innsbruck, austria, is probably not on the top of most people's travel plans, but i loved it. quelle surprise?
the town is nestled in a valley in the middle of the alps. the view from everywhere in the town is mountains! so gorgeous. innsbruck tourism and local hotels have a sweet deal where they pay for a guide daily, coach transportation and a hike for anyone who wants to do it. so, off i went, hiking in the alps.
our guide, werner, made the hike. an interior designer by winter, and a wilderness leader by summer, he was witty, funny, and educated us on the various flora and fauna. i also loved him, because he said 'walley', rather than 'valley', which i found absolutely charming.
we hiked up to 2,200 metres, above the tree line, and had fantastic views of the valley below. and then, we ate a traditional meal of dumplings and shandi (i may have the spelling wrong, but it is a mixture of lemonade and beer), and hiked back down to about 1,200 metres, where a bus picked us up.
what struck me the most, was a 74 year old german man that i was hiking with. he was on his 527th innsbruck hike. every year for his vacation, he comes to austria and does the free hikes. before he dies, he wants to have walked 777 hikes! i did not understand a word he said, but i found him absolutely inspiring. at 74, being able to keep up with 20 year olds!
at 70, i hope i am still climbing mountains.
Wednesday, June 28, 2006
Tuesday, June 27, 2006
cruisin'.
paradise found. for seven glorious days, i was in the lap of luxury. as a graduation gift (my diploma actually came in the mail this week!), my mum treated me to a royal caribbean cruise of greece and turkey.
we kept thinking that each thing was to good to be true, but it was really true! we would think, wouldn't it be nice if we could have breakfast in bed? oh, we could. or, wouldn't it be nice if we could wake up in a different country? yup, we did that too. or, wouldn't it be lovely to have two appetizers and three desserts? apparently that was no problem either. they had everything meticulously organized, with 800 people working on a ship with 2000 guests. a library, three pools, a climbing wall, six different bars/pubs, a gym, activities, live music, evening shows... the list goes on and on. after living the backpacking life for six weeks, this was almost overload.
as luck would have it, for the first two days, i was sick as a dog. a vicious cold is difficult to avoid when you are backpacking, and i was just as happy that i got to be miserable with a comfy bed, good food, my mum's company, and the ability to lie on the deck of a boat for hours on end.
there is no way that anyone could complain about this cruise. the weather was superb, we never had any rough seas, and never, in my entire life, have i seen so much food. we finished dinner every night at 11 PM, and by midnight there would be another buffet full of carved fruit, chocolate fountains and unlimited treats.
the most difficult part of being on a cruise, is getting to know the staff. from all around the world, these young people have left spouses, children and parents for six months at a time (with no days off), in order to provide for their families. they worked at least fourteen hours a day, and were managing on very little sleep. they were so kind, attentive, and thoughtful, but i felt incredibly guilty, because i could tell they really missed their families. the best thing we could do, was to get to know them as well as possible, and tip them the best we could - but it really did not feel like enough.
on a more positive note, the four ports of call were exciting, different, and interesting. we had two full days at sea (which i LOVED, and would have been happy to have more of), and visited three lovely, and one not-so lovely locations.
athens: i had always dreamed of greece, so i was extremely excited for our day in athens. we did a whirlwind tour of the parthenon, the olympic stadium, and the rest of the city. busy, crowded, and blanketed with thick air, athens was exactly what i expected it to be. i loved it!
kusadasi and ephesus, turkey: an absolute experience. the roman ruins of ephesus are magnificent, and the carpet-shopping experience of kusadasi was like no other. they bring you in, with no one expecting to buy a carpet, and when you have left, half the group has dropped big bucks on gorgeous turkish rugs. this little introduction to turkey has sparked my interest in a place that i knew little about.
crete: unfortunately, the port town of iraklio is ugly, but the island itself is lush, green and full of history. lonely planet recommends driving straight through iraklio, which is basically what we did. a visit to the minoan palace of knossos, discovered in 1900, and a visit to an archaeology museum afterwards definitely made this port stop.
corfu: only three kilometres from albania, corfu is (insert beautiful adjective here). mum and i took a day long coastal walk through small villages, hidden coves and sun-drenched beaches. it was so hot that i could feel the sweat falling off of my eyelashes, but 45 minutes lazing in the mediterranean certainly cooled me off.
now i am off the cruise, and back on my own. my mum was worried that i would have trouble readjusting to the backpacking way of live. i told her that for me, travelling anyway, anyhow, anywhere makes me happy. but if anyone wants to take me on a cruise, let me know, and i can be free tomorrow.!
we kept thinking that each thing was to good to be true, but it was really true! we would think, wouldn't it be nice if we could have breakfast in bed? oh, we could. or, wouldn't it be nice if we could wake up in a different country? yup, we did that too. or, wouldn't it be lovely to have two appetizers and three desserts? apparently that was no problem either. they had everything meticulously organized, with 800 people working on a ship with 2000 guests. a library, three pools, a climbing wall, six different bars/pubs, a gym, activities, live music, evening shows... the list goes on and on. after living the backpacking life for six weeks, this was almost overload.
as luck would have it, for the first two days, i was sick as a dog. a vicious cold is difficult to avoid when you are backpacking, and i was just as happy that i got to be miserable with a comfy bed, good food, my mum's company, and the ability to lie on the deck of a boat for hours on end.
there is no way that anyone could complain about this cruise. the weather was superb, we never had any rough seas, and never, in my entire life, have i seen so much food. we finished dinner every night at 11 PM, and by midnight there would be another buffet full of carved fruit, chocolate fountains and unlimited treats.
the most difficult part of being on a cruise, is getting to know the staff. from all around the world, these young people have left spouses, children and parents for six months at a time (with no days off), in order to provide for their families. they worked at least fourteen hours a day, and were managing on very little sleep. they were so kind, attentive, and thoughtful, but i felt incredibly guilty, because i could tell they really missed their families. the best thing we could do, was to get to know them as well as possible, and tip them the best we could - but it really did not feel like enough.
on a more positive note, the four ports of call were exciting, different, and interesting. we had two full days at sea (which i LOVED, and would have been happy to have more of), and visited three lovely, and one not-so lovely locations.
