After 4 weeks of travel there is allot that I experienced and shared.
There are a number of people I want to thank so bear with me, as the list is really long….
I want to start with thanking Murray and Kathleen who were the single factor in me traveling to these parts of the world after all the trip was for their wedding and that was the primary reason for the travel.
Mr & Mrs Mackay best wishes for a bright, blissful union and may your days be as happy as that day in Loch Lomond.
I would like to thank my buddy Mitch who encouraged the idea and slowly pushed me into taking the initiative in booking the whole trip…Thanks Mitch I hope you are enjoying Sth America.
My brother in law Chris for driving me to the airport and looking after my bike (aka Emma MK II).
Frank Moran for assisting me in the Dublin accommodation and that was the first step in a chain reaction…
Dublin:
The city of Irish folk dancing and Guinness (not to mention Jamison in the jar)
To Joe and Patrice my Irish friends with amazing voices…you guys should think about a duets album you have talent…thank you both for two nights of drinking and restoring my faith that there are still Irish folks in Dublin somewhere ☺
Edinburgh:
Alasdair McLeish for meeting me and reviving everything I know and love about Scotland, the bars, waking down George Street and revisiting where I once lived and love to one day again to be there.
Loch Lomond
To John and Andrea in the BnB that was better than any 5 start Hotel I stayed at and going the extra mile…if ever I go down that path I am sure to emulate everything I experienced in your lovely home. To The Noble clan and the Mackay clan thank you for a great day and a beautiful ceremony…It instils hope of happiness forever after…Best wishes for your new family and stay in touch in Sydney town.
London
Jon McBride and Jamie Kong, hey Aussie expats should keep the networks going especially abroad, you never know when you might just need another contact. Paul Vincent, I am yet to hear that excuse about you not showing up…so whenever you are ready, I’d like to hear it. Hey it was busy time in London but just don’t over promise brother…stay focused and maybe we will meet somewhere else when the time is right.
Spain
Its no accident that I spent the most amount of time in Spain… it was the country with the profound lessons that I needed to learn…
Spain’s experience to me is summarised in a single word…”FAMILY”
Thank you Angela for the invite to Majorca that was the epitome of understanding what family really is. Thank you, Inmus and Eva for sharing your home and your table and I will forever be in your debt for introducing me to your family of friends…Barbara and Sarah as well should get a mention…it has been a long time since I have been in a large circle of friends of diverse cultures and backgrounds and seeing so many happy people. To you and your friends whenever you wish to visit Australia me casa is sou casa…(well I hope I wrote that right)
The second family I met were Trey, Claire, Sherry, Janice, Mandy and Martin where another friendship formed in a quick meet and I am privileged to have met you guys and I extend the same invite to you guys as well should you ever wish to visit Sydney Town I would be happy and more than Happy to play host. Mandy, thankyou for reminding me that taking a snap is more than a click of a button and something to shelf…its worth sharing and remembering that instant.
The dinner at Granada in front of the cathedral was a special moment, the stop over in that little town on the way to Seville and the discussions at lunch and so was that afternoon at the bar in Macarena… those will be forever etched in my memories.
Janice and Mandy especially for opening to me the world of Hostel stays… Yes, Donna would be proud ;-) Martin, you are cool dude…and perfect in what you do follow your dreams and don’t let anyone judge what you do, when, why or how…because, only you can be right all the time even when you are wrong…its your life and your lesson…Just Do it and come and visit Aus…you will like it here ☺
Portugal
Although I was only there for less than 24 hours, three people have taught me various lessons…Best of all that even as a bald man Lisbon is a city to let your hair down and it’s a crazy party time. Definitely, will do this again.
Blake my man from old Sydney and the man with all the news about Lisbon and where to go and what to do…cheers mate, seriously you fly the Aussie flag so high…thank you for all your tips and advises and I wish I actually stayed there longer but maybe another time and another place we will meet again.
Serena, I hope you took that train ride and bought that jacket it looked good and don’t worry you have the rest of your life to work so you have an education and clearly a bright mind so enjoy it and just believe that the right job at the right time will find you without having to look for it. And Yeah I am envious that after you shaved your head off it grew back :P
Finally, Dana ummm…I blame you for me starting smoking again (even though I started smoking the night before I met you) By the way, you can drink but not as much as me…trust me…would be happy to test that theory as I didn’t drink that much that night…shall we say DC after the marathon? Or will it be NYC?
And get a Facebook account will ya…
Italy
The land of he roman empire…where I discovered a lack in my sense of direction…Jaoa, Pedro, Paula and Alex…thanks guys technically you are the last friends I made on this trip and enjoy your travels…Alex, if you are ever in Sydney give me a shout and I will do the same when I am in Melbourne next. We can have another beer and possibly pizza in Lygon street although, I know a great Indian place in Lygon street.
Italy is ne of those countries where I have not seen anywhere else in the world thus far a greater ratio of police, army and security per capita. I know it’s a beautiful city and needs to be protected but fair dinkum…the United Nation should just keep the Italian army and get rid of all the other nations and that will solve any world problem.
