Baguettes, baguettes, baguettes. They come to me in my dreams, stalking me along the Paris streets under the arm of every French man, woman and child. The cliché is true, and inescapable. Everywhere I look I see the baguette in innumerable forms: baguette sandwiches; baguette with sausage; baguette with nutella. I fear death by baguette.
Disappointingly, the baguette carriers did not wear berets. And I had no-one spit on my shoe. In fact, I found the French generally friendly, welcoming, and very willing to put up with my complete lack of French.
I started in Paris, arriving on the Eurostar train from London in under 2 ½ hours. Despite a rather bad bout of food poisoning, after a long sleep and some food I was ready to explore the city.
Paris is a perfect city to get lost in. I avoided paying the hefty entrance fees to the main tourist sites (Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame, Arc de Triumph, the Champ Elysees), although I did see them from a distance, and instead wandered the streets aimlessly. Montmartre was a definite favourite, with its mixture of cobbled leafy streets, shamelessly seedy strip (site of the Moulin Rouge and an long, long, long row of sex shops) and site of some of the best views of Paris. After a compulsory taste of escargots (snails), I grabbed a few cans of beer and dragged a friend to the top of the steps of the Sacre Coeur basilica, which overlooks the whole city and we happily enjoyed the drizzly sundown after a long day of walking.
I went through the well stocked but easy to get lost in Picasso museum and the quite disappointing Jewish museum with a few cafe stops in between.
I left the hectic and rainy streets of Paris for La Rochelle, on France's Atlantic coast. It's a pretty, well- monied but quaint yachting city, with a beautiful old city wall and tower facing the coast.
Fouras was the next stop. A smaller coastal town with a charming village centre, it boasts an impressive seafood market, packed with fish, crabs, lobsters, sea snails and the region's famous oysters, all gleaming fresh.
I seem to be making a habit of visiting famous liquor towns, so this time I visited Cognac, home of the world famous luxury tipple. Like tequila or champagne, cognac can only be called cognac if it is from a select few provinces in France and according to a very strict distilling process. Made from a combination of grapes from certain French regions, it is then blended and double distilled before undergoing an aging process to produce the final product. The town of Cognac is in itself a very pretty, with many of the buildings dating back to the 15th and 16th centuries.
From Fouras I was incredibly lucky to have the chance to stay in a medieval chateau, set amidst the wheat fields and woodlands of Sansac, Western France. Complete with winding staircases, banquet rooms once used by knights, turrets, secret passages and books dating back centuries, much of the time it was difficult to believe I was actually there. Largely uninhabited, the chateau produces delicious handmade goat's cheese from the cellar factory.
It would take too much time to describe all the quaint villages I passed through and stopped in- all very old and beautiful, but the enduring images I will have of France are vast barley and wheat fields; spectacular, almost surreal castles set dramatically on hills surrounded by emerald woodlands; countless medieval villages with rambling gardens; and amazing cheese.... even the local Spar (a European convenience chain store) had its own, extensive delicatessen!
Many thanks to Gerhardt & Annie, who housed, drove and fed me very well!
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Friday, May 15, 2009
Belfast
Despite living just two hours from Northern Ireland's main city, Belfast, it was only my second time there after 1 year in Dublin.
The overriding question of the visit, asked of me by at least a dozen locals was 'Why would you come to Belfast?' They seemed genuinely perplexed as to why anyone would chose Belfast as a tourist destination.
I was there for the politics.
The Northern Ireland conflict has always fascinated me, especially because it's so recent and perhaps will never really be over. Its historical roots go back to the 1600's but became especially relevant following the civil rights movement in the USA in the 1960's and led to renewed conflict over various injustices such as gerrymandering, as well as over the constitutional status of Northern Ireland.
When peaceful protests by Catholics and some Protestants in the 1960's were met with violent force, the conflict turned increasingly violent and parts of Northern Ireland became virtual war zones with places like The Falls Road, in a staunchly republican area of the city, morphing into a tense and bloody front line of The Troubles.
With both sides denouncing the media as propaganda machines, the people of Belfast and (London)Derry turned to painting the walls of the streets with large murals to say what they wanted to say, much like today's blogs have responded to mass media. These murals remain in the more partisan areas of the cities, and while many still relate directly to the conflict, present day issues such as the Israeli-Palestine conflict and that same gnawing obsession with Che Guevara are also represented.
I was always a bit confused about the terms 'Catholic' and 'Protestant' in relation to the conflict. It took me awhile to realise that they are related more closely to heritage than religion. In many ways it's all about your surname. As a Simpson, descended from Scottish heritage, I would be a protestant, even though I am agnostic.
Even now, when you apply for a job in Northern Ireland, you have to fill out a form declaring if you are a) Catholic; b) Protestant; c) Neither
But, according to a friend who lived in Belfast, even if you pick neither, depending on your surname or what school you went to, you could still be classed as one or the other.
Both West and East Belfast are dominated by rather grim looking housing estates, militant murals and men stalking around with shaved heads and tracksuits. Both are a little scary to walk around, and I was questioned on one occasion as to what I was doing there.
I decided to chance it and walk into the local bar on the Falls Road. For a moment it was like a scene out of a western movie, where all the men (only men) stopped drinking mid pint and I could almost hear the imaginary wooden doors swinging behind me. I left quickly.
Stormont- Northern Ireland's parliament. Despite Northern Ireland's small population, its parliament seats 108 members. It's worth visiting just for its beautiful location, surrounded by acres of parkland. It's much harder to see anything inside the parliament, and I was refused access to the most interesting looking area after being told it was ''top secret''.
Crumlin Road Prison- completed in 1845 the Prison closed in 1996 and is now open to the public for tours. Although a hoard of pigeons has now replaced prisoners, the prison is an interesting architectural specimen and housed many of the most infamous political prisoners such as Gerry Adams and the Rev. Ian Paisley. It's an eerie place.
The Troubles officially ended in 1998 following the Good Friday Agreement. Controversially, all paramilitary prisoners were released, including notorious mass murderers such as the Shankhill Butchers, who indiscriminately murdered around 30 people, many on a random basis.
Many former IRA and UVF members now have large stakes in the State, including Martin McGuiness, former IRA commander, who holds the post of Deputy First Minister and the current Lord Mayor, Tom Hartley, who was incarcerated at Crumlin Road Prison.
I was lucky enough to get a ticket to a The Chronicles of Long Kesh, a play which looks at what happened at the former Long Kesh/Maze Prison, where most political prisoners were held during The Troubles. It was also where the 1981 Hunger Strike happened, during which 10 men died. The acting was brilliant and it's a novel way to learn about the history.
Aside from all the politics, there are a few other sites worth seeing in and around the city.
Belfast Castle, situated high on a hill overlooking the city, is beautiful, as is much of the surrounding area. I'm not usually a fan of tours, but Paddywagon Tours does it well- very well informed, local guides, comfortable buses and very reasonably priced. I took the Belfast–Giants Causeway-Derry day tour, which gave me the opportunity to see some amazing natural sites around Northern Ireland. Dramatic cliffs, rolling green fields, ancient castles and bizarre rock formations can be visited within an hour of the city.
Derry (or Londonderry, depending on your political persuasion) is a pretty little city on the North coast. It's Europe's last walled city, and remains very militant.
It's also worth following your stomach around Belfast's old Georgian food market, held on Fridays and Saturdays, near the main train station. It's packed full of stalls selling a wide ranging and delicious range of foods, with scores of free samples. I had a delicious Lebanese wrap with falafel and chili sauce. Sadly, no hot dogs in sight.
If you are looking for an exciting night out in Belfast it's a little harder to find. Even on weekends, most of the bars seemed to shut at 12pm, leaving you with little else than terribly bad nightclubs with 18 year olds dancing to Beyonce, or pretentious suit wearers swirling house chardonnay under fake chandeliers. As with most Irish bars, the best time to go is late afternoon, when you still have a seat and conversations are audible.
I left the city on a Saturday afternoon on the last flight to London. On the short flight over I was trying to sum up what I thought of the city. In the short time I was there I had developed a kind of love-hate relationship. If imagined or not, it felt tense and restless, as if something could snap at any moment. In many ways it was boring. Walking around the city at 8pm on a Friday night, even convenience stores were closed and the streets oddly empty. But I admired it as a reluctant hero or survivor, a rough and tough but straight-to-the-point type; the kind who would save your life but tell you to get lost for wasting their time.
The overriding question of the visit, asked of me by at least a dozen locals was 'Why would you come to Belfast?' They seemed genuinely perplexed as to why anyone would chose Belfast as a tourist destination.
I was there for the politics.
The Northern Ireland conflict has always fascinated me, especially because it's so recent and perhaps will never really be over. Its historical roots go back to the 1600's but became especially relevant following the civil rights movement in the USA in the 1960's and led to renewed conflict over various injustices such as gerrymandering, as well as over the constitutional status of Northern Ireland.
When peaceful protests by Catholics and some Protestants in the 1960's were met with violent force, the conflict turned increasingly violent and parts of Northern Ireland became virtual war zones with places like The Falls Road, in a staunchly republican area of the city, morphing into a tense and bloody front line of The Troubles.
With both sides denouncing the media as propaganda machines, the people of Belfast and (London)Derry turned to painting the walls of the streets with large murals to say what they wanted to say, much like today's blogs have responded to mass media. These murals remain in the more partisan areas of the cities, and while many still relate directly to the conflict, present day issues such as the Israeli-Palestine conflict and that same gnawing obsession with Che Guevara are also represented.
I was always a bit confused about the terms 'Catholic' and 'Protestant' in relation to the conflict. It took me awhile to realise that they are related more closely to heritage than religion. In many ways it's all about your surname. As a Simpson, descended from Scottish heritage, I would be a protestant, even though I am agnostic.
Even now, when you apply for a job in Northern Ireland, you have to fill out a form declaring if you are a) Catholic; b) Protestant; c) Neither
But, according to a friend who lived in Belfast, even if you pick neither, depending on your surname or what school you went to, you could still be classed as one or the other.
Both West and East Belfast are dominated by rather grim looking housing estates, militant murals and men stalking around with shaved heads and tracksuits. Both are a little scary to walk around, and I was questioned on one occasion as to what I was doing there.
I decided to chance it and walk into the local bar on the Falls Road. For a moment it was like a scene out of a western movie, where all the men (only men) stopped drinking mid pint and I could almost hear the imaginary wooden doors swinging behind me. I left quickly.
Stormont- Northern Ireland's parliament. Despite Northern Ireland's small population, its parliament seats 108 members. It's worth visiting just for its beautiful location, surrounded by acres of parkland. It's much harder to see anything inside the parliament, and I was refused access to the most interesting looking area after being told it was ''top secret''.
Crumlin Road Prison- completed in 1845 the Prison closed in 1996 and is now open to the public for tours. Although a hoard of pigeons has now replaced prisoners, the prison is an interesting architectural specimen and housed many of the most infamous political prisoners such as Gerry Adams and the Rev. Ian Paisley. It's an eerie place.
The Troubles officially ended in 1998 following the Good Friday Agreement. Controversially, all paramilitary prisoners were released, including notorious mass murderers such as the Shankhill Butchers, who indiscriminately murdered around 30 people, many on a random basis.
Many former IRA and UVF members now have large stakes in the State, including Martin McGuiness, former IRA commander, who holds the post of Deputy First Minister and the current Lord Mayor, Tom Hartley, who was incarcerated at Crumlin Road Prison.
I was lucky enough to get a ticket to a The Chronicles of Long Kesh, a play which looks at what happened at the former Long Kesh/Maze Prison, where most political prisoners were held during The Troubles. It was also where the 1981 Hunger Strike happened, during which 10 men died. The acting was brilliant and it's a novel way to learn about the history.
Aside from all the politics, there are a few other sites worth seeing in and around the city.
Belfast Castle, situated high on a hill overlooking the city, is beautiful, as is much of the surrounding area. I'm not usually a fan of tours, but Paddywagon Tours does it well- very well informed, local guides, comfortable buses and very reasonably priced. I took the Belfast–Giants Causeway-Derry day tour, which gave me the opportunity to see some amazing natural sites around Northern Ireland. Dramatic cliffs, rolling green fields, ancient castles and bizarre rock formations can be visited within an hour of the city.
Derry (or Londonderry, depending on your political persuasion) is a pretty little city on the North coast. It's Europe's last walled city, and remains very militant.
It's also worth following your stomach around Belfast's old Georgian food market, held on Fridays and Saturdays, near the main train station. It's packed full of stalls selling a wide ranging and delicious range of foods, with scores of free samples. I had a delicious Lebanese wrap with falafel and chili sauce. Sadly, no hot dogs in sight.
If you are looking for an exciting night out in Belfast it's a little harder to find. Even on weekends, most of the bars seemed to shut at 12pm, leaving you with little else than terribly bad nightclubs with 18 year olds dancing to Beyonce, or pretentious suit wearers swirling house chardonnay under fake chandeliers. As with most Irish bars, the best time to go is late afternoon, when you still have a seat and conversations are audible.
I left the city on a Saturday afternoon on the last flight to London. On the short flight over I was trying to sum up what I thought of the city. In the short time I was there I had developed a kind of love-hate relationship. If imagined or not, it felt tense and restless, as if something could snap at any moment. In many ways it was boring. Walking around the city at 8pm on a Friday night, even convenience stores were closed and the streets oddly empty. But I admired it as a reluctant hero or survivor, a rough and tough but straight-to-the-point type; the kind who would save your life but tell you to get lost for wasting their time.
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Going West
I spent the Easter weekend in Sligo on Ireland's West coast, home to wild and dramatic scenery, neolithic sites, surfing, and shockingly bad boy bands such as Westlife and Boyzone...
It's a good place to do much and nothing at all, so in between long lie-ins and reading on the cane sofa looking out at the sea I managed to fit in horse riding, a boat trip, shopping, bar-haunting and a few decent walks.