athens: i had always dreamed of greece, so i was extremely excited for our day in athens. we did a whirlwind tour of the parthenon, the olympic stadium, and the rest of the city. busy, crowded, and blanketed with thick air, athens was exactly what i expected it to be. i loved it!
kusadasi and ephesus, turkey: an absolute experience. the roman ruins of ephesus are magnificent, and the carpet-shopping experience of kusadasi was like no other. they bring you in, with no one expecting to buy a carpet, and when you have left, half the group has dropped big bucks on gorgeous turkish rugs. this little introduction to turkey has sparked my interest in a place that i knew little about.
crete: unfortunately, the port town of iraklio is ugly, but the island itself is lush, green and full of history. lonely planet recommends driving straight through iraklio, which is basically what we did. a visit to the minoan palace of knossos, discovered in 1900, and a visit to an archaeology museum afterwards definitely made this port stop.
corfu: only three kilometres from albania, corfu is (insert beautiful adjective here). mum and i took a day long coastal walk through small villages, hidden coves and sun-drenched beaches. it was so hot that i could feel the sweat falling off of my eyelashes, but 45 minutes lazing in the mediterranean certainly cooled me off.
now i am off the cruise, and back on my own. my mum was worried that i would have trouble readjusting to the backpacking way of live. i told her that for me, travelling anyway, anyhow, anywhere makes me happy. but if anyone wants to take me on a cruise, let me know, and i can be free tomorrow.!
the italian job.
so far, i have found nothing wrong with italy. in fact, i love each city more than i have loved the one before! there is absolutely no city in the world like venice. and, considering it has sunk significantly, there may not be for long. i envision venetians building additional floors on top of their houses, just moving up levels whenever the water is creeping up too high.
when i first got off the train in venice, i was not paying any attention. my friend nudged me, and i looked up, and i saw my first venice canal. i think i must have stared for five minutes. it was so beautiful. the lack of cars, the gondolas, the bridges... it really was just like in the movies.
now, for a few downsides to the city:
1. you can find anything in venice. but you can NEVER find it again. getting lost in venice is an hourly activity that i believe may have broken up several relationships, four marriages, and three groups of friends in the short time that i was there. everyone stares at their terrible free tourist maps, no one has any idea where they are going, and you always end up right back where you started.
2. it is bloody expensive! following along in a family tradition, i sat down to have a dessert and a drink at a cafe in san marco square. the atmosphere was perfect: a 200-year old cafe, live music, and delicious treats. two glasses of wine later, my friend and i were presented with a bill for 80 euros. that's right. for four glasses of wine, and two desserts, it cost me my entire life savings! as it turns out, we were charged an inordinate amount of money just to sit down, and for the live music. who knew? apparently, forty years ago, my grandparents paid 8 euros for a single coca cola in san marco square. this is one family tradition that i hope comes to an end!
3. it resembles a theme park. now this actually depends on your point of view. i kind of liked the cheesy gondolas, men dressed in striped shirts and accordions serenading tourists for 100 euros a pop. as long as you are satisfied with pictures, and do not plan to actually partake in any of these activities, you can actually make it through a visit to venice with a few euros left in your bank account. (but not many!)
4. public transportation. it is a definite bonus that there are no cars in venice, but it is unfortunate that the boat-buses take over an hour to get from san marco square to the train station! although, time has no value in venice, so the locals don't ever seem to mind. AND, in order to speed up the process, a private taxi seems like a good idea. oh wait, but a private boat taxi from san marco square to the airport may cost you 150 euros. hmmm. one hour or 150 euros? tough choice.
5. accessibility. travelling with a child in a stroller, a wheelchair or a heavy suitcase is extremely difficult in venice. there is no way to get over the bridges! believe it or not, i actually woke up at 4 o'clock in the morning to assist my mother with her ludicrously heavy suitcase (which was mainly filled with clothes and things that i was sending home)!!
despite its drawbacks, i have no legitimate complaints about venice. for a few days, a few hours, i was able to live in the sinking city, which does not stink nearly as badly as everyone claims, has killer jewellery, feels incredibly safe at night, and offers a new adventure each time you set out to explore.
when i first got off the train in venice, i was not paying any attention. my friend nudged me, and i looked up, and i saw my first venice canal. i think i must have stared for five minutes. it was so beautiful. the lack of cars, the gondolas, the bridges... it really was just like in the movies.
now, for a few downsides to the city:
1. you can find anything in venice. but you can NEVER find it again. getting lost in venice is an hourly activity that i believe may have broken up several relationships, four marriages, and three groups of friends in the short time that i was there. everyone stares at their terrible free tourist maps, no one has any idea where they are going, and you always end up right back where you started.
2. it is bloody expensive! following along in a family tradition, i sat down to have a dessert and a drink at a cafe in san marco square. the atmosphere was perfect: a 200-year old cafe, live music, and delicious treats. two glasses of wine later, my friend and i were presented with a bill for 80 euros. that's right. for four glasses of wine, and two desserts, it cost me my entire life savings! as it turns out, we were charged an inordinate amount of money just to sit down, and for the live music. who knew? apparently, forty years ago, my grandparents paid 8 euros for a single coca cola in san marco square. this is one family tradition that i hope comes to an end!
3. it resembles a theme park. now this actually depends on your point of view. i kind of liked the cheesy gondolas, men dressed in striped shirts and accordions serenading tourists for 100 euros a pop. as long as you are satisfied with pictures, and do not plan to actually partake in any of these activities, you can actually make it through a visit to venice with a few euros left in your bank account. (but not many!)
4. public transportation. it is a definite bonus that there are no cars in venice, but it is unfortunate that the boat-buses take over an hour to get from san marco square to the train station! although, time has no value in venice, so the locals don't ever seem to mind. AND, in order to speed up the process, a private taxi seems like a good idea. oh wait, but a private boat taxi from san marco square to the airport may cost you 150 euros. hmmm. one hour or 150 euros? tough choice.