I think Italy is definitely the land of beauty, the galleries, the churches, the shops and it was easy spotting the Italian women that were single…not a hair out of place. Favourite city Florence by a long shot you just can’t beat that Tuscan sunset…
Europe 2011
Finally, a very special thank you to my facebook and blog followers…Beth, best wishes for the birth of your next child and thankyou for picking me up and cheering me when I was in the dumps… Steve (40 ain’t bad body…it’s the new 30 and damn we might have had a few hiccups along the road but I am sure you wouldn’t have it any other way) still waiting for them drinks invite to see you in a new decade… Maddie and Kaz do it mate get there ASAP and just chill in Italy or wherever you want. Steph wow it took a mention of Cinque Terre to get me on a roller coaster trip but hey it was worth it and I am disappointed I didn’t make that restaurant maybe next time…perhaps we will find something comparable in Sydney and we will have lunch there. Rigot and Dane for the smart arse comment at Majorca’s airport well it was a happy coffee ;)
Samir, you keep talking about travel…but none organised…and hey it’s a 20 years high school anniversary who is organising the party? Yes we re getting old. And we should head on a track day in cars or bikes and see if we can hit the 300 km/h mark… The Vodafone crew who reminded me that there are some silent followers and I hope I didn’t spam you too much…and maybe even inspired some to travel. And the many more silent followers or the ones that I hadn’t mention.
Finally, my dedication and last words will always be to my greatest adventure that will last a lifetime, my three boys who I will forever strive to be their best dad, friend, travel companion a shoulder to lean on, an ear to listen to, and huge hug to keep them close…I forever and ever love you and I can’t wait to read your travel blogs.
Over and out.
H in Europe 2011
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
Day 28 15th May 2011
Lost in Airports and travel...
At least the flight back was empty with 170 vacant seats and had a whole row to lie in not that it made much of a difference as I stayed awake most of the trip anyway.
Thank you Etihad airways
At least the flight back was empty with 170 vacant seats and had a whole row to lie in not that it made much of a difference as I stayed awake most of the trip anyway.
Thank you Etihad airways
Day 27 14th May 2011
I packed my bags for what I thought was the last time and loaded it all up in the car… The San Siro tour was not to eventuate but well here is another reason to come to Milan…and decided time to go shopping…
The shopping was 50-50 success…As I had forgotten the PIN for my card, I couldn’t use it and that meant purchases had to be made in cash only, which I only had AUD & Sterling and the exchange rates were horrendously low…so luckily I bought all the kiddies gifts and had 100 euro set aside for last minute emergencies…So out of four weeks of travel I got myself a bracelet with the flags of the countries I have visited with the promise I would add to it every year and that I will one day ensure that all of my three boys get to fill their own bracelets before 30…
I still loved the shopping in Milan and decided if nothing else I will buy me those things I want albeit this time from the NYC when I am there at the end of the year.
For now I bought the gifts I wanted to and duty free the outstanding items…Also, thought of buying a nice camera to get back into a long lost hobby that I had forgotten about…I think my physical training for marathons and the likes will probably come to an end in the not too distant future and will probably decide that I will need to be kind to my body and do photography and that French patisserie classes that I always wanted to do.
By 4 pm I had my last pizza and decided to head to the airport early (a very wise move).
I think at this point I conclude my European adventure 2011.
The shopping was 50-50 success…As I had forgotten the PIN for my card, I couldn’t use it and that meant purchases had to be made in cash only, which I only had AUD & Sterling and the exchange rates were horrendously low…so luckily I bought all the kiddies gifts and had 100 euro set aside for last minute emergencies…So out of four weeks of travel I got myself a bracelet with the flags of the countries I have visited with the promise I would add to it every year and that I will one day ensure that all of my three boys get to fill their own bracelets before 30…
I still loved the shopping in Milan and decided if nothing else I will buy me those things I want albeit this time from the NYC when I am there at the end of the year.
For now I bought the gifts I wanted to and duty free the outstanding items…Also, thought of buying a nice camera to get back into a long lost hobby that I had forgotten about…I think my physical training for marathons and the likes will probably come to an end in the not too distant future and will probably decide that I will need to be kind to my body and do photography and that French patisserie classes that I always wanted to do.
By 4 pm I had my last pizza and decided to head to the airport early (a very wise move).
I think at this point I conclude my European adventure 2011.
Day 26 13th May 2011 (Black Friday)
Its cool because I like Friday the 13th and THIS WAS TO BE MY LAST NIGHT IN EUROPE FOR 2011…That much I was sure off…
Started driving in pursuit of my definite final destination and it was to be the Crown Plaza Milano. I decided that for my last 36 hours I would just live it up and that was it.
http://www.crowneplazamilan.com/
The day started with a list of 4 things to do:
1. Climb the Duomo and tick that off http://www.sacred-destinations.com/italy/milan-cathedral
2. See a painting by Caravaggio http://www.wheremilan.com/site/?p=3876
3. Shopping
4. Tour the San Siro
http://www.google.com/search?q=san+siro+milan&hl=en&client=safari&rls=en&prmd=ivnsm&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=8tHSTeaPPISSuwOGouS6DQ&ved=0CD8QsAQ&biw=1275&bih=621
Well I was on track after the first few hours, checked in the hotel and yes its worth the money… Got my underground ticket and headed to the Duomo…not the grandest or the prettiest cathedral but it was super cool walking on the roof.
