I was at the airport departure gate I was washing my hands in the
restroom, when I heard someone inside a toilet cubicle trying to
unlock the door - she was turning and turning it but for some reason
it would not open! I noticed that she was trapped and could not open
the door, so I told her I would help her. I took a look at the lock -
it was different from the normal toilet lock. Luckily, I knew just
what to do because of all the times I had rescued kids from being
locked in the toilet when I was an Au pair. So I checked my bag for
some sort of tool, but since my swiss army knife was confiscated at
Brussels airport I didn't really have anything that would work. I
kept searching and whipped out my wallet, I tried a coin but it was
too thick, then I happened to have one little thin coin. I tried that
and was able to twist the lock open!
The woman was very relieved.
I was thrilled! I chuckled to myself over the skills that I learned
as an Au pair!
Friday, October 25, 2013
Adventures in Transylvania (and beyond!)
With my spunky rental car I travelled far and wide through the Transylvanian countryside. I spent a morning in old town Brasov, a quaint medieval city with picturesque churches and buildings that begged to be photographed. Looming high above the city was a large imitation of the Hollywood sign announcing Brasov to the world. It was a bit of an oddity and I was so surprised and amused when I spotted it while driving into the city. Realising that time was slipping away, I headed back to the car and headed to another quaint city, Sibiu.
I arrived and drove around looking for a car park. It was virtually impossible! Small lanes don't make for easy parking and pay parking seemed astronomically expensive. The best I could do was to drive around and see what I could, then I parked illegally down a side street and had a 5 minute glance around the block. I retreated to the car and studied the map. Unfortunately, since I always had to consider the car and the time, there were several things that I missed out on exploring properly. Sibiu was one, the other was Dracula's castle - in fact, I didn't get to go inside any of the castles in Romania, however I really can't complain because I had other wonderful experiences.
I left Sibiu and headed through the countryside to Sighisoara (and no, when pronounced correctly it does not sound like a kind of dinosaur!). The motorways in Romania are curious, cars going 120kms stream passed villagers riding on horse and carts. Romania goes from extreme to extreme. There is a wealthy upper class who build gleaming buildings and houses, drive expensive cars and dine at flash restaurants - then there are the villagers who almost live in a parallel universe 50 years behind them. They live in rough little houses - some without running water; they grow their own food and use horses or donkeys to get around. Case in point: a sandwich at the airport cost 15 times what it would cost in a supermarket - I am not exaggerating - it was 15 times more expensive. I had only looked at the price for interest's sake, but even so, I nearly had a heart attack. I arrived in Sighisoara and stopped at a supermarket to collect groceries for the next couple of days. I loved Romanian supermarkets - I would always stop to use their bathrooms, and I was always thrilled at how far I could stretch my money. I was in Romania for three days so my total budget (not including the car) was €30 - and that had to cover my accommodation expenses as well. It was amazing - I paid for 2 nights of accommodation, and all my food for three days and still had a bit left over.
When I arrived in town I had not booked a place to stay, so I bowled up to a hostel and checked in. I had some very interesting conversations with the other guests! The next morning I loaded the car, checked out, then took a walk to the old town. Apparently it was where Vlad the impaler had grown up. Vlad the impaler was the inspiration for the Dracula story - or so I was told. Despite the brutality of its former residents, the town was stunning. Cobbled paths, olde world architecture dripping with charm. Another photographer's dream! I explored the whole town and arrived back at the car just before the rain hit. I had a long drive back to Bucharest ahead of me. I wanted to have a bit of time to look around before flying out the next morning. Along the way back, I made things more interesting for myself by taking small side roads and going through small rural villages. The villages were fascinating and beautiful. It was like stepping back in time. I laughed out loud while driving through one village because I spotted some young teenage boys acting all cool and showing off to their friends because they were driving a horse and cart. Can you imagine, a couple of kids acting like gangsters while riding on a horse cart.
In another village I nearly got stuck in the mud! The village was 10km away from the nearest paved road, it was all gravel and mud. When I reached the village, I had been driving around a little, then I turned down side street which I figured would head back to the main path, but instead it suddenly turned into a narrow, muddy, donkey track! The wheels were struggling to get free from the mud so I started praying and used a bit of maneuvering, then whacked the car in reverse and reversed for about 20m until I had room to safely turn around. I was thankful that my dad had taught me to be an expert reverser! I did feel for the car - it was brand new, and now it was absolutely filthy and caked in mud! I headed back to the motorway and continued on, singing along with the radio.
I knew I had made it to Bucharest when I hit a huge traffic jam! Getting anywhere in Bucharest is extremely slow because of the intense traffic. And parking was just impossible. So I took a driving tour of the city, then headed out to the suburb beside the airport and checked in at a hostel there. I walked to the local supermarket and spent as much of my remaining currency as possible. I walked out with a bag full of food - I love the prices in Romania! The next morning I filled the car's tank - it nearly killed me when I saw how much it cost (it seems Romania has very high petrol costs!), but I couldn't complain because the car had been invaluable to me- and very fuel efficient too, I did over 800kms on one tank. I dropped it back to the airport, checked in to my flight and flew on to Athens, Greece! I was pleased to be leaving the cold - Romania was starting to get very cold and I wasn't about to hang around while it got colder!
Thursday, October 24, 2013
The Tale of The Old Romanian Woman
I have always wanted to visit Romania! It wasn't in my original travel plan – I never thought that I would have the time or the money to get there. But it turned out to be another miraculous dream come true for me. I ended up having 3 days in Romania. Since time would be pressed, I decided to hire a car and travel around the countryside through Transylvania. I didn't want to be stuck just in Bucharest, and I also didn't want to be at the mercy of the public transport timetables. It worked out as a fantastic plan. I was able to stow my luggage in the boot so I never had to worry about storage, and I was granted three days of alone time! It was blissful. Plus, I do love to drive. I got the best deal I could from the airport care hire stalls (grumble grumble) and ended up with a brand new VW. I left the airport in my car, armed only with my fierce determination and a map of Romania.
Thanks to couch surfing, I had arranged to stay with the elderly mother of this Romanian man - he was away in Hong Kong and could not host me, but had asked his mother (who lives in a village in the countryside) if she could host me. She said she would love to - and I was so thrilled at the prospect of seeing the life of a country villager! He told me lots of information about how to find the house, and he warned me that she spoke no English, only Hungarian and Romanian. Luckily I had picked up a few words of Hungarian when I was in Hungary - but it was not much just: yes, no and thank you. So that afternoon I drove to this place.
