Marty and I arrived in Budapest at about 3pm and had one last meal together before he went on another train and I set out to find a hostel.
I eventually found a place and after I was checked in I met some people hanging out in the lounge. After the usual "where you from? where you been? where you headed?" we all ventured out to an outdoor music festival that we had heard about. It turned out to be a bust, it was all kids and crappy music, so we moved on to a bar that was inside a boat on the river. To our surprise, there was a pretty good German band playing, so we hung out there for the rest of the night even though we didn't have a clue what they were saying.
Budapest was surprisingly chilly, I miss the beach!
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Day 37 - Hvar/Split/Zagreb
We were all feeling a little loopy the next morning (at least I know I was) and slept late. Once we were all awake we sat around a bit drinking coffee and chatting. Marty and I had no real plan so we tried to figure out where to go next. He had to be in Poland to meet his mum in a few days and I was planning on going to Budapest, Hungary, next so we decided to head that way together. Marty would catch a train from Budapest to Poland and I would stay there for a few days. It was a sad goodbye with the girls. We had had so much fun together but it was time to part ways. Marty and I took the ferry back to Split and hopped on the train. We had to switch trains in Zagreb and we slept most of the way to Budapest. This is the crew one last time before we said goodbye.
Day 36 - Split and Hvar
After breakfast Marty and I rented some bikes to explore the town a little bit before we boarded our ferry to another island, this one called Hvar. We quickly realized that Split was very small and there isn't much to see there, so we were done with our bikes after about 40 minutes. While we were riding down the main street, the one with ALL the restaurant, shops, and people, Marty's daredevil spirit came back out and he had an amazing wipe out right in front of everyone. I saw it happening and it was like slow motion. I was laughing before he even hit the ground and kept laughing for about 3 days.
We caught a 3pm ferry to Hvar where we were to meet up with the girls. We had made plans to all stay in the same hostel again. Once we all regrouped we headed to the market to stock up for another big BBQ that night. We met up with some new friends: Jake from California, Marty's friend Brea from Aus, and another friend of the girls named Mandy. We all got drunk and went down to the water for a late night swim.
We caught a 3pm ferry to Hvar where we were to meet up with the girls. We had made plans to all stay in the same hostel again. Once we all regrouped we headed to the market to stock up for another big BBQ that night. We met up with some new friends: Jake from California, Marty's friend Brea from Aus, and another friend of the girls named Mandy. We all got drunk and went down to the water for a late night swim.
Day 35 - Dubrovnik/Split
It was our last day in Dubrovnik so we all had breakfast together and went to another beach for a few hours. It was another nice one that we hadn't been to before and we all just lounged in and out of the water for a few hours before we all had to catch our buses. Marty and I headed North to a city called Split. We met some other Aussies on the bus and went out for a few beers with them that night. There was a big soccer match that night between Croatia and England so everyone was out and about. Split is a pretty coastal city with one main pedestrian street right on the water. We didn't do much other than the soccer match, just walked around a bit and went to bed.
Monday, December 29, 2008
Day 34 - Dubrovnik
We all woke up late and decided to take a day trip out to a nearby island called Lokrum, which we had heard was a good place to swim and jump off some cliffs. We found this little pond and went for a quick dip
and then moved on to the beach, which was a rock beach. No sand. I was skeptical at first but it turned out to be a really good time. We all jumped off the cliff a few hundred times 
and had snacks and a nap. Later on Marty and I went exploring and jumped off a few more cliffs, getting higher each time. It was a very neat island and made for some interesting photos. 
You can also see a couple of cliff jumping video here. (turn your head sideways for the second one:)
Once back in Dubrovnik we had a nice dinner at a restaurant in the old town and then watched a movie in the hostel before bed. Another excellent fun day with my new friends.
and then moved on to the beach, which was a rock beach. No sand. I was skeptical at first but it turned out to be a really good time. We all jumped off the cliff a few hundred times 
and had snacks and a nap. Later on Marty and I went exploring and jumped off a few more cliffs, getting higher each time. It was a very neat island and made for some interesting photos. 
You can also see a couple of cliff jumping video here. (turn your head sideways for the second one:)
Once back in Dubrovnik we had a nice dinner at a restaurant in the old town and then watched a movie in the hostel before bed. Another excellent fun day with my new friends.
Day 33 - Dubrovnik
In the morning I met the coolest people that I've ever met on any of my adventures. Marty, from Sydney, and Kes, Liv, and Sally from Perth. They had come to the hostel the previous day and we all met at breakfast.
We decided to go to a beach that Marty had spotted the previous day. It turned out to be one of the cooler beaches I've seen.
We hung out there most of the day and got to know each other, although after 10 minutes it already seemed as if we had all been friends for years. Marty and I found a cliff to jump off of and you can see in the other picture that there is a cave that you can swim in to.
Once the sun started to set we were all pretty hungry so we decided to throw an Aussie BBQ. We all walked to the market and got all the food and cooked it outside at the hostel. We had great food and great conversation.
After dinner we all headed in to town for a little dancing. We started out at this really neat bar in the old town that was built on the rocks outside the city walls. On the way home we had to stop at every bakery in town looking for meat pies, which we ultimately found. It was one of the best nights, we all had tons of fun.
We decided to go to a beach that Marty had spotted the previous day. It turned out to be one of the cooler beaches I've seen.
We hung out there most of the day and got to know each other, although after 10 minutes it already seemed as if we had all been friends for years. Marty and I found a cliff to jump off of and you can see in the other picture that there is a cave that you can swim in to.
Once the sun started to set we were all pretty hungry so we decided to throw an Aussie BBQ. We all walked to the market and got all the food and cooked it outside at the hostel. We had great food and great conversation.
After dinner we all headed in to town for a little dancing. We started out at this really neat bar in the old town that was built on the rocks outside the city walls. On the way home we had to stop at every bakery in town looking for meat pies, which we ultimately found. It was one of the best nights, we all had tons of fun.
Day 32 - Dubrovnik/Bosnia
After the success of the snorkeling trip I decided to take Ive up on his offer of a day trip to Bosnia along with Shura and Louise from England. We left at about 10:30am and drove a few hours. The road went all along the coast and was very scenic. The first stop was a swimming hole in a river that looked like a real paradise. The water was pretty cold but it was a fun place to swim and they had a rope swing!
After the swim a hopped back in the car and drove to a restaurant the Ive promised would have a great lunch. He was right, it was one of the best meals I have ever eaten, the last thing I expected in Bosnia of all places. As we walked up to the door, we could see the lamb that we were about to eat as it was rotating on the split. It wasn't exactly the most appetizing sight, eyeballs bulging, tongue hanging out and fat dripping off, but when the meal was presented it looked and smelled delicious. In addition to the lamb we had several different kinds of bread, potatoes, and salad.
After stuffing ourselves we hit the road again and headed to the town of Mostar. The city was relatively small but had been hit hard by the war. There were bullet holes everywhere. There has been a lot of rebuilding, but you can still see remnants of war next to brand new houses and buildings.
From Mostar we headed home and arrived back at the hostel by late evening. Everyone was pretty tired so we watched a movie in the common area and went to bed.
After the swim a hopped back in the car and drove to a restaurant the Ive promised would have a great lunch. He was right, it was one of the best meals I have ever eaten, the last thing I expected in Bosnia of all places. As we walked up to the door, we could see the lamb that we were about to eat as it was rotating on the split. It wasn't exactly the most appetizing sight, eyeballs bulging, tongue hanging out and fat dripping off, but when the meal was presented it looked and smelled delicious. In addition to the lamb we had several different kinds of bread, potatoes, and salad.
After stuffing ourselves we hit the road again and headed to the town of Mostar. The city was relatively small but had been hit hard by the war. There were bullet holes everywhere. There has been a lot of rebuilding, but you can still see remnants of war next to brand new houses and buildings.
From Mostar we headed home and arrived back at the hostel by late evening. Everyone was pretty tired so we watched a movie in the common area and went to bed.
Friday, November 28, 2008
The best of
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Day 31 - Dubrovnik
After a fantastic nights sleep under a table in the onboard casino, I went to the deck to watch the sunrise and take my first look at Croatia as we sailed into the port. I was impressed immediately by the beauty of Croatia and I knew that I would love it. The water, the trees, the buildings and houses, even the people were amazing to look at. This is one of the photos I took from the boat as we entered the harbor.
I got off the boat and made it to my hostel by about 9. I walked in and was greeted by one of the owners, Milka, who immediately sat me down at the table for breakfast before even checking me in. She had made some Croatian cheese pastry and French toast and coffee. Once breakfast was finished, Milka's husband came around to check me in and give me the scoop on Dubrovnik, which took about 30 mins and included 2 detailed maps and a welcome shot. A shot of very strong Croatian liquor at 930am is a real eye opener...