5. accessibility. travelling with a child in a stroller, a wheelchair or a heavy suitcase is extremely difficult in venice. there is no way to get over the bridges! believe it or not, i actually woke up at 4 o'clock in the morning to assist my mother with her ludicrously heavy suitcase (which was mainly filled with clothes and things that i was sending home)!!
despite its drawbacks, i have no legitimate complaints about venice. for a few days, a few hours, i was able to live in the sinking city, which does not stink nearly as badly as everyone claims, has killer jewellery, feels incredibly safe at night, and offers a new adventure each time you set out to explore.
romeo + giulietta.
on the way to venice, i stopped in verona. famous for being the setting of shakespeare's tragedy, verona is a veritable romeo and juliet theme park. they have virtually created a tourist industry over two characters that never actually existed. credit is definitely deserved, because it is certainly convincing!
despite the tourist traps, verona is beautiful. quiet, casual, romantic and not overun with tourists, wandering the streets you feel that this is what italy was supposed to look like. i know that the name brings people to the city, but what they fall for is the city itself. unlike rome or florence, there are actually whole streets, and whole squares that have no one in them. a local choir was singing hymns in the main square, and everyone was actually listening. i sat at a cafe for over an hour, and never felt like someone was waiting for my table. a children's skit was being presented to parents and tourists alike. it was incredibly refreshing.
romance was certainly in the air. my cappuccino even came with a heart made out of foam on the top. but all of these potentially overdone tactics actually worked, paired with the lovely setting.
guilty as charged, i fell for ALL the tourist traps. i actually paid the entrance fee to go into 'giulietta's house' and onto 'giulietta's balcony'. and i am not the only one. in the passage leading to her balcony, hundreds of people have left messages of love - both on the wall, and on sticky notes attached with gum. inside the house, people have written to juliet asking love advice. there is even a giulietta grave that tourists can visit! verona tourism must be sitting in their piles of money, laughing as i write this.
during my 24 hours there, i could not get this song out of my head. anyone who goes to red pine will know exactly which one i am talking about! i thought i would leave you with a few versus from my favourite indigo girls song, romeo and juliet:
A love struck Romeo sings the streets a serenade
He's laying everybody low
He's got a love song
that he made
He finds a convenient streetlight and he steps
out of the shade
And says something like
"You and me,
babe, how about it?"
Juliet says, "Hey, it's
Romeo!
You nearly gave me a heart attack"
Yeah well,
he's underneath the window now she's singing,
"Hey, la, my boyfriend's back
You shouldn't
come around here singing up to people like that"
Oh anyway
whatcha gonna do about it?
Juliet
The dice were
loaded from the start
And I bet and you exploded into my
heart
And I forgit, I forget the movie song
Now when
you gonna realize it was just that the time was wrong
Julie...
despite the tourist traps, verona is beautiful. quiet, casual, romantic and not overun with tourists, wandering the streets you feel that this is what italy was supposed to look like. i know that the name brings people to the city, but what they fall for is the city itself. unlike rome or florence, there are actually whole streets, and whole squares that have no one in them. a local choir was singing hymns in the main square, and everyone was actually listening. i sat at a cafe for over an hour, and never felt like someone was waiting for my table. a children's skit was being presented to parents and tourists alike. it was incredibly refreshing.
romance was certainly in the air. my cappuccino even came with a heart made out of foam on the top. but all of these potentially overdone tactics actually worked, paired with the lovely setting.
guilty as charged, i fell for ALL the tourist traps. i actually paid the entrance fee to go into 'giulietta's house' and onto 'giulietta's balcony'. and i am not the only one. in the passage leading to her balcony, hundreds of people have left messages of love - both on the wall, and on sticky notes attached with gum. inside the house, people have written to juliet asking love advice. there is even a giulietta grave that tourists can visit! verona tourism must be sitting in their piles of money, laughing as i write this.
during my 24 hours there, i could not get this song out of my head. anyone who goes to red pine will know exactly which one i am talking about! i thought i would leave you with a few versus from my favourite indigo girls song, romeo and juliet:
A love struck Romeo sings the streets a serenade
He's laying everybody low
He's got a love song
that he made
He finds a convenient streetlight and he steps
out of the shade
And says something like
"You and me,
babe, how about it?"
Juliet says, "Hey, it's
Romeo!
You nearly gave me a heart attack"
Yeah well,
he's underneath the window now she's singing,
"Hey, la, my boyfriend's back
You shouldn't
come around here singing up to people like that"
Oh anyway
whatcha gonna do about it?
Juliet
The dice were
loaded from the start
And I bet and you exploded into my
heart
And I forgit, I forget the movie song
Now when
you gonna realize it was just that the time was wrong
Julie...
all roads lead to rome.
for a history geek, rome is a dream. so you can imagine how much i loved it!
the sense of history in the city is what hit me the most. as i stared at the colosseum, it was difficult to even comprehend the amount of people that had stood there before me. thousands of people for centuries have been living and dying in rome, and i have only been alive for 23 years. there is no feeling like that to make you realize your problems are not so large in the grand scheme of the world. canada is so young in comparison. rome was founded in 753 BC! i am a believer that studying history is an extremely important discipline. but studying it from textbooks is simply not enough. reading about the various emperors of rome does not even compare to the richness of seeing it in person. in two years, the students will have forgotten when caesar was assassinated, but they will never forget the feeling of seeing the colosseum for the first time. each crack, stone and column has experienced more of the world than any of us ever will.
needless to say, i loved every minute i spent in the city. everywhere that i stepped, history was screaming out to me. images were continually coming alive in my head of people before me. as i walked through the roman forum, i could envision people in roman times doing the same. rather than rushing through the city, which i could have done, i took the time to soak it all in. i would take a few steps, and just sit and stare, completely content that i was going to miss many of the things that i had always wanted to see.
i think having an appreciation for history, also makes you okay with not 'doing' a city. it is humanly impossible to see all of rome, but isn't that the point of travelling? by soaking up the atmosphere, the culture and the people, i experienced rome for a few days... but it will still be there tomorrow. young people often have a perception that they need to see it all - i have certainly been guilty of this myself. but life is long, and rome and all its ruins and magic will still be alive five, ten, even twenty years from now, and will be ready for another visit from me.
