficking between Bosnia/Croatia) and one American (about the Moroccan Fez Music Festival).
I only had a day in Mostar, so only got to see the bridge and lots of bombed-out buildings - but still a rather profound experience once you get away from the tourist trap.Today, I am in Dubrovnik - after quite the adventure getting here yesterday. Itś beautiful, but expensive...
EDIT (11/08/2006):
Someone in an online community recently asked a question regarding safety in Bosnia, which got me thinking. As I thought back to my trip, I remembered something noteworthy that I (perhaps intentionally?) left out at the time: Shortly before I arrived in Sarajevo, someone bombed the grave of President Izetbegovic (the first president of BiH) in Kovaci cemetery. According to the story I heard while in Sarajevo, a grenade was placed on the grave and later exploded. I believe no one was injured, but the act does illustrate that things remain in a delicate balance in the former-Yugoslavia.
Even still, I would return to BiH in a heartbeat...
Saturday, August 19, 2006
Biding my time...
Well, I'm back in Budapest. I caught the night train from Brasov and met three interesting (and chatty) Venezuelan travellers. Two had some kind of dual EU citizenship; one had only Venezuelan citizenship and had a bit of a hard time at border crossings. The border police (both Romanian and Hungarian) required a secondary form of identification and the Romanian side pressed him hard to find out whether he was transporting cocaine, heroin, or guns across the border. (I wondered to cheekily to myself whether anyone's ever been dumb enough to answer "yes" to those kinds of questions... Hmm...)
Anyway, I'm exhausted and will be spending the day here before making my way to the Deli-pu rail station and taking the night train to Sarajevo. The ticket was more expensive than I anticipated, but still not too bad by U.S. standards. The kicker is that there are apparently no couchettes on the train, so it's just a 2nd class seat from 17:40-05:40ish. Oooh, fun. At least there are no train changes, though... (However, the more I ride the train, the more I realize I'm not a big fan; there's a level of convenience, yes, but I'd still rather not take the train if I have my choice.)
In the "file under strange" category, last night in Piata Sfatului (the main tourist square in old Brasov), there was a guy with a synthesizer set up playing ambient music reminescient of Hearts of Space. Across the square, however, there was an English-speaking Bible thumper yelling at the Romanians about the souls and about "being ready"--when I guaratee that most of the old Romanians hanging out in the square couldn't be a word of English. It's strange the lengths some people will go to; I just don't understand proselytism on an intimate level.
Query to self: I wonder how many times I can nod off at the computer before I wind up face down in my keyboard... ;0
Anyway, I'm exhausted and will be spending the day here before making my way to the Deli-pu rail station and taking the night train to Sarajevo. The ticket was more expensive than I anticipated, but still not too bad by U.S. standards. The kicker is that there are apparently no couchettes on the train, so it's just a 2nd class seat from 17:40-05:40ish. Oooh, fun. At least there are no train changes, though... (However, the more I ride the train, the more I realize I'm not a big fan; there's a level of convenience, yes, but I'd still rather not take the train if I have my choice.)
In the "file under strange" category, last night in Piata Sfatului (the main tourist square in old Brasov), there was a guy with a synthesizer set up playing ambient music reminescient of Hearts of Space. Across the square, however, there was an English-speaking Bible thumper yelling at the Romanians about the souls and about "being ready"--when I guaratee that most of the old Romanians hanging out in the square couldn't be a word of English. It's strange the lengths some people will go to; I just don't understand proselytism on an intimate level.
Query to self: I wonder how many times I can nod off at the computer before I wind up face down in my keyboard... ;0
Friday, August 18, 2006
Black Church, Bach, and Goodbyes...
Last night, I went to an organ concert in the Black Church (which has a 4000-pipe organ). It only cost 4RON - less than $1.50 USD - for a 1hr concert. The acoustics were fantastic, and I thought a lot about how my father would probably love to be with me as I sat there listening to Bach's Fugue in C Major, amongst other things. For me, that was the highlight of my time in Romania. Simple, but meaningful.