After breakfast I tagged along with some British and Kiwi friends to a beach nearby. The beach was a rock beach with medium sized pebbles and the water was beautiful. Dubrovnik is every bit as gorgeous as Greece if not more so. We hung out there for a few hours and then back to the hostel for some more food before a snorkeling excursion.
The couple that owns the hostel have a son named Ive (pronounce Eve and is short for something else long and Croatian) who took us about 30 miles outside Dubrovnik, almost all the way down to Montenegro, to a good snorkeling spot. He took some great pics with his underwater camera.
When we got out of the water he took us on a drive around the area to show us some of the countryside and locals:
and to the top of the hill where I took this neat photo of the old town:
That night the crew from the hostel went out on the town and ended up taking a late night dip in the ocean before we came home. They were a fun bunch.
I got off the boat and made it to my hostel by about 9. I walked in and was greeted by one of the owners, Milka, who immediately sat me down at the table for breakfast before even checking me in. She had made some Croatian cheese pastry and French toast and coffee. Once breakfast was finished, Milka's husband came around to check me in and give me the scoop on Dubrovnik, which took about 30 mins and included 2 detailed maps and a welcome shot. A shot of very strong Croatian liquor at 930am is a real eye opener...
After breakfast I tagged along with some British and Kiwi friends to a beach nearby. The beach was a rock beach with medium sized pebbles and the water was beautiful. Dubrovnik is every bit as gorgeous as Greece if not more so. We hung out there for a few hours and then back to the hostel for some more food before a snorkeling excursion.
The couple that owns the hostel have a son named Ive (pronounce Eve and is short for something else long and Croatian) who took us about 30 miles outside Dubrovnik, almost all the way down to Montenegro, to a good snorkeling spot. He took some great pics with his underwater camera.
When we got out of the water he took us on a drive around the area to show us some of the countryside and locals:
and to the top of the hill where I took this neat photo of the old town:
That night the crew from the hostel went out on the town and ended up taking a late night dip in the ocean before we came home. They were a fun bunch.
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Day 30 - Bari
My ferry arrived in Bari at 8:30am. I went straight to the ticket office to buy a ticket for Croatia but it didnt leave until 11:30pm. Gross...
Bari is not a tourist destination, it is a port town and that's it. There is nothing to do there. I know this because I walked all over the whole town. I sat in an internet cafe for a bit and had some coffee. Around lunch time I saw a giant sign that said "Pizzeria" which sounded amazing to me right then. So I go inside and get a menu and there isnt a single pizza in the whole restaurant. It's a pizzeria that only serves pasta? Mostly seafood pasta? I ate there anyway...
Walked and walked and walked
I came across some kids playing soccer so I sat and watched that for a couple hours. I finally boarded the ferry and found a cozy spot on the floor of the casino to sleep that night.
Bari is not a tourist destination, it is a port town and that's it. There is nothing to do there. I know this because I walked all over the whole town. I sat in an internet cafe for a bit and had some coffee. Around lunch time I saw a giant sign that said "Pizzeria" which sounded amazing to me right then. So I go inside and get a menu and there isnt a single pizza in the whole restaurant. It's a pizzeria that only serves pasta? Mostly seafood pasta? I ate there anyway...
Walked and walked and walked
I came across some kids playing soccer so I sat and watched that for a couple hours. I finally boarded the ferry and found a cozy spot on the floor of the casino to sleep that night.
Day 29 - Athens & the ferry
I was up early to head to the bus station to go to Patras. I opted for the bus this time instead of the train. It was much quicker and cooler. I got some bad directions (again) from the guy at the hostel and was quickly lost (again) in Athens. Did I mention Athens is hot as hell? Especially with a backpack on. I was lucky to find a sympathetic and English speaking (sort of) bus driver who let me on his bus for free and dropped me off at the appropriate bus stop to get me to the terminal.
Once in Patras I didnt have to wait long for the ferry back to Bari, Italy. Again I had only a deck ticket so I set up camp on a nice bench.
Once in Patras I didnt have to wait long for the ferry back to Bari, Italy. Again I had only a deck ticket so I set up camp on a nice bench.
Day 28 - Mykonos & Athens
I got up early to get checked out and head to the port. I had to walk quite a ways from the bus stop to the port. This was a long ferry as well, almost 8 hours back to Athens.
I arrived in Athens at about 8:30pm with no accommodation booked. I knew where a supposedly good hostel was located so I headed in that direction, hoping they would have one bed free for the night. I had the directions written down and they let me down. I still claim that the road doesnt exist. So, I was a bit lost. In Athens. At 10pm. (I may have mentioned this before, but Athens is dirty, dodgy, and hot.)
I was at the point where I was about to sleep in a park when I spotted a sign in the distance, down an alley. If it was any smaller, I wouldnt have been able to read it. "Hostel" So I walked in and asked if they had a bed for me. They did, and it was only 15 euros. Deal.
When I walked in to the room, I was punched in the face by heat and odor. It was a 6 man room and I was man #6. There was no A/C, only one small window, and several spiders. My bed had no sheets or pillow. I went straight to bed. It was the worst excuse for a hostel I had ever seen.
I arrived in Athens at about 8:30pm with no accommodation booked. I knew where a supposedly good hostel was located so I headed in that direction, hoping they would have one bed free for the night. I had the directions written down and they let me down. I still claim that the road doesnt exist. So, I was a bit lost. In Athens. At 10pm. (I may have mentioned this before, but Athens is dirty, dodgy, and hot.)
I was at the point where I was about to sleep in a park when I spotted a sign in the distance, down an alley. If it was any smaller, I wouldnt have been able to read it. "Hostel" So I walked in and asked if they had a bed for me. They did, and it was only 15 euros. Deal.
When I walked in to the room, I was punched in the face by heat and odor. It was a 6 man room and I was man #6. There was no A/C, only one small window, and several spiders. My bed had no sheets or pillow. I went straight to bed. It was the worst excuse for a hostel I had ever seen.
Day 27 - Mykonos
Today I licked my wounds on the beach all day. I think I could just live on a beach chair for the rest of my days. I met some Brits on the beach and we hung out that night as well. The party culture of these two islands is catching up with me...
Day 26 - Mykonos
I made it to breakfast by 10 and met up with some Aussie girls that I had met on the bus the day before. We hung out on the beach all day, it was another beautiful place. That night we went dancing at the club that was on the beach and I fell off a table, it was not alcohol related, just a misstep, I was not injured.
Day 25 - Mykonos
So you already know that I got home in the very early morning and basically got right to packing up to check out and head to the port. Needless to say, I didnt feel so hot. Actually, I felt TOO hot. The bus ride through the winding roads to the port almost ended in disaster but I was able to keep it down. I must have drank a gallon of water at the port while waiting for the ferry. This trip to Mykonos was only an hour and a half so the boat was passengers only, no cars, and super fast.
The mighty seas were high that day my friends! I was fast asleep when we hit the first wave and it scared the bejesus out of me. I believe the driver was also taken by surprise because after everyone and everything hit the roof, there was a noticeable reduction in speed, much to our relief. I was sure I was going to puke and to this day I still cant believe I never did. Once the initial shock was over, the crowd rejoiced that we were now moving at a more appropriate speed over the waves so it felt more like a roller coaster than sky diving.
Then el capitan over here decides he's Dale Earnhardt Jr on water and floors it. So once again there were 150 people bouncing all over the boat. Food and drink went everywhere. All I could so was cower in my seat like a little girl and weep openly for the next hour.
Once I got to my campsite on Paradise Beach I crashed and slept through the night.
The mighty seas were high that day my friends! I was fast asleep when we hit the first wave and it scared the bejesus out of me. I believe the driver was also taken by surprise because after everyone and everything hit the roof, there was a noticeable reduction in speed, much to our relief. I was sure I was going to puke and to this day I still cant believe I never did. Once the initial shock was over, the crowd rejoiced that we were now moving at a more appropriate speed over the waves so it felt more like a roller coaster than sky diving.
Then el capitan over here decides he's Dale Earnhardt Jr on water and floors it. So once again there were 150 people bouncing all over the boat. Food and drink went everywhere. All I could so was cower in my seat like a little girl and weep openly for the next hour.
Once I got to my campsite on Paradise Beach I crashed and slept through the night.
Day 24 - Ios
The nights and mornings keep getting later and later...
I slept til 12:30 and guess where I went? Wrong. I went to the beach this time. Most of my friends had left so I spent the day alone with my ipod. That evening I met the guys in the camp next to mine and the 4 of us went out for dinner and drinks. This time I think I made it to every bar or club on the island and partied until 6 am. Ouch... I crashed for about a minute but then had to get right up and check out so I wouldnt miss my next ferry off the crazy island...