i mean, i missed the sistine chapel! i just ran out of time. who goes to rome and doesn't go to the sistine chapel? me, i guess. but it doesn't even bother me. i know that the three days i spent in rome are only the beginning of a lifelong romance that i plan on having with the city.
the sense of history in the city is what hit me the most. as i stared at the colosseum, it was difficult to even comprehend the amount of people that had stood there before me. thousands of people for centuries have been living and dying in rome, and i have only been alive for 23 years. there is no feeling like that to make you realize your problems are not so large in the grand scheme of the world. canada is so young in comparison. rome was founded in 753 BC! i am a believer that studying history is an extremely important discipline. but studying it from textbooks is simply not enough. reading about the various emperors of rome does not even compare to the richness of seeing it in person. in two years, the students will have forgotten when caesar was assassinated, but they will never forget the feeling of seeing the colosseum for the first time. each crack, stone and column has experienced more of the world than any of us ever will.
needless to say, i loved every minute i spent in the city. everywhere that i stepped, history was screaming out to me. images were continually coming alive in my head of people before me. as i walked through the roman forum, i could envision people in roman times doing the same. rather than rushing through the city, which i could have done, i took the time to soak it all in. i would take a few steps, and just sit and stare, completely content that i was going to miss many of the things that i had always wanted to see.
i think having an appreciation for history, also makes you okay with not 'doing' a city. it is humanly impossible to see all of rome, but isn't that the point of travelling? by soaking up the atmosphere, the culture and the people, i experienced rome for a few days... but it will still be there tomorrow. young people often have a perception that they need to see it all - i have certainly been guilty of this myself. but life is long, and rome and all its ruins and magic will still be alive five, ten, even twenty years from now, and will be ready for another visit from me.
i mean, i missed the sistine chapel! i just ran out of time. who goes to rome and doesn't go to the sistine chapel? me, i guess. but it doesn't even bother me. i know that the three days i spent in rome are only the beginning of a lifelong romance that i plan on having with the city.
david and goliath.
florence is an absolute gem. there are simply too many wonderful things to do, and absolutely not enough time in two days to do them all. is this even a legitimate complaint?
i immediately fell in love with the terracotta roofs, the repetitive house facades, the deep-seeded artistic heritage and the surrounding green landscape of tuscany. however, at times, florence felt like a trip to disney world. an overwhelming amount of choices, with long queues that test your patience and more tourists speaking english than actual residents of florence. but, i figured, if i could stand in line for two hours to ride on space mountain, then i could stand in line for two hours to get into one of the most reputable and beautiful art galleries in the world. don't you think?
florence began with a good night out on the town. i randomly ran into a lovely girl from california that i had met in nice, and we recruited some other fun people from the hostel. unknowingly, we created the florence posse, a rather random assortment of young people who connected over a good flow of beer and great conversation. i paid for it the next day. we woke up at an ungodly hour of the morning to wait in line to see michelangelo's david at the galleria dell'Accademia. headache and all, i was awe-struck by the statue. and it was not just because of the minute size of his (ahem) thingy! did you know the statue is almost five metres tall? all jokes aside, david is flawless: his veins, muscle structure and features are all more human-looking than humans themselves. i stared at him for minutes, almost alone, simply trying to take it all in. calm only lasted for a few minutes, when i was overtaken by masses of annoying tour groups, and practically driven out of the gallery. the early rise was definitely worth it for five minutes alone with him.
i continued my time in florence with a climb to the top of the duomo bell tower, walks around the bustling piazza's, a shopping excursion at zara, a two hour wait for the uffizi gallery, and a trip across the infamous ponte vecchio. let me tell you, with the price of handbags and jewellery, florence is every girl's dream. (according to katie!)
i feel like a really developed a relationship with florence. i know this sounds cheesy, but it's true. i walked to a beautiful square, and looked out at florence on my last night, and as the sun set, i was genuinely sad to leave. the culture, and atmosphere in florence kind of gets under your skin, and as you begin to learn your way around and recognize certain cafes and streets, you understand why no one ever wants to leave.
i immediately fell in love with the terracotta roofs, the repetitive house facades, the deep-seeded artistic heritage and the surrounding green landscape of tuscany. however, at times, florence felt like a trip to disney world. an overwhelming amount of choices, with long queues that test your patience and more tourists speaking english than actual residents of florence. but, i figured, if i could stand in line for two hours to ride on space mountain, then i could stand in line for two hours to get into one of the most reputable and beautiful art galleries in the world. don't you think?
florence began with a good night out on the town. i randomly ran into a lovely girl from california that i had met in nice, and we recruited some other fun people from the hostel. unknowingly, we created the florence posse, a rather random assortment of young people who connected over a good flow of beer and great conversation. i paid for it the next day. we woke up at an ungodly hour of the morning to wait in line to see michelangelo's david at the galleria dell'Accademia. headache and all, i was awe-struck by the statue. and it was not just because of the minute size of his (ahem) thingy! did you know the statue is almost five metres tall? all jokes aside, david is flawless: his veins, muscle structure and features are all more human-looking than humans themselves. i stared at him for minutes, almost alone, simply trying to take it all in. calm only lasted for a few minutes, when i was overtaken by masses of annoying tour groups, and practically driven out of the gallery. the early rise was definitely worth it for five minutes alone with him.
i continued my time in florence with a climb to the top of the duomo bell tower, walks around the bustling piazza's, a shopping excursion at zara, a two hour wait for the uffizi gallery, and a trip across the infamous ponte vecchio. let me tell you, with the price of handbags and jewellery, florence is every girl's dream. (according to katie!)
i feel like a really developed a relationship with florence. i know this sounds cheesy, but it's true. i walked to a beautiful square, and looked out at florence on my last night, and as the sun set, i was genuinely sad to leave. the culture, and atmosphere in florence kind of gets under your skin, and as you begin to learn your way around and recognize certain cafes and streets, you understand why no one ever wants to leave.
incommunicado.
well hello folks.
my apologies for being so out of touch for the last 10 days or so. i know you were all burning with urges to read my blog, and were devastated when you realized i was seriously lacking in posts.