Sligo is somehow quaintly rugged. A very short drive from the rocky, windswept beaches will take you to a 200 year old stone and thatch pub, where the decripid looking picture of Jesus is barely visible in the dark, damp inside. You know you're in a 'real' pub in Ireland when there's no stereo system, only silence waiting to be filled by singing old men red with whiskey, or the sound of fiddles on an occasional Trad session.
There's another rather old pub near Sligo which (at least in theory) simultaneously serves as a convenience store and undertakers, and the hooks from the ceiling serve as a reminder of its old days as a butcher shop. I was a little disappointed to find that the can of condensed milk that had been tempting me all night on the shelf was actually not for sale, but rather for decoration. Still, the Guinness was good.
It had been awhile since I last rode a horse. There's nothing quite like galloping along a beach at full speed, even with a creeping hangover and the realisation that this is the first time to do real physical exercise in actual years.
I left feeling very relaxed and happy to have seen a bit of this beautiful part of Ireland.
Wednesday, April 08, 2009
Four Seasons in a Strange Land
Spending a year in another country is a unique experience.
I did it the first time when I was 17, in Sweden, and although there were huge differences between my experience there and here in Ireland (namely, level of freedom and especially the language), it roughly followed the same pattern and timetable of reactionary response.
Sentiments about place, people and distinctive cultural differences seem to fit neatly into quarters like a seasonal cycle cliché as the year unfolds.
Stage One, or ‘The Photo Stage’ begins before you arrive, with ideas of what one thinks the place will be like. Arriving is always a slightly surreal experience. The images and stereotypes present like aged photos; they fade, destroy, or are restored to a brighter and more brilliant image.
Stage One fluctuates between the exciting, disappointing and exhausting. It’s like Groundhog Day centered around first impressions, and you find yourself answering the same 3 questions so many times that your revised answers even stretch to include a joke or anecdote. As a New Zealander these days it usually leads to a well versed Lord of the Rings reference (‘My cousin’s cousin’s little sister was an extra in Lord of the Rings’).
My least liked but inescapable stage is Stage Two, the ‘Superior Comparison Stage’. It plagues one like a nervous tick after 2- 3 months in the country, and no matter how much you try to stop vocalising it, you find yourself making countless references to how much more efficient/cheap/friendly/warm ‘your’ country is. Time seems to go slower than a leprechaun on sedatives. The excitement of tasting the local cuisine wanes and you find yourself daydreaming about kumara. You miss your family, friends, and perhaps even your pet goldfish. You resent the tourists, who never pass Stage One and can be overheard talking about how much they love the country, and who rarely retreat beyond the borders of such places as Temple Bar, the Dublin Disneyland of clichéd ‘Irishness’.
By Stage 3, ‘Spring’, annoyances start to abate. Friendships are firmly established and you’ve been long enough at work to be able to pre-empt tasks and cruise along nicely. If you are learning a language, the grammar finally starts to make as a whole at this point. If it’s still in your native language, you find yourself throwing in local colloquialisms without realising it, leaving you looking like a foreigner who is trying just a little too hard to be a local. As a foreigner in the Emerald Isle this means throwing the word ‘grand’ into sentences at every opportunity. You now look at the tourists with a gleeful superiority because you know the secret to the ‘real’ Ireland.
By Stage 4, the 'Summer' you don’t want to leave. You even find yourself showing symptoms of the Superior Comparison Stage, only in reverse, as all the good things about the place become exaggerated with blind nostalgia. Time seems to go faster than an Ethopian runner on Speed.
Things that previously would have induced extreme irritation become ‘quaint’ or ‘charming’, to the point that when the bus driver pulls over for 10minutes to pick up his drycleaning you laugh instead of grind your teeth (this actually happened today). This is a sign that it’s time to leave, before the worst part of the last 3 quarters ome back to haunt you.
Leaving is as surreal as arriving. It's hard to really come to grips with the fact that your life as it is has expired its term. It will always bring some regret for the places never visited and the friendships that will never be progressed due to lack of time. But it's also liberating, because you can leave behind all the things you don't like. And exciting, because new adventures are coming.
I have 2 weeks left in the country before embarking on new travels.
Slan go foill!
I did it the first time when I was 17, in Sweden, and although there were huge differences between my experience there and here in Ireland (namely, level of freedom and especially the language), it roughly followed the same pattern and timetable of reactionary response.
Sentiments about place, people and distinctive cultural differences seem to fit neatly into quarters like a seasonal cycle cliché as the year unfolds.
Stage One, or ‘The Photo Stage’ begins before you arrive, with ideas of what one thinks the place will be like. Arriving is always a slightly surreal experience. The images and stereotypes present like aged photos; they fade, destroy, or are restored to a brighter and more brilliant image.
Stage One fluctuates between the exciting, disappointing and exhausting. It’s like Groundhog Day centered around first impressions, and you find yourself answering the same 3 questions so many times that your revised answers even stretch to include a joke or anecdote. As a New Zealander these days it usually leads to a well versed Lord of the Rings reference (‘My cousin’s cousin’s little sister was an extra in Lord of the Rings’).
My least liked but inescapable stage is Stage Two, the ‘Superior Comparison Stage’. It plagues one like a nervous tick after 2- 3 months in the country, and no matter how much you try to stop vocalising it, you find yourself making countless references to how much more efficient/cheap/friendly/warm ‘your’ country is. Time seems to go slower than a leprechaun on sedatives. The excitement of tasting the local cuisine wanes and you find yourself daydreaming about kumara. You miss your family, friends, and perhaps even your pet goldfish. You resent the tourists, who never pass Stage One and can be overheard talking about how much they love the country, and who rarely retreat beyond the borders of such places as Temple Bar, the Dublin Disneyland of clichéd ‘Irishness’.
By Stage 3, ‘Spring’, annoyances start to abate. Friendships are firmly established and you’ve been long enough at work to be able to pre-empt tasks and cruise along nicely. If you are learning a language, the grammar finally starts to make as a whole at this point. If it’s still in your native language, you find yourself throwing in local colloquialisms without realising it, leaving you looking like a foreigner who is trying just a little too hard to be a local. As a foreigner in the Emerald Isle this means throwing the word ‘grand’ into sentences at every opportunity. You now look at the tourists with a gleeful superiority because you know the secret to the ‘real’ Ireland.
By Stage 4, the 'Summer' you don’t want to leave. You even find yourself showing symptoms of the Superior Comparison Stage, only in reverse, as all the good things about the place become exaggerated with blind nostalgia. Time seems to go faster than an Ethopian runner on Speed.
Things that previously would have induced extreme irritation become ‘quaint’ or ‘charming’, to the point that when the bus driver pulls over for 10minutes to pick up his drycleaning you laugh instead of grind your teeth (this actually happened today). This is a sign that it’s time to leave, before the worst part of the last 3 quarters ome back to haunt you.
Leaving is as surreal as arriving. It's hard to really come to grips with the fact that your life as it is has expired its term. It will always bring some regret for the places never visited and the friendships that will never be progressed due to lack of time. But it's also liberating, because you can leave behind all the things you don't like. And exciting, because new adventures are coming.
I have 2 weeks left in the country before embarking on new travels.
Slan go foill!
Monday, March 23, 2009
Amsterdam
I put aside my fear of clogs and a language which resembles the sound of regurgitating steak to go to Amsterdam.
In many ways it way just as I imagined: winding canals, a slightly disturbing obsession with cheese and giant Dutchmen and women on a murderous mission to flatten unassuming stoned tourists with their bicycles.
Throw in Anne Frank's old house and Eastern European prostitutes beckoning from windows and you're almost there. Almost, but not quite.
The three of us took the 6am flight Dublin to Amsterdam, arriving in time for a sausage and chips breakfast and a wander around the city centre, jumping from shop to shop to avoid the misty rain.
3 days was a nice amount of time to see all the main sites while still having time to get lost in the cobbled streets and many canals. We checked out the Amsterdam Dungeon, Anne Frank's House, The Sex Museum and some bars and coffeeshops in between. The Van Gogh museum was a definite highlight, with an impressively large collection of his paintings.
The Red Light District was a bizzare experience, and, during the day time, more disturbing than I imagined. I was expecting a few windows with prostitutes, mainly for intoxicated tourists, but it was a much larger and more efficient operation which was operating in full swing at lunchtime on a Sunday. We were warned not to take photos, with stories of the large, rather well aged sex workers beating culprits with sex toys successfully putting us off.
It's a pricey place, with a 1/2 litre (the 'extra large' size in Dutch terms) glass of beer setting you back €5, with very little variety in beer types. The museums will all cost you, and the hostels aren't cheap.
In a city with otherwise quite bland food, the hot dogs deserve an honourable mention, with one of the largest topping selections I have ever seen including many sauces, pickles, fresh vegetables and crisps.
It's a strange mix of the pretty, quaint and colourful with a seedy side. It's somehow laid back and buzzing at the same time, and is full of alternative little boutiques and markets selling tulips, vinyls, cheese, quirky clothing and garage junk.
It was a beautifully sunny final day in the city, and as we had seen the main sites we spent it wandering around and somehow wishing we could stay longer to do very little. It's easy to see how people get stuck there, throwing in their clean hair and jeans for hemp pants and dreadlocks. It was time to leave...
In many ways it way just as I imagined: winding canals, a slightly disturbing obsession with cheese and giant Dutchmen and women on a murderous mission to flatten unassuming stoned tourists with their bicycles.
Throw in Anne Frank's old house and Eastern European prostitutes beckoning from windows and you're almost there. Almost, but not quite.
The three of us took the 6am flight Dublin to Amsterdam, arriving in time for a sausage and chips breakfast and a wander around the city centre, jumping from shop to shop to avoid the misty rain.
3 days was a nice amount of time to see all the main sites while still having time to get lost in the cobbled streets and many canals. We checked out the Amsterdam Dungeon, Anne Frank's House, The Sex Museum and some bars and coffeeshops in between. The Van Gogh museum was a definite highlight, with an impressively large collection of his paintings.
The Red Light District was a bizzare experience, and, during the day time, more disturbing than I imagined. I was expecting a few windows with prostitutes, mainly for intoxicated tourists, but it was a much larger and more efficient operation which was operating in full swing at lunchtime on a Sunday. We were warned not to take photos, with stories of the large, rather well aged sex workers beating culprits with sex toys successfully putting us off.
It's a pricey place, with a 1/2 litre (the 'extra large' size in Dutch terms) glass of beer setting you back €5, with very little variety in beer types. The museums will all cost you, and the hostels aren't cheap.
In a city with otherwise quite bland food, the hot dogs deserve an honourable mention, with one of the largest topping selections I have ever seen including many sauces, pickles, fresh vegetables and crisps.
It's a strange mix of the pretty, quaint and colourful with a seedy side. It's somehow laid back and buzzing at the same time, and is full of alternative little boutiques and markets selling tulips, vinyls, cheese, quirky clothing and garage junk.
It was a beautifully sunny final day in the city, and as we had seen the main sites we spent it wandering around and somehow wishing we could stay longer to do very little. It's easy to see how people get stuck there, throwing in their clean hair and jeans for hemp pants and dreadlocks. It was time to leave...
Sunday, March 08, 2009
London Calling
After almost a year of living in Ireland, and as it's soon going to be my new home, I decided it was time to visit London again. My friend and fellow Duff admirer, Sam, who I met in Belize and traveled with in Mexico, invited me to his 30th birthday party.
After a long day at work, a 1 hour bus ride to the airport, the Dublin- Gatwick flight, a train then a tube ride later I was finally in London. It was near midnight by the time we got a long dreamed-of curry in Soho then back to Acton.
I had seen most of the tourist sites on my last visit to London, so it was great to just wander around on Saturday.We also had a fantastic lunch with a view from the Oxo tower. Saturday night was the party at the Proud Bar & Gallery in Camden, with live band a horse stable rooms, and it was great to meet all of Sam's friends, most of which he had met traveling in random places around the world, and who had come from across Europe for the party.
Sunday was a day of more great food and markets. Brick Lane was the highlight, with it's long line of Indian restaurants and markets. We also made it to Speakers corner, where an eclectic mix of the eccentric and insane united to reveal to London their secrets to the meaning of life. Suffice to say, I didn't become a fundamentalist Christian, British nationalist or free-hugs hippie, although I did ponder the idea of taking to the soap box myself and seeing if anyone would join my self-invented cult, which I am still working on.
London's a world in a city and I'm looking forward to living there. As long as I never become one of those Kiwi/Australian/Canadians who spend their nights at the Australian chain bars, getting nostalgic over Pineapple Lumps and Vegemite...
After a long day at work, a 1 hour bus ride to the airport, the Dublin- Gatwick flight, a train then a tube ride later I was finally in London. It was near midnight by the time we got a long dreamed-of curry in Soho then back to Acton.
I had seen most of the tourist sites on my last visit to London, so it was great to just wander around on Saturday.We also had a fantastic lunch with a view from the Oxo tower. Saturday night was the party at the Proud Bar & Gallery in Camden, with live band a horse stable rooms, and it was great to meet all of Sam's friends, most of which he had met traveling in random places around the world, and who had come from across Europe for the party.
Sunday was a day of more great food and markets. Brick Lane was the highlight, with it's long line of Indian restaurants and markets. We also made it to Speakers corner, where an eclectic mix of the eccentric and insane united to reveal to London their secrets to the meaning of life. Suffice to say, I didn't become a fundamentalist Christian, British nationalist or free-hugs hippie, although I did ponder the idea of taking to the soap box myself and seeing if anyone would join my self-invented cult, which I am still working on.
London's a world in a city and I'm looking forward to living there. As long as I never become one of those Kiwi/Australian/Canadians who spend their nights at the Australian chain bars, getting nostalgic over Pineapple Lumps and Vegemite...
Friday, March 06, 2009
Egészségedre!