A note to family members and concerned friends: It's no secret that I enjoy the occasional adult beverage, but I assure you that I dont live like this. I was on holidays and remained responsible throughout. No interventions necessary. I calm down, read on.
I slept til 12:30 and guess where I went? Wrong. I went to the beach this time. Most of my friends had left so I spent the day alone with my ipod. That evening I met the guys in the camp next to mine and the 4 of us went out for dinner and drinks. This time I think I made it to every bar or club on the island and partied until 6 am. Ouch... I crashed for about a minute but then had to get right up and check out so I wouldnt miss my next ferry off the crazy island...
A note to family members and concerned friends: It's no secret that I enjoy the occasional adult beverage, but I assure you that I dont live like this. I was on holidays and remained responsible throughout. No interventions necessary. I calm down, read on.
Day 23 - Ios
Up at 11am and straight to the poolside. It was another lazy day around the pool and beach. I hung out with my new friends and made a few more. The evening was almost a repeat of the previous one, only this time I made it to a few more places and got home at 4 (?)
I have no pictures from this day because that would have required more effort than I was willing to give...
I have no pictures from this day because that would have required more effort than I was willing to give...
Day 22 - Paros and Ios
On this morning I said goodbye to Jeff and Stephanie. They headed to Crete and I headed to another island called Ios. I had a morning ferry so I was up and around while they waited around for their evening boat ride.
In Ios I had reserved a "bungalow" at a campsite that was right on the best beach on the island. When I got there, they gave me the key and I quickly found out that bungalow=doghouse in Greece. What did I expect for 11 euros a night? The door came up to about the middle of my chest but I opened it anyway, only to find it occupied by 2 hungover Italians. Back at reception, mass confusion. I'll spare you the details but basically I sat around for an hour and they ultimately upgraded me from a doghouse to an overgrown port-a-potty. But at least I had the WHOLE thing to myself. It was sweltering hot inside this thing. On the bright side, it did have a light and a decent view...
I went to the pool and met some friends, mostly Aussies, and we enjoyed some strawberry daiquiris all day while in and out of the pool and ocean. The beach was literally right across the street from the pool. After a shower I watched a movie with everyone at the outside bar. Shortly after we all caught the bus into town for a bit of a pub crawl. This would be my earliest night in Ios, I came home at about 2.
In Ios I had reserved a "bungalow" at a campsite that was right on the best beach on the island. When I got there, they gave me the key and I quickly found out that bungalow=doghouse in Greece. What did I expect for 11 euros a night? The door came up to about the middle of my chest but I opened it anyway, only to find it occupied by 2 hungover Italians. Back at reception, mass confusion. I'll spare you the details but basically I sat around for an hour and they ultimately upgraded me from a doghouse to an overgrown port-a-potty. But at least I had the WHOLE thing to myself. It was sweltering hot inside this thing. On the bright side, it did have a light and a decent view...
I went to the pool and met some friends, mostly Aussies, and we enjoyed some strawberry daiquiris all day while in and out of the pool and ocean. The beach was literally right across the street from the pool. After a shower I watched a movie with everyone at the outside bar. Shortly after we all caught the bus into town for a bit of a pub crawl. This would be my earliest night in Ios, I came home at about 2.
Day 21 - Santorini
We were up and around by 10 and headed to Kamari Beach. It was a black sand beach, the first one I've ever seen, and I have to say its pretty neat. All the rocks and sand were black and the beach was bordered on one side by a giant cliff.
The water was great and the beach wasnt too crowded so it was very peaceful and scenic. I stayed there for most of the day while the other two wondered around the island. Once I finally dragged my lazy bones off the beach, I returned my scooter and had a shower at the hotel. Later we all walked into town and had a nice dinner and wandered the streets a bit.
The water was great and the beach wasnt too crowded so it was very peaceful and scenic. I stayed there for most of the day while the other two wondered around the island. Once I finally dragged my lazy bones off the beach, I returned my scooter and had a shower at the hotel. Later we all walked into town and had a nice dinner and wandered the streets a bit.
Day 20 - Paros & Santorini
Our ferry left Paros at 12:30, so we had to get up and get checked out in time to have breakfast and get on the ferry. This boat ride was only 3 hours and someone from our hotel was at the port to pick us up. Santorini is more volcanic than the other islands and you can see it in the rocks. The port is at the bottom of a steep hill and there is a winding road up to the top. We sat our stuff down in the hotel and walked over to a scooter shop to rent some wheels. I got a scooter and Jeff and Steph got a 4-wheeler. We got on the road and headed for a town called Oia, which is know for its spectacular sunsets. We stopped at a restaurant along the way. Oia is a really neat town built right into the cliffs. The sunset drew a pretty big crowd, but I wasn't as impressed as I hoped I would be. Even so, I got some neat pics and the city at night was amazing. Two of my favorite pics came from here:
After the sunset we scooted on back to the hotel and hung out at the pool for a bit before crashing.
After the sunset we scooted on back to the hotel and hung out at the pool for a bit before crashing.
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Day 19 - Paros
We walked into the town and had breakfast and then headed to the bus stop nearby. The destination was a beach on the other side of the island, about 45 minutes away. The beach was great, perfect sand and water. There were quite a few wind surfers in the water and we had great views of some smaller surrounding islands. We had a nice lunch at a little beach side cafe and got the bus back to town at about 5. After a shower and a rest we went out to dinner. After asking around we decided that the best bet would be to catch a short bus over to a town called Nassou for some nightlife. The town was busy and we walked through the shops of the winding streets before reaching the harbor. There were plenty of bars and music but the drinks were far out of our budget so we ended up buying some cans from a shop and sitting on the pier. We could still hear music and watch all the people. It was a nice night and we headed home at about 2.
Day 18 - Athens
We slept in a little and then headed to the port to get ferry tickets to the islands. We had tickets by 11 but the ferry didnt leave until 5:30pm, so we had some time to kill. It was a Sunday so there wasnt much going on and we werent very motivated to go very far from the port. We walked through a bizarre flea market that had EVERYTHING you can imagine. There were people yelling back and forth, wheelin and dealin. We ventured a little ways back into town to an internet cafe and killed some time, booked a hotel, and had some food, then headed back to the port and waited it out. The ferry was neat but long, a little over 5 hours. We arrived in Paros late and the hotel was a pleasant surprise. The lady who operated it was very nice and welcomed us with a beer. Town was still hopping, so we walked around and had a late meal before going to bed.
Day 17 - Athens
After breakfast at the hotel we headed to the metro station to get to the Acropolis. There is a lot to see here so we went in the morning to try to beat the heat as much as we could. It didn't do us much good, Athens is sweltering. The entrance to the temples is through the temple of Athena Nike, which I am disappointed to say was entirely covered with scaffolding as part of a restoration process that appears to be taking decades. The Parthenon also had quite a bit of scaffolding, though only on 2 sides and all through the middle. There were at least a few parts that you could see. The views of the city from the top of the hill were amazing. We walked down the hill and over to Ancient Agora and the Temple of Hephaistos which was remarkably well preserved. Around the corner from this we went to Hadrian's Library, which was a mess, and the Temple of Olympian Zeus which still has many pillars standing. On our walk back we stopped and had lunch and then headed to the Archaeological Museum. Everything that used to be in the temples and the ancient cities is kept here. Countless sculptures, statues, pottery, jewelry, weapons, and art. It took over 2 hours to walk through. Afterwards we headed back to the hotel, hot and weary. That night we walked a few blocks over to a nice restaurant and had a good dinner.
Friday, September 5, 2008
Day 16 - Patra and Athens
We arrived in Patra at 12:30 and the train to Athens isnt until 5pm so we had lunch and walked around town a bit. Not much to see here. The first half of the 4.5 hour train ride was in a rickity old beater of a train with no a/c but it went along the coast so the view was amazing. The second half was on a much nicer train. Once in Athens we took the metro to our hotel, which was nice even though it was in a dodgy part of down. Had dinner and a shower and went to bed.
Day 15 - Napoli and Pompeii
Why go to Napoli if it is such a dump? Because Pompeii is right down the road. I've always wanted to see the ancient city that was destroyed by a volcano. After a bit of train confusion (surprised?) we made it to Pompeii with not much time before we had to catch another train over to Bari. Pompeii was amazing to see. Many of the paintings on the walls have survived, as have a few fountains which were decorated with stones and sea shells. We were also able to see several human bodies and a dog that are now solidified in ash. Wish I had more time for a proper tour but we had to head back to Napoli to catch another train to Bari, which is where we will catch a ferry to Greece.
...hours and hours on a train...
We made it to Bari and were able to get strait on a ferry to Patra, Greece. I got the cheapest ticket, which was for the deck, which means not only do I not get a bed, I dont even get a seat. So I set up camp on the deck of the boat and slept very little.