my mum came and met me, and we went on a glorious cruise of the greek islands and turkey. a relaxing, rejuvenating, divine and luxurious week. however, on the ship, internet cost a whopping 50 cents per minute (in american dollars). that's right. for 30 minutes of internet, it would have cost me 15 bucks! not that i don't love you all, but that is a bit outside of my budget.
anyway, i have returned to the land of sane internet costs, and have dedicated this evening's entertainment to trying to make up for lost time on my blog.
enjoy.
my apologies for being so out of touch for the last 10 days or so. i know you were all burning with urges to read my blog, and were devastated when you realized i was seriously lacking in posts.
my mum came and met me, and we went on a glorious cruise of the greek islands and turkey. a relaxing, rejuvenating, divine and luxurious week. however, on the ship, internet cost a whopping 50 cents per minute (in american dollars). that's right. for 30 minutes of internet, it would have cost me 15 bucks! not that i don't love you all, but that is a bit outside of my budget.
anyway, i have returned to the land of sane internet costs, and have dedicated this evening's entertainment to trying to make up for lost time on my blog.
enjoy.
Tuesday, June 13, 2006
head and shoulders.
throughout my travels in europe, i have been in many churches. it has also been hot, so i have often been wearing tank tops or shorts. i completely agree that a church is a sacred place, and that a certain level of respect is required when visiting. my respect for the church and religion comes in the form of silence, reflection, and turning the flash off of my camera.
so far, on two occasions, i have been told that i cannot enter the church unless i cover my shoulders. in barcelona, and again at the basilica di santa croce in florence. surprisingly, i was really really angry. at the first, i had to borrow my dad's shirt to wear, but in florence, i did not have any other pieces of clothing with me. luckily, my scarf was large enough to drape over my shoulders. if i had not had a scarf with me, i would have been asked to don a medical-type blue sheet. now that is respect if i have ever seen it.
why is it that if men are wearing shorts, they are let in; but if a woman is wearing shorts, she has to wrap a sterilized blue sheet around her waist to make it look like she is wearing a skirt?
here is the thing. i am pretty sure, that if there is a god, that he has seen my shoulders, along with everything else. it is this uptight, conservative and sexist structure that is pushing young people away from religion.
i apologize to anyone (including my dad!) who i may have offended with this. i thought i needed more controversy in my blog.
so far, on two occasions, i have been told that i cannot enter the church unless i cover my shoulders. in barcelona, and again at the basilica di santa croce in florence. surprisingly, i was really really angry. at the first, i had to borrow my dad's shirt to wear, but in florence, i did not have any other pieces of clothing with me. luckily, my scarf was large enough to drape over my shoulders. if i had not had a scarf with me, i would have been asked to don a medical-type blue sheet. now that is respect if i have ever seen it.
why is it that if men are wearing shorts, they are let in; but if a woman is wearing shorts, she has to wrap a sterilized blue sheet around her waist to make it look like she is wearing a skirt?
here is the thing. i am pretty sure, that if there is a god, that he has seen my shoulders, along with everything else. it is this uptight, conservative and sexist structure that is pushing young people away from religion.
i apologize to anyone (including my dad!) who i may have offended with this. i thought i needed more controversy in my blog.
Monday, June 12, 2006
pay it forward.
last night i had the most memorable dinner of my life. moments like these remind me that gestures of kindness can be small, and that things in life really do happen for a reason.
i went out for dinner at a local pizzeria that lonely planet recommended. i was sitting alone in a huge booth, reading, content to be having a sit down meal. a young italian family entered the restaurant and had nowhere to sit. the mother was pregant, and obviously very hungry! she approached me, and asked if they could sit with me. initially, i was fairly shocked, and wary, but i could not really say no.
a very pregant julia, her boyfriend caesar, and her 9 year old child marguerita sat down and joined me for dinner. and what a dinner it was! after about 30 seconds we were interacting as if we had been family forever. we ate off of each other's plates, learned about each other's lives and joked with one another. despite the language barrier, we had amazing conversation. i even gave little marguerita some canada stickers, and i think we bonded for life without any words. at the end, they thanked me for sharing my table and paid for my meal! they would not take no for answer. i have never met a kinder family, and i will remember the dinner with them forever.
small gestures of kindness. pass it along.
i went out for dinner at a local pizzeria that lonely planet recommended. i was sitting alone in a huge booth, reading, content to be having a sit down meal. a young italian family entered the restaurant and had nowhere to sit. the mother was pregant, and obviously very hungry! she approached me, and asked if they could sit with me. initially, i was fairly shocked, and wary, but i could not really say no.
a very pregant julia, her boyfriend caesar, and her 9 year old child marguerita sat down and joined me for dinner. and what a dinner it was! after about 30 seconds we were interacting as if we had been family forever. we ate off of each other's plates, learned about each other's lives and joked with one another. despite the language barrier, we had amazing conversation. i even gave little marguerita some canada stickers, and i think we bonded for life without any words. at the end, they thanked me for sharing my table and paid for my meal! they would not take no for answer. i have never met a kinder family, and i will remember the dinner with them forever.
small gestures of kindness. pass it along.
Sunday, June 11, 2006
lean on me.
on the way from cinque terre to florence, i decided that a visit to pisa was in the cards. pisa is not a city that calls out for you to you to visit, except for one particular attraction. it is almost a 'been there, done that' type of notion, although i generally really hate those kind of travellers.
my first impression of the city was fairly dismal. the train station is not in an attractive area, and the tourist information booth was unhelpful, and completely devoid of tourists. it seems that people really only do go to pisa to see the leaning tower. i followed the crowds of people heading north, assuming they had all come for the same reason that i had.
when the tower first came into sight, i almost laughed. it looks completely ridiculous! how could a city be so famous for such a huge '*&% up'? i mean, it is not a small mistake, it is reallllly leaning.
i am glad that i have checked off pisa off of my to do list, but again, i don't like to be that type of traveller. you know the one i mean -- carrying top ten guides around with a pen putting neat little check marks next to every statue, monument and museum that they have quickly brushed by without truly experiencing the city. i am glad to be a full picture type of traveller, one who is not always concentrating on the 4 by 6 frame of my camera, or the highlights in my guide book.