Today, however, is my last day in Romania...and, though, I've enjoyed my time, I'm ready to go. I leave on the night train back to Budapest and then have to decide whether I'm spending a few hours in Budapest before heading down to Sarajevo on another night train, or whether I'm going to make a little day trip to Pecs and then take the night train from there. I think it'll just depend on how tired I am when I get into Budapest in the morning...
I've met several people in the last 2 days, though, who've recently been to Sarajevo and loved it; that's encouraging. I'm really looking forward to it.
Today, however, is my last day in Romania...and, though, I've enjoyed my time, I'm ready to go. I leave on the night train back to Budapest and then have to decide whether I'm spending a few hours in Budapest before heading down to Sarajevo on another night train, or whether I'm going to make a little day trip to Pecs and then take the night train from there. I think it'll just depend on how tired I am when I get into Budapest in the morning...
I've met several people in the last 2 days, though, who've recently been to Sarajevo and loved it; that's encouraging. I'm really looking forward to it.
Wednesday, August 16, 2006
Small Doses of Irony
Brasov has a sign like the Hollywood sign. Today, I took the tram up to see the sights (rather than hike up 1.5hrs of oddly marked Romanian trails - I was tired after being up until ~2:30am). The city panorama wasn't that exciting, but it did illustrate that Brasov is larger than I thought it was. On the back side of the hill, though, was beautiful scenary - just mountains and a small lake with the sun streaming through and lighting up the hillside. I also hiked about some trails that, again, reminded me very much of Oregon. (Yes, I found my obligatory path shot...)The irony comes into play when I ran into a couple I recognized from the hostel while waiting from the tram. We chatted in the tram on the way down and decided to have lunch. At lunch, I discovered that both partners were Polish sociologists (i.e. Master's students studying political sociology). We had some very interesting conversations, regarding their personal experience and sociological perspective w.r.t. the fall of communism in Poland and the changes thereafter. For me, being interested in sociology of religion, I was most interested to learn that, during the communist era in Poland, religiosity was far greater than after the fall of communism because the Catholic church was at odds with the communist regime (and, apparently, 99% of Polish people are Catholic basically from birth); after the fall of communism, however, people (particularly young people) apparently feel less need or motiviation to maintain comparable levels of religiosity.
Food for thought, that little tidbit...
It was also interesting to learn that sociology is apparently a very common discipline in Poland... ;-)
Tuesday, August 15, 2006
A Day of Castles and Ruins...
Today was a bit of a whirlwind: Rasnov citadel (partial ruins), Bran castle (aka Dracula's castle, but not really), and Peles castle. Again, Romania has surprised me by being nothing like I expected....
We drove through forests sprinkled with debris from campers and general ramblers, saw gypsie caravans, buildings in all state of disarray (as I've seen all over Romania, thus far)...and then we encounter the amazingly ornate Peles castle. It really doesn't make sense. It's rather like some churches throughout Europe, where all the local wealth went to build something magnificent, while all the locals are struggling to survive...and I do mean survive.
I'm sure I could've done the same kind of trip by myself via bus/train, but it really was nice to sit back and have someone else lead the way for a bit.
I was absolutely stunned by a section of the Carpathian mountains near Sinaia. Breathtaking. Romania is beautiful, and full of contrast. I'm still not quite sure what to make of it. At times, it seems like I could be driving through Oregon or northern New Mexico (e.g. Angel Fire); at other times, it seems a world away.
We drove through forests sprinkled with debris from campers and general ramblers, saw gypsie caravans, buildings in all state of disarray (as I've seen all over Romania, thus far)...and then we encounter the amazingly ornate Peles castle. It really doesn't make sense. It's rather like some churches throughout Europe, where all the local wealth went to build something magnificent, while all the locals are struggling to survive...and I do mean survive.I'm sure I could've done the same kind of trip by myself via bus/train, but it really was nice to sit back and have someone else lead the way for a bit.