...hours and hours on a train...
We made it to Bari and were able to get strait on a ferry to Patra, Greece. I got the cheapest ticket, which was for the deck, which means not only do I not get a bed, I dont even get a seat. So I set up camp on the deck of the boat and slept very little.
Day 14 - Tuscany-Rome-Napoli
We missed our first train in the moring back to Rome, so we had to scramble over to the next village to catch another one. From there we hopped another train down to Napoli. The train ride was neat, great scenery, but Napoli is a garbage dump. Literally. There is garbage everywhere. We got in a bit late, checked in to our hotel which was lovely, and went looking for a bar with some music or something but no luck.
Day 13 - Tuscan Villa
What an unexpected bonus this is. I woke up in the morning and went outside to find the girls picking basil leaves from the garden so we could make homemade pesto that evening. I had a swim in the infinity pool to wake me up a bit. The pool overlooks grape and olive vineyards as far as the eye can see. It looks like you could swim right over the edge of the pool and down the hill. We all loaded up and headed to the nearest village to get the rest of the pesto ingredients. When we got back we had a quick pasta lunch and I was back in the pool with a few Coronas. We all spent the whole afternoon in the pool, it was perfect. Once evening hit we spent about 4 hours making enough pesto to feed a football team. We had a feast outside that night and I never want to eat pesto again.
Day 12 - Rome
Woke up VERY EARLY to go in to town with Flaminia. Started off at Vatican City. We walked through the museums and the Sistine Chapel and St. Peter's Basilica for a few hours. I had seen the Basilica before but didnt make it to the museums or Sistine Chapel last time I was in Rome. They have countless statues, paintings, tapestries, maps, etc and all of it was very intriguing and priceless. From Vatican City we walked past Castle St. Angelo and over to the Pantheon, another thing I had not seen before. It was the first church in Rome and has an amazingly huge dome with a hole in the center. From there we walked past Trevi Fountain, always amazing, and made our way over the the Roman Forum and the Colosseum. I will always be amazed by the Colosseum no matter how many times I see it. After that we met Flaminia for lunch and headed home. I have now seen everything on my list in Rome, though there is plenty more for me to research and come back to visit.
That evening, Flaminia mentioned her mother's house in the hills of Tuscany and that we could hang out there for a few days if we wanted. The train leaves in 40 minutes, so three minutes later we were out the door and in a cab to the train station. 2 hours later we were there. The house is amazing! It is basically a mansion that is rented out to the super rich for weeks at a time. The last guests before us were uber rich Saudi princes or something (seriously). We got there a bit late so we just chatted with Flaminia's mother and her 12 dogs for a bit and went to bed.
That evening, Flaminia mentioned her mother's house in the hills of Tuscany and that we could hang out there for a few days if we wanted. The train leaves in 40 minutes, so three minutes later we were out the door and in a cab to the train station. 2 hours later we were there. The house is amazing! It is basically a mansion that is rented out to the super rich for weeks at a time. The last guests before us were uber rich Saudi princes or something (seriously). We got there a bit late so we just chatted with Flaminia's mother and her 12 dogs for a bit and went to bed.
Day 11 - Rome
We took the bus to town and walked over to Villa Borghese and through the parks there. From there we went down to Piazza Venezia which is where Vittoriano ("the wedding cake") is located, at the end of the Roman Forum and just down the road from the Colosseum. It was about here that Jeff's camera battery went dead, plus everthing was closed since it was Sunday, so we just headed home. By this time Flaminia was back so we just hung out and chatted with her, cooked dinner, and went to bed.
Day 10 - Ferry and Rome
The ferry doesnt arrive until 430pm and the pool was full of screaming kids, so I spent most of the day watching the Olympics in the lounge. Once we got to the port, there was no clear direction of what to do so we just got on a free shuttle bus that took us about 50 feet... From there we walked to the train station to take us on to Rome. Jeff and Steph have a friend who lives in Rome and offered us free accomodation, Thanks Flaminia! Once we got to her house, we walked to the market and then cooked dinner. It was a quit night and I got to sleep in a real bed!
Day 9 - Barcelona and the ferry
missed my bike tour again! I suck! But I had a great time out and met some cool people so no worried. I will be back to Barcelona so next time I suppose. So we checked out of the hostel, left our bags there since the ferry wasnt until that evening, and headed to the beach to nurse our wounds. We were there about 4 hours, perfect conditions, the perfect cure. From there we got on the 19 hour ferry to Civitavecchia, Italy, which is just outside Rome. We had dinner on board and what was supposed to be a short nap turned into bedtime and I slept through the night. For this ferry we had a cabin with beds and a bathroom. This was a luxury I would never see again...
Day 8 - Barcelona
I slept throught the freaking bike tour again! Damn it! In my defense, I had a terrible nights sleep due to a snoring Englishman in the bunk below mine. Once we got around we went to an internet cafe to check the ferry options to Italy. Once we figured that out we set off to the ticket office to book the tickets. The ferry company has a new name but never bothered to update the website or tell anyone, so what should have taken 15 minutes took an hour and a half just to find the right office, then they told us we couldnt buy the tickets until after 5pm. Once that debacle was finished I was slightly peaved. We hopped on the metro to Guell Park, which is on top of a hill overlooking the city and has some Gaudi architecture inside. After a pleasant stroll through the park we headed back across town to actually buy the tickets for the ferry. It felt like a major accomplishment to actually have these tickets in our hands. It was a long and hot day and I was a little cranky so we headed back to the hostel. There was a market nearby so we got some cheap food and cooked it at the hostel. I got a bottle of wine for less than 2 euros and that made me feel a bit better. Once some people had gathered at the hostel we fired up a drinking game, got everyone loose, and went out to a nightclub. Somewhere along the way I lost Jeff and Steph. The nightclub was called Razmataz, I recommend it if you are ever in town. Good music and then halfway through a live band came out and jammed for a bit. Next thing I know its 6am and I can see the sun. Got little to no sleep and...
Day 7 - Barcelona
Today I had every intention of going on an organized bicycle tour of Barcelona but I slept too late. No worries, I can catch it tomorrow. We walked down the main street of Las Ramblas and we were early enough that we saw most of the street performers putting on their makeup and costumes. This place had more street performers than I have every seen and most of them were very clever. They also have one million souvenir shops and quite a few pet shops on the street selling everything from turtles to chipmunks. We made it to the plaza at the end and found a place to rent bikes. It was the best decision I ever made. It was so fun to just cruise around town, it made me feel like a little kid in Coldwater again. I had a big clunky cruiser. We didnt really know where to go but stumbled across some Gaudi architecture and Sagrada Familia. Sagrada Familia might be the coolest looking building I have ever seen but I didnt want to pay a tenner to get in. Google it. After a lunch we came back to the hostel and Steph and I went to the beach while Jeff hung out at the hostel. The beach here is great. Nice sand, great water, and tons of people. I spent the whole afternoon/evening at the beach and then had a quit night at the hostel before bed.
Day 6 - Madrid and Barcelona
First thing on the agenda was to go to the train station to get tickets to Barcelona. It took much longer than we expected but we finally got them and then went for lunch, which also took forever. By then we didnt have much time til the train left so we went to a huge park nearby called Parque del Retiro and wandered around. They had several cool fountains and monuments there. After that we got on the train to Barcelona. We plan on staying there a few days and I cant wait to be settled somewhere for more than one night. Once we got checked in the to the Abaredo Youth Hostel in we went for a walk. Right away I could tell this was a very cool city. We went to the seaside and saw the many vendors and performers there. I walked all the way to the beach and had a look, though by now most people were leaving. The seaside/boardwalk area was very interesting. That evening we did our own little tapas tour through the pedestrian streets along Las Ramblas. Here they have tons of cool bars and restaurants. Came home a bit tispy to find several fun people hanging out in the common area of our hostel.
Day 5 - Madrid
Arrived at 840am after a long, hot, not too comfy overnight train. Had a quick bite and a coffee at the train station and then got on the metro. Our hostel was supposedly "very close" to a metro stop. What they didnt mention was that metro stop is under construction and you cant get there. So we got off where we could, got on a bus going whoknowswhere. At random we decided to get off. We walked a mile and found our hostel, Mad Hostel. After we checked in we went for a stroll and came across Reina Sofia museum. It had many works by Picasso including the famous "Guernica" of which I have always been a fan. It is HUGE. I also like art by Angeles Santos (Un Mundo) and Juan Gris (La Ventana Abierta and La Mesa Del Musico.) After about 3 hours in the museum we went back to the hostel to rest a minute before a tapas tour that the hostel offered. It was meant to go to 4 different tapas bars but #3 was so good we just stayed there. We met come cool people and I accidentally fed meat to a vegeterian and she puked, always a lifelong goal. Later that evening we went walking after dark. Madrid is neat at night, I got some neat pics.
a little ketchup
I am in Bari, Italy and my ferry to Croatia doesnt leave for 12 more hours so I am going to see how far I can get on the blog. Enjoy.