despite the rant: the leaning tower of pisa, check.
my first impression of the city was fairly dismal. the train station is not in an attractive area, and the tourist information booth was unhelpful, and completely devoid of tourists. it seems that people really only do go to pisa to see the leaning tower. i followed the crowds of people heading north, assuming they had all come for the same reason that i had.
when the tower first came into sight, i almost laughed. it looks completely ridiculous! how could a city be so famous for such a huge '*&% up'? i mean, it is not a small mistake, it is reallllly leaning.
i am glad that i have checked off pisa off of my to do list, but again, i don't like to be that type of traveller. you know the one i mean -- carrying top ten guides around with a pen putting neat little check marks next to every statue, monument and museum that they have quickly brushed by without truly experiencing the city. i am glad to be a full picture type of traveller, one who is not always concentrating on the 4 by 6 frame of my camera, or the highlights in my guide book.
despite the rant: the leaning tower of pisa, check.
Saturday, June 10, 2006
via dell'amore.
i spent the last two days at the most charming location in italy. i urge you to add a visit to cinque terre to your life list of must see locations. situated on the steep coastline of western italy, the five villages that make up cinque terre - monterosso, vernazza, corniglia, manarola and riomaggiore - are part of a national park and unesco world heritage site. the homeland of pesto, cinque terre white wine and incredible views, a visit to cinque terre has made my trip.
i had not made a reservation, but upon arrival i stumbled upon a great hotel. for 25 euros, i got a single room with a kitchen and a bathroom, with a balcony! i was staying in the old town of the first village, monterosso. scattered with corner stores, focacceria's, wine bars and little cafes, monterosso was right on the beach. there was almost no place i would rather have been.
each of the villages are linked by train, but also by hiking paths. some steep and difficult, others flat and relaxing, the paths offered the most stunning views of the villages. i hiked the 12km in one day, stopping in each village to taste the gelato, the pizza, the wine and to explore the hidden corners of the little idylic italian villages.
the path between the last two villages was called lovers lane, or via dell'amore, and cinque terre was certainly filled with romance. i apologize to some of you in advance, but i am a hopeless romantic, and could not help observing the aura of romance around me. as a solo traveller, people-watching becomes a daily activity. i wonder what language people are thinking in, what they are thinking about, who they are walking beside, and create life stories for them. i witnessed older couples hiking the most difficult trails, yet still holding hands and a young couple who thought they were alone, sneaking kisses along the trail.
despite the aura of romance, or perhaps because of it, i was immersed fully in the quaint, leisurely and contented lifestyle of everyone in cinque terre. one day i will be back, when i can partake in the romance myself.
i had not made a reservation, but upon arrival i stumbled upon a great hotel. for 25 euros, i got a single room with a kitchen and a bathroom, with a balcony! i was staying in the old town of the first village, monterosso. scattered with corner stores, focacceria's, wine bars and little cafes, monterosso was right on the beach. there was almost no place i would rather have been.
each of the villages are linked by train, but also by hiking paths. some steep and difficult, others flat and relaxing, the paths offered the most stunning views of the villages. i hiked the 12km in one day, stopping in each village to taste the gelato, the pizza, the wine and to explore the hidden corners of the little idylic italian villages.
the path between the last two villages was called lovers lane, or via dell'amore, and cinque terre was certainly filled with romance. i apologize to some of you in advance, but i am a hopeless romantic, and could not help observing the aura of romance around me. as a solo traveller, people-watching becomes a daily activity. i wonder what language people are thinking in, what they are thinking about, who they are walking beside, and create life stories for them. i witnessed older couples hiking the most difficult trails, yet still holding hands and a young couple who thought they were alone, sneaking kisses along the trail.
despite the aura of romance, or perhaps because of it, i was immersed fully in the quaint, leisurely and contented lifestyle of everyone in cinque terre. one day i will be back, when i can partake in the romance myself.
Friday, June 09, 2006
getting lost in 3D.
to be completely honest, there was not a whole lot to see in nice except the beach. so, along with a friend i met in my hostel, i took a train to monaco to experience the luxury for a day.
there must be more money in monaco than in the whole of france combined! huge yachts filling the port, beautifully sculpted gardens, an enormous casino and extremely expensive drinks. in order to fully appreciate the setting, we decided to simply wander. monte carlo is built on a steep cliff and not only do you have to worry about going left and right, but you also have to figure out whether you are going to go up or down. they need to make 3D maps for monaco with all of their money.
we took a tour of the royal palace and an extensive collection of weapons, sat by the azur coloured ocean, thought about entering the casino, and got a laugh out of the random statues. in canada, there are statues of our founders, political leaders etc., but in monaco, they have the most ridiculous statues. my personal favourite was a sailor who was steering a boat with a mustache as long as his arms.
a wonderful friend once told me that things that happen in europe are automotically more intense, more poignant. i felt that about wandering around monaco. nothing spectacular happened, and i was not awe-struck by any of the sights, but it was the perfect day.
there must be more money in monaco than in the whole of france combined! huge yachts filling the port, beautifully sculpted gardens, an enormous casino and extremely expensive drinks. in order to fully appreciate the setting, we decided to simply wander. monte carlo is built on a steep cliff and not only do you have to worry about going left and right, but you also have to figure out whether you are going to go up or down. they need to make 3D maps for monaco with all of their money.
we took a tour of the royal palace and an extensive collection of weapons, sat by the azur coloured ocean, thought about entering the casino, and got a laugh out of the random statues. in canada, there are statues of our founders, political leaders etc., but in monaco, they have the most ridiculous statues. my personal favourite was a sailor who was steering a boat with a mustache as long as his arms.
a wonderful friend once told me that things that happen in europe are automotically more intense, more poignant. i felt that about wandering around monaco. nothing spectacular happened, and i was not awe-struck by any of the sights, but it was the perfect day.