A tiny little village, people driving horse and carts, huge pot holes in the road, small unsymmetrical rustic houses painted brightly. Very traditional village - only one shop in the whole town! I spent 30 minutes looking for the house because the houses are not numbered logically, much to the amusement of the locals (who had come out to look at me). I found the house finally and gratefully went inside. It looked bigger than other houses in the village because it had a courtyard driveway. The house itself was only four rooms - kitchen, bathroom, living room and bedroom. When I arrived I was the talk of the village! Many people gathered outside to have a look at me. The old lady had a friend around - another old lady. They both looked me over and talked between themselves enthusiastically, they were literally shocked that I was from New Zealand, it seemed like a world away. These women have probably never left Romania. In fact, the woman got a phone call and was even telling whoever was on the other line that I was from NZ!
Then the two women sat me down in front of a huge feast- homemade chicken casserole, bread, tomatoes (from the garden) and biscuits. Now, I forgot to mention, this woman does not even have running water, she has to collect it from a well. The food she had given me was everything she had. I felt so special and humbled by her lavish hospitality. There was only room for one person at the table so I had to eat there by myself, being watched by the ladies. After a while the friend left, and my host pottered around. When I finished eating, she sat down and ate.
She could not even do the dishes, she instead put the dishes away in a small cupboard - I guess she has a certain day when she does them to make the most of her water. After dinner we tried (and failed) to make conversation. It was just too impossible with the language barrier. So I sat her down and I got out my ukulele and I played her some songs! I figured that since she didn't know what I was saying then she wouldn't mind if I sang Christian worship songs. So I played and sang for her, and I really felt the Spirit of the Lord on me while I played, because I am not a great player or singer, but that night I was able to play and sing each song without error.
So I sang to the Lord, with all my heart, and when I looked up at the old woman, she was gently weeping. And in that moment I knew that she had just met Jesus. It seemed she was a Catholic woman, I noticed a few pictures around the place, but it seemed she had never met Jesus personally. But that evening, in some ukulele music in a language she doesn't speak, Jesus touched her. She kept indicating to me to sing more songs, so I did. I sang worship to the Lord with all the passion I have in me. She cried for a little while then when I finished she was smiling. After that she became even more gracious and generous to me and it felt like we had shared a bond. Of course, we still spoke different languages, so I could not discuss with her what she had experienced, but it showed me a lot about the way the power of the Lord transcends barriers of language and culture. Sometimes we don't need words.
In the morning she had heated me a bowl of water to wash with, and had prepared an extravagant breakfast for me (she had gone to the one shop in the village and bought fresh bread and bakery things). She carefully laid it all out for me, more chicken casserole, bread, a pastry and freshly picked grapes. I realised that she had given me all the rest of the casserole, leaving nothing for herself, so I insisted that we halve my plate. I found a way for us both to sit at the table together and eat, which was much nicer than eating alone.
What an incredible example of lavish generosity this lady showed. This dear old woman was giving me literally everything she had. Words cannot even express how grateful and in awe I was. I packed the car and I dropped her off at the doctor on my way out of the area, the whole experience still repeating through my head.
Thanks to couch surfing, I had arranged to stay with the elderly mother of this Romanian man - he was away in Hong Kong and could not host me, but had asked his mother (who lives in a village in the countryside) if she could host me. She said she would love to - and I was so thrilled at the prospect of seeing the life of a country villager! He told me lots of information about how to find the house, and he warned me that she spoke no English, only Hungarian and Romanian. Luckily I had picked up a few words of Hungarian when I was in Hungary - but it was not much just: yes, no and thank you. So that afternoon I drove to this place.
A tiny little village, people driving horse and carts, huge pot holes in the road, small unsymmetrical rustic houses painted brightly. Very traditional village - only one shop in the whole town! I spent 30 minutes looking for the house because the houses are not numbered logically, much to the amusement of the locals (who had come out to look at me). I found the house finally and gratefully went inside. It looked bigger than other houses in the village because it had a courtyard driveway. The house itself was only four rooms - kitchen, bathroom, living room and bedroom. When I arrived I was the talk of the village! Many people gathered outside to have a look at me. The old lady had a friend around - another old lady. They both looked me over and talked between themselves enthusiastically, they were literally shocked that I was from New Zealand, it seemed like a world away. These women have probably never left Romania. In fact, the woman got a phone call and was even telling whoever was on the other line that I was from NZ!
Then the two women sat me down in front of a huge feast- homemade chicken casserole, bread, tomatoes (from the garden) and biscuits. Now, I forgot to mention, this woman does not even have running water, she has to collect it from a well. The food she had given me was everything she had. I felt so special and humbled by her lavish hospitality. There was only room for one person at the table so I had to eat there by myself, being watched by the ladies. After a while the friend left, and my host pottered around. When I finished eating, she sat down and ate.
She could not even do the dishes, she instead put the dishes away in a small cupboard - I guess she has a certain day when she does them to make the most of her water. After dinner we tried (and failed) to make conversation. It was just too impossible with the language barrier. So I sat her down and I got out my ukulele and I played her some songs! I figured that since she didn't know what I was saying then she wouldn't mind if I sang Christian worship songs. So I played and sang for her, and I really felt the Spirit of the Lord on me while I played, because I am not a great player or singer, but that night I was able to play and sing each song without error.
So I sang to the Lord, with all my heart, and when I looked up at the old woman, she was gently weeping. And in that moment I knew that she had just met Jesus. It seemed she was a Catholic woman, I noticed a few pictures around the place, but it seemed she had never met Jesus personally. But that evening, in some ukulele music in a language she doesn't speak, Jesus touched her. She kept indicating to me to sing more songs, so I did. I sang worship to the Lord with all the passion I have in me. She cried for a little while then when I finished she was smiling. After that she became even more gracious and generous to me and it felt like we had shared a bond. Of course, we still spoke different languages, so I could not discuss with her what she had experienced, but it showed me a lot about the way the power of the Lord transcends barriers of language and culture. Sometimes we don't need words.
In the morning she had heated me a bowl of water to wash with, and had prepared an extravagant breakfast for me (she had gone to the one shop in the village and bought fresh bread and bakery things). She carefully laid it all out for me, more chicken casserole, bread, a pastry and freshly picked grapes. I realised that she had given me all the rest of the casserole, leaving nothing for herself, so I insisted that we halve my plate. I found a way for us both to sit at the table together and eat, which was much nicer than eating alone.
What an incredible example of lavish generosity this lady showed. This dear old woman was giving me literally everything she had. Words cannot even express how grateful and in awe I was. I packed the car and I dropped her off at the doctor on my way out of the area, the whole experience still repeating through my head.
Sarajevo, Bosnia Herzegovina
Sarajevo is the capital of Bosnia Herzegovina, and is a city with a remarkably tragic and interesting history. It was the place where Franz Ferdinand was assassinated, which contributed to the start of WWI. Later, in WWII, Sarajevo was hit hard and the Jewish population went from approximately 30% of the city to having only 80 Jewish survivors left. The Jewish population never recovered, and today there are only 800-1000 Jews in the entire country. Then, after being part of Yugoslavia for several decades under Tito (a good time for the region), Bosnia sought their independence in 1992, sparking the siege attack from the Serbians. The Serbs occupied all the mountains that surround the city. They completely cut the city off and rained shells and bullets on the area day and night. At the height of the siege, the shells numbered 3000 a day and bullets numbered 1 million. Power and gas lines were all cut and communication buildings that housed telephone lines were shelled.