I was absolutely stunned by a section of the Carpathian mountains near Sinaia. Breathtaking. Romania is beautiful, and full of contrast. I'm still not quite sure what to make of it. At times, it seems like I could be driving through Oregon or northern New Mexico (e.g. Angel Fire); at other times, it seems a world away.
Monday, August 14, 2006
First thoughts on Romania...
I took the night train from Budapest to Sighisoara on Friday night. We were supposed to arrive in Sighisoara at 9:20am, but that didn't happen... When I got on the train around 11:30pm, the car was completely full (save me) w/five other couchette passengers all in the dark having come in from Vienna. I had to make my way in the dark to the top bunk - with no ladder. Then, in the early morning, the train hit a car on the train tracks and we were delayed for several hours. (The car was decimated and strewn over ~1mi. I didn't feel anything, but shortly before we stopped, I saw another car at a crossing do a fast reverse (burning rubber), so I assume that the car that was hit had to be in from of it or something.) Regardless, I made it to Sighisoara safe and sound, thanks to some nice Romanian folks who helped me find the right station - since they don't call them out and, really, they all look the same anyway.
Sighisoara...wasn't what I expected. I'm not really sure what I expected, but, not what I found. I stayed in an old hostel in the citadel (Burg Hostel), saw the clocktower, saw the house where Vlad Tepes lived in his youth, saw a funky old cemetary - but it really wasn't all that impressive.
That said, the hostel was nice (w/an awesome bathroom) and it had a cheap restaurant attached, so I decided to be a bum and stay for 2 nights. (Believe it or not, I could get a tasty vegetarian pizza, like the amount of 2-3 slices, and a good beer for less than the equivalent of $3.)
Today, I am in Brasov. (Again, thankfully, some nice Romanian folks helped me find the right stop - and Brasov actually has a station, compared to the little "nothing" that Sighisoara has...) I lucked out and got the last bed in the hostel - so, yea me! I took a bus from the train station, and managed to find the hostel and not get pick-pocketed - which is supposedly quite a feat. Tomorrow, I'm going on a guided tour w/the hostel to some local castles. It's 60RON for gas, plus ~21RON for entrance fees - but it'll be worth it not to have to figure out all the transport, etc.
I've booked a train back to Budapest for Friday night, and will then try to make my way down to Sarajevo via Pecs.
More later...
Sighisoara...wasn't what I expected. I'm not really sure what I expected, but, not what I found. I stayed in an old hostel in the citadel (Burg Hostel), saw the clocktower, saw the house where Vlad Tepes lived in his youth, saw a funky old cemetary - but it really wasn't all that impressive.
That said, the hostel was nice (w/an awesome bathroom) and it had a cheap restaurant attached, so I decided to be a bum and stay for 2 nights. (Believe it or not, I could get a tasty vegetarian pizza, like the amount of 2-3 slices, and a good beer for less than the equivalent of $3.)
Today, I am in Brasov. (Again, thankfully, some nice Romanian folks helped me find the right stop - and Brasov actually has a station, compared to the little "nothing" that Sighisoara has...) I lucked out and got the last bed in the hostel - so, yea me! I took a bus from the train station, and managed to find the hostel and not get pick-pocketed - which is supposedly quite a feat. Tomorrow, I'm going on a guided tour w/the hostel to some local castles. It's 60RON for gas, plus ~21RON for entrance fees - but it'll be worth it not to have to figure out all the transport, etc.
I've booked a train back to Budapest for Friday night, and will then try to make my way down to Sarajevo via Pecs.
More later...
Friday, August 11, 2006
A Magyar Mass
Well, today is my last day in Budapest. I'm sad to leave it behind because it's really grown on me; however, I'm also looking forward to the next part of this adventure. I just hope that the night train to Sighisoara isn't too much of a hassle. At least my hostel is holding my backpack for free until tonight, so I don't have to lug it around all day before I catch my train. That's definitely a good thing...