Sunday, August 31, 2008
Friday, August 29, 2008
Still Kickin it
Currently sleeping in a doghouse in Ios, Greece for a few nights. Today I laid by the beach all day then moved over to the pool. Now I'm exhausted...
Thursday, August 14, 2008
Yes I am alive
I havent had a chance to do blogs lately, I´ve been very busy exploring and hanging out at beaches. I am at an internet cafe now but I dont have my journal with me and I dont want to miss anything. I´m in Barcelona, which is the coolest city so far. Hopefully I will get some more time soon to update you on what I have been doing, but it has been really fun. Gracias por su visita!
Sunday, August 10, 2008
Day 4 - Lisbon
Today we had planned to hit the beach just a ways down the coast from Lisbon. We slept in a bit, grabbed some breakfast, and headed for the train station. After a bit of confusion over which train to take, we stuffed our bags in some lockers at the train station and headed for the beach town. There was one stop we wanted to make along they way which was the Monument to the Discoveries. It's bascially a giant statue of several famous Portuguese explorers. It's very big and impressive and you can go up to the top for more great views. On the other side of the river is a statue of Jesus that is the sister to the one in Rio, Brazil. After a bit more train confusion we made it to the beach and had a nap. My only complaint is the amount of old fat women in thongs...
Back in town now, about to get dinner and then get on a 10 hour overnight train to Madrid, Spain. Long trip but it means I dont have to pony up for accomodation tonight:)
Adios!
Amo, Russ
Back in town now, about to get dinner and then get on a 10 hour overnight train to Madrid, Spain. Long trip but it means I dont have to pony up for accomodation tonight:)
Adios!
Amo, Russ
Day 3 - Lisbon
August 9
We arrived in Lisbon just after lunch and checked in to our hostel after a long and hot walk from the train station. We were spoiled a bit by the first hostel and this one was not nearly as nice, but it got the job done. We had a bed to sleep in. As soon as we checked in we got a quick bite and made our way out to the aquarium. It is the second biggest in the world and the whole thing is built around a giant tank that represents the natural ocean and has tons of different fish and plants inside. It holds the same amount of water as 4 Olympic size swimming pools. The main tank had several kinds of sharks, rays, eels, barracuda, tuna, grouper, sunfish, and tons of other weird ones that I didnt recognize. As you walked around the giant tank there were many other smaller tanks with specific kinds of plants and animals from different oceans of the world. We spent about 2 hours there. We were there for about 2 hours and then headed back to the main part of town. We headed for a cafe that is at the top of a 100 year old tower with an elevator, but we chose to walk up the hill to get there instead. The top offered some great views of the city and a couple of well deserved beers. From here we headed back down to explore the city streets. Like most old cities in Europe, Lisbon has a main part of town that is mostly pedestrian, so we walked around there a bit. We came out at the coast where there is a giant arch at the gates of some very old government buildings with a massive public square. We saw that a stage had been erected to we checked it out and found that we were in the middle of an Ocean Festival and tonight would be a free concert by Craig David. I'm not really in to Craid David but we thought it would be cool anyway. We had some time to kill so we went for a quick dinner and back to the concert. The opening band was Portuguese and while they rocked, I had no idea what they were saying. My feet and back hurt from walking all day so I was ready to hear the one Craig David song I knew and go to bed. Intro band played for an hour and a half before CD came on, played three songs and we left. I almost got my pocket picked but luckily I have deep pockets and not much in them. That night I was very ready to get off my feet and get in bed. Tomorrow, the beach!
We arrived in Lisbon just after lunch and checked in to our hostel after a long and hot walk from the train station. We were spoiled a bit by the first hostel and this one was not nearly as nice, but it got the job done. We had a bed to sleep in. As soon as we checked in we got a quick bite and made our way out to the aquarium. It is the second biggest in the world and the whole thing is built around a giant tank that represents the natural ocean and has tons of different fish and plants inside. It holds the same amount of water as 4 Olympic size swimming pools. The main tank had several kinds of sharks, rays, eels, barracuda, tuna, grouper, sunfish, and tons of other weird ones that I didnt recognize. As you walked around the giant tank there were many other smaller tanks with specific kinds of plants and animals from different oceans of the world. We spent about 2 hours there. We were there for about 2 hours and then headed back to the main part of town. We headed for a cafe that is at the top of a 100 year old tower with an elevator, but we chose to walk up the hill to get there instead. The top offered some great views of the city and a couple of well deserved beers. From here we headed back down to explore the city streets. Like most old cities in Europe, Lisbon has a main part of town that is mostly pedestrian, so we walked around there a bit. We came out at the coast where there is a giant arch at the gates of some very old government buildings with a massive public square. We saw that a stage had been erected to we checked it out and found that we were in the middle of an Ocean Festival and tonight would be a free concert by Craig David. I'm not really in to Craid David but we thought it would be cool anyway. We had some time to kill so we went for a quick dinner and back to the concert. The opening band was Portuguese and while they rocked, I had no idea what they were saying. My feet and back hurt from walking all day so I was ready to hear the one Craig David song I knew and go to bed. Intro band played for an hour and a half before CD came on, played three songs and we left. I almost got my pocket picked but luckily I have deep pockets and not much in them. That night I was very ready to get off my feet and get in bed. Tomorrow, the beach!
Friday, August 8, 2008
Day 2 - Porto
This morning after brekkie at the hostel we headed to the train station to reserve seats for the journey to lisbon tomorrow. Since the "Italian Standoff" I now know how to operate the ever so complex Europass. Hopefully I dont get threatened with jail time tomorrow. Once we had that taken care of we headed off to the beach. We went to a different one than the extra rocky one that we saw yesterday and it was much nicer. Not as many rocks and the sand was nice and soft. But...it was way to windy to enjoy. On the bright side, my skin has never been so exfoliated. I explored a rocky jetti that was neat. All the rocks were worn smooth by the waves and there were quite a few pools from when the tide is high. I saw quite a few crabs and seach urchins and a few fish in some of the bigger pools.
We werent at the beach long and we got back on the bus towards town to search out a Port storehouse. We crossed a bridge and found one just after the bus stop. It was the Sandeman storehouse which is the most popular brand. The tour was very neat. They had thousands of barrels of ageing port, some that held over 20,000 liters of wine! After that tour we got to taste a few and they were very good. We left there to get a very late lunch and sat by the river for a while enjoying the scenery and river traffic.
By then it was almost 5 so we started to head back to the hostel and took a detour through the main part of town that we hadnt been to yet. Again, neat architecture but overall pretty dull. We were pretty tired so we came back to the hostel to rest for a bit before dinner here. Dinner time in Spain and Portugal is anywhere from 9-12pm. I've had a nap and a shower and I think we are going to get some food from the shop down the street and maybe watch a movie here at the hostel or something. There are plenty of other people here so I'm sure we'll find some people to chat with.
I realized today that since I am travelling for 50 days total and this isnt like a regular vacation, I cant go out to dinner and fight something to do every night. I need regular nights in to relax, not only to save money but just to survive! Travelling is exhausting sometimes, there is so much to see and so many miles to walk.
Tomorrow we will be in Lisbon by noon and I think we are going to the beach for the afternoon. There is also a neat aquarium there that I want to go to, I'm very excited about that. Look for another post later with all the neat stuff I learned about Port wine today.
We werent at the beach long and we got back on the bus towards town to search out a Port storehouse. We crossed a bridge and found one just after the bus stop. It was the Sandeman storehouse which is the most popular brand. The tour was very neat. They had thousands of barrels of ageing port, some that held over 20,000 liters of wine! After that tour we got to taste a few and they were very good. We left there to get a very late lunch and sat by the river for a while enjoying the scenery and river traffic.
By then it was almost 5 so we started to head back to the hostel and took a detour through the main part of town that we hadnt been to yet. Again, neat architecture but overall pretty dull. We were pretty tired so we came back to the hostel to rest for a bit before dinner here. Dinner time in Spain and Portugal is anywhere from 9-12pm. I've had a nap and a shower and I think we are going to get some food from the shop down the street and maybe watch a movie here at the hostel or something. There are plenty of other people here so I'm sure we'll find some people to chat with.
I realized today that since I am travelling for 50 days total and this isnt like a regular vacation, I cant go out to dinner and fight something to do every night. I need regular nights in to relax, not only to save money but just to survive! Travelling is exhausting sometimes, there is so much to see and so many miles to walk.
