A Not So Typical Day

I have some more free time these days so I thought I would share the experiences of my past 2 days to give you a more intimate idea of my travels. Of course I picked the most trying times of my travels to blog about, simply for your entertainment!

OCT 27

I spent the day at a truffle convention in Alba. On the way there I helped two nice ladies on the train, lost and looking for the same event. We got to know eachother and in the end they invited me in the future to work on their farm in South Africa! They really were quite exceptional people and have got me seriously considering their proposal.

Later on at the truffle convention I met up with someone whom I had made friends with over a few glasses of wine the night before at Salone del Gusto, the Slow Food annual event in Torino. It was a wonderful day stuffed with truffle history, and samples of wine and olive oils, but no free samples of truffles, since they cost around 4 euros per gram! I was not planning on going back to Torino so I had everything I possessed with me. That is, a large backpack, a smaller but equally heavy backpack on my chest, which contains my laptop and camera gear, and a bag with some food, among other Salone del Gusto paraphernalia. I had to lock up my large backpack at a bar adjacent to the station. Fortunately I have many locks with me, so I secured my bag to a radiator and locked the zippers together.

After the event I had to go to Budapest and decided to get there fast and cheap. There was poor train access from Alba, also Wifi is rare to find anywhere in Italy. Fortunately I had looked up my itinerary the day before, all there was to do was ask where the bus stop in Alba was. I ended up taking a bus to Asti, then from there took four different trains: to Tortona, to Milano, to Mestre (just outside Venice) and finally to Trieste. At Milano, I nearly missed my transfer to Mestre because my arriving train was late. I had to "sprint," although it was more like an awkward trudging, all heavily laden with backpacks and gear, to catch my next departing train.

OCT 28
I landed in Trieste at 2:30 am. Coupled with the daylight savings I had an extra hour to kill in the dead of night in a small town at the extreme east end of Italy. The train station was occupied by many homeless people in sleeping bags or under blankets. One was awake and approached me gently. A bit scared, I gave him my change, which was less than one euro anyway. Once outside the station I found a hostel I previously mapped out. But when I got there it was closed so I ended up wandering the empty city in search of a place to loiter safely. Meanwhile, the wind started to severely howl and rain started to sprinkle the concrete and asphalt. I was wearing my warmest clothes: just one thin Marmot jacket over a t-shirt and jeans with holes in the knees. I ended up finding a karaoke bar to chill out until 4 am. I went back to the station where I managed to slip in a few hours sleep on the cold marble floor. In hindsight, showing up to a hostel in a small town past midnight had been a horrible idea.

After waking up and inquiring to the now open ticket office for trains to Budapest, I learned that trains did not run out of Italy towards Budapest, except for a circuitous route back through Vienna, which only ran as an overnight train. How ridiculous! Fortunately I found buses leaving soon out of this godforsaken town. However, the best route, which was through Slovenia, had already left, so I took another route through Rijeka, Croatia. I've gotten pretty used to these inconveniently circuitous travel itineraries by now. Of course, it was a really beautiful ride which made up for its inconvenience, a reminder of my time traversing this beautiful countryside not more than a month ago.

The countryside of Croatia

The train from Rijeka to Zagreb was nice too. Unfortunately, it got to Zagreb late, and I missed my transfer to Budapest by a few minutes. On the plus side I had visited this city before so was already familiar with it.

Fast forward to the present, and I am sitting in a hostel I stayed at during my previous visit to Zagreb. Earlier on I had eaten a large and cheap pizza, also a revisit, and tonight I won't have to sleep on cold marble, so now I am a happy duck.

A Tangled Web of Options

It’s 4 a.m. in Torino and I cannot sleep. This sleeplessness has been afflicting me more and more recently. My future is wrought with uncertainties and anxieties that are all spinning in my sleep vision, threatening my normally peaceful slumber. The road I have travelled for 3 months has been long so far but linear, predictable. But, as a spider’s strand of silk meets its web, my options are now branching out in all directions, and it is both scary and exciting.

Since my last blog I have visited Nice in France, Florence and Venice in Italy, Munich for Oktoberfest, the charming coast of Croatia, historic Rome, and northern Italy again, first Cinque Terre and now Torino. Cinque Terre was a real oasis during my travels. I met some amazing people and we shared two relaxing days enjoying blissful beaches, stunning landscapes, lovely wine and good conversations.