Yesterday, I spent a good part of the day just relaxing before making my way back to the cave church for another look. As it turns out, I arrived right before the start of Mass. So, I stayed for Mass and listened to the Magyar prayers, songs and sermon echo against the contours of the cave. Very powerful. What also interested me was that the perishioners were all women - so you had the voice of the (male) priest and the prayers of women floating up to Christ on the cross in the half light of the cave. Interesting. Other than "Christos" and "Hallelujah", I didn't understand a word of what was said - and, yet, I did.
I really didn't know how I would be received, as I was an obvious outsider, but the women welcomed me since I was there at the beginning and stayed quietly and respectfully. (Of course, I had to politely excuse myself from receiving the sacrament, but I think they understood that as well.) For me, it's things like this that will encapsulate Budapest in my memory...as well as some things that come across quite nicely without translation:
"Oh my god, I thought I lost my keys!"
"There's no toilet paper. Here, I have a tissue in my purse - would you like it?"
Next stop: Romania
Yesterday, I spent a good part of the day just relaxing before making my way back to the cave church for another look. As it turns out, I arrived right before the start of Mass. So, I stayed for Mass and listened to the Magyar prayers, songs and sermon echo against the contours of the cave. Very powerful. What also interested me was that the perishioners were all women - so you had the voice of the (male) priest and the prayers of women floating up to Christ on the cross in the half light of the cave. Interesting. Other than "Christos" and "Hallelujah", I didn't understand a word of what was said - and, yet, I did.I really didn't know how I would be received, as I was an obvious outsider, but the women welcomed me since I was there at the beginning and stayed quietly and respectfully. (Of course, I had to politely excuse myself from receiving the sacrament, but I think they understood that as well.) For me, it's things like this that will encapsulate Budapest in my memory...as well as some things that come across quite nicely without translation:
"Oh my god, I thought I lost my keys!"
"There's no toilet paper. Here, I have a tissue in my purse - would you like it?"
Next stop: Romania
Wednesday, August 09, 2006
Universality, and Past Meeting Future
Yesterday was the first day of full sun since I arrived. I went to the local Hungarian marketplace - which was quite interesting. It's in a huge, old, colorful building and dedicates the main floor of the building to assorted meats and veggies, and the second floor of the build to textiles and souvenirs of assorted types. I took a photo of an interesting animal skull hung on a wall that reminded me distinctly of growing up in New Mexico. Perhaps it shouldn't, but finding all the similarities between places I've lived and Budapest really surprises me. We really aren't as different as we sometimes think.I also went to an old cave church perched on a cliff overlooking the Danube. I sat in the chapel for a good long while just soaking it in, and looking at Jesus on the cross and the Sacred Heart of Mary. I think, personally, this was probably the most "real" church I've ever been in. Period. Very powerful, and very much a feeling of universality. I think the nature lovers and devout Christians would both have to agree on that point. It was a beautiful mixture of both sentiments.
I finally got to visit the baths, as well - at least the Gellert baths that are touted as "like bathing in a cathedral". It was an interesting experience, not altogether without confusion as I tried to figure out where to go, where to change and store my bag, etc. There was a swimming pool, a hot tub type pool, a wave pool outside, and a thermal bath outside. It was nice and very relaxing, but I didn't think it as fabulous as all the guide books make it out to be. (Then again, guide books are frequently crap.) I also had to laugh at the wave pool; everyone thought it was fantastic but, for me, it was a sad excuse for real ocean waves. Oh well - all in the eye of the beholder, I suppose.
While roaming about the Citadel at sunset, I took a photo of some children playing on old Soviet-era stationary machine guns. It was a very bizarre juxtaposition of past and future that I couldn't resist. It also reminded me a bit of when I used to climb on the cannons in the park when I was growing up, myself.