Tuesday, June 06, 2006
small world.
i have arrived in nice and spent a looong day sunning on the pebble beach. i have to admit that i have ignored the museums and monuments, and decided to make the beach my first priority for two days.
as i have been travelling, i have been struck by how massive the world is. not just people-wise, but the diversity of landscapes and cultures, and the fact that it all exists each day as i live my own life. you begin to realize that in comparison, one life is insignificant in the grand scheme of of the world.
but then, just when i was convinced that the world was too big, and i was feeling really unconnected to home, i had a surprise encounter in the avignon train station. i was sitting waiting for my train to come, and a group of young backpackers walks by, and one of them looked vaguely familiar. we looked at each other for a minute, because it was completely out of context -- but it was a friend from red pine camp! we reminisced for a few moments, took a picture, and then went our seperate ways. it was really refreshing to see someone familiar.
now i am convinced that the world is not so big after all.
as i have been travelling, i have been struck by how massive the world is. not just people-wise, but the diversity of landscapes and cultures, and the fact that it all exists each day as i live my own life. you begin to realize that in comparison, one life is insignificant in the grand scheme of of the world.
but then, just when i was convinced that the world was too big, and i was feeling really unconnected to home, i had a surprise encounter in the avignon train station. i was sitting waiting for my train to come, and a group of young backpackers walks by, and one of them looked vaguely familiar. we looked at each other for a minute, because it was completely out of context -- but it was a friend from red pine camp! we reminisced for a few moments, took a picture, and then went our seperate ways. it was really refreshing to see someone familiar.
now i am convinced that the world is not so big after all.
Monday, June 05, 2006
on y danse.
bonjour!
i have arrived in france. how lovely it is to be able to communicate once again! the journey from barcelona to france was equivalent to a backpackers express, i do not think there were any other travellers. we took over! in my compartment there were three loud obnoxious guys who pretended to speak catalan to everyone; a little asian girl who dropped her backpack on another girls head when she tried to put it on the rack above (i laughed out loud. oops.); and a girl from canada who dropped her shoe on the tracks and lost it forever. it was an entertaining ride.
here are quick observations from the town i have visited so far, as well as some general thoughts about france. as you can imagine, when you are travelling alone, you have loads of time to think.
montpellier: a cute university town where everyone spends all day every day sitting in cafes. and when the sun goes down, they switch to pubs. i don't think they ever make it to class!
carcasonne: on the recommendation of carolynn, i took a day trip to this unforgetable walled medieval city. from afar, it actually looks like a cinderella castle. it is hard to believe that 120 people still call it home. an amazing, magical city.
avignon: another adorable walled city (i don't know, can you call a city adorable?), complete with an abundance of cafes, museums and nice walks. the famous bridge, not actually called the pont d'avignon, but pont st. benezet, was a slight disappointment, because it only goes halfway across the river! did you know they did not dance on the bridge, they danced under the bridge? oh the lies we have been told.
in general france is gorgeous, and people are unbelievable friendly. within ten minutes of getting off the train, three people stopped to ask if i needed help finding my way. this morning however, while i was drinking my cafe au lait in the sun, i was struck by things that i didn't about france. there are certainly more positive things to say, but these next thoughts are certainly more interesting:
-there is shit everywhere. literally, no one picks up after their dogs and no one picks up after themselves! this morning i actually witnessed a man throw a can in the rhone. what a numpty.
-everyone smokes. unfortunately, this is not really particular to the french, but a europe thing. have they not gotten the message that smoking kills people? maybe it is classy and sexy to sit at cafes with their cafes and their cigarettes, but stop making me inhale the second hand smoke!
-the french assume that everyone in the world should speak french (fair enough). so, eager to practice, i always try to communicate in french. however, i am by no means perfect, and i still struggle with some vocab. the worst is when people make disgusting contorted facial expressions as if to say "huh? what are you saying you crazy foreigner?". i am trying! you do not need to look at me like i am speaking greek!
-it is certainly not the fault of the country, but it is damn windy here. when i was standing on the pont d'avignon, i literally thought i was going to get blown off.
now that would have made a great story.
i have arrived in france. how lovely it is to be able to communicate once again! the journey from barcelona to france was equivalent to a backpackers express, i do not think there were any other travellers. we took over! in my compartment there were three loud obnoxious guys who pretended to speak catalan to everyone; a little asian girl who dropped her backpack on another girls head when she tried to put it on the rack above (i laughed out loud. oops.); and a girl from canada who dropped her shoe on the tracks and lost it forever. it was an entertaining ride.
here are quick observations from the town i have visited so far, as well as some general thoughts about france. as you can imagine, when you are travelling alone, you have loads of time to think.
montpellier: a cute university town where everyone spends all day every day sitting in cafes. and when the sun goes down, they switch to pubs. i don't think they ever make it to class!
carcasonne: on the recommendation of carolynn, i took a day trip to this unforgetable walled medieval city. from afar, it actually looks like a cinderella castle. it is hard to believe that 120 people still call it home. an amazing, magical city.
avignon: another adorable walled city (i don't know, can you call a city adorable?), complete with an abundance of cafes, museums and nice walks. the famous bridge, not actually called the pont d'avignon, but pont st. benezet, was a slight disappointment, because it only goes halfway across the river! did you know they did not dance on the bridge, they danced under the bridge? oh the lies we have been told.
in general france is gorgeous, and people are unbelievable friendly. within ten minutes of getting off the train, three people stopped to ask if i needed help finding my way. this morning however, while i was drinking my cafe au lait in the sun, i was struck by things that i didn't about france. there are certainly more positive things to say, but these next thoughts are certainly more interesting:
-there is shit everywhere. literally, no one picks up after their dogs and no one picks up after themselves! this morning i actually witnessed a man throw a can in the rhone. what a numpty.
-everyone smokes. unfortunately, this is not really particular to the french, but a europe thing. have they not gotten the message that smoking kills people? maybe it is classy and sexy to sit at cafes with their cafes and their cigarettes, but stop making me inhale the second hand smoke!
-the french assume that everyone in the world should speak french (fair enough). so, eager to practice, i always try to communicate in french. however, i am by no means perfect, and i still struggle with some vocab. the worst is when people make disgusting contorted facial expressions as if to say "huh? what are you saying you crazy foreigner?". i am trying! you do not need to look at me like i am speaking greek!