From Vienna I took the train to Győr, a medium sized city halfway between Vienna and Budapest in Hungary’s Northwest. I met my friends there and took a stroll through the darkened city centre, taking in the baroque buildings. Then it was off to Tata, Gergo’s hometown. With a beautiful old castle and lake (which was entirely frozen), it’s a pretty town and I took in most of the sites the next day.
What stands out most about Hungary is its hospitality, with the beautifully cheesy irony that you will never be hungry in Hungary (Contrary to local claims that ‘hungry-Hungary’ jokes are overused and not amusing, it is quite clear that they are=) ). From the moment I arrived I was fed food and endless shots of homemade palinka (a strong brandy made from fruits, similar to schnapps).
I was thoroughly educated in the benefits of palinka, as related to me by my friend’s parents: a shot to prepare for the meal; a shot to compliment the meal; a shot to finish the meal; a shot to help the digestion; a shot to aid sleep; a shot to warm one up; and, my all time favourite, the breakfast shot, to wake one up. It’s good for your health, apparently. I also got to try some interesting dishes, all good: rabbit stew with macaroni and sour cream; the strangely addictive duck fat on bread with salt and spicy paprika powder; and, of course, Goulash.
From Tata we took a trip to the very Soviet looking Tatabanya, a town dominated by grey apartment blocks. It boasts a brilliant giant bird statue though, which looks out over the town.
On the way to Budapest, we took a road trip along the Danube to some towns well worth visiting:
Ezstergom- Ezstergom, the very beautiful former capital and one of the oldest towns in Hungary. Ezstergom has a fascinating history based on its many battles and invasions, and has a stunning basilica (the largest in Hungary).
Visegrad- most famous for its ancient hill-top castle, the remnants of the summer palace of King Matthias. Thankfully not a taxing climb to the top, which gives a stunning view over the Danube.
Szentendre- is a very pretty and arty barqoue town close to Budapest.
Budapest
I arrived in Budapest on New Year’s Eve. Budapest is a top city, and I was lucky enough to see it with locals. The two sides of the city, Buda and Pest, are split by the Danube river. It’s a city packed with history, culture and nightlife. It’s also very cheap by European standards. New Year’s Eve began with a trip to the horse races, and ended with a house party. I was given a ghetto tour the next day, to see the ‘underside of Budapest’. With endless grey apartment blocks and the overwhelming presence of dog faeces, I almost felt like I was in North Dublin.
Highlights; the cellar dive bars, Hungary’s version of a Wild West saloon; general wanderings around the city, taking in the architecture, parks, castles and giant outdoor skating rink; paprika.
Downsides: Unicum
I left Budapest bruised, exhausted and with the longest running hangover of my life, but it was worth it.
Many thanks to all my hosts in Hungary, I’ll be back =)
What stands out most about Hungary is its hospitality, with the beautifully cheesy irony that you will never be hungry in Hungary (Contrary to local claims that ‘hungry-Hungary’ jokes are overused and not amusing, it is quite clear that they are=) ). From the moment I arrived I was fed food and endless shots of homemade palinka (a strong brandy made from fruits, similar to schnapps).
I was thoroughly educated in the benefits of palinka, as related to me by my friend’s parents: a shot to prepare for the meal; a shot to compliment the meal; a shot to finish the meal; a shot to help the digestion; a shot to aid sleep; a shot to warm one up; and, my all time favourite, the breakfast shot, to wake one up. It’s good for your health, apparently. I also got to try some interesting dishes, all good: rabbit stew with macaroni and sour cream; the strangely addictive duck fat on bread with salt and spicy paprika powder; and, of course, Goulash.
From Tata we took a trip to the very Soviet looking Tatabanya, a town dominated by grey apartment blocks. It boasts a brilliant giant bird statue though, which looks out over the town.
On the way to Budapest, we took a road trip along the Danube to some towns well worth visiting:
Ezstergom- Ezstergom, the very beautiful former capital and one of the oldest towns in Hungary. Ezstergom has a fascinating history based on its many battles and invasions, and has a stunning basilica (the largest in Hungary).
Visegrad- most famous for its ancient hill-top castle, the remnants of the summer palace of King Matthias. Thankfully not a taxing climb to the top, which gives a stunning view over the Danube.
Szentendre- is a very pretty and arty barqoue town close to Budapest.
Budapest
I arrived in Budapest on New Year’s Eve. Budapest is a top city, and I was lucky enough to see it with locals. The two sides of the city, Buda and Pest, are split by the Danube river. It’s a city packed with history, culture and nightlife. It’s also very cheap by European standards. New Year’s Eve began with a trip to the horse races, and ended with a house party. I was given a ghetto tour the next day, to see the ‘underside of Budapest’. With endless grey apartment blocks and the overwhelming presence of dog faeces, I almost felt like I was in North Dublin.
Highlights; the cellar dive bars, Hungary’s version of a Wild West saloon; general wanderings around the city, taking in the architecture, parks, castles and giant outdoor skating rink; paprika.
Downsides: Unicum
I left Budapest bruised, exhausted and with the longest running hangover of my life, but it was worth it.
Many thanks to all my hosts in Hungary, I’ll be back =)
Wednesday, March 04, 2009
Back to the Blog- Part II
Gothenburg, Sweden
After returning from the Baltic, my next stop was Gothenburg, Sweden's second biggest city.
It was great to catch up with my friend Lotta and to meet her boyfriend, Daniel. They were perfect hosts. Gothenburg (Göteborg) is a cosy, pretty city with canals winding through. I had a great time shopping, bar hopping and reviving my Swedish again. And I can't forget the Swedish hot dog: korv med mos, which is a hot dog with or without the bun with mashed potato and special Swedish spice. Definitely in my top 3 World Hot Dog list. (Guatemala is still #1.)
Dresden, Germany
I spent Christmas with my niece and family in Dresden. It was great to see them all again, and to visit Dresden. Dresden is a breathtaking city, with a sufficiently alternative other side to make it artsy, edgy and interesting as well as beautiful. And I finally lived my dream of ice skating outside =) Christmas was a lovely time to be there, with its holiday markets, gluwein and roast goose.
Brno, Czech Republic
I took the train from Dresden- Brno. Since I've been to Prague, I wanted to see something else of the Czech republic, and I'm glad I did. Apart from a couple of Germans, I think I was the only tourist in the town. I have consistently found that the second cities are always worth seeing as they are usually cheaper, friendlier and somehow more 'real'. I saw the city on foot, wandering its cobbled streets, visiting the castle, churches and shops. The highlight was trying to order at the local Chinese restaurant, where they spoke mostly Mandarin, a little Czech and about 3 words of English. My body language was so appalling that it took about 3 minutes to ask for rice (although I have yet to come up with a successful 'rice' sign).
Vienna, Austria
Vienna is beautiful, but expensive. It's a grand city, with stunning architecture and packed with culture. I didn't spend long enough here to get a real feel of the city past the endless Mozart paraphernalia.
I tried to see as much as I could by foot, ducking into cafe after cafe to prevent hypothermia. The market was a highlight.
Part III: Hungary.... coming soon
After returning from the Baltic, my next stop was Gothenburg, Sweden's second biggest city.
It was great to catch up with my friend Lotta and to meet her boyfriend, Daniel. They were perfect hosts. Gothenburg (Göteborg) is a cosy, pretty city with canals winding through. I had a great time shopping, bar hopping and reviving my Swedish again. And I can't forget the Swedish hot dog: korv med mos, which is a hot dog with or without the bun with mashed potato and special Swedish spice. Definitely in my top 3 World Hot Dog list. (Guatemala is still #1.)
Dresden, Germany
I spent Christmas with my niece and family in Dresden. It was great to see them all again, and to visit Dresden. Dresden is a breathtaking city, with a sufficiently alternative other side to make it artsy, edgy and interesting as well as beautiful. And I finally lived my dream of ice skating outside =) Christmas was a lovely time to be there, with its holiday markets, gluwein and roast goose.
Brno, Czech Republic
I took the train from Dresden- Brno. Since I've been to Prague, I wanted to see something else of the Czech republic, and I'm glad I did. Apart from a couple of Germans, I think I was the only tourist in the town. I have consistently found that the second cities are always worth seeing as they are usually cheaper, friendlier and somehow more 'real'. I saw the city on foot, wandering its cobbled streets, visiting the castle, churches and shops. The highlight was trying to order at the local Chinese restaurant, where they spoke mostly Mandarin, a little Czech and about 3 words of English. My body language was so appalling that it took about 3 minutes to ask for rice (although I have yet to come up with a successful 'rice' sign).
Vienna, Austria
Vienna is beautiful, but expensive. It's a grand city, with stunning architecture and packed with culture. I didn't spend long enough here to get a real feel of the city past the endless Mozart paraphernalia.
I tried to see as much as I could by foot, ducking into cafe after cafe to prevent hypothermia. The market was a highlight.
Part III: Hungary.... coming soon
Tuesday, March 03, 2009
Back to the Blog- Part I
After a (very) long hiatus for no good reason other than laziness and extended procrastination, I'm attempting to revive the blog.
It's been a crazy few months since September... starting with a Baltic trip to Latvia and Estonia... then Gothenburg, Sweden for a friend's birthday... Christmas in Dresden with my niece + her family... Brno (Czech Rep) for the hell of it... onto Vienna for Mozart and schnitzel...then a very full time Hungary for the New Year, finishing up with London last weekend for Sam's 30th.
Here's a quick rundown of some images, thoughts and observations of it all, beginning with the Baltic. I took this trip at the end of October with 4 Hungarians and an endless supply of vodka. We rented a car and took in the sights of the region.
Latvia:
All roads lead back to Riga: this odd city was the start and end point of the trip, and unfortunately we didn't have time to see much else of Latvia than Riga. However, it's a city worth visiting for its art-nouveau architecture, dumpling buffets, Russian market and cheap vodka. The only place I have been when the hostels advertise tours to fire rocket launchers in World War 2 bunkers. Ethnic conflict between the Russians and Latvians is still rather raw, in a country which has suffered so many occupations they even have a museum dedicated to it. Downsides: its popularity as a stag party town. And Black Balsam, a horifficly bitter tar-like liquor, invented by Latvians to torture tourists. Pure evil.
Estonia:
The majority of the trip was spend in Estonia and included:
* Parnu- a Baltic sea esort town in Western Estonia. We only spent one night here and the weather was incredibly bad, but it's supposed to be beautiful in summer. My addiction to metal-tubed Baltic mustard began here.
* Tallinn. It was my second time in Tallinn and it was as beautiful as the first time. Built on the banks of the Gulf of Finland, it is one of the prettiest cities I have been, with cobbled streets, stunning Russian Orthodox cathedrals. The hometown of Patsy the stuffed Dutch cat and Vana Tallinn (the sweeter and better Baltic rival to Black Balsam). Also home to the worst hot dog I have tasted in my life: soggy bun, cucumber and mayonaise! My coat still bears the scars.
* Paldiski. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paldiski .... One of the most bizarre towns I have visited. A former Soviet submarine base, it was nicknamed the 'Soviet Pentagon' as it was the most important nuclear facility in the Soviet Union. So important that the whole town was sealed off until 1994. Driving through the town is an eerie experience. Many crumbling relics of the Soviet past remain, grey and decaying. The town has little else than a pizza restaurant and more grey Soviet apartment blocks. The town has starred in 2 of my favourite movies- Lilja 4 ever and Tarsk pa Tallinn.
* Narva. Narva lies right on the Estonia-Russia border, and it's population is almost 95% Russian speaking. Most of the signs are in Russian and the supermarkets sell vodka by the crate. Narva's castle is mirrored across the river (the border) on the Russian side by another castle. Worth checking out, if only for the giant Lenin statue.
We found a hostel in the nearby Narva- Joesuu, where we enjoyed a 3am sauna, Estonian style.
* Tartu. Estonia's famed university town, and the second largest city in the country. A very pretty, quaint town, with a fantastic hostel, Hostel Terviseks! It also houses the toy museum (better than it sounds) and the KGB cells museum, where you can track the history of occupation in Estonia. Tartu was definately a highlight of the trip.
Verdict: The Baltic is beautiful and bizarre all at once. I would like to see it again in summertime.
It's been a crazy few months since September... starting with a Baltic trip to Latvia and Estonia... then Gothenburg, Sweden for a friend's birthday... Christmas in Dresden with my niece + her family... Brno (Czech Rep) for the hell of it... onto Vienna for Mozart and schnitzel...then a very full time Hungary for the New Year, finishing up with London last weekend for Sam's 30th.
Here's a quick rundown of some images, thoughts and observations of it all, beginning with the Baltic. I took this trip at the end of October with 4 Hungarians and an endless supply of vodka. We rented a car and took in the sights of the region.
Latvia:
All roads lead back to Riga: this odd city was the start and end point of the trip, and unfortunately we didn't have time to see much else of Latvia than Riga. However, it's a city worth visiting for its art-nouveau architecture, dumpling buffets, Russian market and cheap vodka. The only place I have been when the hostels advertise tours to fire rocket launchers in World War 2 bunkers. Ethnic conflict between the Russians and Latvians is still rather raw, in a country which has suffered so many occupations they even have a museum dedicated to it. Downsides: its popularity as a stag party town. And Black Balsam, a horifficly bitter tar-like liquor, invented by Latvians to torture tourists. Pure evil.
Estonia:
The majority of the trip was spend in Estonia and included:
* Parnu- a Baltic sea esort town in Western Estonia. We only spent one night here and the weather was incredibly bad, but it's supposed to be beautiful in summer. My addiction to metal-tubed Baltic mustard began here.
* Tallinn. It was my second time in Tallinn and it was as beautiful as the first time. Built on the banks of the Gulf of Finland, it is one of the prettiest cities I have been, with cobbled streets, stunning Russian Orthodox cathedrals. The hometown of Patsy the stuffed Dutch cat and Vana Tallinn (the sweeter and better Baltic rival to Black Balsam). Also home to the worst hot dog I have tasted in my life: soggy bun, cucumber and mayonaise! My coat still bears the scars.