Then attended an impressionist exhibition which was amazing (I sneaked a few photos…no flash) but then also was given the access to a Caravaggio exhibition in Milan and yes I got to go after going in the wrong direction three times but I made it…the painting I was really wanting to see was the last supper and the medusa (the medusa was removed) but the last supper was there and many many more including John the Baptist execution and the baptism of Christ… I think I started my fascination with Caravaggio back in 2006 and it was through a novel and probably that novel was my inspiration to select Italy as my final destination…It has been a long time coming but hey, I get there and that’s what matters.
To say I was walking on cloud 9 is an understatement. Just after walking out of the exhibition I realised nothing else matters and I had fulfilled all that I wanted to do on this trip albeit rushed and that the next 24 hrs were just going to be and nothing else mattered.
I tried to buy some cloths from a boutique shop for the kiddies but without a pin number it was not going to happen. So I decided back to he Hotel to freshen up and dinner somewhere nice and maybe head out into town again.
I did make it back, I did freshen up and decided that hotel in the restaurant would be good enough (the three courses did not disappoint nor the bottle of wine to myself…Needless to say, I think I have become a light weight as the bottle of wine got to me and I was too lazy to go anywhere and just got back upstairs and I think slept til the morning in a plush bed with real fluffy pillows…
Quote of the day was from Steve on my facebook wall where he said “…Hostels are gret to meet people but I would rather stay where you are” I tend to agree… I loved meeting new people and making new friends but also its harder to sustain a friendship that lasted a couple of days or at times a few hours… and travel in comfort is nice and maybe nicer if you have family to share it with…but for now I was the family to myself and its probably been the lesson of the trip…
Started driving in pursuit of my definite final destination and it was to be the Crown Plaza Milano. I decided that for my last 36 hours I would just live it up and that was it.
http://www.crowneplazamilan.com/
The day started with a list of 4 things to do:
1. Climb the Duomo and tick that off http://www.sacred-destinations.com/italy/milan-cathedral
2. See a painting by Caravaggio http://www.wheremilan.com/site/?p=3876
3. Shopping
4. Tour the San Siro
http://www.google.com/search?q=san+siro+milan&hl=en&client=safari&rls=en&prmd=ivnsm&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=8tHSTeaPPISSuwOGouS6DQ&ved=0CD8QsAQ&biw=1275&bih=621
Well I was on track after the first few hours, checked in the hotel and yes its worth the money… Got my underground ticket and headed to the Duomo…not the grandest or the prettiest cathedral but it was super cool walking on the roof.
Then attended an impressionist exhibition which was amazing (I sneaked a few photos…no flash) but then also was given the access to a Caravaggio exhibition in Milan and yes I got to go after going in the wrong direction three times but I made it…the painting I was really wanting to see was the last supper and the medusa (the medusa was removed) but the last supper was there and many many more including John the Baptist execution and the baptism of Christ… I think I started my fascination with Caravaggio back in 2006 and it was through a novel and probably that novel was my inspiration to select Italy as my final destination…It has been a long time coming but hey, I get there and that’s what matters.
To say I was walking on cloud 9 is an understatement. Just after walking out of the exhibition I realised nothing else matters and I had fulfilled all that I wanted to do on this trip albeit rushed and that the next 24 hrs were just going to be and nothing else mattered.
I tried to buy some cloths from a boutique shop for the kiddies but without a pin number it was not going to happen. So I decided back to he Hotel to freshen up and dinner somewhere nice and maybe head out into town again.
I did make it back, I did freshen up and decided that hotel in the restaurant would be good enough (the three courses did not disappoint nor the bottle of wine to myself…Needless to say, I think I have become a light weight as the bottle of wine got to me and I was too lazy to go anywhere and just got back upstairs and I think slept til the morning in a plush bed with real fluffy pillows…
Quote of the day was from Steve on my facebook wall where he said “…Hostels are gret to meet people but I would rather stay where you are” I tend to agree… I loved meeting new people and making new friends but also its harder to sustain a friendship that lasted a couple of days or at times a few hours… and travel in comfort is nice and maybe nicer if you have family to share it with…but for now I was the family to myself and its probably been the lesson of the trip…
Day 25 12th May 2011
As stated earlier, the day started with a nice brekky then walked back retracing my steps from the night before and went to a couple of churches and Marco Paolo sq and walked around the shops…a few more photos of gondolas and although it was something I really wanted to do, decided its not something I wanted to do on my own…so I’ll pass for now.
I hung around til lunch but really just wanted o spend the last few days in Milan in one place so I decided to leave Venice and headed to Milan for the last of the Treks in the car (or so I thought).
The only thing worth mentioning in that leg of the trip was I saw my first Highway police patrol…lets say it was embarrassing…in fact there was a car that constantly was trying to over take it and I wanted a photo of that so I was giving chase behind the 2 cars doing 180 km/hr and couldn’t catch up with them…so much for the worry about the Italian police (don’t take that as an excuse to ignore the reputation of the Italian Highway patrols but this car was a fiat and not the Lamborghini I was assured they drive)
I could get my Internet access using Hutch USB HSDPA key (see 3 and Vodafone’s services in Europe are just as shit as they are at Home) so I used my mobile and my Hostel App to find a place but opted for the high end (well price wise anyway). I opted for Alessandro Hostel (which had no reviews-that’s a bad sign) and I think later on I figured why I opted for that out of the dozen places I found…it shared the same name as the Hostel in Roma which wasn’t too bad!