-it is certainly not the fault of the country, but it is damn windy here. when i was standing on the pont d'avignon, i literally thought i was going to get blown off.
now that would have made a great story.
Thursday, June 01, 2006
i'm a mountain.
i climbed a mountain!
well. part of a mountain. maybe the first third. actually, probably the first quarter. before it got steep. ha.
the mountain and backdrop of finestrat is 'puig campana', 1,406 metres high. i set off with the girls to climb to the top, but due to unforeseen circumstances (i had not had a bowel movement in five days!), i was only able to hike for about 45 minutes. regardless, it was incredible. the scenery was picture-perfect.
instead, i took a leisurely walk down the mountain, along the road into town and back to the hostel. it was cloudy, but a perfect day for hiking.
now i am on my way to france. unfortunately, i got foiled, and my train to montpellier was cancelled. so, i am stuck in barcelona. i booked a hostel through hostelworld.com, but when i arrived, it did not exist. it was locked up, and closed forever! mia. so, at ten o'clock at night, on a weekend in barcelona, i had to find other accomodations. just a tad stressful! i treated myself to a nice dinner out and a large glass of red wine. i absolutely love sitting alone at a restaurant and letting your mind wander, the equivalent for me of a night out on the town (well, pretty close!). a recipe for perfection.
if you are reading this hostelworld.com, you suck.
well. part of a mountain. maybe the first third. actually, probably the first quarter. before it got steep. ha.
the mountain and backdrop of finestrat is 'puig campana', 1,406 metres high. i set off with the girls to climb to the top, but due to unforeseen circumstances (i had not had a bowel movement in five days!), i was only able to hike for about 45 minutes. regardless, it was incredible. the scenery was picture-perfect.
instead, i took a leisurely walk down the mountain, along the road into town and back to the hostel. it was cloudy, but a perfect day for hiking.
now i am on my way to france. unfortunately, i got foiled, and my train to montpellier was cancelled. so, i am stuck in barcelona. i booked a hostel through hostelworld.com, but when i arrived, it did not exist. it was locked up, and closed forever! mia. so, at ten o'clock at night, on a weekend in barcelona, i had to find other accomodations. just a tad stressful! i treated myself to a nice dinner out and a large glass of red wine. i absolutely love sitting alone at a restaurant and letting your mind wander, the equivalent for me of a night out on the town (well, pretty close!). a recipe for perfection.
if you are reading this hostelworld.com, you suck.
dogs and thunder.
i thought that rain did not exist in spain. apparently it does!
i have made my way along the costa blanca to a little town in the mountains called finestrat. pronounced 'fin strat' or, if you prefer, 'finest rat', as it is in my head! i met up with my kindred spirits, vanessa and andrea, who are avid climbers, hikers and surfers from bc. i have only known them for a few days, but we have the kind of relationship where we feel we have known each other since we were in diapers.
we are staying at a climbers hostel called the orange house (www.theorangehouse.net) just outside of finestrat. we cook our own food, have access to a pool, and even get to use a bbq! the view from the hostel is magnificent: a beautiful mountain overlooking the simple town and a green valley.
last night, i witnessed one of the most beautiful thunder storms that i have seen since i was a kid. the three of us grabbed rain coats and lawn chairs and sat on the terrace with front-seat views to the storm as it creeped across the valley. we were at the highest point in the valley (probably not the smartest thing in retrospect!), the lightning exploding in the sky, taking on shapes that i have never seen. the two dogs on the property, terrified, cuddled up in our room. why is it that dogs are always so afraid of thunder?
the climbers are obviously really unhappy that it is raining, but i am content. i honestly think that the ocean becomes even more beautiful when it is cloudy and raining. on perfect days, the ocean is bright blue, and goes as far as the eye can see, shimmering in the sun. but, on stormy days, the ocean becomes a spectrum of colours from blue to green to navy, with depth and character. i think there is more to gain from staring at it on stormy days.
this is the kind of world i wish i lived in every day. the kind where i can spend an hour staring at the ocean if i want to. where i can read a book without feeling like i have missed out on the day, or only do ONE thing at a time. a world without multitasking DOES exist? i actually smile at children, talk to strangers, and the biggest decision of the day is whether to read or write in my journal before bed. it is too bad that it always seems we have to leave home to find our lives.
i have made my way along the costa blanca to a little town in the mountains called finestrat. pronounced 'fin strat' or, if you prefer, 'finest rat', as it is in my head! i met up with my kindred spirits, vanessa and andrea, who are avid climbers, hikers and surfers from bc. i have only known them for a few days, but we have the kind of relationship where we feel we have known each other since we were in diapers.
we are staying at a climbers hostel called the orange house (www.theorangehouse.net) just outside of finestrat. we cook our own food, have access to a pool, and even get to use a bbq! the view from the hostel is magnificent: a beautiful mountain overlooking the simple town and a green valley.
last night, i witnessed one of the most beautiful thunder storms that i have seen since i was a kid. the three of us grabbed rain coats and lawn chairs and sat on the terrace with front-seat views to the storm as it creeped across the valley. we were at the highest point in the valley (probably not the smartest thing in retrospect!), the lightning exploding in the sky, taking on shapes that i have never seen. the two dogs on the property, terrified, cuddled up in our room. why is it that dogs are always so afraid of thunder?
the climbers are obviously really unhappy that it is raining, but i am content. i honestly think that the ocean becomes even more beautiful when it is cloudy and raining. on perfect days, the ocean is bright blue, and goes as far as the eye can see, shimmering in the sun. but, on stormy days, the ocean becomes a spectrum of colours from blue to green to navy, with depth and character. i think there is more to gain from staring at it on stormy days.
this is the kind of world i wish i lived in every day. the kind where i can spend an hour staring at the ocean if i want to. where i can read a book without feeling like i have missed out on the day, or only do ONE thing at a time. a world without multitasking DOES exist? i actually smile at children, talk to strangers, and the biggest decision of the day is whether to read or write in my journal before bed. it is too bad that it always seems we have to leave home to find our lives.
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