I've decided to skip to now since it's fresh in my mind, then I'll post about the last few places we visited later on.
So, today I wandered London with a few places in mind. It's great sleeping in and not having to rush breakfast - thanks Amy and Lee for having me!
So, about 11 I headed into the city, wanting to visit St Paul's cathedral. It's right next to a tube station so wasn't hard to find. I took a few photos out the front, and was heading to the entrace when some officials came out and told everyone to get off the steps. I thought that maybe they just didn't like people on the steps and wanted to keep it clear, but once everyone was off the steps they wanted everyone back on the street. A few minutes later a police car turned up and they moved us all to the other side of the street, then put up police tape and started to clear the whole area! I don't know what was going on, but there was no hope of getting inside so I decided to find my next destination.
I'd been looking in the Lonely Planet guide book on the train and had planned out my day, but the map was a bit confusing. Probably what was most confusing were the maps around the city - each one was oriented differently, depending on the direction of the sign. So at one stop St Paul's was below where I was, then at the next sign it would be above! So lunch was going to be near the Guild Hall (where there's a burried Roman Colosseum) but I got a bit lost and ended up at the London museum. Entry was free, and it was an interesting stop. There was info about 'London before London' which wasn't so exciting, but the Great Fire and Black Plague displays were interesting. There was a short film showing how the fire started (a backery in Pudding Lane) and how quickly it spread. It burned for 5 days before they were able to get it under control! It was interesting later on as I continued my journey because there are a number of small parks scattered around the city, and quite a few of them had signs explaining they had been built on the site of a building destroyed during the fire. There would be occasional remains of original walls and things like that, particularly from churches.
I stopped in one of these parks to eat a salad from a nearby shop then pulled out my Lonely Planet book again hoping to find Guild Hall. I ended up making a wrong turn, and before I knew it could see the dome of St Paul's. Since I was so close I figured I might as well try again, and there were no barriers up at all.
I headed inside and checked out the lower floor which seemed nice. It wasn't until I'd moved further into the cathedral to under the dome that I realised how impressive it was. The dome was huge, and the decorations below very elegant. There are three levels to the dome, all of which can be accessed by stairs. So up I went! The first level is 257 steps up and is called the Whispering Gallery because if you stand on one side and talk to the side your voice carries all the way to the opposite side (I saw two people trying it out, and it really did work!) This level is inside the dome so you can look down on the cathedral. On my way back down from the top the choir was singing with the organist so I stopped for a bit on the look out to enjoy the music - it was amazing! Anyway, up another 119 steps and I was on the outside of the dome looking out over the city. The view was amazing, but I didn't linger too long because you can go higher! Another 152 steps and I was at the top. The stairs were really narrow, and took a while because there's limited space at the top so we had to wait until people had gone down again (fortunately there's a second set of stairs to go down...) The view from the top was incredible. You could see the whole city. I went a bit crazy and took heaps of photos, and got someone to take a photo of me as well.
Under the cathedral is a crypt with tombs and memorials. It's also the way out (via the shop and cafe!). I wandered through, but had had enough by then so didn't spend much time there. I did stop for a coffee though (it did seem a bit wrong having a cafe down there though).
My plan for the day had been to visit Leadenhall Market where Diagon Alley was filmed in the Harry Potter films. But it closes at 5, so I'd realised there was no hope of getting there by then. Instead I thought I'd try for Guild Hall again. After getting a little lost again (ended up using the map on my phone - much better than upside down city maps!) I found it, but it was 4:35 and last entry was 4:30. I took a photo from the outside, but didn't see the colosseum (not sure if I'll get back, just depends where I end up I guess). Nearby was the Monument, a memorial for the Great Fire. I caught a train there only to find it buried under scaffold while they carry out restoration work (which is due to be complete some time next year!)
Near there is the Borough Market (apparently the Leaky Cauldron was filmed nearby). I found the market (fresh produce etc) but couldn't find anything that looked much like the Leaky Cauldron. Another Harry stop was Australia House which was used for Gringotts. It was the inside used in the film (it's the Australia Commission so you can't just wander through as a tourist) but I wanted to see the outside anyway. It was a bit Gringotts-like, but not as tall or wonky...
After that I decided to call it a day. It was a hot day (about 28, and quite muggy) and I was exhausted. I hot, crowded tube ride later and I was back at Amy's. Subway for tea, watching 'Love Actually' and then it was time for bed.
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
Monday, July 28, 2008
From Prague to Belin...
As usual for a driving day, it was another early wake up. Fortunately this trip was broken up with a stop at Dresden. It was Sunday, so not much was open, but we still had a nice walk through the palace and had time to find lunch. Having learnt from our visit to Bratislava we didn't waste time finding somewhere to eat - just sat and ordered. It still took a while though, and we ended up taking our unfinished lunch back to the bus. From what we saw it was quite a pretty city, particularly the palace and surrounding gardens.
The drive for the rest of the day wasn't very long. We ended up in Berlin by about 4pm. We drove around the city upon arrival, seeing the main sights. We stopped at the Berlin Wall and took a few photos. I had been expecting a huge, thick wall, but it was two rather thin concrete walls several metres apart. The wall used to be guarded by armed soldiers, so if anyone climbed it and tried to cross 'no-mans land' (which was gravelled so they would crunch) then the guards would shoot them. So that would've been enough to stop people crossing, without needing to build a huge thick wall.
We also visited the Holocaust memorial which is an unusual arrangement of concrete stones/pillars set out in a maze-like grid.
There is no official interpretation, but we were told by a guide the next day that one idea is that while it looks very ordered, if you go in with other people and split up, you'll only find each other once you get out. He compared this to concentration camps, where families and friends would go in, but never find each other again.
At one of our stops I bumped into a girl from uni (what are the chances!) who is travelling around Europe for a few months by herself.
Our driving tour was cut short because there was some sort of armed-forces activity happening and they had closed of quiet a few streets. Our bus actually got barricaded into one area while were walking around.
The hostel was really nice. Another Wombats hostel (they ran the hostel in Vienna) and it was opened in February this year so it was still very clean and fresh. They have good facilities as well which is handy - definitely somewhere I'd choose to stay again.
We had dinner in a local restaurant, then went back to the hostel for a quite night (doing washing...). We bumped into a few people from the UK at the hostel and had a chat with them while we waited for our clothes to dry. Overall a pretty good day!
Sunday, July 27, 2008
A day in Prague
Fortunately our day in Prague was a free day, which meant there was nothing planned by Topdeck. This was good because after the fire alarm a sleep-in was just what I needed! We had breakfast about 8:30 (not particularly late, but compared to 6:30 the day before that's a huge sleep in!)
We caught a tram into the city (me, Natasha, Lizzy and Sarah), and joined a free walking tour to see the sights. It was free, but the idea is that you tip the guide at the end of the tour. We figured that way it would work out cheaper than a paid tour, and if it was really bad we could tip less, not tip at all, or leave and not have wasted our money! In the square where the tour began there was a festival happening, with groups from different nations playing their traditional music. Then they paraded through the city, and we crossed paths with them on and off throughout the morning. It was interesting seeing some of the strange dances, and they were all dressed in traditional clothes as well.
Anway, the tour started off ok (although it was a bit hard to hear over all the music...), but there ended up being a lot of standing and listening, and not heaps of walking. After about an hour and a half we slipped down a side street and lost the group. It was nice to learn about some of the history, but they were stopping at a lot of small places that weren't particularly interesting and we didn't want to waste our time.
So after the tour we found a restaurant to rest our feet and refuel. After lunch we split up to wander the shops - we all wanted to get different things so that worked out quite well. There were heaps of crafty shops, with hand made wooden toys, souvenirs and marrionettes. I walked into one of the marrionette shops and there just inside the door was a Harry Potter puppet! I couldn't resist, so bought it - the marrionettes are really detailed and delicate. There are small ones, big ones, fancy ones and more simple ones. Very impressive when they're all hanging on a wall together, and dangling from the ceiling.
We met up after shopping, but Tash wanted to find a t-shirt, so Lizzy, Sarah and I headed over the river and up the hill to the castle. We stopped for a refreshing frappe on the way (Starbucks...) then took in the view. It was amazing - we could see over the whole city. It was really good that we'd already explored the city, because from the lookout we could see the places we'd been (much better than just a see of buildings).
We walked leisurely through the castle gardens on the way back to the tram stop and the hostel. We'd made plans with a few others to meet up again at 8pm for dinner then there was a five floor club that Lizzy and Sarah wanted to visit. It was a pretty cool place, with five different levels all playing a different style of music. Our favourite was the disco room with a flashing dance floor! Here's a picture I've stolen from someone's Facebook album...
It was back to the hostel after that for a good night's sleep before another bus day.
We caught a tram into the city (me, Natasha, Lizzy and Sarah), and joined a free walking tour to see the sights. It was free, but the idea is that you tip the guide at the end of the tour. We figured that way it would work out cheaper than a paid tour, and if it was really bad we could tip less, not tip at all, or leave and not have wasted our money! In the square where the tour began there was a festival happening, with groups from different nations playing their traditional music. Then they paraded through the city, and we crossed paths with them on and off throughout the morning. It was interesting seeing some of the strange dances, and they were all dressed in traditional clothes as well.
Anway, the tour started off ok (although it was a bit hard to hear over all the music...), but there ended up being a lot of standing and listening, and not heaps of walking. After about an hour and a half we slipped down a side street and lost the group. It was nice to learn about some of the history, but they were stopping at a lot of small places that weren't particularly interesting and we didn't want to waste our time.
So after the tour we found a restaurant to rest our feet and refuel. After lunch we split up to wander the shops - we all wanted to get different things so that worked out quite well. There were heaps of crafty shops, with hand made wooden toys, souvenirs and marrionettes. I walked into one of the marrionette shops and there just inside the door was a Harry Potter puppet! I couldn't resist, so bought it - the marrionettes are really detailed and delicate. There are small ones, big ones, fancy ones and more simple ones. Very impressive when they're all hanging on a wall together, and dangling from the ceiling.
We met up after shopping, but Tash wanted to find a t-shirt, so Lizzy, Sarah and I headed over the river and up the hill to the castle. We stopped for a refreshing frappe on the way (Starbucks...) then took in the view. It was amazing - we could see over the whole city. It was really good that we'd already explored the city, because from the lookout we could see the places we'd been (much better than just a see of buildings).
We walked leisurely through the castle gardens on the way back to the tram stop and the hostel. We'd made plans with a few others to meet up again at 8pm for dinner then there was a five floor club that Lizzy and Sarah wanted to visit. It was a pretty cool place, with five different levels all playing a different style of music. Our favourite was the disco room with a flashing dance floor! Here's a picture I've stolen from someone's Facebook album...
It was back to the hostel after that for a good night's sleep before another bus day.
A live update
Hi everyone. It's been a few days since I posted, and I'm a few cities behind where I actually am, so I thought I'd make a quick post about now.
Our tour ended two days ago, and I'm in London at the moment staying with Amy. Bud left for Sri Lanka yesterday morning, and got there safely sometime last night.