And that was the second mistake…so going on two ends of town I finally found this place…and just as I was about to enter Milan, I was almost tempted to drive up to Toulon in the south of France but that was another 400 kms and I still only have 300 euros and $1k AUD and no pin number for my firkin debit Visa (mental note don’t travel without a Credit card and a back up card…even when carrying sufficient catch. So I got to the Hotel Alessandro and thank fuk for Babel Fish to translate to the guy behind the counter…
How do I describe this place that I was intending to spend my last couple of days in, umm a shit hole and its only redeeming factor is they have broadband internet in the rooms…so I decided, stay put tonight and visit the sites tomorrow after staying in no less than four star for my last night in Italy… and with that started searching the web ad swore that I will read all reviews…
It came down to three hotels…the first was ranked number one on Trip finder sadly it was sold out…the second which was my favourite had very poor reviews so I decided not to and the third was ranked number 3 on trip finder, and the deluxe rooms were reasonably priced albeit a little out of town (5 tube stops from Duomo) and so it was the Crown Plaza.
Now I needed food and the pathetic place I was in which I might add felt like a prison cell with big iron gates and screen shutters on all windows (which was a little disconcerting to say the least) once I walked out of there it was not hard to understand why…I was in the ghettos of Milan and walking down the street trying to find a place to get food I had two sensations:
1. I needed to keep my fists at the level of my eyes
2. I was grateful I had typhoid and hep shots before I flew out…
Trust me its no exaggeration and the place wasn’t cheap either…
I quickly picked my Pizza and got back behind the iron gate fortress… bought two beers at the reception and went back to my room…Gladly I slept soundly that was until the dick head from night shift and his skanky gf decided to see how much noise they can make in the halls downstairs and test every fukn door…to the point where at 1:00 am I had to go downstairs to show them my bearded fukd off face to ensure they see that the are at least annoying me…it must’ve worked because there was only one more door slam after that and I am guessing that was them locking themselves and barracking themselves in a room. It pays sometimes having a rough head like I do ;-)
And so was my second last night and in the morning I couldn’t wait to leave. And if nothing else I got to update the blog and upload some more photos.
I hung around til lunch but really just wanted o spend the last few days in Milan in one place so I decided to leave Venice and headed to Milan for the last of the Treks in the car (or so I thought).
The only thing worth mentioning in that leg of the trip was I saw my first Highway police patrol…lets say it was embarrassing…in fact there was a car that constantly was trying to over take it and I wanted a photo of that so I was giving chase behind the 2 cars doing 180 km/hr and couldn’t catch up with them…so much for the worry about the Italian police (don’t take that as an excuse to ignore the reputation of the Italian Highway patrols but this car was a fiat and not the Lamborghini I was assured they drive)
I could get my Internet access using Hutch USB HSDPA key (see 3 and Vodafone’s services in Europe are just as shit as they are at Home) so I used my mobile and my Hostel App to find a place but opted for the high end (well price wise anyway). I opted for Alessandro Hostel (which had no reviews-that’s a bad sign) and I think later on I figured why I opted for that out of the dozen places I found…it shared the same name as the Hostel in Roma which wasn’t too bad!
And that was the second mistake…so going on two ends of town I finally found this place…and just as I was about to enter Milan, I was almost tempted to drive up to Toulon in the south of France but that was another 400 kms and I still only have 300 euros and $1k AUD and no pin number for my firkin debit Visa (mental note don’t travel without a Credit card and a back up card…even when carrying sufficient catch. So I got to the Hotel Alessandro and thank fuk for Babel Fish to translate to the guy behind the counter…
How do I describe this place that I was intending to spend my last couple of days in, umm a shit hole and its only redeeming factor is they have broadband internet in the rooms…so I decided, stay put tonight and visit the sites tomorrow after staying in no less than four star for my last night in Italy… and with that started searching the web ad swore that I will read all reviews…
It came down to three hotels…the first was ranked number one on Trip finder sadly it was sold out…the second which was my favourite had very poor reviews so I decided not to and the third was ranked number 3 on trip finder, and the deluxe rooms were reasonably priced albeit a little out of town (5 tube stops from Duomo) and so it was the Crown Plaza.
Now I needed food and the pathetic place I was in which I might add felt like a prison cell with big iron gates and screen shutters on all windows (which was a little disconcerting to say the least) once I walked out of there it was not hard to understand why…I was in the ghettos of Milan and walking down the street trying to find a place to get food I had two sensations:
1. I needed to keep my fists at the level of my eyes
2. I was grateful I had typhoid and hep shots before I flew out…
Trust me its no exaggeration and the place wasn’t cheap either…
I quickly picked my Pizza and got back behind the iron gate fortress… bought two beers at the reception and went back to my room…Gladly I slept soundly that was until the dick head from night shift and his skanky gf decided to see how much noise they can make in the halls downstairs and test every fukn door…to the point where at 1:00 am I had to go downstairs to show them my bearded fukd off face to ensure they see that the are at least annoying me…it must’ve worked because there was only one more door slam after that and I am guessing that was them locking themselves and barracking themselves in a room. It pays sometimes having a rough head like I do ;-)
And so was my second last night and in the morning I couldn’t wait to leave. And if nothing else I got to update the blog and upload some more photos.