* Paldiski. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paldiski .... One of the most bizarre towns I have visited. A former Soviet submarine base, it was nicknamed the 'Soviet Pentagon' as it was the most important nuclear facility in the Soviet Union. So important that the whole town was sealed off until 1994. Driving through the town is an eerie experience. Many crumbling relics of the Soviet past remain, grey and decaying. The town has little else than a pizza restaurant and more grey Soviet apartment blocks. The town has starred in 2 of my favourite movies- Lilja 4 ever and Tarsk pa Tallinn.
* Narva. Narva lies right on the Estonia-Russia border, and it's population is almost 95% Russian speaking. Most of the signs are in Russian and the supermarkets sell vodka by the crate. Narva's castle is mirrored across the river (the border) on the Russian side by another castle. Worth checking out, if only for the giant Lenin statue.
We found a hostel in the nearby Narva- Joesuu, where we enjoyed a 3am sauna, Estonian style.
* Tartu. Estonia's famed university town, and the second largest city in the country. A very pretty, quaint town, with a fantastic hostel, Hostel Terviseks! It also houses the toy museum (better than it sounds) and the KGB cells museum, where you can track the history of occupation in Estonia. Tartu was definately a highlight of the trip.
Verdict: The Baltic is beautiful and bizarre all at once. I would like to see it again in summertime.
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Edinburgh
I had a fantastic weekend away in Edinburgh.
I had been to the city once before, and really loved it. Its so close to Ireland that my flatmate and I decided on a whim to visit.
We arrived late on Friday night, dumped our bags and headed off to some of the city's bars. I was suprised by how much cheaper it is than Dublin, and everything is just so... pretty. We spent most of the evening wandering around the old town pubs, which have a backdrop of a lit Edinburgh castle. The bars were great and we ended up finding some cellar rock bars, frequented by heavy metal fans and students enjoying the music and cheap Absinthe.
We got up early on Saturday, feeling too well the effects of the Absinthe and went for a wander around the city in daylight. Edinburgh has a very arty feel to it which is probably why its host to some of Europe's largest festivals including the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.
We walked around the Castle for a couple of hours, checking out the crown jewels, tiny chapel and tunnels. Its easy to imagine how it was a few hundred years ago, minus all the tourists.
After a terrific meal of haggis we headed up Carlton Hill with whisky and Iron Brew for a real Scottish experience and checked out the city skyline by night.
We ended up at a Judas Priest tribute band near the end of the night before heading back to the hostel for much needed sleep.
We had a few hours left in the city on Sunday before our flight home and its a great place just to wander around, especially in Autumn through the tree lined streets and parks.
I'll be back!
I had been to the city once before, and really loved it. Its so close to Ireland that my flatmate and I decided on a whim to visit.
We arrived late on Friday night, dumped our bags and headed off to some of the city's bars. I was suprised by how much cheaper it is than Dublin, and everything is just so... pretty. We spent most of the evening wandering around the old town pubs, which have a backdrop of a lit Edinburgh castle. The bars were great and we ended up finding some cellar rock bars, frequented by heavy metal fans and students enjoying the music and cheap Absinthe.
We got up early on Saturday, feeling too well the effects of the Absinthe and went for a wander around the city in daylight. Edinburgh has a very arty feel to it which is probably why its host to some of Europe's largest festivals including the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.
We walked around the Castle for a couple of hours, checking out the crown jewels, tiny chapel and tunnels. Its easy to imagine how it was a few hundred years ago, minus all the tourists.
After a terrific meal of haggis we headed up Carlton Hill with whisky and Iron Brew for a real Scottish experience and checked out the city skyline by night.
We ended up at a Judas Priest tribute band near the end of the night before heading back to the hostel for much needed sleep.
We had a few hours left in the city on Sunday before our flight home and its a great place just to wander around, especially in Autumn through the tree lined streets and parks.
I'll be back!
Friday, September 05, 2008
A Very Irish Weekend
Ever felt like you were living in a movie? Last weekend was definitely one of those moments, where every good Irish stereotype came together in the form of Banagher town, County Offaly. Banagher is a very small town, population 1636, with 6 pubs, several churches and a very bad takeaway store and where everyone knows everyone.
I was invited as part of my friend Agnieszka's birthday celebrations. Her flatmate, Ger, from a family of 10, hosted us. We stayed next door to the family run pub, which has been in the Hough family for 4 generations and is really a spectacular pub. Famous for its nightly renditions of songs like 'It's a long way to Tipperary' and 'Danny Boy', sung by a wonderfully eccentric woman playing the piano, its something of an institution in Banagher.
The Hough family own a plot of land in Offaly countryside, so we checked out their bog where they collect and sell peat logs. I had never seen anything like it- it was quite strange holding something which was thousands of years old. Apparently one of the daughters found an ancient shoe once, which is now in the National Museum.
We stumbled on a medieval fair and game show while we were there. I managed to accomplish one of my 100 things-I-have-to-do-before-I-die.... I had a falcon on my arm! It was really amazing.
One of Ger's friends works for a boat touring company on the river Shannon and took us for a twilight cruise. It wasn't quite the bikini-clad, champagne glass in hand sunset cruise, but we had a great time.
Saturday night was another party night, celebrating Aga's birthday with yet more renditions of 'It's a Long Way to Tipperary.'
We left very tired and full from Mrs. Hough's home cooking. Definitely an Irish experience to remember!
Thursday, August 28, 2008
A Bit of Culture in Dun Laoghaire
Last weekend was another busy one, with most of it spent at the annual Festival of World Cultures in a quaint seaside suburb called Dun Laoighaire on Dublin's South Coast.
It's become rather popular in Dublin, mostly for it wide variety of food stalls selling delicacies from all over the world, as well as free outdoor concerts overlooking the sea.
For this reason, it is of course preferable to have a nice, sunny summer's days to wander the stalls and watch the concert. We weren't so lucky, and from the moment I set off out of my front door to the late afternoon, it really rained. Then there was the mud.
Fortunately it cleared in time for some great concerts and an impromptu Brazilian jam session by the sea....definately one of the highlights.
We caught an amazing West African family band on Saturday night, then headed home for some sleep before returning on Sunday.
The weather cleared up on Sunday and I experienced bright, warm sun for the first time in awhile. 23 degrees and it was even described as 'boiling'- funny how quickly we adjust!
One of the best bands of the weekend played on Sunday night at a local loft pub- Balkan Beat Box. Definately the most original band I have heard in a long time, they were really fantastic.
All in all the weekend was really great. I tried a variety of foods, the strangest being Polish 'pate'... not really pate at all, but pork lard mixed with onions and spread thickly on bread. Hmmm....fat on bread. This is only one of many festivals to come in Dublin. The International Theatre Festival and Fringe Festival are coming up soon. I'm hoping to catch a bit of Oscar Wilde-a compulsory Irish experience.
I will post photos soon.
Hasta la vista
Friday, August 15, 2008
I Love Brussels
This became the phrase of the week after an endlessly hilarious trip to Brussels last weekend with my friend Agnieszka.
Why Brussels? I wasn't too sure. It's close enough to Ireland to make a good weekend trip and it rhymes with the mussels Belgium is so famous for.
We arrived in the city late on Friday night, dumped our bags at the hotel and headed straight for the bars. Unbeknownst to us we happened to be staying right near the Red Light District, home to seedy looking cinemas and Eygyptian boy racers. So after an eye opening trip down the main street we headed to the bar quarter on the look out for some of that famous Belgium beer.
I was never a great fan of Belgium beer, and the Krieg (cherry flavoured beer) reinforced this. Basically its bright red, sickeningly sweet and if it was up to me should be banned from existence. After repeatedly refusing the very common Stella Artois, I did try some other (better) varieties, although I still think German beer trumps them all.
Anyway, after a very late night/morning, we headed back to the hotel for some much needed rest before getting on one of those terribly tacky hop-on, hop-off tour buses with recorded commentary. Despite beginning the tour very seriously, this degenerated quickly when we realised that the English version of the tour wasn't working, so we decided to listen to it in Japanese instead. We got off at the first stop, which was the Atomium, a famous Brussels landmark in the shape of an atom which you can go to the top of to get a great view of the city.
While up there I looked down to see the Eiffel Tower, Mt Vesuvius and the Leaning Tower of Pisa. No, we weren't in Space looking down at Europe, but we were looking at.... Mini Europe! By far the highlight of any trip to Brussels, it contains miniature versions of all EU member states.
Mini Europe prompted a very serious Mini Euro Tour photo shoot (see left and http://www.flickr.com/photos/24491659@N03)
during which we morphed into Japanese aliens.
During a walk around the very quaint city centre, we visited the main square and Mannikin Piss, the famous statue of a little boy peeing which, according to legend, was erected in honour of a boy who put out great fires of Brussels while doing his business.
After a compulsory waffle eating mission, we headed in what we thought was the direction of our hotel only to end up at a fun fair. We took a quick ride and headed back to the hotel before going out to the Delirium Bar, known for its selection of over 2000 beers.
On Sunday we finished off the bus tour, catching a glimpse of the EU district, beautiful cathedrals and the palace.
Before leaving we finally had a bite of Brussels Mussels before heading back to the airport.
All in all a fantastic trip!
I love Brussels.
Why Brussels? I wasn't too sure. It's close enough to Ireland to make a good weekend trip and it rhymes with the mussels Belgium is so famous for.
We arrived in the city late on Friday night, dumped our bags at the hotel and headed straight for the bars. Unbeknownst to us we happened to be staying right near the Red Light District, home to seedy looking cinemas and Eygyptian boy racers. So after an eye opening trip down the main street we headed to the bar quarter on the look out for some of that famous Belgium beer.
I was never a great fan of Belgium beer, and the Krieg (cherry flavoured beer) reinforced this. Basically its bright red, sickeningly sweet and if it was up to me should be banned from existence. After repeatedly refusing the very common Stella Artois, I did try some other (better) varieties, although I still think German beer trumps them all.
Anyway, after a very late night/morning, we headed back to the hotel for some much needed rest before getting on one of those terribly tacky hop-on, hop-off tour buses with recorded commentary. Despite beginning the tour very seriously, this degenerated quickly when we realised that the English version of the tour wasn't working, so we decided to listen to it in Japanese instead. We got off at the first stop, which was the Atomium, a famous Brussels landmark in the shape of an atom which you can go to the top of to get a great view of the city.
While up there I looked down to see the Eiffel Tower, Mt Vesuvius and the Leaning Tower of Pisa. No, we weren't in Space looking down at Europe, but we were looking at.... Mini Europe! By far the highlight of any trip to Brussels, it contains miniature versions of all EU member states.
Mini Europe prompted a very serious Mini Euro Tour photo shoot (see left and http://www.flickr.com/photos/24491659@N03)
during which we morphed into Japanese aliens.
During a walk around the very quaint city centre, we visited the main square and Mannikin Piss, the famous statue of a little boy peeing which, according to legend, was erected in honour of a boy who put out great fires of Brussels while doing his business.
After a compulsory waffle eating mission, we headed in what we thought was the direction of our hotel only to end up at a fun fair. We took a quick ride and headed back to the hotel before going out to the Delirium Bar, known for its selection of over 2000 beers.
On Sunday we finished off the bus tour, catching a glimpse of the EU district, beautiful cathedrals and the palace.
Before leaving we finally had a bite of Brussels Mussels before heading back to the airport.
All in all a fantastic trip!
I love Brussels.
Friday, August 08, 2008
A Very Irish Road Trip
Armed with raincoats and tequila, the Five Foreigners (Me, Gergo (Hungary), Max (Australia), Veronica (Mexico) and Martin (Spain) ) headed off on a 3 day road trip to the West Coast of Ireland.
It all began with a much too early start on Saturday morning, followed by a 5 hour drive to Lisdoonvarna, a small village near The Burren, a famous area of lunar-looking karst landscape along the coast (pictured).
After arriving at our fantastic hostel- Sleepzone The Burren (highly reccommended!) we set off on a bit of sightseeing of the surrounding area, exploring megolithic tombs and ancient ruins, which seem to pop up almost everywhere you look.
The Cliffs of Moher were another highlight, also one of Ireland's most visited destinations. We had a tip from the hostel staff to go in the evening in order to avoid the crowds and the entrance fees, which we did. We got a partial sunset (a miracle for Ireland!) and headed back to the hostel for some much needed beers in the downstairs bar complete with traditional Irish music which went on deep into the night.
Saturday was a bit of a slow start but eventually we made it to Inisheer, the smallest of the Aran Islands, after an incredibly sickening boat trip. Every time I go on a boat I swear it will be my last, and this was no exception.
It took awhile recover from the sea-sickness but eventually we made it up from the sand and walked around the very small island. It really was like being in a different land and everything had a tinge of surreality to it.
The first thing that hit me when I got off the boat was the vast criss crossing of ancient stone walls across the island which didn't seem to serve much of a purpose. The island is littered with old ruins overlooking the water and all the houses are so quaint they could be mistaken for a movie set. The islanders pedomidently speak Irish and horse and cart seems to be the favoured transportation method.
While on top a ruin we noticed a huge, heavily rusted shipwreck looking very foreboding on the pebbles of the far beach. We decided to navigate our way through the wall maze and animals to check it out. When we got there there was almost no one around so we decided to climb up inside the ship and check it out.
It was a very eerie feeling being inside the ship, like walking through a ghost town in the middle of nowhere. After a Wikipedia check when we got home we discovered that it was shipwrecked in the 1960s and the entire crew saved by the Inisheer islanders. Quite an amazing feat.
Inisheer was definately one of the best parts of the trip despite injuring my foot by jumping onto a stone!
We played a few rounds of Texas Hold 'Em poker that night and left early for Galway city the next day. It was a pretty town, but very small.
It was a fantastic trip but all too short, and had left me with many more ideas of places to explore in Ireland.
It all began with a much too early start on Saturday morning, followed by a 5 hour drive to Lisdoonvarna, a small village near The Burren, a famous area of lunar-looking karst landscape along the coast (pictured).