I wandered London with Amy yesterday, and am about to head out now to see some more sights. Looking forward to going to some of the places they filmed the Harry Potter films, and there are lots of markets around as well. Probably going to be a busy few days, but it'll be relaxing not having to move around from place to place.
Time for a quick post before I head off.
Bye for now!
Our tour ended two days ago, and I'm in London at the moment staying with Amy. Bud left for Sri Lanka yesterday morning, and got there safely sometime last night.
I wandered London with Amy yesterday, and am about to head out now to see some more sights. Looking forward to going to some of the places they filmed the Harry Potter films, and there are lots of markets around as well. Probably going to be a busy few days, but it'll be relaxing not having to move around from place to place.
Time for a quick post before I head off.
Bye for now!
Friday, July 25, 2008
Auschwitz
We started our day very early, because we had a tour of Auschwitz scheduled for 8am. So, breakfast at 6.30, then onto the bus!
We visited two of the concentration camps - Auschwitz I and Auschwitz II, Birkenau. The first was the smaller of the two, and also older. The guide took us through the complex, explaining what the buildings were used for, and the general daily happenings in the camp - buildings where prisoners slept, the square where role-call was carried out in all weather conditions (hot sun, freezing snow, heavy rain...), the jail and punishment buildings, the execution wall. The buildings were very simple, and the living conditions would have been terrible. Hundreds of people were crammed into each building, with three people sharing a single bed (with the beds stacked as three-level bunks).
Apart from the living areas, there was also a museum-like display showing clothes, luggage and other items taken from prisoners and kept by the Nazis. Seeing the enormous piles of shoes and glasses (which were only a small sample of the total amount of goods that would have been taken, because most were burnt just before the allies raided the camps) really helped to visualise just how many people fell victim to the Nazis. Nothing from the prisoners was 'wasted'. Their belongings were sorted and used by the army, their hair used to make blankets.
At the end of the Auschwitz tour we visited one of the remaining gas chambers. It was eery to think about what had happened in that very place. Two of the furnaces remained, where hundreds of bodies could be cremated a day. Close to the gas chamber was a building slightly apart from the main complex of buildings. It was where one of the head guards lived, with his wife and child! It's hard to imagine how anyone could live so close to such terror, especially with a family.
After visiting the first camp we went to Birkenau which was built once Auschwitz I was no longer large enough. This camp was far bigger than Auschwitz I, and we were able to climb the guard tower and look out over the grounds. It really was enormous. Some of the buildings were brick, but most were wooden. Here there was one toilet block for about 10 living buildings, and we were told that the prisoners were given 5 minutes at the start and end of each day to use the toilet and shower. That was 5 minutes for everyone, not per person, which meant that hundreds of people were converging on one building to make the most of the 5 minutes allocated.
Both camps were very sad places, and made for a much more subdued start to the day than usual. It was very interesting and well worth the visit.
After Aushwitz we stopped for lunch (which took longer than expected, making for a late arrival at the hostel). The rest of the drive was quite long as we headed to Prague.
The hostel in Prague was really nice. There were six of us in a room which didn't sound too good, but the room was big enough for eight (four single beds and two bunks) with little divider walls breaking the room up into almost separate rooms. Very clean and very spacious - perfect! We had dinner at the hostel, then headed into the city for a walking tour. Everything happened pretty late though because of lunch, so we didn't get into town until 11, and then after our wander the trams had stopped so we had to share a taxi home. Half the group stayed in town (Bud included) but I was just too tired so headed back to the hostel.
Halfway through the night I woke up and there was a soft beeping noise and a female voice. It was light (because the sun seems to come up about 5:00 in the morning here) so I thought maybe it was time to get up. It turned out to be a fire alarm! It wasn't a very good alarm, because the beeping was very loud or shrill (it was almost soothing...and was only enough to wake 2 out of the 6 people in our room!) We staggered into the corridor a bit confused (the evacuation message was only in Czech). Some people were saying it was a drill (at 5:30 am?!) others said it was a false alarm. We got to the stairs and it stopped. Enough people said it was a false alarm to convince us so we went back to bed. There was no 'it's safe to go to bed' message afterwards, or anyone from the hostel saying things were safe either, which wasn't good. Bud and the others came back then as well - what a night!
We visited two of the concentration camps - Auschwitz I and Auschwitz II, Birkenau. The first was the smaller of the two, and also older. The guide took us through the complex, explaining what the buildings were used for, and the general daily happenings in the camp - buildings where prisoners slept, the square where role-call was carried out in all weather conditions (hot sun, freezing snow, heavy rain...), the jail and punishment buildings, the execution wall. The buildings were very simple, and the living conditions would have been terrible. Hundreds of people were crammed into each building, with three people sharing a single bed (with the beds stacked as three-level bunks).
Apart from the living areas, there was also a museum-like display showing clothes, luggage and other items taken from prisoners and kept by the Nazis. Seeing the enormous piles of shoes and glasses (which were only a small sample of the total amount of goods that would have been taken, because most were burnt just before the allies raided the camps) really helped to visualise just how many people fell victim to the Nazis. Nothing from the prisoners was 'wasted'. Their belongings were sorted and used by the army, their hair used to make blankets.
At the end of the Auschwitz tour we visited one of the remaining gas chambers. It was eery to think about what had happened in that very place. Two of the furnaces remained, where hundreds of bodies could be cremated a day. Close to the gas chamber was a building slightly apart from the main complex of buildings. It was where one of the head guards lived, with his wife and child! It's hard to imagine how anyone could live so close to such terror, especially with a family.
After visiting the first camp we went to Birkenau which was built once Auschwitz I was no longer large enough. This camp was far bigger than Auschwitz I, and we were able to climb the guard tower and look out over the grounds. It really was enormous. Some of the buildings were brick, but most were wooden. Here there was one toilet block for about 10 living buildings, and we were told that the prisoners were given 5 minutes at the start and end of each day to use the toilet and shower. That was 5 minutes for everyone, not per person, which meant that hundreds of people were converging on one building to make the most of the 5 minutes allocated.
Both camps were very sad places, and made for a much more subdued start to the day than usual. It was very interesting and well worth the visit.
After Aushwitz we stopped for lunch (which took longer than expected, making for a late arrival at the hostel). The rest of the drive was quite long as we headed to Prague.
The hostel in Prague was really nice. There were six of us in a room which didn't sound too good, but the room was big enough for eight (four single beds and two bunks) with little divider walls breaking the room up into almost separate rooms. Very clean and very spacious - perfect! We had dinner at the hostel, then headed into the city for a walking tour. Everything happened pretty late though because of lunch, so we didn't get into town until 11, and then after our wander the trams had stopped so we had to share a taxi home. Half the group stayed in town (Bud included) but I was just too tired so headed back to the hostel.
Halfway through the night I woke up and there was a soft beeping noise and a female voice. It was light (because the sun seems to come up about 5:00 in the morning here) so I thought maybe it was time to get up. It turned out to be a fire alarm! It wasn't a very good alarm, because the beeping was very loud or shrill (it was almost soothing...and was only enough to wake 2 out of the 6 people in our room!) We staggered into the corridor a bit confused (the evacuation message was only in Czech). Some people were saying it was a drill (at 5:30 am?!) others said it was a false alarm. We got to the stairs and it stopped. Enough people said it was a false alarm to convince us so we went back to bed. There was no 'it's safe to go to bed' message afterwards, or anyone from the hostel saying things were safe either, which wasn't good. Bud and the others came back then as well - what a night!
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
Krakow
Our day in Krakow began with a tour of the Jewish Quarter to see the sites from the film Schindler's list. Unfortunately it was cloudy and raining, although the rain cleared up as the day went on. In Eastern Europe the weather hasn't been as hot as the west, and in most places it's rained for at least an hour. I'm not sure if it's because we're further east, or if the weather for Europe has been less summer-like the last few days...
Anyway, the rain eased during the tour which was good, because walking in the rain isn't much fun! A local guide took us past some sites used in the filming of Schindler's list, and also filled us in on some of the history. The Jewish Quarter was allocated to only Jewish people to keep the separate from the main town.
We visited a synagogue where we had to wear a yarmulke (small Jewish head covering). We visited a graveyard, where the guide explained that when visiting a loved one's grave Jewish people place a stone on the grave. The reason for this is that they consider it wrong to leave a living gift (such as flowers) for the deceased, and that when travelling in the desert the deceased had to be burried with stones otherwise the sand would blow away, uncovering the grave (so placing a stone now keeps with ancient traditions). The guide explained how there aren't many Jewish graveyards left in Krakow, because they were destroyed by the Nazis. Gravestones were broken into smaller pieces which were used to make roads and stone fences (there was a stone fence made of gravestone pieces around this particular cemetry). The idea was that it reduced their self-esteem, weakening the people.
It was very interesting learning about the happenings of that time, but at the same time very sad. There were a number of places that we had seen in the film, and it was good to see them in real life and picture the movie scene we had watched the day before. The tour finished at Schindler's factory which is still there, although was being renovated/modernised while we were there.
We stopped at the old town square halfway through and bought a Zapiekanki for lunch.
They're a bit like a pizza, but on a long bread-like base (they were freshly made, and very delicious!)
After the tour we headed back to the town square and checked out the market stalls and the Basilica of the Virgin Mary, with a coffee and cake thrown in between. A wander down a few back streets was nice as well, giving us the chance to see the city from 'behind the scenes'. There were some amazing things in the market stalls, particularly wooden trinkets (including a three player chess set! Not entirely sure how that would work...)
A traditional Polish dinner (cabbage stew), then the bus back to the hotel. Aaron, a fellow Aussie traveller, bought a guitar in Krakow so when we got back to the Hotel we all sat around chatting and singing songs - a relaxing way to end the day!
Anyway, the rain eased during the tour which was good, because walking in the rain isn't much fun! A local guide took us past some sites used in the filming of Schindler's list, and also filled us in on some of the history. The Jewish Quarter was allocated to only Jewish people to keep the separate from the main town.
We visited a synagogue where we had to wear a yarmulke (small Jewish head covering). We visited a graveyard, where the guide explained that when visiting a loved one's grave Jewish people place a stone on the grave. The reason for this is that they consider it wrong to leave a living gift (such as flowers) for the deceased, and that when travelling in the desert the deceased had to be burried with stones otherwise the sand would blow away, uncovering the grave (so placing a stone now keeps with ancient traditions). The guide explained how there aren't many Jewish graveyards left in Krakow, because they were destroyed by the Nazis. Gravestones were broken into smaller pieces which were used to make roads and stone fences (there was a stone fence made of gravestone pieces around this particular cemetry). The idea was that it reduced their self-esteem, weakening the people.
It was very interesting learning about the happenings of that time, but at the same time very sad. There were a number of places that we had seen in the film, and it was good to see them in real life and picture the movie scene we had watched the day before. The tour finished at Schindler's factory which is still there, although was being renovated/modernised while we were there.
We stopped at the old town square halfway through and bought a Zapiekanki for lunch.
They're a bit like a pizza, but on a long bread-like base (they were freshly made, and very delicious!)