Day 24 11th May 2011
After last night’s adventure, I was well and truly rooted and not looking forward to a cross-country trek by any stretch of any imagination, least of all mine. The trek was from Cinque Terre to Venice (370 kms to be precise)…but I was going to anyway…
I started the morning with brekky and a walk on the beach and a few more snaps and then was on my way.
I think what I am doing is crazy and I promised myself I will have a break somewhere soon, but for now gotta hit the road Jack.
Even with all the sleep the trek is a hard one and it takes me a while to get across the country albeit that total trip is less what I drove last night alone…I think I am also getting worn out by all the driving and my old age is clearly showing through…I am no longer in my teens or twenties, hell I am in my twilight 30’s and I need to slow down. Slow down is not what I do best so I persisted on the road to points of exhaustion and then pull over in a rest area…sleep and wake and keep going. Now here is something for fellow travellers, blog readers who intend to travel to Venice…The GPS is rooted…so unless you have one of those James Bond aqua cars leave the car on the west side before crossing the bridge…There is a car park and a bus stop across the road that will take you to the Piazzo Roma where you can walk or get a ferry to be in Venice…Which the stupid GPS did not advise…Mental note for the next trip anywhere…Read up and learn.
http://www.lonelyplanet.com/italy/venice
Now I am not sure if its because I am beyond exhaustion but I decided that I am over hostels and picked the Rialto Hotel which is a nice Hotel right in the heart of Venice to stay…I didn’t pay full fare so I got the cubby house room but it was clean and tidy with a good bed and I needed sleep.
http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g187870-d205795-Reviews-Hotel_Rialto_Venezia-Venice_Veneto.html
I think I probably tipped going in and out of that hotel the fee of a Hostel room not to mention I probably paid 5 times the price of the room for my little room…But if I had any doubt about whether the best room in a Hostel or the worst room in a Hotel…well they are about the same actually…except the worst room in a Hotel will still provide you with comforts and I didn’t realise that till the next day.
I slept for four hours, woke up showered and decided to go walkies in town.
Venice is a beautiful city but its not Florence and somewhere the canals really stink…I should’ve explored more but I am just getting through seeing the sites and now I am just getting over playing tourist and took a few snaps and my favourite was just walking in circles at a point to a dead end and seeing th building Campiello Michiel (my bestie name is Michelle Campbell) so it was kind of cool.
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10150181229425983&set=a.10150177860395983.303234.615980982&type=1&theater
Had dinner about midnight and Pizza & Ice cream diet with little running training is ruining my training and will have to now get back in the gym when I get back.
I slept and early woke to walk again but not before I got a five star start with breakfast…Oh how I missed that ☺
I started the morning with brekky and a walk on the beach and a few more snaps and then was on my way.
I think what I am doing is crazy and I promised myself I will have a break somewhere soon, but for now gotta hit the road Jack.
Even with all the sleep the trek is a hard one and it takes me a while to get across the country albeit that total trip is less what I drove last night alone…I think I am also getting worn out by all the driving and my old age is clearly showing through…I am no longer in my teens or twenties, hell I am in my twilight 30’s and I need to slow down. Slow down is not what I do best so I persisted on the road to points of exhaustion and then pull over in a rest area…sleep and wake and keep going. Now here is something for fellow travellers, blog readers who intend to travel to Venice…The GPS is rooted…so unless you have one of those James Bond aqua cars leave the car on the west side before crossing the bridge…There is a car park and a bus stop across the road that will take you to the Piazzo Roma where you can walk or get a ferry to be in Venice…Which the stupid GPS did not advise…Mental note for the next trip anywhere…Read up and learn.
http://www.lonelyplanet.com/italy/venice
Now I am not sure if its because I am beyond exhaustion but I decided that I am over hostels and picked the Rialto Hotel which is a nice Hotel right in the heart of Venice to stay…I didn’t pay full fare so I got the cubby house room but it was clean and tidy with a good bed and I needed sleep.
http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g187870-d205795-Reviews-Hotel_Rialto_Venezia-Venice_Veneto.html
I think I probably tipped going in and out of that hotel the fee of a Hostel room not to mention I probably paid 5 times the price of the room for my little room…But if I had any doubt about whether the best room in a Hostel or the worst room in a Hotel…well they are about the same actually…except the worst room in a Hotel will still provide you with comforts and I didn’t realise that till the next day.
I slept for four hours, woke up showered and decided to go walkies in town.
Venice is a beautiful city but its not Florence and somewhere the canals really stink…I should’ve explored more but I am just getting through seeing the sites and now I am just getting over playing tourist and took a few snaps and my favourite was just walking in circles at a point to a dead end and seeing th building Campiello Michiel (my bestie name is Michelle Campbell) so it was kind of cool.
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10150181229425983&set=a.10150177860395983.303234.615980982&type=1&theater
Had dinner about midnight and Pizza & Ice cream diet with little running training is ruining my training and will have to now get back in the gym when I get back.
I slept and early woke to walk again but not before I got a five star start with breakfast…Oh how I missed that ☺
Day 23 10th May 2011
After a long long walk, I slept in…I woke up at 8:30 and its weird but I was by myself in a nice room and that felt good…I didn’t worry about the noise (that I am not making), the tardy state of the room or the fact that I have all devices charging and photos downloading. It is a little lonely to be in a beautiful city and not share that with someone, but I am ok with that as well.