Today is the first day of Sziget and the vibe of the city has changed somewhat since so many people have recently arrived in town for it. I haven't decided definitively whether I'll try going tomorrow or not (Ministry is playing - 1day ticket is ~26EUR). It sounds like fun but, at the same time, I'm not sure that I want to deal with throng of crazy young people. I've been have a thoroughly enjoyable time without that kind of thing...
Tuesday, August 08, 2006
Live: From Budapest
Where to begin? First off, I'm enamoured w/Budapest, but more on that later... Also, apologies for any disconnect; I'm just trying to type this quickly in an internet cafe that I found for the bargain price of 100HUF/hr (i.e. $0.50/hr)...
In Transit
On the plane to Frankfurt, I sat next to a Serbian woman named Mira who fed me giant cherries from her home in Kansas. Mira and her husband have been living in Kansas for ~20yrs, but they honeymooned in Croatia (near Split) ~26yrs ago and she was very excited that I was going there. The interesting part of our "single-serving friendship" was that she referred to herself as Yugoslavian, rather than Serbian, because when she left the country it still was Yugoslavia--whereas today "Yugoslavian" is somewhat of a put down. Fascinating how times, perspectives and politic change.
Arrival and Exploration
Everyone has always asked me "Why Budapest?", but it's just someplace I've always wanted to come. I was writing poetry about the Danube 15yrs ago, so it seemed natural and expected (to me) that I'd wind up here one day. And...I was right. Budapest really is amazing. It's actually two cities (Buda and Pest) that have combined to form one and has everything you could possibly imagine (a city of ~2million people, plenty of greenery, and a river running through town), but with a lovely dash of Eastern flavor. My first thoughts upon arriving from the airport were that Budapest could easily be someplace in Oregon, or someplace in Indiana; it's that green.
I've decided to take my time and spend my week in Hungary only in Budapest so that I really get a taste of it, and don't run myself ragged. So far, I've had no need to make use of the subway, trams, or buses; my hostel is centrally located within a few miles of most everywhere, so I've just been walking. The weather has been questionable (i.e. periodically rainy and chilly), but it's been a welcome change from the heat wave in California...and I did live in Oregon once upon a time, so it really hasn't bothered me.
The Danube is, for me, spectacular. Yes, it's dirty and you certainly wouldn't want to touch it (i.e. no Waters of the World from here), but there's still something about it. The current is so strong that it actually has small waves crash off the bridge pylons. I've been able to cross three on the bridges on foot thus far (including a wknd where the Chain Bridge was completely closed to traffic for a pedestrian street fair). I've gotten to see fireworks over the Danube, rainbows over the Parliament, and all kinds of interesting things. (Yes, I'm taking pictures, but I don't plant to upload anything until I get back home and have the time.)
I bought my train ticket to Transylvania (Sighisoara, to be specific). It leaves Friday night at 23:10, and I reserved a couchette so I could get a least a little rest; I just didn't want to spring for the addt'l cost of a sleeper car. Interestingly, the lady was nice and booked me a return ticket because it was cheaper than a one-way ticket. At least that's what she said ;) I still need to figure out how to read the ticket, but I've got a few days yet to work that out.. (Hungarian, a Finno-Ugric language, is difficult not only to speak but to read--and they do all kinds of things, like train tickets, by hand to a certain degree.) Now I just need to book a hostel for a couple nights...or maybe wait until I arrive, not sure.
There's been an interesting mix of cultures, too. I've heard a live cover of the Red Hot Chili Peppers "Under the Bridge", and even hung out and listened to some Native American flute musicians playing in a park the other night while looking out at the Danube and Castle Hill all lit up and spectacular. It's small things like this that make me smile and know that I'm doing what I need to be doing.
Two noteworthy items: Hungarians love carbonated water. (I didn't get the tip about the pink-topped bottles being the more American spring water for a few days. Interesting.) Traffic in Budapest is insane. Lots of screeching brakes; being a pedestrian is sometimes dangerous.