Vernazza, Cinque Terre, Italy

It was also my first solo destination after Amy flew home from Rome and signaled a new phase of my travels. Never since have I felt more disconnected from home, having loosed the shackles of the constraining Eurail pass and a travelling partner. No offense is meant to my sister by this statement. After a rough start, Amy soon adapted to the backpacking lifestyle, we slowly overcame early conflicts and in the end I was happy she came, especially to see her growing and maturing before my eyes. I think travelling with her has helped me mature as well. We got to know eachother more in those three months than in our entire lives previous and in that time solidified our sibling bond and provided me with satisfaction at fulfilling my role as big brother. However, now that she has left, I am completely free to fulfill my dreams and to let no decisions become hindered.

Since her departure I have wandered Italy’s countryside, a carefree soul, yet also yearning for some refuge from the constant moving around and unpredictability that comes with travelling without a plan… another problem looms: I am approaching my time limit in the Schengen Area, an administrative region of Europe in which Canadians can travel without Visa for up to 90 days. I need to get out! But what should I do? Work on a farm? A hostel? Or should I continue travelling outside the Schengen Area? I hope I can find these answers soon and silence the voices of anxiety in my mind.

Meanwhile I attempt to fix my gaze on the present. I am in Torino for Salone del Gusto, the ultimate gastronomic event in the city anointed the capital of the Slow Food Movement. In the next two days I will be visiting the event marketplace, which will be filled to the brim with organic, sustainable and ethical farmers and food producers from Italy and around the world selling the best and purest food the world has to offer! As well there will be educational workshops providing food information and cooking tips. My thirst for food knowledge shall be quenched and my hunger sated with just about every kind of food imaginable grown under the sun! And who knows, maybe I can find a job on a farm in Italy? Time will tell.

Bon appetite!

¡Espana Es De Puta Madre! (Spain is awesome!)

Spain was one of the highlights of my trip and for good reason. I missed out on Spain on my grad trip four years ago. Since then I pledged I would go back and see it. Not only did we have a blast, but we enjoyed overall great weather, barely missing the heat waves, and enjoyed fairly cheap food, particularly fruits, vegetables and alcohol.

Amy and I spent over three weeks here. In that time we saw museums, castles, mountains and breathtaking city views, went hiking, swam in a waterfall, relaxed on the beach, did some shopping, eating and a lot of walking, were in a tomato fight, partied all night before, partied many more times, partied with Erasmus students, danced the night away, gained some friends, lost some weight, and even got food poisoning and nearly got some shit stolen.

Standing under a waterfall in Granada 

MISSTEPS

The mistakes made that led to the latter two were eating leftover pasta sauce in the hostel fridge in Granada and leaving my iPod under my pillow unattended in a hostel dorm room in Madrid. Thankfully I was able to recover my crappy but scrappy fourth gen four gig iPod but it sure made for an interesting experience.

Long story short, another guy had his cellphone stolen, I dialed it and heard the vibration in another person’s locker. After initial shock, then much deliberation, we badgered the suspect, searched through some of his stuff, soon after he tried to make a run for it hauling a large pack, we ran him down outside the hostel, ushered him back and called the cops. He eventually caved in and gave our stuff back, then took off before the cops arrived. Justice should have been served, but at least we got our stuff back. I am afraid this guy is back on the prowl in hostel dorms around Spain, despite his photo and passport photo having been distributed to many hostels in Spain as a result of the debacle. This story is just one example of a major problem in Spain. I have heard many stories about theft in hostel dorm rooms and pickpocketing in the streets and in the Metro stations. The most elaborate scheme I have heard of is of youth “pretending” to celebrate a soccer match victory approaching you, hugging you, hooking their legs around yours, then digging through your pockets.

Anyway, I don’t mean to scare anyone about coming to Spain. As long as you are aware of the dangers and keep your stuff safe, you will love it here!

HIGHLIGHTS

The main highlight of Spain was meeting people and making friends. La Tomatina, the 50,000 strong tomato fight in Bunol, was wild, but wouldn’t be the same without the mini United Nations group we stitched together while there. We later visited many of them in their current cities of residence in Spain, and the whole group talks about a reunion in Prague. We had random conversations all over Spain, mostly at hostels, and, on occasion, it led to hanging out together. On a few occasions we even ran into the same people in different cities.

Warming up for La Tomatina!