I was going to head-out and add to my photos from last night…Asking reception what was the light perched on the hills that lit up the city last night and she advised it was Michael Angelo’s palace…so I walked around town for an hour or so and saw all the crazy frenzied tourists shuffling to every site in town and I decided not for me and headed back to get the car and head to MA Palace high up on the city…Well, the 5 kms trek was well worth it…the views were even more spectacular Oh and I was also blessed with another car park. I think car parking is my thing, if there is ever a need for a career change I will park cars for a living…not much different from what I do now really ☺
Took many snaps and even tried my tripod and took some good shots (you have to take my word for it as I deleted the 100 or so pictures I took…don’t ask it was a moment of madness when I was after 3 weeks wanting to set the right time zone on my camera ☺…well, now you have to go and see it for yourself.
http://travel.yahoo.com/p-travelguide-2783552-piazzale_michelangelo_florence-i
I then headed out to Pisa and yes as per the last paragraph had lost about an hour’s shooting but luckily, I hadn’t climbed Pisa yet and hence it was a minor loss and snapped away up there and a couple when I got back down.
http://www.italyguides.it/us/pisa/pisa_italy.htm
I am still pondering the decision about Cinque terra but decided to wait for a sign… it didn’t take long and it came in the form of Stephanie posting on my FB wall to try a restaurant in Cinque Terre and decided, ok this is something I am destined to do.
Now for the believers out there and I don’t mean a sectarian belief but just general belief in something other than themselves, something weird really happened to me…I am going to refer to them as “my guides”. When I got back in the car a few events took place that were out of the ordinary…Not X-files material but extraordinary not to mention…
1. I typed Cinque Terre into the GPS (it displayed about 150 kms away about what I thought it would be)
2. My seat belt buckle just wouldn’t click in and I tried a few times (more than 3 times to the point I had to get out of the car to see what’s the matter
3. The car refused to start on the first two turns
Now I sensed that my guides did not want me to head that way at all…I know paranoid schizophrenia must seem a logical explanation, but seriously I felt all weird-ed out. Being a stubborn ass (I have been called that before) I insisted I am heading to Cinque Terre no matter what… and I drove off following the navigation.
http://www.google.com/search?q=cinque+terre&hl=en&client=safari&rls=en&prmd=ivnsm&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=JczSTdDvCYvEvQOkicW6DQ&ved=0CEMQsAQ&biw=1275&bih=621
The photos from Shireen showed a coast line and the GPS was leading me into up the mountain…so I decided to do the manly thing and stopped and asked for directions…the response was in Italian but understood enough that I am heading in the wrong direction and turned left and right without having any clear understanding to where and the damn GPS voice saying “recalculating” every minute or so as I am not following any of its instructions.
Luckily, I found an information tourist kiosk and pulled over for a second opinion (who says men don’t ask for directions…Urban myth I tell ya). Side point but did I mention how impressed I am by multi lingual people. The couple in front of me were French and the girl (ok she was about 25 but too young for me to call her a lady albeit she looked nice and proper) and she spoke to them in French and then started speaking to me in Italain and then assumed I am Spanish so started speaking in Spanish and when I closed my mouth to stop letting the flies in and asked her if she spoke English, she just replied “sure” and yes I was heading in the wrong direction (not for the first or last time this day) and she guided me towards La Spezia and to my delight that was only 110 kms away…so no real time lost…
I started driving there and when I got there, just not to be outdone, every major street leading to the main strip was blocked off…Another sign…ummm you decide but wait there is more…I have probably tried at least 4 B&Bs and none would take me and they kept pointing me to the Hostel which I never was able to find…and the snobby Garvin does not track Hostels…so my spirit was dampening and when I put Steph’s restaurant in the Garmin t was another 60 Kms nth west and Venice is East…so bugger it I just stopped, parked the car and went into the local for a cold one. Speaking to the publican he pointed me to two B&Bs and then said go to the next one because they are nicer…excellent, finally getting somewhere…finished my drink and drove to the place he indicated and viola accommodation sorted just like he said…freshened up and got dressed and off to Steph’s restaurant I was heading…the reviews on all websites was this restaurant is superb and a must…not that I didn’t trust Steph’s judgement ☺
It was 50 kms away and I really wanted to get a few more Tuscan sunset photos and I was on my way…
Now if ever you need to have a horror story about GPS going mad…bookmark this page.
Now by this stage in the trip I had managed to navigate over 2000 kms in foreign lands, find Hostels in alleys in Seville, Lisbon…Climb and find a hotel in a tight climb in Alhambra, navigated my way in and out of Valencia…but I really now know why I wasn’t meant to travel to Cinque Terre, its because I was going to be LOST…400 kms lost…with no credit card so better not run out of fuel and severe language impediment…about 10 kms out of the destination I was following ‘’GPS” instructs when all of a sudden I was climbing a one and a half lane wide road, leading to the most spectacular scenery ever…
Needless to say, I am a stubborn ass and insisted on getting to this restaurant which by now the GPS put at 80 kms away after 2hrs of driving and getting back to the hotel was only 50 kms away in the opposite direction… no matter, went for it anyway…when I got there I was exhausted to say the least but as soon as I walked into the door I figured I am not at the right place and the cuisine presented proved my worst fears…by this stage its 11:00 pm and I have been on the road since 10 am and maybe should have stayed where the hell I was…
This is where I was meant to be but nowhere near it
http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g187821-d1372485-Reviews-IL_Grottino-Riomaggiore_Cinque_Terre_Italian_Riviera.html
No, I decided to get back to my BnB and by this stage I am clearly instructed and my lesson taught to just stop and listen. The trip home consisted of a 3 * 40 km trek up and down the highway, I know that because I paid toll at three different gates and I was not going to stop and ask for directions because the only people on the street were Ho(s) and it was something I wasn’t willing to chalk up as an experience nor did I think my Italian or whatever language they were to dialect in was going to matter too much.