The people had no food and had to endure bitter winters with no heating. The siege lasted over 1000 days, the longest in modern history, and ran from 1992 to 1995. The people had few weapons but the men fearlessly defended their homes, families and communities. Times were desperate. They burned books for warmth and as products became scarce, prices rose astronomically. The UN took control of the airport to keep it neutral, which further disadvantaged the Sarajevo inhabitants, as the UN limited the imports to only food and medical supplies, no weapons for the people to protect and defend themselves. The food the UN supplied was criticized heavily because it was terrible quality and often displayed expiry dates from the 1960s and earlier. Jokes went around that if the food was offered to cats or dogs, even they would refuse to eat it. However, throughout all this time, the people maintained as much normalcy as possible and would not let the Serbs crush their spirit. Children continued school lessons in their homes, people went to theater performances at night (the cost was a candle - to light the stage!).
An 800m tunnel was built stretching from the free area of the city to the captured part of the city. It ran underneath the airport and allowed people to smuggle in weapons, food and other supplies.
The siege lasted for three years and 11000 civilians died during that time, including 1600 kids. The city commemorates them in several monuments across the city, including the Sarajevo 'roses' which mark the spot where a shell hit and killed three or more people. The 'rose' is made of a red resin which is poured into the shell crater on the pavement. There are over 100 roses in Sarajevo. Of course, each 'rose' has a unique story behind it. I learned of one 'rose' where people had been waiting in line for bread and a shell hit and killed 26 people. In the days that followed the deaths, a woman brought her cello and played all day for each victim, 26 days in total.
Now, of course the city is full of life and buzz, but the scars of the recent past are still present. I loved Sarajevo. I was couch surfing with a Turkish soldier and three other German couch surfers. We went out for several meals together and tried various Bosnian dishes including burek (pastry pie filled with meat or spinach or cheese), cevapi (pita filled with barbecued meat fingers served with yoghurt), and dvari (Bosnian omelette). I also tried tufahija, a stewed whole apple stuffed with cream - a scrumptious very sweet dessert! During my time in Sarajevo I loved walking the streets of the city, taking in the sights and sounds and people watching. The old part of town was filled with one storey shops and markets. (In fact, the streets were named for what they used to sell, so roughly translated it would read 'shoe street' or 'silversmith street'. They don't abide by those anymore! I loved walking through the large local produce markets, drooling over their colorful displays of fresh fruit and vegetables. I also went on two different free walking tours. They were both very interesting, and while one probably would have been enough for a normal person, hearing the two different perspectives helped me to understand the history in more depth and gave me time to process and remember the information. I visited a poignant photography exhibition from the Muslim massacre and attempted genocide from July 1995, then on my last day in Sarajevo I went to visit the Sarajevo tunnel. I think I spent my time in equal parts enjoying the present city, and learning of the city's history. I was only a child when all these events were unfolding, and while I remember hearing Bosnia always being mentioned in the war news, I never knew anything about what had actually happened here. I was glad to have taken the chance to properly educate myself from the best source - the primary source!
I felt a real affinity for Bosnia Herzegovina, and it is the first place on my trip that I would really like to return to someday.
I am writing this while waiting at the airport, next stop Romania!
The people had no food and had to endure bitter winters with no heating. The siege lasted over 1000 days, the longest in modern history, and ran from 1992 to 1995. The people had few weapons but the men fearlessly defended their homes, families and communities. Times were desperate. They burned books for warmth and as products became scarce, prices rose astronomically. The UN took control of the airport to keep it neutral, which further disadvantaged the Sarajevo inhabitants, as the UN limited the imports to only food and medical supplies, no weapons for the people to protect and defend themselves. The food the UN supplied was criticized heavily because it was terrible quality and often displayed expiry dates from the 1960s and earlier. Jokes went around that if the food was offered to cats or dogs, even they would refuse to eat it. However, throughout all this time, the people maintained as much normalcy as possible and would not let the Serbs crush their spirit. Children continued school lessons in their homes, people went to theater performances at night (the cost was a candle - to light the stage!).
An 800m tunnel was built stretching from the free area of the city to the captured part of the city. It ran underneath the airport and allowed people to smuggle in weapons, food and other supplies.
The siege lasted for three years and 11000 civilians died during that time, including 1600 kids. The city commemorates them in several monuments across the city, including the Sarajevo 'roses' which mark the spot where a shell hit and killed three or more people. The 'rose' is made of a red resin which is poured into the shell crater on the pavement. There are over 100 roses in Sarajevo. Of course, each 'rose' has a unique story behind it. I learned of one 'rose' where people had been waiting in line for bread and a shell hit and killed 26 people. In the days that followed the deaths, a woman brought her cello and played all day for each victim, 26 days in total.
Now, of course the city is full of life and buzz, but the scars of the recent past are still present. I loved Sarajevo. I was couch surfing with a Turkish soldier and three other German couch surfers. We went out for several meals together and tried various Bosnian dishes including burek (pastry pie filled with meat or spinach or cheese), cevapi (pita filled with barbecued meat fingers served with yoghurt), and dvari (Bosnian omelette). I also tried tufahija, a stewed whole apple stuffed with cream - a scrumptious very sweet dessert! During my time in Sarajevo I loved walking the streets of the city, taking in the sights and sounds and people watching. The old part of town was filled with one storey shops and markets. (In fact, the streets were named for what they used to sell, so roughly translated it would read 'shoe street' or 'silversmith street'. They don't abide by those anymore! I loved walking through the large local produce markets, drooling over their colorful displays of fresh fruit and vegetables. I also went on two different free walking tours. They were both very interesting, and while one probably would have been enough for a normal person, hearing the two different perspectives helped me to understand the history in more depth and gave me time to process and remember the information. I visited a poignant photography exhibition from the Muslim massacre and attempted genocide from July 1995, then on my last day in Sarajevo I went to visit the Sarajevo tunnel. I think I spent my time in equal parts enjoying the present city, and learning of the city's history. I was only a child when all these events were unfolding, and while I remember hearing Bosnia always being mentioned in the war news, I never knew anything about what had actually happened here. I was glad to have taken the chance to properly educate myself from the best source - the primary source!
I felt a real affinity for Bosnia Herzegovina, and it is the first place on my trip that I would really like to return to someday.
I am writing this while waiting at the airport, next stop Romania!