Through meeting locals and going to museums, we learned a lot about Spain’s history and current affairs. Did you know there are four languages spoken in Spain? Castellano is the most common form of “Spanish.” Did you know the Arabs controlled the south of Spain for over 700 years? And that there was a civil war from 1936-1939 that resulted in a dictatorship? It would be ignorant of me not to mention the nation's recent troubles. The austerity measures are really hurting public services such as health and education. Many teachers and doctors among other professionals attended a massive protest last week in Madrid. As a tourist it is difficult to notice any trouble (except for all of the pickpockets) but times are really tough in Spain and it’s almost impossible to find a job.

Tomatoes, mozzarella and olives made by our Couchsurfing host! 

To name a few tourist highlights, there was La Tomatina, the wildest time I have ever had, La Sagrada Familia in Barcelona, by a large margin the most beautiful and unique church in the world, way beyond anything else you will ever see in your lifetime (this is no exaggeration!), Alhambra in Granada, an impressive castle constructed in Arabic style, and Museum of Modern Arts Reina Sofia in Madrid, containing mind-bending works by Dali and Picasso. We also ate a lot of good food, particularly tapas which Spain is famous for.

La Sagrada Familia - simply an architectural marvel  

Personally, I feel that I will return to Spain to achieve some unfulfilled goals. Firstly, I have started learning Spanish from PDFs downloaded on my laptop, and want to return to take a course in Castellano. Secondly, I want to complete some, most or all of El Camino de Santiago, a 1200 km long pilgrimage. Thirdly, I am simply not done with Spain. There is still Seville and Tarifa in the south, and San Sebastian and Bilbao in the north. Fourthly, as a side note, I bought a harmonica! If I can reach a certain level of proficiency with it, look for me buskering in the streets around Europe.

Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/11monthsandrew/sets/72157631573462975/

PS. Currently in Nice. The south of France along the Cote D'Azur is one of the most gorgeous places on Earth!

Paris & Thereafter

I can't tell you what a relief it is to get Paris done with.

No, no, this is not in any way a knock against Paris. In fact, we had an amazing time there and the city is unmatched on the world stage for museums and landmarks with the exception of maybe London. But 5 days in cities like London and Paris is just enough to scurry around like rats to check everything off our bucket list.

My best attempt at drawing the Eiffel Tower while staying completely still 

We did the touristy thing and it was awesome: Le Louvre, Musee D'Orsay, Les Invalides, Espace Dali, Catacombs, Tour Montparnasse (climb this instead of Tour Eiffel), Tour Eiffel, Notre Dame, Sacre Coeur, Montmartre, St. Sulpice, Pantheon, Luxembourg Gardens, Tuileries, Ave Champs D'Elysees and wine and crepes.

Le Louvre

But we were tired and nursed painful muscles and joints by the end of it and were relieved to find our next destination in Rennes, a much smaller city with a slower pace. Despite its lack of touristy activities, Rennes surprised us. There was a vibrant outdoor Saturday market, and a lovely park to visit during the day, and an amazing live band performance at night, then a cool light show which played against the backdrop of their regional government building Le Parlement de Bretagne. Overall we had a memorable and nice time there.

Live band in public square

And then, once again, there was more of the touristy thing. On a 1.5 hour bus ride out from Rennes, nestled on the north coast of France, was Mont St. Michel, a magnificent castle dominating a towering hill protected by sand and water. I won't say much more about it except that it was picturesque but overly touristy and tremendously lacked English information.

Mont St. Michel seen from behind while the tide is low 

The most tangible observation I made about France was that it's citizens have been unfairly reputed as being rude and snobby towards people not of their own native flesh and tongue. Speaking English hardly deterred me from being received with warmth and friendliness, even from citizens who knew only the most basic of English. They were willing to help us any way they could, whether it was using their English or our basic French, and sometimes it came down to a game of charades. The other tangible observation about the French is that they walk around city streets with a baguette in one hand, no butter required.

Rushing through Paris was necessary as part of the larger goal I set out since the beginning of this trip: to get to Bunol, Spain by Aug 29 to attend La Tomatina, an annual tomato fight (and we barely scratched out the train tickets for it). But it was also a significant benchmark on our trip signalling the end of intense agenda-crushing tourism. From here on out we plan on stretching time out like a lazy hammock for all our future destinations.

No more two date affairs, I promise. I just want to take it slow and get to know you better.