It's funny that's it's been only a week since I left California, but all my worries back home seem soooo far away. That's a good thing.
Until the next time I'm able to sign on...
In Transit
On the plane to Frankfurt, I sat next to a Serbian woman named Mira who fed me giant cherries from her home in Kansas. Mira and her husband have been living in Kansas for ~20yrs, but they honeymooned in Croatia (near Split) ~26yrs ago and she was very excited that I was going there. The interesting part of our "single-serving friendship" was that she referred to herself as Yugoslavian, rather than Serbian, because when she left the country it still was Yugoslavia--whereas today "Yugoslavian" is somewhat of a put down. Fascinating how times, perspectives and politic change.
Arrival and Exploration
Everyone has always asked me "Why Budapest?", but it's just someplace I've always wanted to come. I was writing poetry about the Danube 15yrs ago, so it seemed natural and expected (to me) that I'd wind up here one day. And...I was right. Budapest really is amazing. It's actually two cities (Buda and Pest) that have combined to form one and has everything you could possibly imagine (a city of ~2million people, plenty of greenery, and a river running through town), but with a lovely dash of Eastern flavor. My first thoughts upon arriving from the airport were that Budapest could easily be someplace in Oregon, or someplace in Indiana; it's that green.
I've decided to take my time and spend my week in Hungary only in Budapest so that I really get a taste of it, and don't run myself ragged. So far, I've had no need to make use of the subway, trams, or buses; my hostel is centrally located within a few miles of most everywhere, so I've just been walking. The weather has been questionable (i.e. periodically rainy and chilly), but it's been a welcome change from the heat wave in California...and I did live in Oregon once upon a time, so it really hasn't bothered me.
The Danube is, for me, spectacular. Yes, it's dirty and you certainly wouldn't want to touch it (i.e. no Waters of the World from here), but there's still something about it. The current is so strong that it actually has small waves crash off the bridge pylons. I've been able to cross three on the bridges on foot thus far (including a wknd where the Chain Bridge was completely closed to traffic for a pedestrian street fair). I've gotten to see fireworks over the Danube, rainbows over the Parliament, and all kinds of interesting things. (Yes, I'm taking pictures, but I don't plant to upload anything until I get back home and have the time.)I bought my train ticket to Transylvania (Sighisoara, to be specific). It leaves Friday night at 23:10, and I reserved a couchette so I could get a least a little rest; I just didn't want to spring for the addt'l cost of a sleeper car. Interestingly, the lady was nice and booked me a return ticket because it was cheaper than a one-way ticket. At least that's what she said ;) I still need to figure out how to read the ticket, but I've got a few days yet to work that out.. (Hungarian, a Finno-Ugric language, is difficult not only to speak but to read--and they do all kinds of things, like train tickets, by hand to a certain degree.) Now I just need to book a hostel for a couple nights...or maybe wait until I arrive, not sure.
There's been an interesting mix of cultures, too. I've heard a live cover of the Red Hot Chili Peppers "Under the Bridge", and even hung out and listened to some Native American flute musicians playing in a park the other night while looking out at the Danube and Castle Hill all lit up and spectacular. It's small things like this that make me smile and know that I'm doing what I need to be doing.
Two noteworthy items: Hungarians love carbonated water. (I didn't get the tip about the pink-topped bottles being the more American spring water for a few days. Interesting.) Traffic in Budapest is insane. Lots of screeching brakes; being a pedestrian is sometimes dangerous.
It's funny that's it's been only a week since I left California, but all my worries back home seem soooo far away. That's a good thing.
Until the next time I'm able to sign on...
Tuesday, August 01, 2006
Next Stop: Budapest
Today is my last day of work for the next two months. Mmmm, two months. That really has a nice ring to it if I do say so, myself. I'm almost not able to mentally process having so much free time on my hands, though. It's strange, but in our resoundingly capitalist, progress-oriented society, giving ourselves permission to do things completely against the grain (e.g. taking personal time when you need it) can be a really non-trivial thing.