Mostar, Bosnia Herzegovina
They warned me that things are different in Bosnia, that is, different to Croatia. I wondered what they meant. But on the bus trip from Dubrovnik to Mostar I soon learnt! Our bus journey was not so bad, we had stopped once to tighten the bolts on the wheels so they did not fall off, but apart from that it was hassle-free. Then we crossed the border into Bosnia – and that in itself took time because we had to pass through at least four checkpoints and at each one our driver would get out and have a cigarette with the guards.
Then once safely inside the Bosnian border our bus driver put the pedal to the metal and started driving about 20kms faster. We noticed immediately that all the drivers in Bosnia were crazy! Regardless of the oncoming traffic buses would pull into the other lane to overtake cars, and then trucks would overtake the buses.
Then once safely inside the Bosnian border our bus driver put the pedal to the metal and started driving about 20kms faster. We noticed immediately that all the drivers in Bosnia were crazy! Regardless of the oncoming traffic buses would pull into the other lane to overtake cars, and then trucks would overtake the buses.
After a couple of minutes we got used to the crazy driving and went back to resting and looking out the windows. We drove through beautiful countryside. Incredible. It was so green and lush. There were hardly any dwellings or anything, just miles and miles of fields and greenery.
I arrived in Mostar with another kiwi lady who had been staying in the same hostel as me in Dubrovnik. We were met at the bus terminal by a man from the hostel I had booked (I wasn't able to find a couch surfer). We walked the five minutes to the hostel and up the stairs to the dorm room. It was a great place, very clean and comfortable. We didn't even go out that evening, just stayed in the hostel and caught up on emails and travel plans.
Mostar is a very small town straddling a river. Over the river is a fairytale stone bridge. It is so picture perfect. The next morning we headed out to explore the town and see the bridge. You can't miss it, everything revolves around the bridge! It was a gorgeous little town. We walked all over the place, down the main lane parallel to the river that leads to the bridge. Many little cafes and souvenir stalls and a small busy market lined the lanes. It was not like the Old Towns of Croatia which I complained about – this village was full of life! You could see that the locals were frequenting the streets as much as the tourists were. I loved it. We stopped at a small bakery and I tried some Bosnian food. It was great!
It was a very small town, in just a couple of short hours we had explored every inch of the place, and had lunch too. We went back to the hostel and I made more travel plans before I said farewell to the other New Zealand traveller and I headed off alone to the train station on my way to Sarajevo. At the train station I met my Sarajevo angel – a local guy who helped me with my bags and saved me a seat on the train. I was so grateful to him because he told me a lot about Bosnia and about Sarajevo. I asked him where he was going in Sarajevo, and it turned out that he had to go to the same place as me – which required a tram. We took the tram together and he showed me exactly where to get off. I said goodbye to him and met my couch surfer who was waiting for me at the stop.
I arrived in Mostar with another kiwi lady who had been staying in the same hostel as me in Dubrovnik. We were met at the bus terminal by a man from the hostel I had booked (I wasn't able to find a couch surfer). We walked the five minutes to the hostel and up the stairs to the dorm room. It was a great place, very clean and comfortable. We didn't even go out that evening, just stayed in the hostel and caught up on emails and travel plans.
Mostar is a very small town straddling a river. Over the river is a fairytale stone bridge. It is so picture perfect. The next morning we headed out to explore the town and see the bridge. You can't miss it, everything revolves around the bridge! It was a gorgeous little town. We walked all over the place, down the main lane parallel to the river that leads to the bridge. Many little cafes and souvenir stalls and a small busy market lined the lanes. It was not like the Old Towns of Croatia which I complained about – this village was full of life! You could see that the locals were frequenting the streets as much as the tourists were. I loved it. We stopped at a small bakery and I tried some Bosnian food. It was great!
It was a very small town, in just a couple of short hours we had explored every inch of the place, and had lunch too. We went back to the hostel and I made more travel plans before I said farewell to the other New Zealand traveller and I headed off alone to the train station on my way to Sarajevo. At the train station I met my Sarajevo angel – a local guy who helped me with my bags and saved me a seat on the train. I was so grateful to him because he told me a lot about Bosnia and about Sarajevo. I asked him where he was going in Sarajevo, and it turned out that he had to go to the same place as me – which required a tram. We took the tram together and he showed me exactly where to get off. I said goodbye to him and met my couch surfer who was waiting for me at the stop.
Croatia and Montenegro
I have heard so much about Croatia, how beautiful it is, the crystal waters, the enchanting cobbled lanes, the small island towns that beckon so close to the mainland. I knew it was a place that I wanted to visit, but I also knew it was a very touristy place, with a big party culture and full of Australians. I knew ir would be expensive for me, and it would be difficult to find a couchsurfer which would mean I would have to pay for accommodation as well. Financially, culturally, and for interest value I could have just cut Croatia out of my itinerary and gone somewhere else, but I decided it was worth a trip so I figured out a way to make the most of it while also making it financially feasible for me. I took the train from Budapest to Zagreb and then the overnight train from Zagreb to Split. It was a long time to spend on a train, altogether it was more than 12 hours. I made it to Split at 6.30am. I got off the train, crossed the road to the port and boarded the ferry to Dubrovnik. The ferry would take 11 hours to get from Split to Dubrovnik, in the south of the country, passing through some of the coastal islands on the way. For me, it was the best of both worlds – I was travelling all down the coast through beautiful waters and see the islands without having to stop at them and spend a lot of money. After my long journey to get to Split and without having much sleep, I opted for a cabin to stay in during the ferry ride. I was in a 4 berth cabin, but no one else had booked it, so I had it all to myself! It was wonderful. I prepared some sandwiches and food, and I took time to do all the things I had not been able to do for a while. I cleaned out my backpack and repacked it, I painted my toenails and just generally had a very relaxing time! I spent time on deck, enjoying the sunshine and the views.
I finally made it to Dubrovnik. I got off the ferry and called my hostel who kindly had agreed to pick me up for free. I got back to the hostel, put down my things and made some dinner. Then I spent the evening chatting to the other travellers and planning my next day.
In the morning I connected up with an Australian traveller called Nina. She was very similar to me and we got along straight away. We decided to spend the day together. I was a little bit hesitant at first because my budget is so tight that it makes it difficult to travel with others – they simply do not understand just how little I have, and they often take for granted things like taking buses. Luckily, Nina understood me, and she was on a tight budget as well. It was the perfect match. We walked into town, stopping along the way to explore the cliffs and enjoy the beautiful views. I got a real shock when we got to the entrance of the old city walls – it was incredibly crowded. There were tourists everywhere, bustling and jostling to get wherever they wanted to go. I knew it was going to be touristy, but I had not expected it to be this bad, especially since it was not peak season!