I did make it back but it was after trekking another 180 kms and was back by 1:00 am…in my cheer exhaustion, I slept.
I was going to head-out and add to my photos from last night…Asking reception what was the light perched on the hills that lit up the city last night and she advised it was Michael Angelo’s palace…so I walked around town for an hour or so and saw all the crazy frenzied tourists shuffling to every site in town and I decided not for me and headed back to get the car and head to MA Palace high up on the city…Well, the 5 kms trek was well worth it…the views were even more spectacular Oh and I was also blessed with another car park. I think car parking is my thing, if there is ever a need for a career change I will park cars for a living…not much different from what I do now really ☺
Took many snaps and even tried my tripod and took some good shots (you have to take my word for it as I deleted the 100 or so pictures I took…don’t ask it was a moment of madness when I was after 3 weeks wanting to set the right time zone on my camera ☺…well, now you have to go and see it for yourself.
http://travel.yahoo.com/p-travelguide-2783552-piazzale_michelangelo_florence-i
I then headed out to Pisa and yes as per the last paragraph had lost about an hour’s shooting but luckily, I hadn’t climbed Pisa yet and hence it was a minor loss and snapped away up there and a couple when I got back down.
http://www.italyguides.it/us/pisa/pisa_italy.htm
I am still pondering the decision about Cinque terra but decided to wait for a sign… it didn’t take long and it came in the form of Stephanie posting on my FB wall to try a restaurant in Cinque Terre and decided, ok this is something I am destined to do.
Now for the believers out there and I don’t mean a sectarian belief but just general belief in something other than themselves, something weird really happened to me…I am going to refer to them as “my guides”. When I got back in the car a few events took place that were out of the ordinary…Not X-files material but extraordinary not to mention…
1. I typed Cinque Terre into the GPS (it displayed about 150 kms away about what I thought it would be)
2. My seat belt buckle just wouldn’t click in and I tried a few times (more than 3 times to the point I had to get out of the car to see what’s the matter
3. The car refused to start on the first two turns
Now I sensed that my guides did not want me to head that way at all…I know paranoid schizophrenia must seem a logical explanation, but seriously I felt all weird-ed out. Being a stubborn ass (I have been called that before) I insisted I am heading to Cinque Terre no matter what… and I drove off following the navigation.
http://www.google.com/search?q=cinque+terre&hl=en&client=safari&rls=en&prmd=ivnsm&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=JczSTdDvCYvEvQOkicW6DQ&ved=0CEMQsAQ&biw=1275&bih=621
The photos from Shireen showed a coast line and the GPS was leading me into up the mountain…so I decided to do the manly thing and stopped and asked for directions…the response was in Italian but understood enough that I am heading in the wrong direction and turned left and right without having any clear understanding to where and the damn GPS voice saying “recalculating” every minute or so as I am not following any of its instructions.
Luckily, I found an information tourist kiosk and pulled over for a second opinion (who says men don’t ask for directions…Urban myth I tell ya). Side point but did I mention how impressed I am by multi lingual people. The couple in front of me were French and the girl (ok she was about 25 but too young for me to call her a lady albeit she looked nice and proper) and she spoke to them in French and then started speaking to me in Italain and then assumed I am Spanish so started speaking in Spanish and when I closed my mouth to stop letting the flies in and asked her if she spoke English, she just replied “sure” and yes I was heading in the wrong direction (not for the first or last time this day) and she guided me towards La Spezia and to my delight that was only 110 kms away…so no real time lost…
I started driving there and when I got there, just not to be outdone, every major street leading to the main strip was blocked off…Another sign…ummm you decide but wait there is more…I have probably tried at least 4 B&Bs and none would take me and they kept pointing me to the Hostel which I never was able to find…and the snobby Garvin does not track Hostels…so my spirit was dampening and when I put Steph’s restaurant in the Garmin t was another 60 Kms nth west and Venice is East…so bugger it I just stopped, parked the car and went into the local for a cold one. Speaking to the publican he pointed me to two B&Bs and then said go to the next one because they are nicer…excellent, finally getting somewhere…finished my drink and drove to the place he indicated and viola accommodation sorted just like he said…freshened up and got dressed and off to Steph’s restaurant I was heading…the reviews on all websites was this restaurant is superb and a must…not that I didn’t trust Steph’s judgement ☺
It was 50 kms away and I really wanted to get a few more Tuscan sunset photos and I was on my way…
Now if ever you need to have a horror story about GPS going mad…bookmark this page.