After the tour we headed back to the town square and checked out the market stalls and the Basilica of the Virgin Mary, with a coffee and cake thrown in between. A wander down a few back streets was nice as well, giving us the chance to see the city from 'behind the scenes'. There were some amazing things in the market stalls, particularly wooden trinkets (including a three player chess set! Not entirely sure how that would work...)
A traditional Polish dinner (cabbage stew), then the bus back to the hotel. Aaron, a fellow Aussie traveller, bought a guitar in Krakow so when we got back to the Hotel we all sat around chatting and singing songs - a relaxing way to end the day!
On to Polland
After a busy day in Budapest, it was on to Krakow in Polland.
A detour early in the drive meant we travelled through a couple of small towns in Hungary which were quiet and pretty (although the detoured traffic propably spoilt the peace for the locals...)
There weren't any exciting stop offs along the way, but for the next day we were going on a Schindler's list tour in Krakow, so we watched the movie on the bus along the way. I hadn't seen it before, so it was really good to watch it before arriving in Krakow because we actually saw some places that were used in the film.
Our accomodation for Polland was a hotel which was reasonably good. We wandered to the supermarket before dinner (because it's much cheaper to buy food there rather than at petrol stations along the way) but it was a 'membership only' discount store which was no use to us. After dinner we sat around and played cards then headed off to bed!
A detour early in the drive meant we travelled through a couple of small towns in Hungary which were quiet and pretty (although the detoured traffic propably spoilt the peace for the locals...)
There weren't any exciting stop offs along the way, but for the next day we were going on a Schindler's list tour in Krakow, so we watched the movie on the bus along the way. I hadn't seen it before, so it was really good to watch it before arriving in Krakow because we actually saw some places that were used in the film.
Our accomodation for Polland was a hotel which was reasonably good. We wandered to the supermarket before dinner (because it's much cheaper to buy food there rather than at petrol stations along the way) but it was a 'membership only' discount store which was no use to us. After dinner we sat around and played cards then headed off to bed!
Monday, July 21, 2008
A day in Budapest
Before I tell about our adventures in Budapest, here's the enormous steak platter Bud had for dinner on our first night there.
The restaurant was called Fatal, and the meals really were fatal!
So...the hostel in Budapest was average, and didn't even have anywhere for breakfast. So far, all the other hostels have had a dining area and provided cereal and toast as part of our booking. Topdeck had arranged breakfast with a restaurant next door, but when we got there they told us the chef hadn't turned up! So, breakfast was a roll with a slice of ham, salami and cheese - not a particularly exciting start to the day!
A few people had organised to go to some natural baths for a soak and massage, but there was too much to see and do to waste time there. It was a bit drizzly in the morning, but fortunately it cleared up as the day went on.
So, a few people went to the baths, Bud and Aaron (a guy from Adelaide who's on our tour) went wandering some shops in search of a guitar, and I did some washing and blogging. We all met up an hour or so later to explore the castle on the Buda (west) side of the river. We had a yummy lunch in a local pub before climbing the hill to the castle. (When Natasha, who went to the baths, joined us she was very unimpressed with the baths, and ended up not having a massage! Glad we didn't bother with that...)
Under the castle is a labarynth. I'm not sure how authentic or genuine parts of it were, but it was really well set up with strange statues and 'fossils', and spooky sound effects. There was a maze in complete darkness (it wasn't so much a maze, but a single tunnel that would ultimately lead to the exit) which was a lot of fun. We used our phones and camera flashes to find our way. We didn't realise, until about halfway around, that we had gone in the entrance and bypassed the ticket desk, so it was a bit confusing going backwards. When we got to the end, which was really the start, we just went back through and came out the exit! (but don't tell the Hungarians! lol)
We wandered the castle after that, checking out the grounds and views. There were some nice market stalls as well which were great for souvenir shopping. We bought a delicious snack called a 'funnel cake' which was a bit like a sweet prezel, but coiled around instead of knotted.
That gave us enough energy to get back down the hill, cross the river and explore the other side of town. There were some nice gardens on the opposite side, so we caught the train. One pulled in as we got there, so we snuck through the barriers and just jumped on (great value for money that day...first the labarynth, and then the train!) Being non-Hungarian speaking tourists we figured we'd have a chance at acting confused if there was a problem.
A quick coffee at Gloria Jeans (which I discovered is Australian owned! there are two in Hungary) then we explored the gardens for a while. They were particularly beautiful, with a lake and lots of lovely old buildings. It's amazing how green everything is here - completely different to back home! And there are drinking fountains in most cities with water continually flowing through (particularly in Rome). Despite so much free water on the streets, at cafes and restaurants it's highly unlikely they'll give tap water to drink.
After a long day wandering the city, we headed back to the hostel for a bite to eat followed by a few games of cards. Later in the night we all headed to a bar on the river, but the staff were quite rude, and we were almost out of forints so didn't stay long.
Others did stay very late though, and at 6am there was a knock on the door. One of the girls on the tour had stayed out with her sister, and they'd separated from the group. On their way home they lost each other, and she was panicky because she didn't know where her sister was. About 15 minutes later her sister turned up, but they were pretty stressed. Just another night of little sleep!
Speaking of sleep, I'm going to head off now and get some before we wander Berlin. A walking tour and a few other activities organised for the day, so it should be good!
Bye for now!
Derek
The restaurant was called Fatal, and the meals really were fatal!
So...the hostel in Budapest was average, and didn't even have anywhere for breakfast. So far, all the other hostels have had a dining area and provided cereal and toast as part of our booking. Topdeck had arranged breakfast with a restaurant next door, but when we got there they told us the chef hadn't turned up! So, breakfast was a roll with a slice of ham, salami and cheese - not a particularly exciting start to the day!
A few people had organised to go to some natural baths for a soak and massage, but there was too much to see and do to waste time there. It was a bit drizzly in the morning, but fortunately it cleared up as the day went on.
So, a few people went to the baths, Bud and Aaron (a guy from Adelaide who's on our tour) went wandering some shops in search of a guitar, and I did some washing and blogging. We all met up an hour or so later to explore the castle on the Buda (west) side of the river. We had a yummy lunch in a local pub before climbing the hill to the castle. (When Natasha, who went to the baths, joined us she was very unimpressed with the baths, and ended up not having a massage! Glad we didn't bother with that...)
Under the castle is a labarynth. I'm not sure how authentic or genuine parts of it were, but it was really well set up with strange statues and 'fossils', and spooky sound effects. There was a maze in complete darkness (it wasn't so much a maze, but a single tunnel that would ultimately lead to the exit) which was a lot of fun. We used our phones and camera flashes to find our way. We didn't realise, until about halfway around, that we had gone in the entrance and bypassed the ticket desk, so it was a bit confusing going backwards. When we got to the end, which was really the start, we just went back through and came out the exit! (but don't tell the Hungarians! lol)
We wandered the castle after that, checking out the grounds and views. There were some nice market stalls as well which were great for souvenir shopping. We bought a delicious snack called a 'funnel cake' which was a bit like a sweet prezel, but coiled around instead of knotted.
That gave us enough energy to get back down the hill, cross the river and explore the other side of town. There were some nice gardens on the opposite side, so we caught the train. One pulled in as we got there, so we snuck through the barriers and just jumped on (great value for money that day...first the labarynth, and then the train!) Being non-Hungarian speaking tourists we figured we'd have a chance at acting confused if there was a problem.
A quick coffee at Gloria Jeans (which I discovered is Australian owned! there are two in Hungary) then we explored the gardens for a while. They were particularly beautiful, with a lake and lots of lovely old buildings. It's amazing how green everything is here - completely different to back home! And there are drinking fountains in most cities with water continually flowing through (particularly in Rome). Despite so much free water on the streets, at cafes and restaurants it's highly unlikely they'll give tap water to drink.
After a long day wandering the city, we headed back to the hostel for a bite to eat followed by a few games of cards. Later in the night we all headed to a bar on the river, but the staff were quite rude, and we were almost out of forints so didn't stay long.
Others did stay very late though, and at 6am there was a knock on the door. One of the girls on the tour had stayed out with her sister, and they'd separated from the group. On their way home they lost each other, and she was panicky because she didn't know where her sister was. About 15 minutes later her sister turned up, but they were pretty stressed. Just another night of little sleep!
Speaking of sleep, I'm going to head off now and get some before we wander Berlin. A walking tour and a few other activities organised for the day, so it should be good!
Bye for now!
Derek
Sunday, July 20, 2008
A stop off at Bratislava
Left Vienna after breakfast, headed for Budapest in Hungary.
On the way we stopped at Bratislava in Slovakia for about 90 minutes. We wandered the market briefly, then grabbed some lunch. Lauren, our tour guide, had recommended some fancy looking pizza cones (pizza base shapped like an ice cream cone, stuffed with pizza toppings) but since we were only there for an hour or so we didn't have any local currency. They were supposed to take Euros as well, but the lady in the shop apparently didn't like us. A few people from our tour paid Euros, then she told us that we couldn't pay Euros! We spent the next 30 minutes looking for another pizza cone shop, but had no luck. After wasting time looking, we looked inside a restaurant, and the guy there kindly offered to make us a take away kebab (even though it was a sit down restaurant) in about 10 minutes. It what seems to be true European style the 10 minutes were actually 20, but we got to the bus in time, and the kebab was good.
The city was quite nice, but the buildings seemed older, or at least more plain, than the other counrties we had visited. It was a nice break in the driving day though.
When we got to Budapest we had a driving tour around the city, and got off at a few places as well for photos and a look around. It was dry, but cloudy, when we got there, but at one of the stop offs we left the bus, climbed a hill and were supposed to get back on at the top. As we climbed it started to rain, then at the top it was bucketting down - and there was no bus! We all got soaked while Lauren called Craig (the driver) to find where he was (Craig hadn't been there before, so wasn't too familiar with the area...) It turned out, we were waiting just around the corner from him... Fortunately we went straight to the hostel after that anyway, so could dry off.
The hostel wasn't particularly fancy, six of us in a room, and not much floor space. There were no other services there either (like laundry, kitchen etc), and only one computer! Toilets were communal (which actually worked out ok because with 6 in a room there can be quite a queue for the shower in the morning if there's only 1!)
We had dinner at a local restaurant, and were told we could order anything on the menu! I had a really nice beef gulyas, but there was a huge steak platter on the menu that quite a few people had (Bud included). It was enourmous, and came out on a wooden plate almost a metre long! I've got a photo, but can't get it online at the moment, so stay tuned!
That's all the updating for now - my hour's almost up.
Today we wandered Prague which is a really nice city, with lots to see. And I bought a Harry Potter marrionette which is really cool (just need to work out how best to bring him home!)
Bye for now!
On the way we stopped at Bratislava in Slovakia for about 90 minutes. We wandered the market briefly, then grabbed some lunch. Lauren, our tour guide, had recommended some fancy looking pizza cones (pizza base shapped like an ice cream cone, stuffed with pizza toppings) but since we were only there for an hour or so we didn't have any local currency. They were supposed to take Euros as well, but the lady in the shop apparently didn't like us. A few people from our tour paid Euros, then she told us that we couldn't pay Euros! We spent the next 30 minutes looking for another pizza cone shop, but had no luck. After wasting time looking, we looked inside a restaurant, and the guy there kindly offered to make us a take away kebab (even though it was a sit down restaurant) in about 10 minutes. It what seems to be true European style the 10 minutes were actually 20, but we got to the bus in time, and the kebab was good.