We jostled ourselves into the town square and began to explore all the alley ways. It was gorgeous. Every lane you looked down would take your breath away. We followed along the city wall until we came across a little door leading to the rocks and cliff outside of the wall. We went out and discovered a bar that had been set up on the rocks, and you could jump into the water and swim right there. The water was a stunning shade of aquamarine and was very clear. Neither Nina not I had our swim suits, so we just reclined ourselves on the rocks and watched the other swimmers.
Even the smallest of the alleys were lined with shops. People would turn the front room of their house into an art gallery, or a cafe, or a restaurant. Everything was aimed at tourists and was very expensive (by my standards). To be able to afford food for lunch I had to leave the city walls and hunt around for a supermarket – when I couldn't even find a supermarket I settled on a (pricey) minimart. There were only restaurants within the city walls – not even one minimart.
Later that afternoon we walked the city walls. You paid and entrance fee, but it was really worth it. You could see over all the rooftops and out to sea. It was magical. While walking the walls we started staring at the huge mountain that overlooks Dubrovnik. A cable car goes all the way to the lookout at the top, but the cable car was expensive (US$15.80). We began plotting a route to walk up. We were determined to watch the sunset from the top of the mountain. So, after walking all morning and walking the entire perimeter of the city walls, we began to ascend the mountain. It took us two hours to make it to the top. It was hot and steep. My shirt was dripping with sweat, but we had made it, and we hadn't spent a penny!
The view was great. We took time to regain our breath and just looked out on the city and sea before us. We were in time for sunset, however, we realised that because of the steep gradient and uneven gravel of the path, it would be unsafe to climb down in the dark. We quickly collected our things and started back down the mountain. We saw the sunset as we descended, and we were both very pleased that we had left when we did – it would have been extremely difficult in the dark!
Tired but happy we walked the 40 minutes back to the hostel. The hostel was great, it felt like a home – in fact it was just a large apartment in a residential block – the family themselves shared one bedroom and slept in the lounge, the other bedrooms were used for the guests. Lord knows what the neighbours thought of all the guests coming and going all day and night. It was a nice experience for me, it was the first time on the trip that I had had to stay in a hostel, and it felt like couchsurfing.
The next day I had booked a day trip to Montenegro. Montenegro was also a part of Yugoslavia and gained its independence shortly after Croatia, so is still a young nation. I had wanted to visit but could not really spare much time there, so a day trip was perfect for me. I normally do not like to take organised tours, but even I have to admit that in certain circumstances they do make everything much easier. Our tour guide was fantastic – lively and interesting, he entertained us endlessly with stories of his life and history of the area. We arrived in the old town of Kotor in the midst of torrential rain. Everything was flooded, everything was wet. It was not ideal, but you just had to make the most of it. So I braced myself, and explored every inch of the town in my squelching, sopping wet shoes. Kotor was a beautiful old town, little lanes, old buildings, fairytale churches. In fact, one of the churches housed one of the Incorruptible Saints – a phenomenon where a saint would die but their body would be supernaturally preserved. Most of the body was covered, but you could see the hand and the skin was still preserved, despite it being hundreds of years old with no preservation techniques.
Our next stop was Budva, and luckily the rain stopped and the sun came out. Budva is a quaint little town on the seashore, lots of boats and restaurants.
As with the other old towns along the Dalmation coast that I had visited – Dubrovnik and Kotor; Budva was beautiful. Absolutely postcard perfect, but there is something lacking in them, and that is real life. Everything within the Old Town walls felt empty and artificial. You walk along gorgeous charming quaint lanes and alleys.... Lined with bland souvenir shops and boutiques selling sunglasses and jewelry. You pass rows upon rows of restaurants and perhaps one bakery and (if you are lucky) one mini-mart. After a while it feels devoid of life. There is no way of gaining a sense of how the village worked all those years ago, no butcher, no fruit and vegetable stall, no shoe cobbler. Just all these cell-like boutiques, empty of people except the bored shop assistant. I am not sure who their target audience is, or how successful they are selling magnets for €1 a piece, but wouldn't it be great if they used the stores in different ways, that added to the village atmosphere instead of devaluing it.
When I visit a place, I love to get a feel of how the people live there, a sense of the lifestyle, of the atmosphere. These places, although pretty, had nothing to teach me. Nothing to learn. Because there were no people living there! They would just come in to run their souvenir shops and then leave. I enjoyed my time in Dubrovnik, but I was pleased to leave.
I finally made it to Dubrovnik. I got off the ferry and called my hostel who kindly had agreed to pick me up for free. I got back to the hostel, put down my things and made some dinner. Then I spent the evening chatting to the other travellers and planning my next day.
In the morning I connected up with an Australian traveller called Nina. She was very similar to me and we got along straight away. We decided to spend the day together. I was a little bit hesitant at first because my budget is so tight that it makes it difficult to travel with others – they simply do not understand just how little I have, and they often take for granted things like taking buses. Luckily, Nina understood me, and she was on a tight budget as well. It was the perfect match. We walked into town, stopping along the way to explore the cliffs and enjoy the beautiful views. I got a real shock when we got to the entrance of the old city walls – it was incredibly crowded. There were tourists everywhere, bustling and jostling to get wherever they wanted to go. I knew it was going to be touristy, but I had not expected it to be this bad, especially since it was not peak season!
We jostled ourselves into the town square and began to explore all the alley ways. It was gorgeous. Every lane you looked down would take your breath away. We followed along the city wall until we came across a little door leading to the rocks and cliff outside of the wall. We went out and discovered a bar that had been set up on the rocks, and you could jump into the water and swim right there. The water was a stunning shade of aquamarine and was very clear. Neither Nina not I had our swim suits, so we just reclined ourselves on the rocks and watched the other swimmers.
Even the smallest of the alleys were lined with shops. People would turn the front room of their house into an art gallery, or a cafe, or a restaurant. Everything was aimed at tourists and was very expensive (by my standards). To be able to afford food for lunch I had to leave the city walls and hunt around for a supermarket – when I couldn't even find a supermarket I settled on a (pricey) minimart. There were only restaurants within the city walls – not even one minimart.
Later that afternoon we walked the city walls. You paid and entrance fee, but it was really worth it. You could see over all the rooftops and out to sea. It was magical. While walking the walls we started staring at the huge mountain that overlooks Dubrovnik. A cable car goes all the way to the lookout at the top, but the cable car was expensive (US$15.80). We began plotting a route to walk up. We were determined to watch the sunset from the top of the mountain. So, after walking all morning and walking the entire perimeter of the city walls, we began to ascend the mountain. It took us two hours to make it to the top. It was hot and steep. My shirt was dripping with sweat, but we had made it, and we hadn't spent a penny!
The view was great. We took time to regain our breath and just looked out on the city and sea before us. We were in time for sunset, however, we realised that because of the steep gradient and uneven gravel of the path, it would be unsafe to climb down in the dark. We quickly collected our things and started back down the mountain. We saw the sunset as we descended, and we were both very pleased that we had left when we did – it would have been extremely difficult in the dark!