After arriving at our fantastic hostel- Sleepzone The Burren (highly reccommended!) we set off on a bit of sightseeing of the surrounding area, exploring megolithic tombs and ancient ruins, which seem to pop up almost everywhere you look.
The Cliffs of Moher were another highlight, also one of Ireland's most visited destinations. We had a tip from the hostel staff to go in the evening in order to avoid the crowds and the entrance fees, which we did. We got a partial sunset (a miracle for Ireland!) and headed back to the hostel for some much needed beers in the downstairs bar complete with traditional Irish music which went on deep into the night.
Saturday was a bit of a slow start but eventually we made it to Inisheer, the smallest of the Aran Islands, after an incredibly sickening boat trip. Every time I go on a boat I swear it will be my last, and this was no exception.
It took awhile recover from the sea-sickness but eventually we made it up from the sand and walked around the very small island. It really was like being in a different land and everything had a tinge of surreality to it.
The first thing that hit me when I got off the boat was the vast criss crossing of ancient stone walls across the island which didn't seem to serve much of a purpose. The island is littered with old ruins overlooking the water and all the houses are so quaint they could be mistaken for a movie set. The islanders pedomidently speak Irish and horse and cart seems to be the favoured transportation method.
While on top a ruin we noticed a huge, heavily rusted shipwreck looking very foreboding on the pebbles of the far beach. We decided to navigate our way through the wall maze and animals to check it out. When we got there there was almost no one around so we decided to climb up inside the ship and check it out.
It was a very eerie feeling being inside the ship, like walking through a ghost town in the middle of nowhere. After a Wikipedia check when we got home we discovered that it was shipwrecked in the 1960s and the entire crew saved by the Inisheer islanders. Quite an amazing feat.
Inisheer was definately one of the best parts of the trip despite injuring my foot by jumping onto a stone!
We played a few rounds of Texas Hold 'Em poker that night and left early for Galway city the next day. It was a pretty town, but very small.
It was a fantastic trip but all too short, and had left me with many more ideas of places to explore in Ireland.
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Last weekend I had an old friend, Kristin, visit from Norway. It was so great to see her again after 3 1/2 years.
Following my theme of untraditional Irish sightseeing, I took her on the Sinn Fein Rebel Tour of Dublin. Run by the Sinn Fein Shop, a very enthusiastic guide leads a 2 hour tour around the old revolutionary haunts of the city, most of which you would otherwise just walk past without knowing how much history it holds. Although I got a bit lost in the dates it was a really fascinating tour, and the very small group combined with the glint in the eye of the guide really fires up the enthusiasm. We had a journalist stop by to take some snaps, and we were hoping to make it into the national newspaper as participants on a 'Terror Tour' of Dublin. Alas, the paper was rather kind, and I'm hoping that more people are encouraged to take part in the tour, despite the political leanings of Sinn Fein!
It was a rather lazy weekend from that point on, although I threw a Mexican party on Friday evening followed by a trip to the North coast of Dublin on Saturday. Saturday night was dominated by a spontanenous 'Homeless by Night' tour, followed by a rather classy trip to Eddie Rocket's Diner for dessert as everywhere else was closed. Suffice to say, we couldn't find a creme brulee, but the booth jukeboxes were a nice touch.
The weekend went all too quickly, but I think I managed to show Kristin the highlights and lowlights of Dublin. I even made the ultimate life sacfice: I took her to a vegetarian restaurant! Medals welcome.
This weekend I'm hiring a car with a group of friends and heading to the West Coast, home of rugged cliffs, wild waters and Gaelic speaking locals. We'll be staying in a small town called Lisdoovarna, home of Europe's largest matchmaking event! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lisdoonvarna
More photos here http://www.flickr.com/photos/24491659@N03
Following my theme of untraditional Irish sightseeing, I took her on the Sinn Fein Rebel Tour of Dublin. Run by the Sinn Fein Shop, a very enthusiastic guide leads a 2 hour tour around the old revolutionary haunts of the city, most of which you would otherwise just walk past without knowing how much history it holds. Although I got a bit lost in the dates it was a really fascinating tour, and the very small group combined with the glint in the eye of the guide really fires up the enthusiasm. We had a journalist stop by to take some snaps, and we were hoping to make it into the national newspaper as participants on a 'Terror Tour' of Dublin. Alas, the paper was rather kind, and I'm hoping that more people are encouraged to take part in the tour, despite the political leanings of Sinn Fein!
It was a rather lazy weekend from that point on, although I threw a Mexican party on Friday evening followed by a trip to the North coast of Dublin on Saturday. Saturday night was dominated by a spontanenous 'Homeless by Night' tour, followed by a rather classy trip to Eddie Rocket's Diner for dessert as everywhere else was closed. Suffice to say, we couldn't find a creme brulee, but the booth jukeboxes were a nice touch.
The weekend went all too quickly, but I think I managed to show Kristin the highlights and lowlights of Dublin. I even made the ultimate life sacfice: I took her to a vegetarian restaurant! Medals welcome.
This weekend I'm hiring a car with a group of friends and heading to the West Coast, home of rugged cliffs, wild waters and Gaelic speaking locals. We'll be staying in a small town called Lisdoovarna, home of Europe's largest matchmaking event! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lisdoonvarna
More photos here http://www.flickr.com/photos/24491659@N03
Thursday, July 24, 2008
A Very Irish Weather Forecast
Over the weekend and for the start of next week temperatures will not be as high and the weather will gradually become more unsettled. Fairly cloudy on Friday night with scattered outbreaks of rain but most of the night will be dry. However it may be foggy as well. Saturday and Sunday will be two fairly cloudy days and there may be rain at times. However the rain will generally not be that heavy and there should be long dry periods during the day. Highest temperatures will be around 20 or 21C at most. Then during the first couple of days of next week the weather looks like turning back to its very wet pattern of the early summer as heavy thundery rain once more sweeps up across Ireland from the south.
I think they're trying to cover all bases...
I think they're trying to cover all bases...
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
On Sunday me, my flatmate Gergu and his father hired a car and did some sightseeing.
It was a great feeling to be in a car again, not tied to bus timetables and destinations, and we managed to pack a lot in.
The first stop was the site of the Battle of the Boyne, where George of Orange defeated the Jacobites, thus laying the foundations for English dominance in Ireland over the following centuries. Its also known as the battle in which the protestants defeated the catholics, an
d is celebrated on 12th July (see last post)
d is celebrated on 12th July (see last post)Next stop was the Neolithic passage graves of Knowth, with hundreds of beautifully decorated stones. Knowth has more than a 3rd of the total number of megalithic art works in the whole of western Europe, and it was well worth seeing, even if it just looks like humps of earth from a distance.
After Knowth we drove through some storybook Irish villages, with coloured houses and, of course, lots of traditional looking pubs and the odd fish and chip shop with nackers slouching
outside. We walked through Kells (origin of the book of Kells)- a really pretty town- and drove past some similarly quaint looking places.
We dropped Gergu's father off in the tiny town of Glenlough, right on the Northern Ireland border, where he will work on a farm, and headed back to Dublin.
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
Belfast on Orange Day
It's been awhile since my last entry- I haven't had much time for computers lately.
Dublin was becoming a bit too... peaceful... for me, so last weekend I decided to jump on the train and go to Belfast. What I didn't realise until the day before was that it was 12th July, which in Northern Ireland means Orange Parade- formally a celebration of William of Orange, the Dutch Prince of Great Britain and Ireland in the 16th century.
Informally, its a chance for Protestants/Loyalists to agitate the Catholics/Republicans and vice versa, and usually ends in some sort of violence.
So I stumbled onto the 7.30am train from Dublin, and woke up 2 hours later to the sounds of marching bands and crazed screeching teenage girls draped in British flags with an incredible penchant for fake tan. They must have really been going for the orange theme.
I walked through the marching bands which took over the city centre, and onto Falls road for my 3 hour political history walking tour. I'm not usually into tours, but this one was something different. There were only 5 of us on the tour, and it was led by a Republican who had endured 16 years of jail as a political
prisoner during The Struggles. He had 200 stiches in his head to prove it.
prisoner during The Struggles. He had 200 stiches in his head to prove it.The tour, although 'unashamedly republican' was really fascinating. The entire tour took place on one very famous road, Falls Road. It began with an apartment block which is a former base for the British forces, and ended at the cemetary where famous IRA/republicans are buried, including Bobby Sands, one of the hunger strikers.
I still find it quite incredible how divided the city still is. A wall runs the length of Falls Road, where Catholics and Protestants still live on their respective sides. There are separate schools for both sides and relatively little interaction by all accounts.
Despite this, the city has come a long way in just 10 years. It's hard to imagine where I was walking was a literal war zone, with frequent bombs exploding and gun fire from both sides. One interesting, bad side effect of peace from this type of war is that there has been a dramatic rise in suicides since the ceasefire. According to the guide, suicide and hard drugs were virtually unheard of during the conflict, but now they are a very serious problem in Northern Ireland.
I walked back from the tour into the city, hoping there would be a lot going on when the parades finished. Alas, it was like a ghost town. Almost everything was closed, including bars and restaurants and it took me over an hour just to find something to eat in the city centre.
I took the train back to Dublin in the evening. The rest of the weekend was suprisingly sunny, although I wont hold my breath that summer has come!
Otherwise everything's going really well here. Tommorrow I'm going the theatre to see The Rat Pack, a Dean Martin tribute play and there's a festival on this weekend on the coast.
Saturday, June 14, 2008
Radiohead at Malahide Castle
I started my new job on Tuesday. Although it has been strange getting back to work , it's going well, and I like the university environment. My boss is the pricipal of the Engineering, Maths and Physics department (how did I end up there?!) and I havent met him yet because he spends mos of his time flying around the world first class. Lucky for some. However, I'm not here for the work and I've also managed to have some fun in between.
Last weekend I got a free ticket to the Radiohead concert, and went with my flatmate and
a friend. They played at Malahide Castle, a castle North of the city. It was amazing! To get there, you have to walk through forest and come into a huge clearing which is the castle grounds, where they played. It started raining just before they were due to come on, which wasn't great until it stopped and a huge double rainbow came out. The concert itself was really good- I prefer their older stuff but it was also interesting to hear some of their new material.Tonight I'm meeting up with 2 Irish girls I met in Guatemala for a BBQ and party, which should be good as long as the rain stays away!
Friday, June 06, 2008
Employed in Dublin
After 3 weeks of searching, I finally found a job!
I've got a 3-4 month contract with possibility of extension, working as a PA at UCD University in Dublin. I start on Tuesday. Oh and its sunny again. Its funny how the weather seems to follow my moods. Anyway, it feels really good to be employed again, as strange as that might sound. Wait a few weeks and Ill be moaning about working again.
Now I just have to get a tax number and bank account and Ill be set.I don't know what an 'Employed' photo looks like, so I thought I would stick to photos of my flat. My one is the first one on the right. Its not as grey inside as it looks!
Wednesday, June 04, 2008
Unemployed in Dublin
Unemployed and resorting to cheap wine to keep me warm. Ok, so maybe its not so bad, but I do love this photo.
Its raining and I'm still jobless, but I'm beginning to like Dublin more by the day. The weather is terrible, its not exotic or particularly beautiful and there is an extreme lack of street benches! But it does have some sort of Irish charm that cant quite be put into words.
I like how easy it is to hop on a train and end up on the coast 20 minutes later, to rolling hills overlooking the ocean and small villages dotted around. My picnic was great- I went with an English friend who I met in Guadalajara who lives in Dublin. Today I ended up North of the city in a coastal village called Malahide at a meeting with a recruitment agency. It was quite quaint, if not for the rain.
Otherwise, I've got more recruitment agency meetings this week and am hoping they get me something soon! Ive also applied for a few jobs online, but the main problem is that my visa restricts me from taking permanent work. So its contract or temp work for me, which isn't the easiest to find.
Saturday, May 31, 2008
No Longer Homeless
I found a flat!
After 2 weeks of searching, I've finally got my own room in a 4 bedroom Coronation-street style townhouse. Im sharing with 3 guys and living walking distance to the city. Its a nice house, with a backyard and BBQ (perfect for those freezing Irish summer nights)
Actually, it has warmed up a bit and Im heading to the coast for a picnic lunch today, which is a short bus trip from Dublin city centre. Im looking forward to seeing the sea again- it's been awhile.
My job search is proving a little bit more difficult- I have signed up to several temp agencies and am awaiting their calls . Im hoping to find some sort of contract admin/reception job, which sure beats trying to sell things to people on the street, which Ill resort to if I dont find a job soon.
I had a crazy coincidence a couple of days ago. In Mexico City, I met a really nice Australian couple at my hostel.I got their email address but hadn't heard from them in awhile. Anyway, I was walking out of my hostel in Dublin when I saw two familiar Australian faces... they have turned up to work here for a couple of months before going onto the rest of their world trip! It was great to see them, and Im sure we will see a lot more of eachother here.
Its a long weekend here, so I'm sure the city is going to be crazy with revellers.
Monday, May 26, 2008
Bad Day/Good Day
The last few days have been interesting...
Despite all the horror stories, during 3 months in Central America I never had one thing stolen. Yet after 1 week in Dublin my cellphone went missing out of my handbag at a bar.
Of course, it had to happen right after I had given my number to prospective employers and potential flatmates, plus any new friends I made in between.
So after the initial rage, and numerous phone calls to the said phone, I sort of gave up on the idea of getting it back. I was meant to be going to Cork city that day anyway. But I decided to try one last time though, just in case.... and someone answered! He asked me to call back in 5 minutes, so I did, and no one picked up. So I waited around in Dublin with all my bags, feeling the effects of too little sleep and too much Guinness the night before, tried another 30 times, and almost resigned myself again. I jumped on the bus bound for Cork (a 4.5 hour trip) feeling very dramatic about the state of the world.