Tomorrow we will be in Lisbon by noon and I think we are going to the beach for the afternoon. There is also a neat aquarium there that I want to go to, I'm very excited about that. Look for another post later with all the neat stuff I learned about Port wine today.
Day 1 - Porto
the night before our trip i could barely sleep. i woke up for the last time at about 4am. i ended up getting to the airport WAY too early and sitting alone for a couple hours. i was too excited. we got to porto at about noon and where checked into the hostel by 1. we set out for lunch and found 3 euro lasagne! it was gross... from there we just started walking. we spotted an open top bus tour so we hopped on. i love those, they are a great way to see a lot of things and get oriented with the city. this city is full of churches and old historic buildings. all the old buildings and many of the new have a pretty distinct style with tiles covers most of the facade. most of the tiled parts make up elaborate mosaics that depict historic moments from Portuguese history or the Bible. This is the most interesting thing about Porto so far, the rest of the tour was rather boring. We did find the beach so we got off the bus and visited an old castle that was a fortress to protect the beach. From there we walked for almost an hour. The beach is very rocky and not comfortable to walk on. It's also full of old people. This town seems to be full of the older generation. After the beach walk we got back to the main part of town and boarded a river cruise that came with the tour. This part was pretty interesting because the city is divided by a river and there are quite a few interesting bridges spanning across. From there we had a long walk back to the hostel. I wore my flops and wore a nice blister between my toes on both feet. They are still bleeding this morning so that will make the next few days fun. No more flops. The city is very hilly so there are many uphill walks when we are out and about. When we got back to the hostel we rested for a bit, I had a shower, and then we went out for dinner. We ate at some diner that had pretty much everything. We finished at about 10pm and where very tired so we just went to bed. I'm up this morning and had breakfast here at the hostel. I think we are about to head to the train station to reserve tickets for Lisbon tomorrow, then we're off the lay in the sun on the beach. In the afternoon we may tour a port factory if we can find one. (Port is a wine that is made here, google it.) Having fun so far. I only realized this morning that I will be traveling a total of 50 days by the time it is all said and done!
Wednesday, August 6, 2008
i'm off
it's 6am. i'm about to head to the airport to leave for portugal. i barely slept all night i'm so excited. the first stop is Porto and i have no idea what there is to do there, it was just the cheapest ticket to the mainland...
off we go
off we go
Friday, July 25, 2008
the end of an era
Today was, for all practical purposes, my last day at Dell. Technically next Friday is my last day, but I'm only going in for a few hours on Tuesday and Friday of next week.
I feel like I'm being forced out more than quitting. They are making it impossible to work there and a lot of good people are quitting. Just about everyone that has come to Ireland from America is leaving, and there are quite a few Irish moving on as well. The mood at the company is completely dreary. it's all doom and gloom and every breakfast/lunch/break is a depressing affair. we sit around and gripe about how bad things are. We worry about what will happen next. we're miserable and, for some, it has affected other areas of our lives. We spend a ton of time at work and when that is bad, it has a ripple effect. Dell, at least the Ireland location anyway, appears to be a sinking ship and we're jumping. I hate to be quitting, Dell has been good to me up until this point and I'm sure if I went back in the US I would be OK, but the whole thing has left a bad taste in my mouth, and I was never passionate about this job anyway. It was a good opportunity and I did well, but it's over.
The worst part is, I don't really want to leave Europe yet. I feel like I'm not leaving on my own terms. Now that the decision is made, however, I am looking forward to starting some new things back home. I have no job lined up, no place to live yet, no car, and after my last hurrah trip around Europe before I fly home, I will have no money. It's actually quite exciting. I know things will work out how they should.
So, I leave August 7th for a 6(ish) week train trip around Europe. I bought a one way ticket to Portugal and a 2 month train ticket. I have a loose plan but I will mostly fly by the seat of my pants. Whenever I am ready to move on, I'll just head to the train station and see where it will take me. I'll try to keep up on the blog where I can find internet cafes and such so stay tuned and wish me luck and pray that things calm down in Turkey because I will be there around the end of August.
Love, Russ
PS get a mac.
I feel like I'm being forced out more than quitting. They are making it impossible to work there and a lot of good people are quitting. Just about everyone that has come to Ireland from America is leaving, and there are quite a few Irish moving on as well. The mood at the company is completely dreary. it's all doom and gloom and every breakfast/lunch/break is a depressing affair. we sit around and gripe about how bad things are. We worry about what will happen next. we're miserable and, for some, it has affected other areas of our lives. We spend a ton of time at work and when that is bad, it has a ripple effect. Dell, at least the Ireland location anyway, appears to be a sinking ship and we're jumping. I hate to be quitting, Dell has been good to me up until this point and I'm sure if I went back in the US I would be OK, but the whole thing has left a bad taste in my mouth, and I was never passionate about this job anyway. It was a good opportunity and I did well, but it's over.
The worst part is, I don't really want to leave Europe yet. I feel like I'm not leaving on my own terms. Now that the decision is made, however, I am looking forward to starting some new things back home. I have no job lined up, no place to live yet, no car, and after my last hurrah trip around Europe before I fly home, I will have no money. It's actually quite exciting. I know things will work out how they should.
So, I leave August 7th for a 6(ish) week train trip around Europe. I bought a one way ticket to Portugal and a 2 month train ticket. I have a loose plan but I will mostly fly by the seat of my pants. Whenever I am ready to move on, I'll just head to the train station and see where it will take me. I'll try to keep up on the blog where I can find internet cafes and such so stay tuned and wish me luck and pray that things calm down in Turkey because I will be there around the end of August.
Love, Russ
PS get a mac.
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
A short story (fiction)
about a loser in an airport, inspired by me while I was in the airport today. Love it or hate it, leave a comment and let me know:) This is fictional, it didn't really happen to me.
I am just sitting here. Minding my own business. Hating life.
I went to bed at 1am and woke up at 4:30am. I sat on my delayed flight for 35 minutes before the plane even moved.
Even though I was up so early, I still have time to kill, so I got an Americano and a chocolate muffin from the airport coffee shop. Both are shit.
I’m on my way to yet another conference where 9 of my asshole bosses are going to tell lies to my customers that I will have to account for and answer to. They will light fires today that I will have to put out tomorrow. I have no purpose at this event. I am not presenting, chasing a
I don’t know any of this is coming my way while I am hating my breakfast and the story isn’t really about that because she really ruins my day before any of that started.
Anyway, back to me sitting here. I notice her walk up to the counter and yes, OK, I’m a guy, I notice that she is gorgeous and has an amazing body and all those other dirty thoughts that go along with that. And yes, I am picturing her naked. It is awesome. She looks great.
She is wearing one of those disgusting velour track suits. Only she is pulling it off. Despite the fact that it is the color of a hookers eye makeup. Her hair is in a perfect messy ponytail or clippy thing or whatever. Her hairstyle says, “No, I don’t want to join the mile high club, I’m already a member.” A low waist and tight around her perfectly shaped butt. Zipped low enough to show a screaming glimmer of hope. Mocking me with her cleavage. A glorious 3 inches of skin between the pants and the top is what puts me over the top. She has those hip bones. She wears flip flops and she has nice feet (not that I’m into feet, they just aren't gross, which is nice) and she is tan. Real tan, not bottled tan.
I’m still sitting here. What am I going to do run over and introduce myself, buy her a coffee and offer her a seat at my table? There is exactly one chair left in this area and it is across from me at my table. She glances around the room, notices the seat, and glides right over. She doesn't even give the room a panicked second glance why doesn't she look harder you don’t just approach a stranger like this!!
“Is anyone sitting here?” She asks in her angelic voice with a perfect smile and I swear to God her teeth sparkle like in the movies. She very easily could have said, “Get your shit off my table and disappear. In your cheap department store suit. You disgust me. You’re a disgrace.” Because all of those things are true. I hate this stupid department store suit. Anyway, she could have said all that and I would still tell this story as if it were a triumph simply because I was so near to her and she spoke in my general direction.
All of this is going through my head for a few seconds. Then I realize she was waiting for a response. She is looking at me with anticipatory raised eyebrows and a still great smile when she should have been dumping hot coffee all over my useless crotch.
So with a mouth full of chocolate crap muffin I shake my head yes for a full 10 seconds before muttering “sure thing” and spitting chunks on the table as I spoke. Brilliant. She sits down but my tray is right in the middle of the table which doesn't leave enough room for hers. I am busy in my mind trying to determine what sickness I must have to be this delusional and also what the other people in the shop must be thinking at the sight of me talking at what has to be no one. She is forced to give a perfectly cute giggle as she tries to set her tray down with mine clearly in the way. She probably should have picked up my tray and slammed it over my head, but her way worked too, I move my tray back without a word. I triy to do it deliberately and not like an imaginary goddess had asked me to. All this for the benefit of the other patrons. I want no one to worry. Or call security on the looney in the coffee shop spitting all over his table and talking to himself. Anyway, her demeanor is perfect and she doesn't feel awkward at all and I might as well be naked on the jumbotron at the Super Bowl.