The city was quite nice, but the buildings seemed older, or at least more plain, than the other counrties we had visited. It was a nice break in the driving day though.
When we got to Budapest we had a driving tour around the city, and got off at a few places as well for photos and a look around. It was dry, but cloudy, when we got there, but at one of the stop offs we left the bus, climbed a hill and were supposed to get back on at the top. As we climbed it started to rain, then at the top it was bucketting down - and there was no bus! We all got soaked while Lauren called Craig (the driver) to find where he was (Craig hadn't been there before, so wasn't too familiar with the area...) It turned out, we were waiting just around the corner from him... Fortunately we went straight to the hostel after that anyway, so could dry off.
The hostel wasn't particularly fancy, six of us in a room, and not much floor space. There were no other services there either (like laundry, kitchen etc), and only one computer! Toilets were communal (which actually worked out ok because with 6 in a room there can be quite a queue for the shower in the morning if there's only 1!)
We had dinner at a local restaurant, and were told we could order anything on the menu! I had a really nice beef gulyas, but there was a huge steak platter on the menu that quite a few people had (Bud included). It was enourmous, and came out on a wooden plate almost a metre long! I've got a photo, but can't get it online at the moment, so stay tuned!
That's all the updating for now - my hour's almost up.
Today we wandered Prague which is a really nice city, with lots to see. And I bought a Harry Potter marrionette which is really cool (just need to work out how best to bring him home!)
Bye for now!
The hills are alive, with the sound of music...
Well, the concert hall was anyway.
Our day in Vienna was an interesting one. Our hostel was just outside the city, but being a Sunday unfortunately all the shops were closed (including supermarkets!) All that was open around us were food stalls and restaurants. We were headed for the main city anyway, so it didn't matter too much.
We went by bus into the city, and walked into the centre of the city. The day was then ours to fill. We started at a coffee shop in the middle of a mall (a lot of the city was foot traffic only, something that has been quite common from Venice onwards...) After a Viennese coffee and a slice of sacher tort (a traditional chocolate cake) we headed for tourist info to book tickets to a symphony orchestra performance.
After that a few of us headed to the catacombs at St Peter's Church while some others went to a museum. The Church was beautiful inside, and while we were there the organs were playing, then the choir sung a hymn as well! It was amazing! Unfortunately some of the lights in the catacombs weren't working so we only had half a tour, but what we saw was pretty creepy. I had expected coffins and tombs, but there were piles of human bones in open rooms! In the first part were stone rooms with memorials and tombs, but further in it opened up into a carved tunnel and rooms about 4 square metres filled with piles of bones. One of them, we were told, was a mass grave from bubonic plague victims. The guide told us it was safe...so let's hope so! The Hapsburgs (an ancient Austrian family) were burried in there, but they were in the part that had no power so we didn't get to see them. It was an interesting experience, but seeing all the human bones was a bit scary, and definitely creepy.
We had Viennese sausage for lunch (which, to my surprise, I enjoyed) then headed back to the bus to go to the Schnaps museum. There we were taken through the shop and part of the factory, in which the furnishings and layout haven't been changed for about 100 years (the cash register was huge, with heaps of buttons and an old fashioned 'cha-ching' sound). The guide (whose great-great grandfather started the business) explained about the different types of Schnaps (he only spells it with one 'p') then gave us some samples. They had lots of different types, but one of the more interesting ones had 22 carat gold flakes in it! What a waste! We also tried creamy strawberry, raspberry and absynth (some other flavours included banana, chilli - which was apparently hot and spicy - butterscotch and a few others).
Headed back to the hostel after that for a quick Maccas dinner (sad but true...) then went to the symphony orchestra. I wasn't sure if I wanted to go at first, but quite a lot of people were going, and it seemed like a 'traditional' sort of thing to do. It went for about 2 hours, and was really enjoyable. The concert hall was smallish, but a lovely old building. They played Mozart and a few others, and there were balet dancers as well. All in all a pleasant evening. We caught the metro back to the hostel, which wasn't too difficult (I think we've sampled public transport in almost every city so far...)
Our day in Vienna was an interesting one. Our hostel was just outside the city, but being a Sunday unfortunately all the shops were closed (including supermarkets!) All that was open around us were food stalls and restaurants. We were headed for the main city anyway, so it didn't matter too much.
We went by bus into the city, and walked into the centre of the city. The day was then ours to fill. We started at a coffee shop in the middle of a mall (a lot of the city was foot traffic only, something that has been quite common from Venice onwards...) After a Viennese coffee and a slice of sacher tort (a traditional chocolate cake) we headed for tourist info to book tickets to a symphony orchestra performance.
After that a few of us headed to the catacombs at St Peter's Church while some others went to a museum. The Church was beautiful inside, and while we were there the organs were playing, then the choir sung a hymn as well! It was amazing! Unfortunately some of the lights in the catacombs weren't working so we only had half a tour, but what we saw was pretty creepy. I had expected coffins and tombs, but there were piles of human bones in open rooms! In the first part were stone rooms with memorials and tombs, but further in it opened up into a carved tunnel and rooms about 4 square metres filled with piles of bones. One of them, we were told, was a mass grave from bubonic plague victims. The guide told us it was safe...so let's hope so! The Hapsburgs (an ancient Austrian family) were burried in there, but they were in the part that had no power so we didn't get to see them. It was an interesting experience, but seeing all the human bones was a bit scary, and definitely creepy.
We had Viennese sausage for lunch (which, to my surprise, I enjoyed) then headed back to the bus to go to the Schnaps museum. There we were taken through the shop and part of the factory, in which the furnishings and layout haven't been changed for about 100 years (the cash register was huge, with heaps of buttons and an old fashioned 'cha-ching' sound). The guide (whose great-great grandfather started the business) explained about the different types of Schnaps (he only spells it with one 'p') then gave us some samples. They had lots of different types, but one of the more interesting ones had 22 carat gold flakes in it! What a waste! We also tried creamy strawberry, raspberry and absynth (some other flavours included banana, chilli - which was apparently hot and spicy - butterscotch and a few others).
Headed back to the hostel after that for a quick Maccas dinner (sad but true...) then went to the symphony orchestra. I wasn't sure if I wanted to go at first, but quite a lot of people were going, and it seemed like a 'traditional' sort of thing to do. It went for about 2 hours, and was really enjoyable. The concert hall was smallish, but a lovely old building. They played Mozart and a few others, and there were balet dancers as well. All in all a pleasant evening. We caught the metro back to the hostel, which wasn't too difficult (I think we've sampled public transport in almost every city so far...)
Venice to Vienna
Today was a pretty long bus trip, leaving at 7:45 and getting to Vienna about 4pm.
We didn't visit anywhere special along the way, but the scenary was beautiful as we made our way across Austria. It was a Saturday that we arrive, at about 5:30pm, and most of the shops were closing.
We had dinner at a local restaurant (delicios soup and Vienna Schnitzel). It was sunny and clear when we arrived, but during dinner it turned cold and started pooring with rain. We were supposed to visit a theme park that night, but because of the weather just went back to the hostel for a reasonably early night.
The hostel was nice, and the room quite large (it's great when there's some floor space left over after 4 suitcases!)
We didn't visit anywhere special along the way, but the scenary was beautiful as we made our way across Austria. It was a Saturday that we arrive, at about 5:30pm, and most of the shops were closing.
We had dinner at a local restaurant (delicios soup and Vienna Schnitzel). It was sunny and clear when we arrived, but during dinner it turned cold and started pooring with rain. We were supposed to visit a theme park that night, but because of the weather just went back to the hostel for a reasonably early night.
The hostel was nice, and the room quite large (it's great when there's some floor space left over after 4 suitcases!)
Gondola anyone?
Our visit to Venice was lovely. We headed into the town by shuttle bus, then walked the canals to the centre of town. The morning began with a peaceful gondola ride through the canals. The town was very pretty, and (surprisingly) didn't smell all that much (there was an occasional pong, but nothing too bad or persistent). It was really interesting seeing boats carrying boxes for grocery stores, furniture, rubble from construction work and other things that would usually be in a truck. Since there were no cars, it gave the city a much more calm atmosphere than the where we had been previously, and although the buildings are very old and most have peeling paint, it added to the charm.
After the gondola ride a lace demonstration had been organised, but we didn't bother going because it sounded like it would be similar to the leather demonstration in Florence, which wasn't really worth the time. We did stop by the lace shop though, and there were some pretty things there.
A walking tour was also organised, which is always a good way to see a city. A local guide took us around for about an hour, explaining some history, and pointing out important buildings. It wasn't quite as good a tour as Florence, but was still a useful way to see some of the sites. The guide, being local, had an accent and was a bit tricky to understand. Also, it was very sunny so a bit uncomfortable standing around listening to her.
We stopped at a cafe down a side street for lunch, and had more yummy pizza (no gelati this time though...) We spent the afternoon just wandering the shops and checking out the beautiful masks and glass work. There wasn't anything in particular I wanted to see, so was quite happy just wandering. There are a lot of small paths and alleys (lots that don't have water) and we managed to lose the main square. Because all the buildings are similar, and so closely packed, it's hard to find landmarks that would help to find our way back.
After an exhausting day of wandering, we caught a ferry back to the bus depot, to catch the shuttle bus back over the 4km bridge to the mainland, and our campground. Dinner was at the campground, and following that a Toga party had been organised at the campground bar (they even provided us with a spare sheet for the occasion)! Sadly no photos to put online, because I haven't got any on my phone and can't get them off my camera... Anyway, it was a lot of fun, with everyone turning up in sheets. Someone had found an empty boat trailer, which became a chariot that we rode to the bar.
So, our visit to Venice was very enjoyable, and a lot of fun. Unfortunately the campground was right next to the airport (location, location!) which was noisy at first (it actually felt like our cabin was going to take off...) but after an hour or so we stopped noticing it.
After the gondola ride a lace demonstration had been organised, but we didn't bother going because it sounded like it would be similar to the leather demonstration in Florence, which wasn't really worth the time. We did stop by the lace shop though, and there were some pretty things there.
A walking tour was also organised, which is always a good way to see a city. A local guide took us around for about an hour, explaining some history, and pointing out important buildings. It wasn't quite as good a tour as Florence, but was still a useful way to see some of the sites. The guide, being local, had an accent and was a bit tricky to understand. Also, it was very sunny so a bit uncomfortable standing around listening to her.
We stopped at a cafe down a side street for lunch, and had more yummy pizza (no gelati this time though...) We spent the afternoon just wandering the shops and checking out the beautiful masks and glass work. There wasn't anything in particular I wanted to see, so was quite happy just wandering. There are a lot of small paths and alleys (lots that don't have water) and we managed to lose the main square. Because all the buildings are similar, and so closely packed, it's hard to find landmarks that would help to find our way back.