Yet on trying again that evening (from Cork), the same guy answered again! He said I could pick it up when I got back to Dublin. The whole thing sounded a bit dodgy, so when I got back to Dublin from Cork on Sunday I took a taxi there. I was even more suprised to find it was legitimate, he gave me back the phone, and even refused some beer money I offered him. He never did explain how he came across my phone, or why he didnt turn it into the bar, but I was just damn happy to get it back. To make my day even better, the taxi driver offered to drive me back to the city for free (a half hour drive). Hilary Duff must have been watching out for me from her Hollywood heaven.
Anyway, my time in Cork was great. It was good to get away from Dublin and the crazy process of job/flat hunting for awhile. Despite being the second biggest city in Ireland, Cork is small but pretty. A must see for any visitor to Cork is Blarney Castle and its famous Blarney Stone. It's tradition to kiss the stone (which apparently is also the recipient of much male urine). The worst part is that you are dangled by legs from the top of the castle to kiss the side of the stone, with a view the whole way down to the bottom of the castle. My fear of heights did not help, and on my hurry to get back up to surface I hit my head on the Blarney Stone, something that produced much hilarity for myself and my Australian friend I went there with.
I also visited the old Cork jail which was well worth seeing. It really made you feel like you were back in the 1920s, trying to survive off stodgy porridge and a lack of potatoes with rats crawling over you. There were a few cool inscriptions in the jail walls from political prisoners fighting for a free Irish state.
Now its back to the job and flat search...
More photos here http://www.flickr.com/photos/24491659@N03/
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
A Day in the Life of a New Dubliner
The last few days have been pretty hectic in my search for a job and a place to live. Flathunting is always an exhausting, weird, and sometimes hilarious process.
I've been to see a few so far, including:
- A 5 bedroom house with 10 people living in it
-A place that advertised 25 mins walk from city centre... actually about an hour, in the middle of old age homes, with concrete dog statues, brown couches and doilies in every crevace. Possibly one of the most depressing scenes I have seen in awhile. I started to imagine myself on a rocking chair staring at peeling wallpaper with a ticking grandfather clock in the background
- Rooms that were advertised that didnt seem to exist.. I turned up at the alloted time and no one pitched up.
Im seeing one more flat tonight, which Im hoping will be the right one. Ive also been in to see a couple of temp agencies with my CV... fingers crossed.
I've been to see a few so far, including:
- A 5 bedroom house with 10 people living in it
-A place that advertised 25 mins walk from city centre... actually about an hour, in the middle of old age homes, with concrete dog statues, brown couches and doilies in every crevace. Possibly one of the most depressing scenes I have seen in awhile. I started to imagine myself on a rocking chair staring at peeling wallpaper with a ticking grandfather clock in the background
- Rooms that were advertised that didnt seem to exist.. I turned up at the alloted time and no one pitched up.
Im seeing one more flat tonight, which Im hoping will be the right one. Ive also been in to see a couple of temp agencies with my CV... fingers crossed.
Sunday, May 18, 2008
Potatoes and Guinness in Ireland
I'm now in the land of potatoes and Guinness... I arrived in Dublin on Tuesday to begin my year of work and travel.
My first impressions of Dublin are pretty good- lots of pretty buildings and rivers winding through the city. The bars really fit the Irish pub stereotype- old, quaint and rowdy with people playing fiddles in the corner and drinking pints of Guinness.
The one thing that has struck me about Dublin is the lack of Irish.... everywhere I go I hear Spanish, Italian, German, French, Swedish, Polish etc etc. And the English I do hear is not that of the Irish variety. You can really see the money here, and the prices reflect it- 5.50 Euros for a beer (thats NZ $11!) It would have been really interesting to see the city 20 years ago, I imagine it would have been a much different place.
I also love how everyone pretends its not really cold here- there are girls wearing cocktail dresses at midnight- even worse than the Loaded Hog in mid-winter!
I'm in the process of trying to find a flat and job, which is proving more difficult than I thought. I'm going into a temp agency tomorrow to see what I can find, and flat hunting is sporadic.
Its hard getting used to being in one place again, although I think it will feel good to have my own room again after 4 months in dorm rooms. And my own pillow. Luxury!
I will post photos soon.
My first impressions of Dublin are pretty good- lots of pretty buildings and rivers winding through the city. The bars really fit the Irish pub stereotype- old, quaint and rowdy with people playing fiddles in the corner and drinking pints of Guinness.
The one thing that has struck me about Dublin is the lack of Irish.... everywhere I go I hear Spanish, Italian, German, French, Swedish, Polish etc etc. And the English I do hear is not that of the Irish variety. You can really see the money here, and the prices reflect it- 5.50 Euros for a beer (thats NZ $11!) It would have been really interesting to see the city 20 years ago, I imagine it would have been a much different place.
I also love how everyone pretends its not really cold here- there are girls wearing cocktail dresses at midnight- even worse than the Loaded Hog in mid-winter!
I'm in the process of trying to find a flat and job, which is proving more difficult than I thought. I'm going into a temp agency tomorrow to see what I can find, and flat hunting is sporadic.
Its hard getting used to being in one place again, although I think it will feel good to have my own room again after 4 months in dorm rooms. And my own pillow. Luxury!
I will post photos soon.
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
Me and Meli getting serious in Hamburg
Its always better to see a city the way a local sees it. I was really glad to meet up with my friend Meli, who I met in Guatemala, in Hamburg. She was kind enough to let me stay and introduce me to the city and her friends there.
The night I arrived she took me to an Electronic festival in a park near the city. At the time, there were several festivals going on, but this one was seriously lacking any tourists thankfully ( I dont count). We had a great time and I met many of her friends. Some of them live in a huge apartment overlooking the harbour, which had an amazing view of the water.
We passed through the famous red light district at night, which wasnt as seedy as I would have imagined. Just lots of bright lights, reminiscent of something out of Moulin Rouge.
The next day we took a boat trip around the harbour and saw some of the city centre, including a lake that could be mistaken for a river...
As meli is vegetarian I tried to go follow suit for the time I was there, just to see what it was like. I almost made it, but the shrimps got me. I did try hefe weisen beer and banana juice though, which was quite good.
I was disappointed that I didnt have more time in Hamburg but maybe one day Ill be back...
The night I arrived she took me to an Electronic festival in a park near the city. At the time, there were several festivals going on, but this one was seriously lacking any tourists thankfully ( I dont count). We had a great time and I met many of her friends. Some of them live in a huge apartment overlooking the harbour, which had an amazing view of the water.
We passed through the famous red light district at night, which wasnt as seedy as I would have imagined. Just lots of bright lights, reminiscent of something out of Moulin Rouge.
The next day we took a boat trip around the harbour and saw some of the city centre, including a lake that could be mistaken for a river...
As meli is vegetarian I tried to go follow suit for the time I was there, just to see what it was like. I almost made it, but the shrimps got me. I did try hefe weisen beer and banana juice though, which was quite good.
I was disappointed that I didnt have more time in Hamburg but maybe one day Ill be back...
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
Berlin
Berlin has made my list of favourite cities visited. I had a great weekend enjoying the history, politics and beer of the city, and only wished I had longer to explore.
On Saturday I took a 3 1/2 hour free tour of the main sites of the city, which was one of the best tours I have been on. The guide was a very charismatic Welsh guy, who was also a former politics student so knew a lot of in depth and random facts about Berlin. Sites included the Brandenburg Gates, Berlin Wall, Checkpoint Charlie, the German parliament buildings, Pariser Platz, the controversial Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe and Hitler's bunker. Berlin's history, both old and contemporary, can keep you fascinated for days.
Its a great place just to walk around, and to see the occupied apartment blocks which, although covered in grafitti and looking like crack dens, are actually occupied by artists and musicians and apparently have bars and restaurants inside.
The East-West divide is also fascinating to see, especially the clash of political ideologies and entire ways of living that were experienced in Berlin before the Wall came down. I also visited the GDR museum which, although not the greatest museum Ive seen, was highly interactive and had some hilarious relics of the GDR times. One of my favourites was the GDR made Trabant car, an incredibly small car meant to rival the evil Capitalist cars. East Germans were very proud of this cheap and economical invention, even if they did have to go on a 20-year waiting list to get one.
Another one of my favourites (in theory, not practice) is Vita Cola, the GDR rival to Coca Cola. Its still on sale in most shops in Eastern Germany but by all accounts its very, very bad.
I seem to have come across festival season in Germany. After going to one in Stuttgart and in Dresden, I also stumbled on the annual Cultural Festival in Berlin, which had a lot of great food, drink and music from across the world.
Definately a city which needs a return visit!
Friday, May 09, 2008
Prague
My decision to go to Prague was quite last minute. I had heard a lot of great things about the historic city, and its only 2 hours from Dresden so I thought I would pop across for a couple of nights.
Upsides: Prague really is a beautiful city, split by a river and full of castles, museums and, of course, very old buildings. It managed to escape destruction during WWII, so most of the city is still intact. And, of course, the Czech beer, home of the Pilzner and creators of the original Budweiser.
Downsides: Its expensive. Very expensive. You get charged for everything, even to use the bathroom at expensive restaurants.
Also the Czechs I met there were, on the whole, the most incredibly rude people I have ever met, especially when you are their customer, e.g. slamming your food/drinks down at restaurants, grunting at you when you ask a question about taking a tour, etc. It was quite baffling.
I did manage to see quite a bit of the city while I was there though, including Prague Castle (the oldest castle in the world) Vysehrad Castle, the Old Town, Charles Bridge, and a weird television tower with babies climbing up it, all of which were quite amazing.
I am in Berlin now where Im spending the next couple of nights, and then onto Hamburg.
More Prague photos here http://www.flickr.com/photos/24491659@N03/sets/72157604944711802/
Tschüs!
Upsides: Prague really is a beautiful city, split by a river and full of castles, museums and, of course, very old buildings. It managed to escape destruction during WWII, so most of the city is still intact. And, of course, the Czech beer, home of the Pilzner and creators of the original Budweiser.
Downsides: Its expensive. Very expensive. You get charged for everything, even to use the bathroom at expensive restaurants.
Also the Czechs I met there were, on the whole, the most incredibly rude people I have ever met, especially when you are their customer, e.g. slamming your food/drinks down at restaurants, grunting at you when you ask a question about taking a tour, etc. It was quite baffling.
I did manage to see quite a bit of the city while I was there though, including Prague Castle (the oldest castle in the world) Vysehrad Castle, the Old Town, Charles Bridge, and a weird television tower with babies climbing up it, all of which were quite amazing.
I am in Berlin now where Im spending the next couple of nights, and then onto Hamburg.
More Prague photos here http://www.flickr.com/photos/24491659@N03/sets/72157604944711802/
Tschüs!
Saturday, May 03, 2008
Dresden
I arrived in Dresden after a speedy trip on the German autobahn. Definately the most efficient roads I have ever seen! The main purpose of my visit was, of course, to see my 2 1/2 year old niece, Miriam and her family.
Wednesday was Zoo day, a favourite of Miriam and Marens, and on Thursday we had a picnic in Dresdens park. It is truly massive and even has a castle and train track in it. Thursday also happened to be Mens Day in Germany, a public holiday in which men take backpacks full of beer and walk around town drinking all day. All in all it was suprisingly civil. On Womens day all the ladies are given flowers by the men, which doesnt sound nearly as fun.
Yesterday Marens father, Andre, took me on a tour of the outskirts of Dresden. We visited a beautiful old village called Meißen, and walked around the castle and its chapel which overlooks the town and the river Elbe.
I got an insight into the eccentric king August, who was a rather large bulimic who would eat huge amounts of food to look richer to his people, and then throw it up out of neccessity and keep on eating. He also heard that Venice was a great city that had a lighthouse so he decided that he needed one too, to show how great he was. So he had a working lighthouse built on his private lake, on which his was the only boat that travelled there.
We took a tour through the old army barracks and offices of the former German Democratic Republic (GDR) and the Nazis. Most of the old, grey buildings have been deserted now, and its a rather spooky sight, especially as a storm was brewing as we drove past. I also caught a glimpse of Vladimir Putins old house, where he lived as a Secret Service agent during GDR times. Its mind-boggling to think about how closed off East Germany was from the West- even bananas were considered a luxury during GDR times.
Tonight I will go to a festival in Neustadt, the old part of Dresden, with Maren and her sister Mareike.
More photos here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/organize/?start_tab=sets
Tschüs!
Wednesday was Zoo day, a favourite of Miriam and Marens, and on Thursday we had a picnic in Dresdens park. It is truly massive and even has a castle and train track in it. Thursday also happened to be Mens Day in Germany, a public holiday in which men take backpacks full of beer and walk around town drinking all day. All in all it was suprisingly civil. On Womens day all the ladies are given flowers by the men, which doesnt sound nearly as fun.
Yesterday Marens father, Andre, took me on a tour of the outskirts of Dresden. We visited a beautiful old village called Meißen, and walked around the castle and its chapel which overlooks the town and the river Elbe.
I got an insight into the eccentric king August, who was a rather large bulimic who would eat huge amounts of food to look richer to his people, and then throw it up out of neccessity and keep on eating. He also heard that Venice was a great city that had a lighthouse so he decided that he needed one too, to show how great he was. So he had a working lighthouse built on his private lake, on which his was the only boat that travelled there.
We took a tour through the old army barracks and offices of the former German Democratic Republic (GDR) and the Nazis. Most of the old, grey buildings have been deserted now, and its a rather spooky sight, especially as a storm was brewing as we drove past. I also caught a glimpse of Vladimir Putins old house, where he lived as a Secret Service agent during GDR times. Its mind-boggling to think about how closed off East Germany was from the West- even bananas were considered a luxury during GDR times.
Tonight I will go to a festival in Neustadt, the old part of Dresden, with Maren and her sister Mareike.
More photos here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/organize/?start_tab=sets
Tschüs!
Monday, April 28, 2008
South Germany
I have been in Germany for almost a week now, and have seen a lot in just a few days.