I decide to ignore her. For obvious reasons. This is obviously a trap or a dream or at the very least a total disaster. It is a test.
In my attempt to ignore her, I pull my book out of my bag. Breakfast of Champions by Kurt Vonnegut. Backfire for my original plan but major accomplishment for my as yet formed and newly developing plan. To win her heart forever, of course. My how things change. Once I have my book out, she quickly goes into her own bag and fetches a dagger for my heart. Cat’s Cradle by, guess who, Kurt Vonnegut. She puts it on the table and slides it towards me so that I can't miss it. When I see it I am surprised enough that I say nothing. I just sit here and stare at her sort of wide-eyed, a face that could be interpreted as confusion, disdain, pleasure, fear for my life, discomfort, etc, etc, who knows what it looks like but what seems like an hour passes by and the whole time I am thinking, “sure, go ahead, find a way to hate me for this…”
“You read Kurt Vonnegut!” That’s an exclamation point friend, not a question mark. It is a statement. An excited statement. Her inflection is one not filled with contempt, much to my surprise. It is more like “Finally! I can’t believe it! I was just telling all the other beauty queens that I am going to marry the next guy I find who reads the same very widely circulated best selling author as me!”
What follows is unreal to me. Uncharted territory. A conversation that includes some or all of the following:
- I’ve only read a few of his.
- Did you read Slaughterhouse Five?
- Did you know he really was in
- He’s very witty and funny.
- Who else do you like?
And other relevant questions, answers, opinions, words, and sentences that make up what appears to me like a normal conversation. I consider it a success because I say nothing stupid or insulting and when it is over she is still here. It is the most successful conversation I’ve ever had for that reason.
I could have keep going. She is actually making it very easy for me. My plan is to segue from Vonnegut to Palahniuk and then to movies via Fight Club. After movies/actors/actresses I will transition to music via Glen Hansard and Once. These were all topics that I can deal with and seem like good topics for normal, interesting, get to know you type questions for regular people in coffee shops.
But I am cut short. Don’t panic, you wont believe this. I am interrupted from the Palahniuk Transition by some prick interrupting us with the most obnoxious “Is that whats-her-name from such and such’s blah blah blah class? Oh my God I can’t believe it’s you what are you doing here? Gosh you look as great as ever!!”
It is apparently a former classmate of hers happening by in the airport. Of course I am immediately put off and since this jackass is wearing an Armani suit I decide to fold. I am fully prepared to give my It Was Nice Meeting You sendoff when I realize that I know this guy. A friend of a friend type situation, we have met once or twice. He recognizes me at about the same time as I recognize him. He also recognizes my suit. Shit.
They could easily go off on tangents that don’t involve me. About the fun times they had in school or the people they knew or inside jokes. If I am them, that’s what I would be doing. But they don’t do that. Instead, we all three have a conversation, which was the last thing I thought would happen. Small talk. Chat. About the weather and the local sports teams and the coffee and why we are all at the airport.
Why we are all at the airport is another reason this story is worth telling. As it turns out, Whatshisface is going to the same event I am, put on by my company, only he was invited as a guest because he is a potential customer of the particular products that I sell. I wouldn’t have been more surprised if I had woken up with my hands sewn to my face.
Over the course of the next fifteen minutes, we work out a plan to do business together. I barely had to give my pitch, and we even made plans to close a decent sized deal as soon as we were both back to our desks after the conference.
So Guy takes off, he has to Take Care of Some Things before we meet again at the conference so I’m left here with my dream girl. It is getting close to time for me to go, but I am 100% willing to blow it off and sit at this airport coffee shop that serves burnt Folgers and last weeks muffins with this girl. Of course, she has somewhere to be too. I’m rolling now, on cruise control, confidence is at an all time high, so I make a move.
“So can I get your number?” or something like that…
“Nope.”
Shit. I should have known. How could I be so dumb? Did I forget who I was for a sec?
“Ok, well it was nice to mee…”
“No silly, you give me your number, and no fakes, I’m sick of giving my number to guys and never hearing from them again. You give me yours and I will definitely call you about this weekend.”
Nothing could bring me down. I could wake up the next morning to find my own kidney listed on EBay and shake it off. I might even bid on it with a smile on my face. The world is my oyster. Things are looking up.
So anyway, I’m still sitting here. Sipping my bitter drink and nibbling at my crumbly muffin and watching a very attractive girl in a turquoise velour track suit order a coffee and walk away, counting down the minutes…
Thursday, July 3, 2008
Donde es la bibliotecha?
That's right friends, I'm off to Spain tomorrow! I get a full day to goof off in London, then a party bus to Pamplona, Spain for the San Fermin festival and the running of the bulls! I'll be running on Monday and, if I survive that, Tuesday as well. Watch for me on the news, I'll be the one in all white with a red sash, running for my life. Possibly also the one flying through the air after a bull rips me a new a-hole and then stomps my manberries. Don't worry mom, I'll adopt you some more grandbabies. You might have to cosign.
Love, Russ
Love, Russ
Egypt will change your life
I’ve always wanted to go to
My travel buddy was Thuong, you might remember him from the ski trip, and we had pretty much an entire day of traveling to get to
Once we got to the hotel we checked in and decided to see what was going on at the hotel bar. I went to the ATM machine to get some Egyptian Pounds and was surprised to see that my 400 pounds was dispensed in all 10s. You get about 8 pounds for 1 euro so I was only holding about 50 euros but I still felt rich. Things are pretty cheap in
The next morning was a big day: the Pyramids and the Sphinx, as well as
We drove from there out to the Pyramids and I was shocked to see that the city is built all the way up to them. One second you are in town, and you just take a left and there you are at the pyramids and the cameras went crazy. It is impossible to look away from the pyramids. They look much different than I expected. When you see them on TV they seem relatively smooth and uniform, but they are actually very rocky and jagged. I expected all the blocks to be the same size and that was not the case. Look closely in some of the pictures and you will see what I mean. That being said, pictures will not do them, or anything else in
Outside the pyramids there were many locals selling cold drinks and camel rides. They were always begging you to take their picture, which we were told to avoid because once you give them that much attention, they will not leave you alone and try to sell you camel rides. They tell you it’s free but it’s a trap. They will let you up and then make you pay them to let you off. Be warned, nothing is free no matter what they say. At the very least they will hassle you for a tip.
Once we had a good look around we took the bus up the hill a bit to a place where we could get a good view of all the pyramids at once. Here we took a group photo and started our camel ride. It was basically a short journey from the hill down to the foot of the pyramids. My camel’s name was Michael Jackson according to his handler. The camel ride was short but it was very cool. I recommend it if you go and you shouldn’t have to pay more than 50 Egyptian pounds for it.
After that we went right around the corner to the Sphinx. There is a temple there that was used as part of the funeral before the ultimate burial inside the pyramid. The Sphinx has the body of a lion, to symbolize strength, and the head of a man, to symbolize the wisdom of man. It is still a mystery of how the nose was destroyed. The most popular theory is that it was shot of for fun by Napoleons soldiers but there are painting of the Sphinx with no nose from before Napoleon ever arrived, according to Bishoy.
Our next stop was the papyrus institute, where they make and sell real papyrus. The papyrus plant grows in the waters of the
Once we left the institute, we headed west to Saqqara, which is the home of the oldest pyramid in
By this time we were all hot, tired, and hungry. We got back on the bus and didn’t really know what was up next, we just knew that we were getting on a train later that night. It was only about 3pm and Bishoy told us that they had arranged for us to hang out at a hotel pool nearby and they had arranged a BBQ for us that evening. This was exactly what we all needed. The hotel pool was great and, best of all, it had a swim up bar. As we were all lounging about and just getting to know each other, a man walked around the corner with a lion cub in his arms. For just a few pounds he would let you hold it and take your picture. I’m pretty sure he was sedated but he still wasn’t happy. By the time I held him he was growling quite a bit and he even had a nibble on my arm as I was passing him back, but luckily they had removed his sharp teethe. It was kind of sad to see the lion like that but, hey, I’m only one man and what could I do?