After an exhausting day of wandering, we caught a ferry back to the bus depot, to catch the shuttle bus back over the 4km bridge to the mainland, and our campground. Dinner was at the campground, and following that a Toga party had been organised at the campground bar (they even provided us with a spare sheet for the occasion)! Sadly no photos to put online, because I haven't got any on my phone and can't get them off my camera... Anyway, it was a lot of fun, with everyone turning up in sheets. Someone had found an empty boat trailer, which became a chariot that we rode to the bar.
So, our visit to Venice was very enjoyable, and a lot of fun. Unfortunately the campground was right next to the airport (location, location!) which was noisy at first (it actually felt like our cabin was going to take off...) but after an hour or so we stopped noticing it.
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
To Venice, via Verona
Another bus day, this time headed to Venice. It was a long day, filled with lots of driving. The regular toilet and snack stops in the morning, but a more interesting stop at Verona in the afternoon.
Verona is the home to Romeo and Juliet, and we were able to check out Juliet's balcony. The town was very pretty, and the area we were in was foot traffic only which makes for a peaceful time (it's a relief not having to worry about which way to check for cars!)
We wandered the market stalls in Verona as well, and finished our visit with a final gelati (now that we're not in Italy any more, it's easier to walk past a gelati stand without buying something...)
We stayed in a campground again at Venice, which was similar to the last two stops. We were lucky to have a room for four, with only three people. It was set out for a family, with two separate bathrooms and a small kitchen/dining area! There were quite a lot of mossies around, so we covered up with repellant. Didn't get bitten too much in the time we were there though, so it wasn't too bad.
Well, that's all for now. We're in Budapest at the moment, where the weather is significantly cooler, and it's raining a bit. Heading out to visit a castle and labarynth, and see some other sites as well.
Bye for now!
Verona is the home to Romeo and Juliet, and we were able to check out Juliet's balcony. The town was very pretty, and the area we were in was foot traffic only which makes for a peaceful time (it's a relief not having to worry about which way to check for cars!)
We wandered the market stalls in Verona as well, and finished our visit with a final gelati (now that we're not in Italy any more, it's easier to walk past a gelati stand without buying something...)
We stayed in a campground again at Venice, which was similar to the last two stops. We were lucky to have a room for four, with only three people. It was set out for a family, with two separate bathrooms and a small kitchen/dining area! There were quite a lot of mossies around, so we covered up with repellant. Didn't get bitten too much in the time we were there though, so it wasn't too bad.
Well, that's all for now. We're in Budapest at the moment, where the weather is significantly cooler, and it's raining a bit. Heading out to visit a castle and labarynth, and see some other sites as well.
Bye for now!
Rome
Our day in Rome was an early and busy one. Most of us were booked on a tour of Vatican City, which meant we could go in before it opens to the public, and skip the queue (some people didn't do the tour, but queued up anyway. They started queueing at 9 and didn't get in until 12!)
The tour went for about 3 hours, and the guide took us through lots of galleries, explaining the history behind some of the pieces as we went. He had studied it in uni, so knew a lot on the topic. We went through the Sistine Chapel, where the artwork was amazing. Unfortunately we weren't allowed to take photos (there were security people everywhere, continually saying "sshhhhhhhh..." and "no photos!") The guide told us the reason we couldn't take photos was because Nikon own the copyright to any photos from the Chapel! (someone else thought that was because Nikon had funded the restoration) Not a very good reason for banning photos!
We also visited St. Peter's Basilica. The interior was truly amazing. We were allowed to take photos here which was good, because the decorations really are amazing. There was a lot of gold - I can't remember how much, but the guide said there was enough gold plating to rid ?Africa? of poverty. So indulgent!
We also wandered around St. Peter's square, and I went down to the tombs of the popes. It was a bit creepy to think that they were coffins/graves so close, and the stone carvings on top were incredibly life like. Only a small section was open to the public, but it was definitely worth visiting.
We stopped for lunch after Vatican City, and I naively ordered a coffee with a shot of Baileys (I'd recently discovered the irish cream flavouring at home, and thought the original would be even better). I was quite surprised when they gave me a small plastic cup with a shot of coffee and a shot of liqueur! There was no milk or anything else! Obviously it was very strong, so I sipped at it slowly. It turned out to be very nice (although, I've been careful ever since to order coffee with milk!)
After lunch we ventured into the rest of Rome. We went back to the Colossuem to see inside and weren't disappointed by the view. It really is amazing that such a huge landmark could have been built without modern technology, and that it's still standing! I wonder what our modern buildings will be looking like in 2000 years...
Then we visited the Forum and saw a lot of Roman ruins, as well as Augustus' house. The house was only open to 5 people at a time to help preserve it.
Vicky and Andrew joined us after the Colosseum. From the ruines we returned to the Trevi Fountain for one more look, and some gelati. There were so many different gelati flavours to try! All up, the flavours I sampled were lemon, chocolate, strawberry, watermelon, peach, nutella, raspberry, pineapple and banana. That was over 6 days, so wasn't too unhealthy...lol
Back to the campsite after that, although we stopped at a supermarket to get some snacks for the bus. Here in Europe they don't pack the bags, and in this supermarket I bought a couple of apples and had to weigh them in the fruit department, where the machine gave me a barcode to stick on the bag! I didn't realise I had to do it, until I saw someone else stickering their fruit.
That night we headed to the campsite disco again, which was a nice way to end an exhausting day!
The tour went for about 3 hours, and the guide took us through lots of galleries, explaining the history behind some of the pieces as we went. He had studied it in uni, so knew a lot on the topic. We went through the Sistine Chapel, where the artwork was amazing. Unfortunately we weren't allowed to take photos (there were security people everywhere, continually saying "sshhhhhhhh..." and "no photos!") The guide told us the reason we couldn't take photos was because Nikon own the copyright to any photos from the Chapel! (someone else thought that was because Nikon had funded the restoration) Not a very good reason for banning photos!
We also visited St. Peter's Basilica. The interior was truly amazing. We were allowed to take photos here which was good, because the decorations really are amazing. There was a lot of gold - I can't remember how much, but the guide said there was enough gold plating to rid ?Africa? of poverty. So indulgent!
We also wandered around St. Peter's square, and I went down to the tombs of the popes. It was a bit creepy to think that they were coffins/graves so close, and the stone carvings on top were incredibly life like. Only a small section was open to the public, but it was definitely worth visiting.
We stopped for lunch after Vatican City, and I naively ordered a coffee with a shot of Baileys (I'd recently discovered the irish cream flavouring at home, and thought the original would be even better). I was quite surprised when they gave me a small plastic cup with a shot of coffee and a shot of liqueur! There was no milk or anything else! Obviously it was very strong, so I sipped at it slowly. It turned out to be very nice (although, I've been careful ever since to order coffee with milk!)
After lunch we ventured into the rest of Rome. We went back to the Colossuem to see inside and weren't disappointed by the view. It really is amazing that such a huge landmark could have been built without modern technology, and that it's still standing! I wonder what our modern buildings will be looking like in 2000 years...
Then we visited the Forum and saw a lot of Roman ruins, as well as Augustus' house. The house was only open to 5 people at a time to help preserve it.
Vicky and Andrew joined us after the Colosseum. From the ruines we returned to the Trevi Fountain for one more look, and some gelati. There were so many different gelati flavours to try! All up, the flavours I sampled were lemon, chocolate, strawberry, watermelon, peach, nutella, raspberry, pineapple and banana. That was over 6 days, so wasn't too unhealthy...lol
Back to the campsite after that, although we stopped at a supermarket to get some snacks for the bus. Here in Europe they don't pack the bags, and in this supermarket I bought a couple of apples and had to weigh them in the fruit department, where the machine gave me a barcode to stick on the bag! I didn't realise I had to do it, until I saw someone else stickering their fruit.
That night we headed to the campsite disco again, which was a nice way to end an exhausting day!
Florence
Since we had been staying at the campsite outside of the city, we didn't get a chance to visit Florence when we arrived. So, after leaving in the morning we went to the town where a walking tour had been organised. A local lady took us on a tour through the city, pointing out interesting buildings and architecture. We saw a number of statues (unfortunately only the lifesize replica of David because we didn't have time to queue to see the original) and a few churches as well. The work and detail in the buildings everywhere in Europe is incredible, and even though they're all similar they're also different as well.
Our tour concluded at a leather factory, and in true 'perfume factory' style we had a 5 minute leather demonstration, then we were told how important it is not to buy fake leather products (and how to tell the difference) before being let loose in the shop. The prices there were very high (at first things look reasonably priced, but then I remember to double it for Aussie dollars...) The leather goods were beautiful, and of a high quality, but not really worth the prices they were asking.
We had time after that to wander for a bit, get some lunch and head back to the bus. I had a delicious salad (after eating so much everywhere else, it was nice to have a slightly lighter lunch) and a coffee (yum yum!)
Florence was a pretty city, and wasn't too busy/crowded which was really noticable after being in busy Paris and Nice.
Some chatting, dozing and iPodding on the bus and then we were in Rome. We were dropped off at a metro station and caught the train into the city for a walking tour with Lauren (our Topdeck guide) and saw the main sites including the Pantheon, Trevi Fountain, Colloseum and more. We stopped for a pizza dinner (naturally followed by gelati).
The train was very crowded and hot, and after all the stories and advice I'd been given before leaving, I was quite worried about someone stealing my wallet or phone. Trying to balance, protect both pockets and your backpack is no easy feat! Although I felt a bit uncomfortable about being on the train, during our time in Rome I never saw anyone who made me feel uneasy. It was more just because of warnings I'd been given. There was even an ad on the train warning of thieves and pickpockets.
The Trevi Fountain was beautiful, with several waterfalls splashing into it. I threw two coins over my left shoulder (which means that I'll come back one day - throwing three meant you'd ben married within 12 months which is a little scary...lol) The Pantheon was very impressive. The dome ceiling is enormous, and the building is well maintained even though it's about 2000 years old!
The Colluseum was looking really good at night, and was impressive from the outside. The next day we went inside, and it was even more impressive. It's hard to believe that these buildings are soooo old. It was interesting to find out that parts of buildings (like the Colloseum) were taken by the Romans and used in other buildings (there were some columns we saw in Vatican City that had been removed from the Colloseum).
It was nice walking through the city and seeing the shops and laneways as well as the bigger landmarks. Walking tours have been a great way to see the cities. Tired from all the walking we'd done, we went straight to bed after the tour. The rooms were nice, with just two single beds. Again there was space for our suitcases - something that is a real luxury!
Our tour concluded at a leather factory, and in true 'perfume factory' style we had a 5 minute leather demonstration, then we were told how important it is not to buy fake leather products (and how to tell the difference) before being let loose in the shop. The prices there were very high (at first things look reasonably priced, but then I remember to double it for Aussie dollars...) The leather goods were beautiful, and of a high quality, but not really worth the prices they were asking.
We had time after that to wander for a bit, get some lunch and head back to the bus. I had a delicious salad (after eating so much everywhere else, it was nice to have a slightly lighter lunch) and a coffee (yum yum!)