Photos: http://www.flickr.com/photos/11monthsandrew/sets/72157631326539864/

Belgium, the World's Capital for Indulgence

Part I: Indulgence of the Tongue

We spent about a week in Belgium, splitting time between lively Antwerp, beautiful Brugge, and capital Brussels. This poor inconspicuous little country seems like the underdog for international travel destinations. But maybe they don't mind it that way. They don't need extra fanfare because their cities' narrow cobblestone streets are already swimming with locals and European tourists alike, making for a festive and joyous atmosphere.

Le Tapis de Fleurs, Brussels

Belgium has largely retained its chivalrous charm and at the same time dominated the world's gastronomic stage. On its unspoiled European-esque streets you will find the world's best food and drink. This little nation has a reputation for producing the sweetest chocolates, tastiest beers, yummiest waffles and most finger-licking fries. Your sweet tooth will thank you very much for going. Your scale might not.

I managed to lock lips with several beers including Le Chouffe, Brugse Zot, Kwok, Jupiler, De Koninck, and their national favourite Duvel. Not a bad portfolio, however, I have a ways to go to try all of Belgium's beers as there are thousands of breweries and the selection is endless. Delirium Cafe in Brussels serves 2400 different beers, a Guinness World Record, including the world famous beer named after the bar itself.

Enjoying a Kwok beer, Brugge

Amy meanwhile succumbed to her weakness. However, she wasn't too impressed with the chocolates we tried. Since she has already had Belgium chocolates in Canada, the quality wasn't much better at the source.

Bruges

Part II: Meeting of Open Minds

One of the highlights of our time in Belgium was meeting some really cool people in Brussels. It was probably just a coincidence that all these meetings occurred in Brussels but the fact that it's one of the capital cities of the European Union suggests a certain kind of mindset that exists there.

The first man is Ata, an old and remarkable Persian man, whose wife passed away and children living overseas. We met him in the morning at the subway station and, by chance, again at night. We had talked a bit the first meeting and by the second meeting, he invited us up to his apartment for snacks and refreshments. He had a very touching story.

Amy and I at Ata's house, Brussels

He worked in Rwanda with his wife while raising their children for 28 years. He worked as a doctor while his wife did humanitarian work empowering women. They also worked with orphans in Bosnia-Herzegovina. His message was strong and heartfelt: everyone is equal, no matter their race or religion, and to help those in need. We ended up coming back for dinner the next day. His message became a bit repetitve but nonetheless we appreciated his passion and conviction, and he enjoyed having our attention and the chance to share his life story.

The second man, who shall remain unnamed, let us stay with him in his squat. Now we weren't even sure at the time what a squat was until we entered our accommodations and, although we were a little turned off, we were simply happy just to have beds (or mattresses on the floor) to sleep in. The squat was an unhomely experience: messy, no hot water, limited appliances and other facilities, overrun by fruit flies.  But it was also very humbling, and for that we were thankful to have stayed. After this, we can sleep anywhere!

The squat dwellers were very warm and friendly. The man who let us stay with him was very pleasant, smiling and interesting. Not only did they not pay rent, but they didn't pay for food either. They declared their squat to be a vegan squat, and regularly went to food markets upon closing and asked for their leftover unsold food which would otherwise be tossed as rubbish. Surprisingly, they are successful at this and the farmers who contribute are happy to, since it meant the extra food didn't go to waste. This is quite a good samaritan way of doing business. I plan on doing this when I come back to Calgary.

Another couple we met at the squat were travelling through Brussels as we were. They were a very interesting British couple, all "hippied out" with dreadlocks and peace signs, driving a charming converted camper van. They were invited to this place by picking up a hitchhiker - one of the squat dwellers. They attend concerts selling their specially made and very tasty ginger beer. They also hadn't bathed in 3 months! But somehow didn't emit any nasally-offensive toxins. I think both of them used to have stable office jobs, and either quit or were laid off.

But they are happier now that they are on the unpredictable open road. They don't regret a thing!

And so far, neither do I.

Photos: http://www.flickr.com/photos/11monthsandrew/sets/72157631185658276/

Sex, Drugs and... Bikes?

Four years ago Amsterdam amazed me with its open and liberal culture. It was the only city in the world that legalized both prostitution and marijuana. Coming back here, nothing has changed. Well, except that the “conservative” government in power is trying to make it illegal to sell marijuana to tourists and it’s so far worked everywhere except, thankfully, Amsterdam ;)

The liberalism here is off the charts, globally a number one hit. This city has it all: history, architectural beauty, dykes (the ones that prevent half the country from flooding) and an unlimited lifetime supply of what America brags about as their so-called “freedom.” Netherlands makes America look like a fading dystopia. By the way, just to clear the air, the country is called Netherlands; not Holland! Holland forms two provinces, a North and South, where most of the development and population resides.