Southern Germany is very beautiful- filled with old castles, historic towns, modern cities, vineyards, and forests, with the Black Forest being the most famous of all. Gerhart and Annie have been very kind to take me to all of these, and I have some great photos to illustrate it: http://www.flickr.com/photos/24491659@N03/sets/72157604738180004/
On Friday we went to visit some friends of theirs and my parents, Harold and Ute, in a small village near the Black Forest. We took the day to walk in the forest and see some amazing castles which seemed to appear from nowhere from the trees. On the way home, we drove through the Black Forest and past some more beautiful old German towns.
I also visited the UNESCO World Heritage site of Maulbronn Monastery, founded in the 12th Century AD. It was truly amazing, as most of the buildings have been completely preserved, and its very elaborately finished for a monastery. It did make me sympathise with the monks however, who had to live within the freezing stone walls of the buildings with no heating and the vow of poverty, chasity and obedience. They werent allowed to eat meat either, but the cooks would sneak meat into big pasta squares, giving birth to the regions culinary speciality, the Swabian ravioli. I tasted it today and it really was good. South Germany also makes some great wines which I sampled today in a wine growing suburb in Stuttgart.
Tommorrow I will spend another day in Stuttgart and then its on to Dresden.
Tschüs
Southern Germany is very beautiful- filled with old castles, historic towns, modern cities, vineyards, and forests, with the Black Forest being the most famous of all. Gerhart and Annie have been very kind to take me to all of these, and I have some great photos to illustrate it: http://www.flickr.com/photos/24491659@N03/sets/72157604738180004/
On Friday we went to visit some friends of theirs and my parents, Harold and Ute, in a small village near the Black Forest. We took the day to walk in the forest and see some amazing castles which seemed to appear from nowhere from the trees. On the way home, we drove through the Black Forest and past some more beautiful old German towns.
I also visited the UNESCO World Heritage site of Maulbronn Monastery, founded in the 12th Century AD. It was truly amazing, as most of the buildings have been completely preserved, and its very elaborately finished for a monastery. It did make me sympathise with the monks however, who had to live within the freezing stone walls of the buildings with no heating and the vow of poverty, chasity and obedience. They werent allowed to eat meat either, but the cooks would sneak meat into big pasta squares, giving birth to the regions culinary speciality, the Swabian ravioli. I tasted it today and it really was good. South Germany also makes some great wines which I sampled today in a wine growing suburb in Stuttgart.
Tommorrow I will spend another day in Stuttgart and then its on to Dresden.
Tschüs
Germany
True to German style, my time here has been action packed and really great so far.
Gerhart and Annie took me to the Stuttgart Art Museum yesterday, which was great, and we walked around the city. Its a really beautiful part of South Germany- many of the buildings have survived the War or have been reconstructured very well. They took me to a typical German market, which I have to say was a lot more civil than the Mexican ones (compare giant cheeses and olive sculptures with whole cows and pig heads sitting before you).
Today we visited the Mercedes Benz Museum, an amazing documentation of the history of the automobile, which was actually invented by Mr Benz of Stuttgart. The museum is an architectual feat in itself, and its really worth seeing.
After the museum it was of course neccesary to refresh with a real German beer. Luckily I made it to Stuttgart in time for the bi-annual Beerfest, a huge festival with copious amounts of food, rides and, of course, beer by the litre. I even managed to see genuine Lederhousen on sale.
Tschus!
Gerhart and Annie took me to the Stuttgart Art Museum yesterday, which was great, and we walked around the city. Its a really beautiful part of South Germany- many of the buildings have survived the War or have been reconstructured very well. They took me to a typical German market, which I have to say was a lot more civil than the Mexican ones (compare giant cheeses and olive sculptures with whole cows and pig heads sitting before you).
Today we visited the Mercedes Benz Museum, an amazing documentation of the history of the automobile, which was actually invented by Mr Benz of Stuttgart. The museum is an architectual feat in itself, and its really worth seeing.
After the museum it was of course neccesary to refresh with a real German beer. Luckily I made it to Stuttgart in time for the bi-annual Beerfest, a huge festival with copious amounts of food, rides and, of course, beer by the litre. I even managed to see genuine Lederhousen on sale.
Tschus!
San Diego Part II
I arrived in San Diego on Thursday after an uneventful flight from Guadalajara to Tijuana, and bus ride from Tijuana to San Diego.
I didnt actually get to visit the infamous city of TJ, known for pestulant hawkers, violence, police corruption and as a haven for those seeking prescription drugs without a presciption and for underage US drinkers (the drinking age is 18 in Mexico, so they roll across the border to the all-you-can-drink bars). I wouldnt say its the Real Mexico (whatever that means), but the craziness and extreme contrast to just across the border would have been an interesting sight. Its just a shame that people think that that it is what the rest of Mexico is like.
The border itself was interesting enough though- it took about an hour just to get to the border in a distance which should have taken 15 minutes. Cars were banked up for miles. Once we got there, we were loaded off the bus with all our baggage and told to wait in the very long lines. There were huge signs everywhere saying that all conversations were being recorded, and anytime someone got out a cellphone (read: any Mexican), they were told to switch it off. It felt like some kind of space-age concentration camp.
A verbal screaming match broke out between some women while I was waiting in line- one accused the others of pushing into line, and was yelling at the top of her lungs for a long time.
Needless to say, I survived getting through without a hitch, although the atmosphere is of such that it makes you so paranoid that you start imagining that you might actually have hidden hard drugs/cuban cigars/Mexican child seeking better life in your backpack.
It was such a contrast coming back to the US. It took me awhile to get used to the fact that I can actually flush toilet paper again, and drink tap water without the threat of man-eating worms and amoebas growing in my stomach.It was also really great to see Angela again, and to share some great American beers (yes, beers other than Budweiser do exist). On the way home from the bus station we took a side trip to the Yardhouse, home of the largest selection of draft beer in the world. Its a great place.
I also met Angelas teacher friends at their Happy Hour(s)- a great bunch of people who were of course a little zany. Saturday night was spent watching dvds and then Angela very kindly took me to LA airport on Sunday morning.
The flight was long but not too bad, and I arrived in Germany yesterday to the very welcoming Gerhart and Annie, friends of my parents living in Stuttgart. Its a very beautiful part of Germany, and one I am looking forward to exploring.
Tschus!
I didnt actually get to visit the infamous city of TJ, known for pestulant hawkers, violence, police corruption and as a haven for those seeking prescription drugs without a presciption and for underage US drinkers (the drinking age is 18 in Mexico, so they roll across the border to the all-you-can-drink bars). I wouldnt say its the Real Mexico (whatever that means), but the craziness and extreme contrast to just across the border would have been an interesting sight. Its just a shame that people think that that it is what the rest of Mexico is like.
The border itself was interesting enough though- it took about an hour just to get to the border in a distance which should have taken 15 minutes. Cars were banked up for miles. Once we got there, we were loaded off the bus with all our baggage and told to wait in the very long lines. There were huge signs everywhere saying that all conversations were being recorded, and anytime someone got out a cellphone (read: any Mexican), they were told to switch it off. It felt like some kind of space-age concentration camp.
A verbal screaming match broke out between some women while I was waiting in line- one accused the others of pushing into line, and was yelling at the top of her lungs for a long time.
Needless to say, I survived getting through without a hitch, although the atmosphere is of such that it makes you so paranoid that you start imagining that you might actually have hidden hard drugs/cuban cigars/Mexican child seeking better life in your backpack.
It was such a contrast coming back to the US. It took me awhile to get used to the fact that I can actually flush toilet paper again, and drink tap water without the threat of man-eating worms and amoebas growing in my stomach.It was also really great to see Angela again, and to share some great American beers (yes, beers other than Budweiser do exist). On the way home from the bus station we took a side trip to the Yardhouse, home of the largest selection of draft beer in the world. Its a great place.
I also met Angelas teacher friends at their Happy Hour(s)- a great bunch of people who were of course a little zany. Saturday night was spent watching dvds and then Angela very kindly took me to LA airport on Sunday morning.
The flight was long but not too bad, and I arrived in Germany yesterday to the very welcoming Gerhart and Annie, friends of my parents living in Stuttgart. Its a very beautiful part of Germany, and one I am looking forward to exploring.
Tschus!
Adios, Mexico!
Its my last day in Mexico after a truly amazing 3 months in the region.
I have been in Guadalajara since Sunday. Its a great city, although after Mexico City I have to say its hard to find any city that lives up to it. Cabelleros (cowboys) dominate here. I dont think I have seen so many mostaches, denim and cowboy hats and boots in a long time.
The highlight of my time in Guadalajara has to be my trip to Tequila yesterday, a small, VERY Mexican town, where siestas and fiestas still reign, and if youre not wearing a cowboy hat you are clearly not cool.
I took a local bus there, and saw a Canadian man that I had met a few days ago on the bus from San Miguel. He was heading to Tequila with a French Canadian woman, so I tagged along. I expected the town to be very touristy (i.e. drunk Gringos with giant sombreros and ponchos roaming the streets), but suprisingly we were the only foreigners there. Even the tour of the tequila farm was dominated by Mexicans.
The tour was well worth it- we took a bus about 10 minutes out of the town to a really beautiful ranch. It was surrounded by giant mango trees and a blue haze of agave (the cactus used to produce tequila), and all the buildings were made of solid stone or cement. The tequila making process is quite simple- basically at the centre of the agave is a baseball sized pineapple-looking ball, which are baked in giant ovens to extract the juice which is then fermented with yeast and aged in oak barrels.
Tequila is like champagne in that to be able to call the drink tequila it must be produced in Tequila (or a select few other municipalities in the region), and undergo strict criteria.
Of course we also had a tasting session, and were able to try gold, silver, reposado (aged) and añejo (very aged) tequilas. Tequila is similar to whiskey, and the good stuff is sipped slowly. I have to say it will be difficult to go back to the bad and expensive Jose Cuervo now!
After another tasting at the ranches beautiful restaurant, we headed back to the town to catch a glimpse of the fiesta, the 478th anniversary of the Saint of Tequila. Everyone in the town came out to celebrate this bizarre day.
Here is the promised video from Oaxaca City- http://www.youtube.com/user/samdj1210
Tommorrow Im flying to Tijuana, and then taking a bus straight to San Diego to see Angela again.
Hasta la vista!
I have been in Guadalajara since Sunday. Its a great city, although after Mexico City I have to say its hard to find any city that lives up to it. Cabelleros (cowboys) dominate here. I dont think I have seen so many mostaches, denim and cowboy hats and boots in a long time.
The highlight of my time in Guadalajara has to be my trip to Tequila yesterday, a small, VERY Mexican town, where siestas and fiestas still reign, and if youre not wearing a cowboy hat you are clearly not cool.
I took a local bus there, and saw a Canadian man that I had met a few days ago on the bus from San Miguel. He was heading to Tequila with a French Canadian woman, so I tagged along. I expected the town to be very touristy (i.e. drunk Gringos with giant sombreros and ponchos roaming the streets), but suprisingly we were the only foreigners there. Even the tour of the tequila farm was dominated by Mexicans.
The tour was well worth it- we took a bus about 10 minutes out of the town to a really beautiful ranch. It was surrounded by giant mango trees and a blue haze of agave (the cactus used to produce tequila), and all the buildings were made of solid stone or cement. The tequila making process is quite simple- basically at the centre of the agave is a baseball sized pineapple-looking ball, which are baked in giant ovens to extract the juice which is then fermented with yeast and aged in oak barrels.
Tequila is like champagne in that to be able to call the drink tequila it must be produced in Tequila (or a select few other municipalities in the region), and undergo strict criteria.
Of course we also had a tasting session, and were able to try gold, silver, reposado (aged) and añejo (very aged) tequilas. Tequila is similar to whiskey, and the good stuff is sipped slowly. I have to say it will be difficult to go back to the bad and expensive Jose Cuervo now!
After another tasting at the ranches beautiful restaurant, we headed back to the town to catch a glimpse of the fiesta, the 478th anniversary of the Saint of Tequila. Everyone in the town came out to celebrate this bizarre day.
Here is the promised video from Oaxaca City- http://www.youtube.com/user/samdj1210
Tommorrow Im flying to Tijuana, and then taking a bus straight to San Diego to see Angela again.
Hasta la vista!
San Miguel de Allende
Buenas tardes!
Like most places I have visited, I have stayed in San Miguel longer than intended. From the moment I saw the hotel Im staying in, I decided it merited a longer visit. I have a 2 bedroom apartment with private bathroom, fridge, huge balcony and rooftop access, all for $15! After almost 3 months of dorm rooms its a welcome break.
I spent most of the day getting lost around the town (fortunately its a perfect town to be lost in). The city is a strange mix of old and new, with sombrero-wearing expat gringos amongst the good old fashioned swinging-doored cantinas (saloons) frequented by cowboy hat wearing old Mexican men. The city has become a favourite for American retirees (and those sick of hectic western lifestyles). I have to say the city has a certain addictive quality, with all the great things about Mexico combined with the comforts of modern life. The city is packed with art galleries, artesan shops and delicatessans, but luckily still maintains fabulous markets with comedors (very cheap local eateries).
More photos here http://www.flickr.com/photos/24491659@N03/
Tommorrow I leave for Guadalajara and the famed town of Tequila.
Hasta luego
Like most places I have visited, I have stayed in San Miguel longer than intended. From the moment I saw the hotel Im staying in, I decided it merited a longer visit. I have a 2 bedroom apartment with private bathroom, fridge, huge balcony and rooftop access, all for $15! After almost 3 months of dorm rooms its a welcome break.
I spent most of the day getting lost around the town (fortunately its a perfect town to be lost in). The city is a strange mix of old and new, with sombrero-wearing expat gringos amongst the good old fashioned swinging-doored cantinas (saloons) frequented by cowboy hat wearing old Mexican men. The city has become a favourite for American retirees (and those sick of hectic western lifestyles). I have to say the city has a certain addictive quality, with all the great things about Mexico combined with the comforts of modern life. The city is packed with art galleries, artesan shops and delicatessans, but luckily still maintains fabulous markets with comedors (very cheap local eateries).