Florence was a pretty city, and wasn't too busy/crowded which was really noticable after being in busy Paris and Nice.
Some chatting, dozing and iPodding on the bus and then we were in Rome. We were dropped off at a metro station and caught the train into the city for a walking tour with Lauren (our Topdeck guide) and saw the main sites including the Pantheon, Trevi Fountain, Colloseum and more. We stopped for a pizza dinner (naturally followed by gelati).
The train was very crowded and hot, and after all the stories and advice I'd been given before leaving, I was quite worried about someone stealing my wallet or phone. Trying to balance, protect both pockets and your backpack is no easy feat! Although I felt a bit uncomfortable about being on the train, during our time in Rome I never saw anyone who made me feel uneasy. It was more just because of warnings I'd been given. There was even an ad on the train warning of thieves and pickpockets.
The Trevi Fountain was beautiful, with several waterfalls splashing into it. I threw two coins over my left shoulder (which means that I'll come back one day - throwing three meant you'd ben married within 12 months which is a little scary...lol) The Pantheon was very impressive. The dome ceiling is enormous, and the building is well maintained even though it's about 2000 years old!
The Colluseum was looking really good at night, and was impressive from the outside. The next day we went inside, and it was even more impressive. It's hard to believe that these buildings are soooo old. It was interesting to find out that parts of buildings (like the Colloseum) were taken by the Romans and used in other buildings (there were some columns we saw in Vatican City that had been removed from the Colloseum).
It was nice walking through the city and seeing the shops and laneways as well as the bigger landmarks. Walking tours have been a great way to see the cities. Tired from all the walking we'd done, we went straight to bed after the tour. The rooms were nice, with just two single beds. Again there was space for our suitcases - something that is a real luxury!
On to Florence
After a relaxing day on the French Riviera, it was time to continue our journey. We were headed to Florence.
Unlike regular drive days, this one was broken up nicely. We had an early stop at a perfume factory near Nice and stop off at Pisa in the afternoon.
The perfume factory wasn't far from where we were staying, and sounded exciting at first. We had a tour through the 'factory' but it was more of a detour on the way to the shop where they hoped to sell their perfume. We were able to see the distilling towers in which they normally make the perfume, and the press where soaps are moulded/cut. We also saw the people bottling the perfume and wrapping the soaps. After the tour (it was only about 10-15 mins) they took us through to the shop, gave us some samples to smell then tried to convince us it was a bargain to buy direct from them. Even though it was obviously a sales pitch, it was nice to stretch our legs and see behind the scenes at the factory.
After a bit more driving and a lunch stop we came to Pisa. Pisa wasn't quite what I had expected. The tower itself was just as I'd seen in photos before, but where it was located wasn't at all what I had imagined. We were dropped of about a 10 minute walk from the tower (this seems to be the way whenever we visit somewhere - parking must be cheaper or something...) Anyway, we walked through a suburban area, past a lot of houses and a few small parks. It looked like a cheaper suburb, with a lot of houses run down, and lawns going crazy. I had thought that the tower would be in a small town at least.
Also, there were a lot of people selling imitation sunglasses and hand bags. We'd been off the bus for about 30 seconds when three separate sellers approached the group trying to sell their wares. There was a crowded market lining the street leading to the tower as well, all selling similar Pisa souvenirs.
We took a few photos at the tower (holding it up, pushing it over, pulling it down...) then had time for a quick gelati on the way back to the bus.
In Florence we were staying in a campsite a little way out of the city. The campsite was huge, with swimming pools, a couple of restaurants, a bar and a discotech. We had a huge Italian dinner (two different types of pasta, a whole pizza each and gelati), then made our way down to the discotech to dance it off. It was a fun night, although a little bit weird because there were a few kids a lot younger as well (the drinking age is 16 so we were all oldies for the night).
There were three beds in our room, and only two of us, so it was nice to have some extra space to spread out as well.
Unlike regular drive days, this one was broken up nicely. We had an early stop at a perfume factory near Nice and stop off at Pisa in the afternoon.
The perfume factory wasn't far from where we were staying, and sounded exciting at first. We had a tour through the 'factory' but it was more of a detour on the way to the shop where they hoped to sell their perfume. We were able to see the distilling towers in which they normally make the perfume, and the press where soaps are moulded/cut. We also saw the people bottling the perfume and wrapping the soaps. After the tour (it was only about 10-15 mins) they took us through to the shop, gave us some samples to smell then tried to convince us it was a bargain to buy direct from them. Even though it was obviously a sales pitch, it was nice to stretch our legs and see behind the scenes at the factory.
After a bit more driving and a lunch stop we came to Pisa. Pisa wasn't quite what I had expected. The tower itself was just as I'd seen in photos before, but where it was located wasn't at all what I had imagined. We were dropped of about a 10 minute walk from the tower (this seems to be the way whenever we visit somewhere - parking must be cheaper or something...) Anyway, we walked through a suburban area, past a lot of houses and a few small parks. It looked like a cheaper suburb, with a lot of houses run down, and lawns going crazy. I had thought that the tower would be in a small town at least.
Also, there were a lot of people selling imitation sunglasses and hand bags. We'd been off the bus for about 30 seconds when three separate sellers approached the group trying to sell their wares. There was a crowded market lining the street leading to the tower as well, all selling similar Pisa souvenirs.
We took a few photos at the tower (holding it up, pushing it over, pulling it down...) then had time for a quick gelati on the way back to the bus.
In Florence we were staying in a campsite a little way out of the city. The campsite was huge, with swimming pools, a couple of restaurants, a bar and a discotech. We had a huge Italian dinner (two different types of pasta, a whole pizza each and gelati), then made our way down to the discotech to dance it off. It was a fun night, although a little bit weird because there were a few kids a lot younger as well (the drinking age is 16 so we were all oldies for the night).
There were three beds in our room, and only two of us, so it was nice to have some extra space to spread out as well.
Sunday, July 13, 2008
So Nice...
Although Nice had been a bit disappointing the night we arrive, it certainly made up for it during the day. With the shops open and people out and about the city was much more attractive.
There wasn't anything planned by Topdeck so the day was ours. We slept in (only until 8...) and had croissants for breakfast. Since we'd been gone for a week, most of us needed to wash our clothes so a group of us head to the laundry to do that - yay!
Then we headed to the main street and checked out a few shops while we headed towards the 'Old Town' where there was a market and lunch. I had a delicious pizza for lunch (probably should've held out until Italy, but it was as good as (if not better) than the pizzas we had in Italy, so it was definitely worth it). While we were eating a lady came into the square and started singing to the crowd which was nice.
We browsed the markets for a bit, but it was really hot so we made our way down to the beach. The night before the beach looked pretty average, especially since there was no sand! The beach is covered in large pebbles, a bit like a creek bed. I'd been carrying my thongs in my backpack ready for the beach, forgetting there was no sand...so that was a bit silly, but made putting shoes and socks on afterwards pretty easy.
The water was warm, and the stones smoother than I had expected. Rocks are great for lying on though, so once out of the water we didn't spend much time on the beach. We did have a photo though (taken courtesy of the topless lady sunbathing beside us!)
From the left we have me, Katie (from Brisbane, she speaks French which was very helpful in Paris and Nice!), Natasha (from Sydney), Eric (Canada), Bud and Andrew (California). All of us, except Andy, ventured around Paris together. They're all really nice, and so far we've all wanted to see similar things which worked out well. Andy joined Bud and I at the snow in Switzerland.
We were headed to Monte Carlo casino that night, and Bud didn't have a shirt with a collar, so the girls went shopping, and Bud, Andy and I made our way back to the hotel, via the shops in search for a shirt. We didn't have any luck (they were all pretty expensive...) so he borrowed one from Eric which worked out well.
So it was back on the bus that night for a quick trip to Monaco where we all got dressed up and (pretended) to be rich and famous. We stopped at some sights along the way, then had an hour at the Casino before heading back to the hotel.
There wasn't anything planned by Topdeck so the day was ours. We slept in (only until 8...) and had croissants for breakfast. Since we'd been gone for a week, most of us needed to wash our clothes so a group of us head to the laundry to do that - yay!
Then we headed to the main street and checked out a few shops while we headed towards the 'Old Town' where there was a market and lunch. I had a delicious pizza for lunch (probably should've held out until Italy, but it was as good as (if not better) than the pizzas we had in Italy, so it was definitely worth it). While we were eating a lady came into the square and started singing to the crowd which was nice.
We browsed the markets for a bit, but it was really hot so we made our way down to the beach. The night before the beach looked pretty average, especially since there was no sand! The beach is covered in large pebbles, a bit like a creek bed. I'd been carrying my thongs in my backpack ready for the beach, forgetting there was no sand...so that was a bit silly, but made putting shoes and socks on afterwards pretty easy.
The water was warm, and the stones smoother than I had expected. Rocks are great for lying on though, so once out of the water we didn't spend much time on the beach. We did have a photo though (taken courtesy of the topless lady sunbathing beside us!)
From the left we have me, Katie (from Brisbane, she speaks French which was very helpful in Paris and Nice!), Natasha (from Sydney), Eric (Canada), Bud and Andrew (California). All of us, except Andy, ventured around Paris together. They're all really nice, and so far we've all wanted to see similar things which worked out well. Andy joined Bud and I at the snow in Switzerland.
We were headed to Monte Carlo casino that night, and Bud didn't have a shirt with a collar, so the girls went shopping, and Bud, Andy and I made our way back to the hotel, via the shops in search for a shirt. We didn't have any luck (they were all pretty expensive...) so he borrowed one from Eric which worked out well.
So it was back on the bus that night for a quick trip to Monaco where we all got dressed up and (pretended) to be rich and famous. We stopped at some sights along the way, then had an hour at the Casino before heading back to the hotel.
We had to pay to get inside, but it was worth it. The building was lovely inside, and unlike Crown it was very quiet, and there weren't any flashing lights! (except in a room off to the side where the pokies were) Tried my luck at roulette, lost and decided that Euros are too valuable to waste anymore than 10. Still, it was fun to check it out.
So, overall Nice was nice, and well worth the visit!
Heading to bed now for an early night (combined with a sleep in!!) for a, hopefully, refreshing sleep.
Bye for now!
So, overall Nice was nice, and well worth the visit!
Heading to bed now for an early night (combined with a sleep in!!) for a, hopefully, refreshing sleep.
Bye for now!
What a drive!
Sitting in Vienna at the moment - just arrived this afternoon. It wa clear skies, sunshine and 30 degrees when we got here. We were walking past some shops, and there was a Barometer in a window saying there was a likely chance of rain. We laughed and walked on, and now it's pouring, thundering and cold! Looks like Melbourne has caught up with us. Hopefully it'll clear by the morning so we can enjoy our day here.
The toga party last night was a lot of fun. A bit weird dressing up in a sheet...but we had a great time. I'll write more on that soon when I catch up to Venice, but for now it's time for Nice.