Tired but happy we walked the 40 minutes back to the hostel. The hostel was great, it felt like a home – in fact it was just a large apartment in a residential block – the family themselves shared one bedroom and slept in the lounge, the other bedrooms were used for the guests. Lord knows what the neighbours thought of all the guests coming and going all day and night. It was a nice experience for me, it was the first time on the trip that I had had to stay in a hostel, and it felt like couchsurfing.
The next day I had booked a day trip to Montenegro. Montenegro was also a part of Yugoslavia and gained its independence shortly after Croatia, so is still a young nation. I had wanted to visit but could not really spare much time there, so a day trip was perfect for me. I normally do not like to take organised tours, but even I have to admit that in certain circumstances they do make everything much easier. Our tour guide was fantastic – lively and interesting, he entertained us endlessly with stories of his life and history of the area. We arrived in the old town of Kotor in the midst of torrential rain. Everything was flooded, everything was wet. It was not ideal, but you just had to make the most of it. So I braced myself, and explored every inch of the town in my squelching, sopping wet shoes. Kotor was a beautiful old town, little lanes, old buildings, fairytale churches. In fact, one of the churches housed one of the Incorruptible Saints – a phenomenon where a saint would die but their body would be supernaturally preserved. Most of the body was covered, but you could see the hand and the skin was still preserved, despite it being hundreds of years old with no preservation techniques.
Our next stop was Budva, and luckily the rain stopped and the sun came out. Budva is a quaint little town on the seashore, lots of boats and restaurants.
As with the other old towns along the Dalmation coast that I had visited – Dubrovnik and Kotor; Budva was beautiful. Absolutely postcard perfect, but there is something lacking in them, and that is real life. Everything within the Old Town walls felt empty and artificial. You walk along gorgeous charming quaint lanes and alleys.... Lined with bland souvenir shops and boutiques selling sunglasses and jewelry. You pass rows upon rows of restaurants and perhaps one bakery and (if you are lucky) one mini-mart. After a while it feels devoid of life. There is no way of gaining a sense of how the village worked all those years ago, no butcher, no fruit and vegetable stall, no shoe cobbler. Just all these cell-like boutiques, empty of people except the bored shop assistant. I am not sure who their target audience is, or how successful they are selling magnets for €1 a piece, but wouldn't it be great if they used the stores in different ways, that added to the village atmosphere instead of devaluing it.
When I visit a place, I love to get a feel of how the people live there, a sense of the lifestyle, of the atmosphere. These places, although pretty, had nothing to teach me. Nothing to learn. Because there were no people living there! They would just come in to run their souvenir shops and then leave. I enjoyed my time in Dubrovnik, but I was pleased to leave.
Sitting in a bathhouse in Budapest
Budapest was a special trip for me for several reasons. The first was that I had very good advice on where to visit, I had very interesting people to stay with, and I purposely loosened my budget and relaxed from my usual strict €10 a day. I chose to do things on the 'luxury' side, which for some people might still come out looking cheap, but for me it was luxury!
I arrived after a 7 hour bus trip from Prague. I was going to stay with the parents of a friend of mine who I met while Au pairing in Seattle. I have a habit of travelling to visit the other Au pairs (or their families!). I arrived at the bus stop and immediately realised that the bus was not parked in a central bus depot - where my host was waiting for me. I did a quick assessment of the area and decided that the main bus depot must be across the road, so I quickly crossed the road and entered the bus station (my assessment was right!). However, the bus station was large and barren, and I had no idea where to find Zsofia, the sister of my Au pair friend. My bus was already late so I knew I needed to act quickly otherwise she might have given up on my arrival and left. I stopped and prayed and asked the Lord to help me find her. Then I walked upstairs and caught a glimpse of a woman leaving the station, I ran over in that direction and to my surprise it was Zsofia! She was walking to her car about to leave - she has wondered if she was at the wrong bus station. I had caught her just in time. Thank the Lord!
Zsofia took me to a small pub where her mother was performing with her string quartet. They were just finishing, so I did not get to hear them play, but it was great just to relax and chat! I had met Zsofia twice before in Seattle when she had been visiting Dora, but it was the first time that I had met her parents, who I would be staying with. I loved them the minute I met them. Warm, welcoming, joyful, generous – they were amazing people to spend time with and they helped me tremendously by telling me where I should visit and by dropping me off at the metro each morning.
The first thing I had planned for my luxurious Budapest trip was a visit to the baths! In Budapest there are several thermal baths, some are Turkish, some are Hungarian. I went to a Hungarian one, Szechenyi Baths, one of the largest and most well known in Europe, or so I am told. I took my time, going from pool to pool. Some are hot, some tepid and some cold. And there are saunas everywhere also at all different temperatures. It was just what I needed. I had a good rest. I sat and people watched, it was fascinating - there were even old men playing chess on a table in the middle of one of the pools! It seemed the most common visitor to the bathhouse were old men, all in varying degrees of hairy-ness. Some walked with pain, leaning to the side. I couldn't help but wonder if some of these men had been scarred by the soviet rule and before that the second world war. Hungary has had a devastating history over the last century. They suffered huge losses during the final stages of the second world war and over 10 percent of the country lost their lives. Entire towns were stripped of all the men, leaving only widows and their children struggling to survive. Jews in Budapest were lined up along the banks of the Danube river and shot, witnesses said that the river turned red from all the blood. A memorial now stands to those who were killed there - a sculpture of various different shoes lined up on the edge of the river.
But when the war ended, it did not bring freedom to Hungary, instead they became enslaved under Soviet rule for over four decades. The Soviet authority turned people against each other, the citizens lived in constant fear of being dobbed in by neighbors, coworkers, friends or family members if they were perceived as being anti-Soviet. Hundreds of people were accused of conspiring against the government and were thrown into prison, interrogated, tortured, sentenced in unfair trials and many were executed. I visited the museum 'Terror House', which sounds like a theme park attraction, but was the actual building that housed the headquarters of both the Arrow Cross (the Hungarian NAZI party) and, later, the Communist secret police. The basement was where most of the torture and interrogations occurred.
It was a reflective time for me, coming from New Zealand we simply do not understand the brutality and savage atrocities these people suffered for so many decades. But despite the past, Budapest in the present is a buzzing city with so much to see. I spent a long time wandering the streets of the inner city, gazing at the incredible architecture. Later in the evening I took a walk with Zsofia and her dog PJ around Margaret Island, which is a recreational park accessible by foot from the middle of one of the bridges that connect Buda to Pest (Budapest is the product of merging the two cities, Buda and Pest).