I AMsterdam

Amy and I did the requisite tourist attractions: Van Gogh Museum, Ann Frank Huis, Artis Zoo and canal cruises. However, those were overshadowed by the unplanned experiences such as interactions with locals, and learning about Dutch life and politics. I learned from a young Australian worker that it's really easy to get a working Visa here. This fact has been shelved for future considerations.

My favourite museum was the Versetz Museum, or Dutch Resistance Museum, detailing the life and times during German occupation in WWII. As luck would have it, the Gay Pride Parade was in town and we checked it out. Amy had previously been to Toronto's version and said it was miniature compared to Amsterdam's. And I'm not talking about their speedos.

Gay pride parade

Our host was amazing and lent us her bikes to ride around the city. I learned a lot about the cycling culture there and want to bike more like the Dutch when I return to Canada. I saw a lot of bikes too; there are over 600,000 of these 2 wheeled beasts in Amsterdam!

Bikes, bikes, bikes!

As wonderful as Amsterdam was, we just had a very memorable time in an inconspicuous place. We just finished out stay with a Dutch family in an old farmhouse situated in inconspicious little Kloosterburen in the northeast part of Netherlands. The family belongs to a Couchsurfer whom I hosted early this year in Calgary. We have indulged in cheese, bread and wine, mingled with good conversation. We have also cycled through farm fields and quaint villages, checked out the main dyke protecting the Netherlands from the North Sea, and even played tennis! The picture below shows the dyke and dry land on both sides. That's because the tide is currently low, allowing for an abundance of vegetation to grow on the seaside. Livestock even crosses over to the seaside to graze!

Dyke protecting Netherlands, from the North Sea 

It was an ideal three day recluse from the whirlwind life of backpacking. But soon enough we shall be hitting the road. Next stop, Antwerp, Belgium!

Photos: http://www.flickr.com/photos/11monthsandrew/sets/72157631000616658/

The UK in a nutshell.

Greetings from Amsterdam! We have just completed the United Kingdom, having stayed in Glasgow for 3 days, Edinburgh for 2, and London for 6. Everything went smoothly for the most part with just a few setbacks.

London was just plain awesome, and one of the greatest cities in the world. We packed our schedule with museums and iconic landmarks. Being there during the Olympics added electricity to the already charged atmosphere on the streets. Edinburgh was easily one of the most beautiful cities I have ever visited. My one regret is not going on The Hairy Coo free highlands tour which works on tips only. But at least I did an amazing local hike called Arthur's Seat with amazing views of Edinburgh. I ran from the hostel, through highlands type trails, to the summit in only 40 minutes. Glasgow was a bit underwhelming and overly urbanized compared to the old world charm of the previous city. Despite this, Glasgow has an interesting history lying beneath the urban form.

View from the top of Arthur's Seat towards Edinburgh old towne

Here are some fun tidbits I have picked up from my time in the UK. Some of these are obvious, but hopefully some are not and those that are are fun to recount.

LANGUAGE/VOCABULARY
To Let = For Rent
pitta = pita
knackered = tired
no bother = no problem
I'm easy = I'm cool; or whatever goes
Oh, and Irish people do NOT actually say "top o' the mornin' to ya"
CULTURE
Amy and I are now fans of Haggis, Neeps and Tatties! Translated to North American English, this is sheep stomach, mashed carrots and turnips, and mashed potatoes
Ikea brand cider (~4.5% alcohol) is also pretty good
Their electrical plugs have on/off switches
Everyone drinks water straight from the tap
Everything is smaller!
You can drink anywhere in public!
Finally, some stuff can be found really cheap in the UK and especially Scotland, such as food, alcohol and accommodations. Grocery stores have amazing deals. For example, 4 pints or 2.27 L of milk is 1 quid (or pound) or $1.60 CAD. Alcohol is also cheap and is sold in grocery stores, usually one aisle down from the veggies!

I knew this beforehand, but coming back here has reinforced my love for Europeans! They are the most easy-going and happy peoples on Earth. Most importantly, they have learned to share their space with others and to live with less and, thus, value a minimal lifestyle with a focus on experiences.

One day in Amsterdam has been great so far! Blog on that coming soon...