After our peaceful visit in Switzerland, it was back on the bus to journey to Nice on the French Riviera. It was quite a long drive, so we had to be up for breakfast at 7:30 (the starts got earlier and earlier, with the earliest breakfast so far being 7am - tomorrow's a sleep in though with breakfast at 8:30!!)
So back on the bus, and off we went. We had to leave so early because we were told the traffic would be bad later. Even with such an early start the traffic was bad. To get there, we went through a tunnel (the longest in Europe!) and unfortunately the tunnel was only one lane wide in each direction. So the three lane highway had to narrow down to one. We were stopped in traffic for about 45 minutes when we got to the tunnel. The wait was so long that people in cars around us were getting out to smoke, stretch there legs, and one person even squatted on the side of the road for a toilet stop! Classy...
We stopped for lunch in an Italian cafe/restaurant/petrol station, which was packed. The ordering system was a bit unusual (and followed us through most of Italy the following days). We had to order and pay at one counter, then take the receipt to another counter to collect the food. We even had to do this for gelati at one shop in Rome!
Sitting on a bus is surprisingly tiring, but I've been rediscovering songs on my iPod which helps break up the trip.
When we finally got to Nice we were a bit disappointed to see the hotel after our upgrade in Paris, and the nice camp ground in Switzerland. It was tucked down a narrow side street a couple of doors down from a strip club, and there were groups of guys hanging around the streets as well. Here alcohol is allowed in public, and is sitting on supermarket shelves beside water and soft drink, so most of the people hanging around on the streets are also drinking. We were in a big group, so felt reasonably safe, but we certainly wouldn't have wanted to wander by ourselves.
Dinner was delicious - three courses! Salad, a very tender beef dish, and the yummiest profiteroles I've ever had (see below :P )
The toga party last night was a lot of fun. A bit weird dressing up in a sheet...but we had a great time. I'll write more on that soon when I catch up to Venice, but for now it's time for Nice.
After our peaceful visit in Switzerland, it was back on the bus to journey to Nice on the French Riviera. It was quite a long drive, so we had to be up for breakfast at 7:30 (the starts got earlier and earlier, with the earliest breakfast so far being 7am - tomorrow's a sleep in though with breakfast at 8:30!!)
So back on the bus, and off we went. We had to leave so early because we were told the traffic would be bad later. Even with such an early start the traffic was bad. To get there, we went through a tunnel (the longest in Europe!) and unfortunately the tunnel was only one lane wide in each direction. So the three lane highway had to narrow down to one. We were stopped in traffic for about 45 minutes when we got to the tunnel. The wait was so long that people in cars around us were getting out to smoke, stretch there legs, and one person even squatted on the side of the road for a toilet stop! Classy...
We stopped for lunch in an Italian cafe/restaurant/petrol station, which was packed. The ordering system was a bit unusual (and followed us through most of Italy the following days). We had to order and pay at one counter, then take the receipt to another counter to collect the food. We even had to do this for gelati at one shop in Rome!
Sitting on a bus is surprisingly tiring, but I've been rediscovering songs on my iPod which helps break up the trip.
When we finally got to Nice we were a bit disappointed to see the hotel after our upgrade in Paris, and the nice camp ground in Switzerland. It was tucked down a narrow side street a couple of doors down from a strip club, and there were groups of guys hanging around the streets as well. Here alcohol is allowed in public, and is sitting on supermarket shelves beside water and soft drink, so most of the people hanging around on the streets are also drinking. We were in a big group, so felt reasonably safe, but we certainly wouldn't have wanted to wander by ourselves.
Dinner was delicious - three courses! Salad, a very tender beef dish, and the yummiest profiteroles I've ever had (see below :P )
After dinner we headed to the beach and wandered for a bit, before heading to the hotel to sleep.
Saturday, July 12, 2008
The Swiss Alps
What a fun day! We woke pretty early to catch the Jungfrau railway up the mountain. It was a pretty slow journey, but the countryside was lovely which helped to pass the time. As we got higher, a lot of the track went through tunnels (I was disappointed we left Australia before getting to drive through the new tollway tunnel at home, but there are soooo many tunnels here in Europe that the novelty of driving underground is starting to wear off...).
The mountain peak we visited was the hightest mountain in Europe, and we went as high as they would let us.
There was an ice palace (which was chilly, but not as cold as I had expected), and lots of great lookout points. We had a brief snow fight (the snow was fresh and fluffy...I don't think I've seen such soft snow before!) and tasted the snow as well (just like a snow cone at a fair...but better :P) We just had jeans, t-shirt and a jumper on (I had a singlet and skivvy in my backpack, but I definitely didn't need them - actually got a little bit sunburnt!)
Salad rolls for lunch on the top lookout, before heading down a little lower for mini tobogan rides. We were hoping to go for a huski ride as well, but unfortunately it was too hot for the dogs (I never thought I'd say that it was "too hot" at the snow! but it was actually warmer outside than it was inside).
Being in Switzerland we ate lots of chocolate (at such a high altitude we got puffed very easily, and felt a bit light headed at times - we had been told chocolate was the best remedy. Perfect!)
We ended up coming back just in time for dinner - it was a really fun day, one of the highlights so far.
Well...that's the end of my update for now because the camp ground has organised a toga party for tonight, and have given us spare sheets for the occasion! Time to go and get dressed for a fun night.
Looking forward to posting again!
Hope everything's well at home.
Bye for now,
Derek
The mountain peak we visited was the hightest mountain in Europe, and we went as high as they would let us.
There was an ice palace (which was chilly, but not as cold as I had expected), and lots of great lookout points. We had a brief snow fight (the snow was fresh and fluffy...I don't think I've seen such soft snow before!) and tasted the snow as well (just like a snow cone at a fair...but better :P) We just had jeans, t-shirt and a jumper on (I had a singlet and skivvy in my backpack, but I definitely didn't need them - actually got a little bit sunburnt!)
Salad rolls for lunch on the top lookout, before heading down a little lower for mini tobogan rides. We were hoping to go for a huski ride as well, but unfortunately it was too hot for the dogs (I never thought I'd say that it was "too hot" at the snow! but it was actually warmer outside than it was inside).
Being in Switzerland we ate lots of chocolate (at such a high altitude we got puffed very easily, and felt a bit light headed at times - we had been told chocolate was the best remedy. Perfect!)
We ended up coming back just in time for dinner - it was a really fun day, one of the highlights so far.
Well...that's the end of my update for now because the camp ground has organised a toga party for tonight, and have given us spare sheets for the occasion! Time to go and get dressed for a fun night.
Looking forward to posting again!
Hope everything's well at home.
Bye for now,
Derek
Paris to Lauterbrunnen
Before I go on, there are some pictures linked at the right of the blog. If you click the link below they should come up bigger. I’m uploading them from my phone, and for some reason they’re hidden until I click a button on the computer, so hopefully I’ll work out a better way to do it...Anyway, check them out ;)
So...today (well...it was a few days ago, but I’m going to write it like it just happened...lol) we travelled from Paris to Switzerland. It wasn’t a particularly exciting day (travel days generally aren’t...) but the scenary once we got to Switzerland was beautiful! It was so picturesque - just like something out of a movie.
We stayed in a camp ground (which I was a bit iffy about at first...but it turned out to be great - simple (but clean) rooms, nice food, and a beautiful location.
We checked out the bar after dinner, and played some games before heading to bed.
So...today (well...it was a few days ago, but I’m going to write it like it just happened...lol) we travelled from Paris to Switzerland. It wasn’t a particularly exciting day (travel days generally aren’t...) but the scenary once we got to Switzerland was beautiful! It was so picturesque - just like something out of a movie.
We stayed in a camp ground (which I was a bit iffy about at first...but it turned out to be great - simple (but clean) rooms, nice food, and a beautiful location.
We checked out the bar after dinner, and played some games before heading to bed.
A day in Paris
Hi everyone.
Firstly, my apologies for any typos or lack of punctuation - the keyboard layout is different here (most symbols are in a different place...) so I keep hitting the wrong keys.
Anyway...we're in Italy at the moment - just had a day in Venice. The weather everywhere has been lovely (except in Paris which I'll write about in a moment) and the sites have been great. We've been very busy, and it's been hard to find time to post here, but I've got some time now so here goes a big catch up!
Thanks for your comments so far - its great to hear from you all.
Our day in Paris was great. We started with croissants for breakfast (yum yum!) then headed in to the centre of the city. The day was ours to fill, and we certainly didn't have any difficulty finding things to do.
First off we headed to the Arc De Triomphe. The roundabout is insane (I think there are 12 different roads that come together in one intersection). There are no defined lanes on the roundabout, and there's a lot of tooting! Our driver drove us on the roundabout, and did a few laps before getting off - it was crazy! The roads in general here are insane, and with the cars driving on the opposite side to what we're used to it can be pretty dangerous crossing the road! The view atop the Arc was pretty spectacular, and watching the traffic from above was fun.
After that we wandered down Champs-Élysées and checked out some shops and had a pastry. We stopped at the other end for crepes in the park (very yummy with jam and lemon juice) before heading to the Louvre. I wasn't overly excited about the Louvre, but it was good to check it out. We spent about an hour there, and made our way towards the Mona Lisa. There were heaps of people in there, and unfortunatley the rope was a few metres from the painting so we couldn't get very close - still it's good to have seen it in 'real life'. The actual building was impressive inside as well, as much a piece of art as the pieces on display.
The clouds, which had been hovering all day, finally gave in to the rain and it was very wet (as in downpour) so thanks for the jacket Marian!
Lunch in a cafe, then on to Notre Dame. The archetecture and stain glassed windows were incredible, and there was a very special feeling inside. Even though it was filled with tourists, there was still a very sacred feeling to the building.
A picnic dinner had been planned for under the Eiffel Tower, so we dashed back to climb it before the picnic. Bud and I climbed the first two levels (I think it was a bit over 500 stairs!!) and then caught the lift the last of the way (and that was only because they wouldn't let us climb). The view was amazing, the lift a little scary. The queue for the last stretch was quite long so we didn't spend a lot of time at the top because we didn't want to miss out on the picnic.
The picnic was nice (snails were on the menu! an odd texture, and they didn't really seem to have their own flavour...at least not a strong one), then we had a river cruise to view the city by night - lots of fun!
We headed back to the hotel after that and crashed, getting some sleep before a busy travel day.
Firstly, my apologies for any typos or lack of punctuation - the keyboard layout is different here (most symbols are in a different place...) so I keep hitting the wrong keys.
Anyway...we're in Italy at the moment - just had a day in Venice. The weather everywhere has been lovely (except in Paris which I'll write about in a moment) and the sites have been great. We've been very busy, and it's been hard to find time to post here, but I've got some time now so here goes a big catch up!
Thanks for your comments so far - its great to hear from you all.
Our day in Paris was great. We started with croissants for breakfast (yum yum!) then headed in to the centre of the city. The day was ours to fill, and we certainly didn't have any difficulty finding things to do.