It is the beginning of the harvest season, though. I suppose there is no small irony that my new journey begins now...
EDIT: There's also no small irony that today I received my 5yr anniversary award at work - a globe-shaped "crystal" candy dish, with the world (i.e. all the continents) and my name etched into it.
"Wheel's Up" @ 8:30am tomorrow.
It is the beginning of the harvest season, though. I suppose there is no small irony that my new journey begins now...
EDIT: There's also no small irony that today I received my 5yr anniversary award at work - a globe-shaped "crystal" candy dish, with the world (i.e. all the continents) and my name etched into it.
"Wheel's Up" @ 8:30am tomorrow.
Tuesday, July 18, 2006
Putting it in perspective
With two weeks to go until my departure, there is plenty happening out "there" to put the struggles in my own little slice of reality into perspective. (The Universe works like that; humility is a good thing.) From recent headlines, alone, we have rapidly escalating conflict in the Middle East between Israel and Lebanon, tsunami and earthquake-related deaths in Indonesia, a terrorist-related train bombing in India during rush hour commute, and Taliban forces reclaiming towns in Afghanistan. It's not a pretty picture, but it does make me think; it also plays right in the questions of meaning, and purpose, and faith that have been weighing on my mind over the past few months.
I plan to keep my eyes/ears open while on the road, but, at this point, I see no reason to change any of my travel plans. In fact, I think the different perspectives I will likely encounter on these (or similar) issues will be valuable, indeed...
I plan to keep my eyes/ears open while on the road, but, at this point, I see no reason to change any of my travel plans. In fact, I think the different perspectives I will likely encounter on these (or similar) issues will be valuable, indeed...
Wednesday, July 05, 2006
Countdown's On!
In less than 30 days, I leave for two whole months of solo travel in Central Europe and the Balkans. This will be my first trip to Europe - and, indeed, first trip outside the United States (aside from daytrips to Tijuana which really don't count, IMO); it will also be the longest trip I've taken to date. I'm really looking forward to it!
The plan of the moment is to visit parts of Hungary, Romania, Bosnia, Croatia, Montenegro, Czech Republic, Austria and Italy using a combination of train, bus, ferry and plane. With any amount of luck, I won't die of bird flu or public transit bombings - at least until the end of my trip :)
Let's face it, trips like this are never convenient within the larger scope of one's day-to-day life; however, sometimes one just has to make decisions regarding what's important at a given time, in a given place, and on a very personal level. For my part, I'm definitely looking forward to decompressing from the corporate world and dealing with some of the losses that have occurred in my life since Holiday Season '05.
While I'm gone, I intend to keep an old-fashioned pen and paper travel journal, and update this blog from the road with some of the more interesting tidbits (basically, just to let people know I'm still alive). So, feel free to join me on my (mis)adventures. You know you want to live vicariously from the comfort of your cubicle...
Depart: Aug 2nd (for Budapest)
Return: Oct 5th (from Rome)
The plan of the moment is to visit parts of Hungary, Romania, Bosnia, Croatia, Montenegro, Czech Republic, Austria and Italy using a combination of train, bus, ferry and plane. With any amount of luck, I won't die of bird flu or public transit bombings - at least until the end of my trip :)
Let's face it, trips like this are never convenient within the larger scope of one's day-to-day life; however, sometimes one just has to make decisions regarding what's important at a given time, in a given place, and on a very personal level. For my part, I'm definitely looking forward to decompressing from the corporate world and dealing with some of the losses that have occurred in my life since Holiday Season '05.
While I'm gone, I intend to keep an old-fashioned pen and paper travel journal, and update this blog from the road with some of the more interesting tidbits (basically, just to let people know I'm still alive). So, feel free to join me on my (mis)adventures. You know you want to live vicariously from the comfort of your cubicle...
Depart: Aug 2nd (for Budapest)
Return: Oct 5th (from Rome)