In the following days I was treated to wonderful care and generosity by Dora's parents. They were great people. Professional musicians serving in several orchestras all around the world. Now he teaches music, and she is an optician by day and in a string quartet by night. Every year they travel to China to perform in the Vienna Orchestra. Every morning her mother would lay out breakfast for me, and would even organise packed lunches for me with sandwiches and fresh vegetables from their garden. I was spoilt!
I would then go exploring other areas of the city. I downloaded an app which suggested different walking itineraries for me, and I took the best ideas from them and made my own routes. I also had a haircut, which was an interesting experience because the hairdresser spoke no English and I spoke no Hungarian. But I was desperate for a haircut, so I asked the bilingual receptionist at the hair salon to just tell the hairdresser to do whatever she wanted with my hair. She did her magic, and I left feeling wonderful.
The next day Zsofia had kindly arranged for me to get a free ticket on a hop-on hop-off tour bus. I was so grateful and excited – it's not my usual style of travel, and allowed me to visit places which were too far for me to walk to. I spent the day on my gallant blue open-topped bus. It was slightly worn around the edges – noticeable each time the driver jumped up to manually open and close the door, and also by the plug in audio system beside me which was half hanging out of the wall with its screws jangling away merrily. However, it was still functional, and I wore my headset and listened to the steady stream of music that they played. A strange variety of songs, including dramatic movie scores, opera, and “What a Wonderful World” – a cover version (naturally!). It all added to the experience. I couldn't help but smile to myself at the entire circumstance.
The next morning I went with the mother to the supermarket and stocked up on food for my train trip to Croatia, then, in the early afternoon I said goodbye and headed out. I felt so lucky to have had such a wonderful week with them in Budapest.
I arrived after a 7 hour bus trip from Prague. I was going to stay with the parents of a friend of mine who I met while Au pairing in Seattle. I have a habit of travelling to visit the other Au pairs (or their families!). I arrived at the bus stop and immediately realised that the bus was not parked in a central bus depot - where my host was waiting for me. I did a quick assessment of the area and decided that the main bus depot must be across the road, so I quickly crossed the road and entered the bus station (my assessment was right!). However, the bus station was large and barren, and I had no idea where to find Zsofia, the sister of my Au pair friend. My bus was already late so I knew I needed to act quickly otherwise she might have given up on my arrival and left. I stopped and prayed and asked the Lord to help me find her. Then I walked upstairs and caught a glimpse of a woman leaving the station, I ran over in that direction and to my surprise it was Zsofia! She was walking to her car about to leave - she has wondered if she was at the wrong bus station. I had caught her just in time. Thank the Lord!
Zsofia took me to a small pub where her mother was performing with her string quartet. They were just finishing, so I did not get to hear them play, but it was great just to relax and chat! I had met Zsofia twice before in Seattle when she had been visiting Dora, but it was the first time that I had met her parents, who I would be staying with. I loved them the minute I met them. Warm, welcoming, joyful, generous – they were amazing people to spend time with and they helped me tremendously by telling me where I should visit and by dropping me off at the metro each morning.
The first thing I had planned for my luxurious Budapest trip was a visit to the baths! In Budapest there are several thermal baths, some are Turkish, some are Hungarian. I went to a Hungarian one, Szechenyi Baths, one of the largest and most well known in Europe, or so I am told. I took my time, going from pool to pool. Some are hot, some tepid and some cold. And there are saunas everywhere also at all different temperatures. It was just what I needed. I had a good rest. I sat and people watched, it was fascinating - there were even old men playing chess on a table in the middle of one of the pools! It seemed the most common visitor to the bathhouse were old men, all in varying degrees of hairy-ness. Some walked with pain, leaning to the side. I couldn't help but wonder if some of these men had been scarred by the soviet rule and before that the second world war. Hungary has had a devastating history over the last century. They suffered huge losses during the final stages of the second world war and over 10 percent of the country lost their lives. Entire towns were stripped of all the men, leaving only widows and their children struggling to survive. Jews in Budapest were lined up along the banks of the Danube river and shot, witnesses said that the river turned red from all the blood. A memorial now stands to those who were killed there - a sculpture of various different shoes lined up on the edge of the river.
But when the war ended, it did not bring freedom to Hungary, instead they became enslaved under Soviet rule for over four decades. The Soviet authority turned people against each other, the citizens lived in constant fear of being dobbed in by neighbors, coworkers, friends or family members if they were perceived as being anti-Soviet. Hundreds of people were accused of conspiring against the government and were thrown into prison, interrogated, tortured, sentenced in unfair trials and many were executed. I visited the museum 'Terror House', which sounds like a theme park attraction, but was the actual building that housed the headquarters of both the Arrow Cross (the Hungarian NAZI party) and, later, the Communist secret police. The basement was where most of the torture and interrogations occurred.
It was a reflective time for me, coming from New Zealand we simply do not understand the brutality and savage atrocities these people suffered for so many decades. But despite the past, Budapest in the present is a buzzing city with so much to see. I spent a long time wandering the streets of the inner city, gazing at the incredible architecture. Later in the evening I took a walk with Zsofia and her dog PJ around Margaret Island, which is a recreational park accessible by foot from the middle of one of the bridges that connect Buda to Pest (Budapest is the product of merging the two cities, Buda and Pest).
In the following days I was treated to wonderful care and generosity by Dora's parents. They were great people. Professional musicians serving in several orchestras all around the world. Now he teaches music, and she is an optician by day and in a string quartet by night. Every year they travel to China to perform in the Vienna Orchestra. Every morning her mother would lay out breakfast for me, and would even organise packed lunches for me with sandwiches and fresh vegetables from their garden. I was spoilt!
I would then go exploring other areas of the city. I downloaded an app which suggested different walking itineraries for me, and I took the best ideas from them and made my own routes. I also had a haircut, which was an interesting experience because the hairdresser spoke no English and I spoke no Hungarian. But I was desperate for a haircut, so I asked the bilingual receptionist at the hair salon to just tell the hairdresser to do whatever she wanted with my hair. She did her magic, and I left feeling wonderful.
The next day Zsofia had kindly arranged for me to get a free ticket on a hop-on hop-off tour bus. I was so grateful and excited – it's not my usual style of travel, and allowed me to visit places which were too far for me to walk to. I spent the day on my gallant blue open-topped bus. It was slightly worn around the edges – noticeable each time the driver jumped up to manually open and close the door, and also by the plug in audio system beside me which was half hanging out of the wall with its screws jangling away merrily. However, it was still functional, and I wore my headset and listened to the steady stream of music that they played. A strange variety of songs, including dramatic movie scores, opera, and “What a Wonderful World” – a cover version (naturally!). It all added to the experience. I couldn't help but smile to myself at the entire circumstance.
The next morning I went with the mother to the supermarket and stocked up on food for my train trip to Croatia, then, in the early afternoon I said goodbye and headed out. I felt so lucky to have had such a wonderful week with them in Budapest.