That night the food was glorious. I didn’t recognize anything on my plate but it was all great. After we ate we all headed for the train station for our overnight, 14 hour journey to
We arrived in
From there we headed back to
Day three we got a much needed sleep in. Some of the crew bought an optional side trip that took the whole morning, so we slept late and had a nice breakfast and then hung out at the pool again. This was to day that we started our sailing journey up the Nile to
That night we were invited to the home of a Nubian family to relax and smoke their hookahs. They had a nice area in the courtyard set up and we listened to music and smoked. Hookahs are usually filled with flavored tobacco of some kind. I think ours was apple but not quite sure. Hookahs amplify the affect of alcohol if you’ve been drinking, so it turned into quite a party. I’m pretty sure there was some salsa dancing involved.
At the end of the night we all went back to the felucca to sleep. This was the night that I first began to feel the stomach bug, along with several other members of the group.
This is as good a time as any to get real about what will happen to you in
That being said, the felucca sailing was great. All of the second day was spent cruising down the
When I woke up we were tied in at our last stop where the bus was waiting for us. We were just outside
I won’t go into too much detail on the temples. I wont be able to do it much justice and it’s more fun you learn it yourself when you are there. The Kom Ombo temple is dedicated to two different gods, Haroeris on the left side and Sobek on the right. Sobek was the crocodile headed god and they had a couple of mummified crocs there. From the Kom Ombo temple we went to the
After the two temples we arrived at our hotel in
The entire next day was spent around
Once we landed after about an hour, we headed to the
Just outside the Valley we stopped to visit a family who made their living selling carvings made from alabaster, granite, basalt, flint, and onyx. They showed us the difference between these and the cheap plastic or chalk carvings that they try to sell you around all the sights. They had everything from statues of every god to vases to cups and bowls.
The next temple was built by Queen Hatshepsut. This one has a much different structure than the rest and has many columns on several different levels. There are chapels on each side that still have painted walls and ceilings. Just around the corner from that we saw the Valley of the
At last the final temple! They were all interesting in their own right but were starting to blend together. The last one, though, was probably my favorite:
After we had visited the last temple we were all spent. 4:15am was starting to catch up with us. It was mid afternoon and we didn’t have to be anywhere until the train left at 9pm, so we relaxed and napped by the pool for the rest of the afternoon. The next part of our journey was a 10 hour night train back to
Once back in
Inside the museum also made me realize how many things the Egyptians came up with several thousand years ago that are still used today. They had umbrellas that fold out exactly how modern ones do. They used surgical tools that closely resemble the ones used today. They even had board games. We also got to see plenty of mummies in the museum, including many animals such as crocodiles, cats, dogs, horses, monkeys, jackals, fish, and snakes.
After the museum we went across town to the
Monday, June 30, 2008
do work
two work related things:
1) i am quitting Hell, Inc. Aug 1
B) i did some work on flickr and uploaded a ton more pics from around Europe
and lastly, i've been lazy with the Egypt blog. sue me. i'll try to have it up this week before i go to spain to get gored by a pack of angry bulls. what is a group of bulls? a flock of angry bulls? a school of angry bulls? nope, got it. a pride of angry bulls. zoology rocks.
1) i am quitting Hell, Inc. Aug 1
B) i did some work on flickr and uploaded a ton more pics from around Europe
and lastly, i've been lazy with the Egypt blog. sue me. i'll try to have it up this week before i go to spain to get gored by a pack of angry bulls. what is a group of bulls? a flock of angry bulls? a school of angry bulls? nope, got it. a pride of angry bulls. zoology rocks.
Saturday, June 21, 2008
Egypt Teaser
Full account to come soon, but I'll let you check out some pics. I took around 1300. Click here to see the highlights album.
Thursday, June 5, 2008
Ski the Alps
When I first thought of moving to Europe, one of the things towards the top of my list was to ski the Alps . I didn’t know much about it, but I knew it would be amazing. So once the holidays were over, I rounded up some dudes for a Man Trip.
Thuong Nguyen: That’s Tune Win. 37 but looks 25. Vietnamese with a Tennessee
And me: well you pretty much know me, plus I would feel silly writing something like that about myself.
Seamus Jones: From Pennsylvania, looks like a young James Cromwell, barrel chested, loud snorer.
Michael Bourn: Buddhist Arizonian who has been partying non-stop since 1989. Fell in love with a Wicklow girl. Last known whereabouts:
Thuong Nguyen: That’s Tune Win. 37 but looks 25. Vietnamese with a 
And me: well you pretty much know me, plus I would feel silly writing something like that about myself.
We must have talked about the trip for a month ahead of time. Hats off to Cinnamon Sprinkles for organizing pretty much the whole thing and making the video afterwards. In fairness, he does the least at work so it made sense.
On January 16, 2008 we set off on our adventure. I got to the airport pretty early (745am) and found Seamus half a pint down already. It was then that I knew what kind of trip this would be, and I nearly hugged him. We sat and had a nice pint of Guinness with breakfast while we waited for the others.
When they arrived, we couldn’t stop laughing, mostly at this picture:
For some reason I was offered a job with the highway patrol, and Rob was being recruited by the Irish Pimp Association. We graciously declined.
When we got on the plane we were as giddy as a bunch of
Me: I’ll have an Old Milwaukee please.
FA: Huh?
Me: Keystone Light?
FA: We don’t have any of those.
Me: What about Colt 45?
FA: We have Heineken and Guinness.
Me: Oh cool I’ll just have a Natty Light then.
FA: Heineken or Guinness sir. (losing patience)
Me: Ok please tell me you have
FA: (Stern look on her face that said: order a GD Heineken or Guinness or I will lock you in the shitter!)
Me: Heineken please. Thank you ma’am.
We landed in
That first night we rented our gear, ate dinner at the hostel, and ended up drinking Amstel there until late. Four of us went to bed and Thuong went out with some new friends to another bar. Amidst all the snoring I think I heard him stumble in at about 430am. When we all got up at 8 to hit the slopes, he was nestled under everything he owned, which he had somehow dumped out of his bag. We didn’t see him until late that afternoon.
There are several places to choose from to ski and we picked one at random. It was only a short
walk from the hostel to the bus station, which took us straight to the lifts. That first day was the worst weather we had, but it still wasn’t bad. A bit foggy and windy but we still had a great time. Bourn was the self designated navigator, and once we got him to hold the map right side up he did a phenomenal job. Quite a few falls that day, except for Grandpa Jones, who never went fast enough to even worry about a wobble. At one point I saw him sipping tea and knitting a shawl while making slow gentle S curves down the mountain, not a care in the world.
From here on the details get a little fuzzy… I know we went out that night, but I couldn’t tell you with 100% accuracy the order of the following events. This is only partially due to the amount of beers consumed, but also the amount of time (and subsequent beers consumed) since these events took place. I’ll tell you the stories and you can put them together in a way that suits you best. Interactive blog!
I do know that that night we went out to a nice dinner and I had something called Raclette. Raclette is a meal that consists of a giant wedge of cheese placed on a special heater that melts the sides, which you scrape onto an assortment of meats, potatoes, and breads. It was superb. I remember it well because it gave us all terrible gas for the rest of the trip. Toasty on the slopes, menacing in the hostel. We had that with some good wine. I’ve never seen or heard of this anywhere else but I recommend it if you ever come across it. There was a pub there that we went to after that. It was a quieter place that people went to before they really went out for the night. We stayed a while and met some other travelers. Once we were done there we finished up at the hostel and went to bed.
The second day of skiing we went to the other
side of the valley. This side was more wide open. At the top, they had this cable car that went from peak to peak and it seemed to just disappear in the fog and go nowhere. Once you got above the clouds, it was like a clear sunny day and it was actually quite warm. This offered some of the most breathtaking views I’ve ever seen. I don’t know what it is about the Alps, but they seem more beautiful than the
This was the first day we had Thuong and he was, shall we say, how do I put this delicately, a terrible skier. The man couldn’t keep his skis on if we nailed them to his feet. You know those plastic fences they put up around tricky spots so no one goes over the edge, but every time you see them you think, “no one is that bad. I bet no one ever gets caught in those nets,” ? Behold:
That’s Thuong, in one of those nets, at the end of one of the gentlest catwalks you will ever see. They were training toddlers how to “make a pizza” to stop, and Thuong ended up looking like a fly caught in a spider web. Someone actually had to use Thuong’s own ski to fish him out. Ok maybe I’m beating him up too much, he picked it up later but I think we can all say he was on his butt more than the rest of us.
That night (or one of those night, they’re all running together now) was a big sports night. There was an important rugby match on as well as an NFL playoff game. We found a pub called
The third and final day of skiing we all felt a bit groggy but spirits were high. We went up the side of the mountain near
The trip home looked like 5 of the most tired boys in history. It felt like I didn’t sleep for days. With all the snoring going on, I probably slept 45 minutes total. I’ve also never drank that many beers over a 4 day period in my life. We yawned, farted, and laughed the whole way home. It was a highly successful trip that we still laugh about often. If you’re ever in the neighborhood, ski the 
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