First off we headed to the Arc De Triomphe. The roundabout is insane (I think there are 12 different roads that come together in one intersection). There are no defined lanes on the roundabout, and there's a lot of tooting! Our driver drove us on the roundabout, and did a few laps before getting off - it was crazy! The roads in general here are insane, and with the cars driving on the opposite side to what we're used to it can be pretty dangerous crossing the road! The view atop the Arc was pretty spectacular, and watching the traffic from above was fun.
After that we wandered down Champs-Élysées and checked out some shops and had a pastry. We stopped at the other end for crepes in the park (very yummy with jam and lemon juice) before heading to the Louvre. I wasn't overly excited about the Louvre, but it was good to check it out. We spent about an hour there, and made our way towards the Mona Lisa. There were heaps of people in there, and unfortunatley the rope was a few metres from the painting so we couldn't get very close - still it's good to have seen it in 'real life'. The actual building was impressive inside as well, as much a piece of art as the pieces on display.
The clouds, which had been hovering all day, finally gave in to the rain and it was very wet (as in downpour) so thanks for the jacket Marian!
Lunch in a cafe, then on to Notre Dame. The archetecture and stain glassed windows were incredible, and there was a very special feeling inside. Even though it was filled with tourists, there was still a very sacred feeling to the building.
A picnic dinner had been planned for under the Eiffel Tower, so we dashed back to climb it before the picnic. Bud and I climbed the first two levels (I think it was a bit over 500 stairs!!) and then caught the lift the last of the way (and that was only because they wouldn't let us climb). The view was amazing, the lift a little scary. The queue for the last stretch was quite long so we didn't spend a lot of time at the top because we didn't want to miss out on the picnic.
The picnic was nice (snails were on the menu! an odd texture, and they didn't really seem to have their own flavour...at least not a strong one), then we had a river cruise to view the city by night - lots of fun!
We headed back to the hotel after that and crashed, getting some sleep before a busy travel day.
Sunday, July 6, 2008
The journey begins...
We were up at the wee hours of the morning (about 5:30!) for the tour. We had to be in the lobby by 6:30 for a 7:00 departure. The hostel provided cereal and toast for breakfast each morning which was handy, so we managed to eat something quickly as well.
Our tour guide's name is Lauren (aka Lozza) and the bus driver is Craig. Lozza's from NZ and Craig's from down at Warnambool. There are quite a lot of Aussies on the tour (Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane and Adelaide are all represented) 10-12 Koreans (Anyong!), a few Canadians, an American and some Mexicans. Everyone's really friendly and the groups getting along well. Most are 19-25 years old, with a few late 28-30.
The trip to Paris was broken up by a ferry ride across the English Channel. It was a 2 hour drive to the ferry, and about another 2 hours across the water. The ferry was like a small shopping centre, with the top deck, a food court, restaurant and duty free shops! I was surprised at how big it was, having only used small passenger ferries in Sydney before.
It was a few more hours from the Ferry to Paris, but we stopped along the way. They have strict driving laws in Europe, and every four hours there have to be at least 45 mins rest time (either one 45 min break, or a 30 min and 15 min breaks). So there's plenty of opportunities to stretch our legs and get something to eat.
On the topic of food, we've been eating heaps and heaps. Breakfasts are provided by Top Deck, and most lunches. There's always plenty to eat - going to come back fat!
There was a problem with the accomodation booking for Paris so we had a free upgrade. That meant only two to a room, and a three course dinner! It was a really nice hotel, but it's unlikely we'll have anything like that again.
We had a night tour through the city after dinner, and saw the buildings and land marks lit up. It was really beatiful - but even better the next night when we had a boat cruise down the river.
The next day we spent exploring Paris, so there's more to come.
Clothes are clean, and hopefully dry now, so I'm off to enjoy the beach and sunshine of Nice!
Hope everyone's well, and looking forward to hearing from you!
All the best,
Derek
Our tour guide's name is Lauren (aka Lozza) and the bus driver is Craig. Lozza's from NZ and Craig's from down at Warnambool. There are quite a lot of Aussies on the tour (Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane and Adelaide are all represented) 10-12 Koreans (Anyong!), a few Canadians, an American and some Mexicans. Everyone's really friendly and the groups getting along well. Most are 19-25 years old, with a few late 28-30.
The trip to Paris was broken up by a ferry ride across the English Channel. It was a 2 hour drive to the ferry, and about another 2 hours across the water. The ferry was like a small shopping centre, with the top deck, a food court, restaurant and duty free shops! I was surprised at how big it was, having only used small passenger ferries in Sydney before.
It was a few more hours from the Ferry to Paris, but we stopped along the way. They have strict driving laws in Europe, and every four hours there have to be at least 45 mins rest time (either one 45 min break, or a 30 min and 15 min breaks). So there's plenty of opportunities to stretch our legs and get something to eat.
On the topic of food, we've been eating heaps and heaps. Breakfasts are provided by Top Deck, and most lunches. There's always plenty to eat - going to come back fat!
There was a problem with the accomodation booking for Paris so we had a free upgrade. That meant only two to a room, and a three course dinner! It was a really nice hotel, but it's unlikely we'll have anything like that again.
We had a night tour through the city after dinner, and saw the buildings and land marks lit up. It was really beatiful - but even better the next night when we had a boat cruise down the river.
The next day we spent exploring Paris, so there's more to come.
Clothes are clean, and hopefully dry now, so I'm off to enjoy the beach and sunshine of Nice!
Hope everyone's well, and looking forward to hearing from you!
All the best,
Derek
London
Hello everyone. Thanks for your comments and good wishes! Great to hear from everyone.
We're in Nice at the moment, and are taking the morning to do some laundry and catch up on ourselves - it's been a busy few days!
London was great. We only had one day there, and there's still heaps to see and do when we go back there after the tour.
The hostel was quite nice - the room was clean, small and simple, but really all you need when there's so much else to do. We were utterly exhausted after the flight - I think the 10 hour time difference really threw me. It wasn't really until the third day we'd been here that mid-afternoon didn't feel like bed time.
London morning we wandered through some gardens on our way to Buckingham Palace where we watched the changing of the guard. We got there about 15 minutes early, and there were already people everywhere. The building was impressive (we only saw the outside). The actual changing of the guard took about an hour which was a surprise, but they marched, the band played and it was good to watch.
We headed to Westminster Abbey after that (took some photos of Big Ben on the way), and spent an hour or so looking around. There were audio guides as well explaining the different chapels and artwork (narated by Jeremy Irons - you would've loved him mum!) The windows and carvings were incredible, but unfortunately we couldn't take photos. We headed to towards London Eye after that, but decided it wasn't worth queing for an hour so will probably book a ticket online before we go back to London. Had lunch on the river, then just wandered through some smaller London streets checking out the sights.
A traditional English dinner of soup, bangers and mash and apple crumble ended the night nicely, and we crashed in bed back at the Hostel ready for an early start the next day.
We're in Nice at the moment, and are taking the morning to do some laundry and catch up on ourselves - it's been a busy few days!
London was great. We only had one day there, and there's still heaps to see and do when we go back there after the tour.
The hostel was quite nice - the room was clean, small and simple, but really all you need when there's so much else to do. We were utterly exhausted after the flight - I think the 10 hour time difference really threw me. It wasn't really until the third day we'd been here that mid-afternoon didn't feel like bed time.
London morning we wandered through some gardens on our way to Buckingham Palace where we watched the changing of the guard. We got there about 15 minutes early, and there were already people everywhere. The building was impressive (we only saw the outside). The actual changing of the guard took about an hour which was a surprise, but they marched, the band played and it was good to watch.
We headed to Westminster Abbey after that (took some photos of Big Ben on the way), and spent an hour or so looking around. There were audio guides as well explaining the different chapels and artwork (narated by Jeremy Irons - you would've loved him mum!) The windows and carvings were incredible, but unfortunately we couldn't take photos. We headed to towards London Eye after that, but decided it wasn't worth queing for an hour so will probably book a ticket online before we go back to London. Had lunch on the river, then just wandered through some smaller London streets checking out the sights.
A traditional English dinner of soup, bangers and mash and apple crumble ended the night nicely, and we crashed in bed back at the Hostel ready for an early start the next day.
Tuesday, July 1, 2008
The journey so far...
Hello!
The last few days have been very exciting, and pretty exhausting.
Our flights to Tokyo went well, except that our luggage was left behind at Brisbane. We filled out a form at Narita airport, and they told us that our luggage would meet us in London. So, with no spare clothes (well...I had none, but Bud was organised and had crammed some into his hand luggage) we headed to the airport. Didn't really have any difficulties finding our way to the bus stop, or the hotel - all went smoothly.
I wanted to find a shop to get a t-shirt or something to sleep in, but we checked into our room first. And, there on the bed were two kimonos! No need to buy anything to sleep in! And it was reasonably comfortable.
We enjoyed noodles, sushi, fruit and Japanese tea for dinner, and went for wander before heading to bed.
Getting to the airport the next day was hassle free, and when we checked in we were told our luggage had made it and was on its way to London. While we were waiting for the flight, we were paged to the boarding gate and were a bit worried, but it was just to tell us again that our luggage had made it.
Flight to Helsinki was long, but fortunately the plane had individual TV screens with lots of movies and TV shows to choose from. An episode of Boston Legal, Family Guy, and Ice Age later, Bud and I were sharing tunes on iPod and wishing the second half of the flight would go quicker. It didn't, but it was exciting to be getting where we were going so that helped pass the time.
At Helsinki we had to go through customs, even though we weren't leaving the airport, which was a bit daunting because the staff there seemed very serious and efficient. Still, with nothing to smuggle we had no problems.
More to come soon...I'm going to have to post now because I've only got 1 minute of internet left.
Hope everyone's well!
Bye for now ;)
The last few days have been very exciting, and pretty exhausting.
Our flights to Tokyo went well, except that our luggage was left behind at Brisbane. We filled out a form at Narita airport, and they told us that our luggage would meet us in London. So, with no spare clothes (well...I had none, but Bud was organised and had crammed some into his hand luggage) we headed to the airport. Didn't really have any difficulties finding our way to the bus stop, or the hotel - all went smoothly.
I wanted to find a shop to get a t-shirt or something to sleep in, but we checked into our room first. And, there on the bed were two kimonos! No need to buy anything to sleep in! And it was reasonably comfortable.
We enjoyed noodles, sushi, fruit and Japanese tea for dinner, and went for wander before heading to bed.
Getting to the airport the next day was hassle free, and when we checked in we were told our luggage had made it and was on its way to London. While we were waiting for the flight, we were paged to the boarding gate and were a bit worried, but it was just to tell us again that our luggage had made it.
Flight to Helsinki was long, but fortunately the plane had individual TV screens with lots of movies and TV shows to choose from. An episode of Boston Legal, Family Guy, and Ice Age later, Bud and I were sharing tunes on iPod and wishing the second half of the flight would go quicker. It didn't, but it was exciting to be getting where we were going so that helped pass the time.
At Helsinki we had to go through customs, even though we weren't leaving the airport, which was a bit daunting because the staff there seemed very serious and efficient. Still, with nothing to smuggle we had no problems.
More to come soon...I'm going to have to post now because I've only got 1 minute of internet left.
Hope everyone's well!
Bye for now ;)
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