Prague, Czech Republic
Prague was a destination that I added to my plans after I had made my initial travel route. Of course I have heard all the stories of beautiful Prague, but somehow it had not leapt off the page at me. Nevertheless, I was excited to go there, especially because I had found accommodation by emailing churches and asking them if any of their congregation would be willing to host me. I got a very warm reply from a Czech lady who said she and her sister would be glad to host me. I really love staying with locals when I travel, and this was my first time in contacting a church for a host, normally I couch surf or stay with friends (or sometimes family of friends!). I was looking forward to spending time with Christians in another country, and to be able to visit their church. The New Testament of the Bible describes how the first apostles of Jesus traveled by staying with believers in each city - hospitality is a big theme in the Bible - I guess I was trying this out!
I arrived in Prague and caught the subway and a tram to get to my hosts' apartment. It was a fabulous apartment with an incredible view over the suburbs of the city. My hosts Keri and Marketa made me dinner and we shared travel stories until late in the night. While chatting to me they were busy doing all sorts of baking and the sweet smells filled the whole apartment! The next day we had a relaxed morning and then Keri took me on a walk to a lovely park with an old church and cemetery. We ate ice cream and chatted and chatted and chatted. Eventually Keri had to get back to do some work, and so I continued into the city for my first glance at Prague. Keri told me that the best thing to do was to get lost in the city and just wander the alleys discovering all the little parts of the city. That is exactly what I did! I walked all through the city. In my travels I have been to many, many cities and after a while a city is just a city, buildings are just buildings, but I have to say that when I walked through Prague it was the first time in a long time that I was really taken aback. It was just beautiful. It had a great vibe to it - the throng of people, the small shops that line every street and alley. At sunset I headed for the river - the lifeblood of the city, and strolled along all the way to my subway station. I headed back home filled with energy and excitement for the rest of my stay!
The next day I had a relatively early start - after another deep chat with my wonderful hosts, and a hilarious moment when I accidentally put sour cream on my muesli instead of yogurt because the containers looked the same and were labelled in Czech! I got to the city and had a wonderful time, going slowly, ducking up and down different street. I saw the famous Astronomical clock strike the midday hour (to be honest, I was a little disappointed). I had a delicious soup at a restaurant for lunch (for the hefty price of €1) before crossing the famous Charles Bridge and exploring Prague castle and the surrounding areas. I met up with Keri, Marketa and some of their friends in a park. They were playing badminton and practicing slacklining, where you tie a special strap between two trees and try to walk across it. I was captivated by slacklining, and despite showing no natural ability for it whatsoever, I spent a good hour giving it a go! It was really fun. I am still in awe of how the European people enjoy and make use of their parks. There are always people walking through the park, sitting in the grass having picnics, practicing slacklining and all sorts of sports and exercises. From what I remember of New Zealand we didn't do that so much. That night the girls and I ate chocolate and sang cheesy country songs and love songs, such fun!
The next day was Sunday so we all went to church. It was very welcoming and I really enjoyed it. I met lots of new people, including a New Zealander who was living in Prague teaching at an International school. There us a huge expat community in Prague. Lots of Americans in particular live and work there. After church the girls went out for lunch with a friend, and I went back to the city to see the last few places that I had not explored. I had another lovely afternoon and then I walked back home in time to help the girls set things up for Marketa's birthday celebration. They had a few friends over and we had a great evening talking, sharing travel stories (I entertained them with all my crazy adventures!), and playing Pictionary. The friends left and the girls and I stayed up late talking.
The next morning I gathered my things and the girls accompanied me to the bus station where we said goodbye before I left on my way to Budapest.
When I travel I always say that it is all about the people, and it was again true in Prague, my trip was so special because of my wonderful hosts, but I do have to say that I was really blown away with Prague and I would really recommend it as a great holiday destination.
I arrived in Prague and caught the subway and a tram to get to my hosts' apartment. It was a fabulous apartment with an incredible view over the suburbs of the city. My hosts Keri and Marketa made me dinner and we shared travel stories until late in the night. While chatting to me they were busy doing all sorts of baking and the sweet smells filled the whole apartment! The next day we had a relaxed morning and then Keri took me on a walk to a lovely park with an old church and cemetery. We ate ice cream and chatted and chatted and chatted. Eventually Keri had to get back to do some work, and so I continued into the city for my first glance at Prague. Keri told me that the best thing to do was to get lost in the city and just wander the alleys discovering all the little parts of the city. That is exactly what I did! I walked all through the city. In my travels I have been to many, many cities and after a while a city is just a city, buildings are just buildings, but I have to say that when I walked through Prague it was the first time in a long time that I was really taken aback. It was just beautiful. It had a great vibe to it - the throng of people, the small shops that line every street and alley. At sunset I headed for the river - the lifeblood of the city, and strolled along all the way to my subway station. I headed back home filled with energy and excitement for the rest of my stay!
The next day I had a relatively early start - after another deep chat with my wonderful hosts, and a hilarious moment when I accidentally put sour cream on my muesli instead of yogurt because the containers looked the same and were labelled in Czech! I got to the city and had a wonderful time, going slowly, ducking up and down different street. I saw the famous Astronomical clock strike the midday hour (to be honest, I was a little disappointed). I had a delicious soup at a restaurant for lunch (for the hefty price of €1) before crossing the famous Charles Bridge and exploring Prague castle and the surrounding areas. I met up with Keri, Marketa and some of their friends in a park. They were playing badminton and practicing slacklining, where you tie a special strap between two trees and try to walk across it. I was captivated by slacklining, and despite showing no natural ability for it whatsoever, I spent a good hour giving it a go! It was really fun. I am still in awe of how the European people enjoy and make use of their parks. There are always people walking through the park, sitting in the grass having picnics, practicing slacklining and all sorts of sports and exercises. From what I remember of New Zealand we didn't do that so much. That night the girls and I ate chocolate and sang cheesy country songs and love songs, such fun!
The next day was Sunday so we all went to church. It was very welcoming and I really enjoyed it. I met lots of new people, including a New Zealander who was living in Prague teaching at an International school. There us a huge expat community in Prague. Lots of Americans in particular live and work there. After church the girls went out for lunch with a friend, and I went back to the city to see the last few places that I had not explored. I had another lovely afternoon and then I walked back home in time to help the girls set things up for Marketa's birthday celebration. They had a few friends over and we had a great evening talking, sharing travel stories (I entertained them with all my crazy adventures!), and playing Pictionary. The friends left and the girls and I stayed up late talking.
The next morning I gathered my things and the girls accompanied me to the bus station where we said goodbye before I left on my way to Budapest.
When I travel I always say that it is all about the people, and it was again true in Prague, my trip was so special because of my wonderful hosts, but I do have to say that I was really blown away with Prague and I would really recommend it as a great holiday destination.
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