More photos here http://www.flickr.com/photos/24491659@N03/
Tommorrow I leave for Guadalajara and the famed town of Tequila.
Hasta luego
Guanajuato
I arrived in San Miguel de Allende this afternoon after two great days in Guanjuato.
Guanajuato is a university town, famed for its cobbled streets, colourful houses and variety of plazas. I was lucky enough to stay with some Spanish and Mexican students there- friends of a Spaniard I met in Puerto Escondido. They were incredibly welcoming and helped to give me a local insight into the city.
I visited the Mummy Museum yesterday, which was a cool (but spooky) experience. Due to the mineral content of the soil and the extremely dry climate, bodies are naturally mummified in Guanajuato´s cemetaries. The museum houses incredibly well preserved bodies (most with their hair still intact) from over a century ago. It also has the world´s smallest mummy, a pregnant mummy, and mummys who were buried alive. Although somewhat grim, it really is a testament to the Mexican celebration of death. When children die in Mexico, it is the biggest celebration of all, with much music etc. to try to make the experience less terrible.
The best thing about Guanajuato though is just walking the streets and seeing the food stalls, shops and jacarandas. It has a unique vibrancy too, thanks to the huge student population and many foreigners which live there.
Another city which needs a return visit!
Hasta luego
Guanajuato is a university town, famed for its cobbled streets, colourful houses and variety of plazas. I was lucky enough to stay with some Spanish and Mexican students there- friends of a Spaniard I met in Puerto Escondido. They were incredibly welcoming and helped to give me a local insight into the city.
I visited the Mummy Museum yesterday, which was a cool (but spooky) experience. Due to the mineral content of the soil and the extremely dry climate, bodies are naturally mummified in Guanajuato´s cemetaries. The museum houses incredibly well preserved bodies (most with their hair still intact) from over a century ago. It also has the world´s smallest mummy, a pregnant mummy, and mummys who were buried alive. Although somewhat grim, it really is a testament to the Mexican celebration of death. When children die in Mexico, it is the biggest celebration of all, with much music etc. to try to make the experience less terrible.
The best thing about Guanajuato though is just walking the streets and seeing the food stalls, shops and jacarandas. It has a unique vibrancy too, thanks to the huge student population and many foreigners which live there.
Another city which needs a return visit!
Hasta luego
Mexico City Part II
Its my second to last day in Mexico City. Its a city which people either love or hate. For me, I will be very sad to leave what is for me the best city in the world.
My time here has been amazing, and the city provides constant suprises behind every street corner, like markets, museums and beautiful historic buildings. Yesterday I decided to walk around the city and see where it took me, and ended up stumbling upon a street square where hundreds of people of all ages were dancing salsa.
One of the highlights was definately the Leon Trotsky museum. Mexico was the only country which would accept Trotsky after he was exiled from Russia, thanks to a plea for asylum from artists Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera. He lived in Mexico city until his death in 1940 by one of Stalins agents, who famously murdered him with an ice pick in his study. The museum is actually the entirely preserved house that Trotsky lived in until his death. You can still see the bullet holes in the walls from a previous assasination attempt, and even an old tube of his toothpaste...
I also visited the Blue House, former home of Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera, who were at one point good friends with Trotsky and part of the leftist intellectual circle in Mexico. Many of Kahlos paintings are on display as well as personal relics.
The museum of Anthropology was another highlight- one of the best museums I have seen. Its absolutely enormous. I also managed to go up one of Mexicos highest buildings, which gave a much needed perspective on this mega city (population 20,000).
On Friday night I attended a Mexican specialty, the Lucha Libre wrestling. Its similar to WWF, but with a twist. The fighters don colourful masks and costumes, and pull staged moves in the ring, with the odd midget thrown in. Its a hilarious spectacle, and the Mexicans really get into it.
You could stay here for years and still not see all the city has to offer, but unfortunately all good things have to come to an end. Tommorrow I will go to Teotihuacan, Toltec ruins dating back to about 200 BC, and then onto Guanajuato to stay with some friends of a Spanish friend I met in Puerto Escondido.
I have loaded a lot of photos on Flickr- http://www.flickr.com/photos/24491659@N03/
Hasta la vista
My time here has been amazing, and the city provides constant suprises behind every street corner, like markets, museums and beautiful historic buildings. Yesterday I decided to walk around the city and see where it took me, and ended up stumbling upon a street square where hundreds of people of all ages were dancing salsa.
One of the highlights was definately the Leon Trotsky museum. Mexico was the only country which would accept Trotsky after he was exiled from Russia, thanks to a plea for asylum from artists Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera. He lived in Mexico city until his death in 1940 by one of Stalins agents, who famously murdered him with an ice pick in his study. The museum is actually the entirely preserved house that Trotsky lived in until his death. You can still see the bullet holes in the walls from a previous assasination attempt, and even an old tube of his toothpaste...
I also visited the Blue House, former home of Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera, who were at one point good friends with Trotsky and part of the leftist intellectual circle in Mexico. Many of Kahlos paintings are on display as well as personal relics.
The museum of Anthropology was another highlight- one of the best museums I have seen. Its absolutely enormous. I also managed to go up one of Mexicos highest buildings, which gave a much needed perspective on this mega city (population 20,000).
On Friday night I attended a Mexican specialty, the Lucha Libre wrestling. Its similar to WWF, but with a twist. The fighters don colourful masks and costumes, and pull staged moves in the ring, with the odd midget thrown in. Its a hilarious spectacle, and the Mexicans really get into it.
You could stay here for years and still not see all the city has to offer, but unfortunately all good things have to come to an end. Tommorrow I will go to Teotihuacan, Toltec ruins dating back to about 200 BC, and then onto Guanajuato to stay with some friends of a Spanish friend I met in Puerto Escondido.
I have loaded a lot of photos on Flickr- http://www.flickr.com/photos/24491659@N03/
Hasta la vista
Oaxaca City & Mexico City
My culinary tour of Oaxaca City ended yesterday, after managing to chow down some chili grasshoppers, Mole sauce, the famous Oaxacan hot chocolate and tortilla soup (made with tomato, cheese, avocado and tortilla chips. My friend Sam and I even made a video of the experience, which I will post in due course...
Oaxaca City was yet another beautiful Mexican city, littered with historic buildings, art galleries and stunning orange jacaranda trees. Like San Cristobal, it has a substantial alternative scene, with many interesting cafes, restaurants and bars.
After a grueling 9 hour bus journey from Oaxaca through the desert with no air conditioning or openable windows I arrived in Mexico City last night. At one point it was 35 degrees inside the bus! Luckily Mexico City was well worth the journey- it has exceeded my expectations, and I only wish I had more time here to see the endless and incredible sights. Its a surprisingly calm and cultured city, and very safe and manageable compared to many cities I have visited. Not at all the crazed and dangerous city as its depicted, with mustached kidnappers lurking behind every corner.
Today I visited the Palace and the museums of Modern Art and Anthropology. Both museums were some of the best I have ever seen, and the Diego Rivera murals depicting Mexican history in the Palace were incredible.
Tomorrow I will try to visit Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera´s old home, as well as the home of their dear friend Trotsky. I think you could spend months here at not see it all, but I will try to fit in as much as possible before going onto Guanajato.
Hasta luego
Oaxaca City was yet another beautiful Mexican city, littered with historic buildings, art galleries and stunning orange jacaranda trees. Like San Cristobal, it has a substantial alternative scene, with many interesting cafes, restaurants and bars.
After a grueling 9 hour bus journey from Oaxaca through the desert with no air conditioning or openable windows I arrived in Mexico City last night. At one point it was 35 degrees inside the bus! Luckily Mexico City was well worth the journey- it has exceeded my expectations, and I only wish I had more time here to see the endless and incredible sights. Its a surprisingly calm and cultured city, and very safe and manageable compared to many cities I have visited. Not at all the crazed and dangerous city as its depicted, with mustached kidnappers lurking behind every corner.
Today I visited the Palace and the museums of Modern Art and Anthropology. Both museums were some of the best I have ever seen, and the Diego Rivera murals depicting Mexican history in the Palace were incredible.
Tomorrow I will try to visit Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera´s old home, as well as the home of their dear friend Trotsky. I think you could spend months here at not see it all, but I will try to fit in as much as possible before going onto Guanajato.
Hasta luego
Youre Not in Guatemala Anymore, Dr. Ropata! - Puerto Escondido, Mexico
It´s my second day in Puerto Escondido, a beach town on the Oaxaca (Pacific) coast- the last beach I will see for awhile. The main beach is apparently the 3rd most dangerous in the world, and unswimmable. I have never seen such enormous waves, it´s quite impressive. The beaches are quite similar to East Coast NZ beaches, only much warmer and lined with restaurants and bars.
I have had a great time so far, and a staying at one of the more eccentric hostels of my trip. Last night a group of us bought fresh fish and salad and cooked up a feast on the hostel BBQ.
I have also managed to try a Oaxacan speciality, Mezcal. Not at all like tequila, it tastes like a combination of dirt and cleaning fluid... quite horrific. I am looking forward to the market in Oaxaca, which is infamous for its fried grasshopper snacks.
Tommorrow I leave for Oaxaca City, and then onto Mexico City.
Once I find a fast internet connection I will post more photos.
I have had a great time so far, and a staying at one of the more eccentric hostels of my trip. Last night a group of us bought fresh fish and salad and cooked up a feast on the hostel BBQ.
I have also managed to try a Oaxacan speciality, Mezcal. Not at all like tequila, it tastes like a combination of dirt and cleaning fluid... quite horrific. I am looking forward to the market in Oaxaca, which is infamous for its fried grasshopper snacks.
Tommorrow I leave for Oaxaca City, and then onto Mexico City.
Once I find a fast internet connection I will post more photos.
Semana Santa in Guatemala
!Hola!
I thought it fitting to write a post on Semana Santa (Easter Week), one of the biggest celebrations in Latin America, which just finished today.
I was in Xela for most of Semana Santa, which was a great place to be because there are very few tourists and very many religious nutters...
As the name suggests, the celebrations go on for a whole week, with most workers getting a part of the week off to join in or watch the religious processions. The processions are endless, with each church in the city parading around the town centre dressed in purple robes and carrying giant religious floats. On Easter Friday a crucifixion is acted out (and in some places, even goes as far as putting nails through the hands of the day´s ¨Jesus¨).I even hear that in some places a prisoner is used and pardoned after the crucifixion. My favourite part, of course, were the food stalls, which were endless and delicious. My addiction to Guatemalan hot dogs grew by the day- they are ordinary hot dogs, without cheese but with mayonaise and a hot green sauce.
I arrived back in Mexico yesterday, in San Cristobal de las Casas in the Chiapas region. It´s a really beautiful city with cobbled streets and quite an alternative feel to it. The only downside is that its bloody freezing!
Today I took a day trip into the surrounding villages, which have retained many ancient Mayan customs. It was one of the more surreal experiences of my life, beginning with the village church. The ground is covered in pine needles, and there are flowers and candles everywhere. I saw a Mayan family in front of me sacrifice a chicken, spit water over everyone, blow a musical horn on a child´s head, and, most bizarely, drink rum and coke to burp out the evil spirits. I kid you not. I have been assured that this is quite common, and from what I saw it justifies a lot of alcoholism! Unfortunately photography is banned, so I don´t have any photos of my experience.
I had heard that it was possible to visit and interview some Zapatistas, but after many taxis to the wrong place later, I finally gave up. I did manage to buy a guerilla doll though, complete with black clothing, a balaclava and a big gun, so I guess that will have to be my only political souvenier of the trip...
I have one more day in San Cristobal and then tommorrow I´m taking the night bus to Puerto Escondido on the Oaxaca coast.
I have update my Flickr account, so I have more photos on there (http://www.flickr.com/photos/24491659@N03/)
Hasta luego
Helen
I thought it fitting to write a post on Semana Santa (Easter Week), one of the biggest celebrations in Latin America, which just finished today.
I was in Xela for most of Semana Santa, which was a great place to be because there are very few tourists and very many religious nutters...
As the name suggests, the celebrations go on for a whole week, with most workers getting a part of the week off to join in or watch the religious processions. The processions are endless, with each church in the city parading around the town centre dressed in purple robes and carrying giant religious floats. On Easter Friday a crucifixion is acted out (and in some places, even goes as far as putting nails through the hands of the day´s ¨Jesus¨).I even hear that in some places a prisoner is used and pardoned after the crucifixion. My favourite part, of course, were the food stalls, which were endless and delicious. My addiction to Guatemalan hot dogs grew by the day- they are ordinary hot dogs, without cheese but with mayonaise and a hot green sauce.
I arrived back in Mexico yesterday, in San Cristobal de las Casas in the Chiapas region. It´s a really beautiful city with cobbled streets and quite an alternative feel to it. The only downside is that its bloody freezing!
Today I took a day trip into the surrounding villages, which have retained many ancient Mayan customs. It was one of the more surreal experiences of my life, beginning with the village church. The ground is covered in pine needles, and there are flowers and candles everywhere. I saw a Mayan family in front of me sacrifice a chicken, spit water over everyone, blow a musical horn on a child´s head, and, most bizarely, drink rum and coke to burp out the evil spirits. I kid you not. I have been assured that this is quite common, and from what I saw it justifies a lot of alcoholism! Unfortunately photography is banned, so I don´t have any photos of my experience.
I had heard that it was possible to visit and interview some Zapatistas, but after many taxis to the wrong place later, I finally gave up. I did manage to buy a guerilla doll though, complete with black clothing, a balaclava and a big gun, so I guess that will have to be my only political souvenier of the trip...
I have one more day in San Cristobal and then tommorrow I´m taking the night bus to Puerto Escondido on the Oaxaca coast.
I have update my Flickr account, so I have more photos on there (http://www.flickr.com/photos/24491659@N03/)
Hasta luego
Helen
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