Now by this stage in the trip I had managed to navigate over 2000 kms in foreign lands, find Hostels in alleys in Seville, Lisbon…Climb and find a hotel in a tight climb in Alhambra, navigated my way in and out of Valencia…but I really now know why I wasn’t meant to travel to Cinque Terre, its because I was going to be LOST…400 kms lost…with no credit card so better not run out of fuel and severe language impediment…about 10 kms out of the destination I was following ‘’GPS” instructs when all of a sudden I was climbing a one and a half lane wide road, leading to the most spectacular scenery ever…
Needless to say, I am a stubborn ass and insisted on getting to this restaurant which by now the GPS put at 80 kms away after 2hrs of driving and getting back to the hotel was only 50 kms away in the opposite direction… no matter, went for it anyway…when I got there I was exhausted to say the least but as soon as I walked into the door I figured I am not at the right place and the cuisine presented proved my worst fears…by this stage its 11:00 pm and I have been on the road since 10 am and maybe should have stayed where the hell I was…
This is where I was meant to be but nowhere near it
http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g187821-d1372485-Reviews-IL_Grottino-Riomaggiore_Cinque_Terre_Italian_Riviera.html
No, I decided to get back to my BnB and by this stage I am clearly instructed and my lesson taught to just stop and listen. The trip home consisted of a 3 * 40 km trek up and down the highway, I know that because I paid toll at three different gates and I was not going to stop and ask for directions because the only people on the street were Ho(s) and it was something I wasn’t willing to chalk up as an experience nor did I think my Italian or whatever language they were to dialect in was going to matter too much.
I did make it back but it was after trekking another 180 kms and was back by 1:00 am…in my cheer exhaustion, I slept.
Day 22 9th May 2011
It’s mornings like today that I know Hostels are not for me…I had a tour booked at 8:15 which required me to be at the meeting spot at 7:45… Now at home that might seem a sensible time…in Italy when nothing happens before 10 and people trying to sleep in, I am sure they didn’t appreciate me packing my bag from about 6:00 am…
Not to mention I still have a blown fuse and don’t have a mechanism for navigating back to the Vatican museum…
I managed o pack and got everything back in the car and somehow made my way to the Vatican using my iPhone. When I got there I rang the car rental company emergency number and they were adamant they should tow the car away…It took me 5 minutes to say NO, I just need assistance to get someone to replace the fuse… and not tow the car as I have my luggage there…
Message finally got through and they directed me to an alternate office where they can attend to “my problem”.
Now the Vatican tour was rubbish, for starters the tour guide had an axe to grind with the Vatican and was very bitter where she basically bad mouthed everything about the Vatican, the pope, the church…somewhere in there was someone requiring therapy to get over her anger situation… She was extremely knowledgeable and far too efficient…we literally zoomed past the whole museum and the Sistine chapel in less than 1hr racing past everything. Then no one wanted to hang around her for the Basilica tour (not surprisingly) and so it ended.
http://mv.vatican.va/3_EN/pages/CSN/CSN_Main.html
I drove back to Terminali and was about to get the car replaced when they figured it’s easier to replace the fuse…Big mistake that I let them do that as the fuse blew again 100 kms into the next leg to Florence.
There is one lesson I learned from my wild youth not to drive when I am tired and as I was starting to nod off, I pulled over in a rest area and slept for 45 mins, which somehow made me feel worse.
I got to Florence and thanks to a tip from Alex was to find my next accommodation (the Hostel he described was full) but the hotel next door had a vacancy and so I plonked my butt there.
http://www.lonelyplanet.com/italy/florence
I started walking around town fairly swiftly and it didn’t take long to discover the river and witness that amazing Tuscan sunset. I am completely in love with Florence and in hindsight should have spent an extra night there as it was flawless…The street musicians/performers were grand (to the point I bought their CDs) The museum was open til midnight and at that time of night you had t all to yourself (pretty much) The bars were all full and lively and I guess that was the reason that I walked around for 8 hours again before I made it back to the Hotel and I was worn out.
The next decision was should I or shouldn’t I head to Cinque Terre it was over 100 kms in the wrong direction to Venice and probably a bad move considering how worn out I am starting to feel.
Not to mention I still have a blown fuse and don’t have a mechanism for navigating back to the Vatican museum…
I managed o pack and got everything back in the car and somehow made my way to the Vatican using my iPhone. When I got there I rang the car rental company emergency number and they were adamant they should tow the car away…It took me 5 minutes to say NO, I just need assistance to get someone to replace the fuse… and not tow the car as I have my luggage there…
Message finally got through and they directed me to an alternate office where they can attend to “my problem”.
Now the Vatican tour was rubbish, for starters the tour guide had an axe to grind with the Vatican and was very bitter where she basically bad mouthed everything about the Vatican, the pope, the church…somewhere in there was someone requiring therapy to get over her anger situation… She was extremely knowledgeable and far too efficient…we literally zoomed past the whole museum and the Sistine chapel in less than 1hr racing past everything. Then no one wanted to hang around her for the Basilica tour (not surprisingly) and so it ended.
http://mv.vatican.va/3_EN/pages/CSN/CSN_Main.html
I drove back to Terminali and was about to get the car replaced when they figured it’s easier to replace the fuse…Big mistake that I let them do that as the fuse blew again 100 kms into the next leg to Florence.
There is one lesson I learned from my wild youth not to drive when I am tired and as I was starting to nod off, I pulled over in a rest area and slept for 45 mins, which somehow made me feel worse.
I got to Florence and thanks to a tip from Alex was to find my next accommodation (the Hostel he described was full) but the hotel next door had a vacancy and so I plonked my butt there.
http://www.lonelyplanet.com/italy/florence
I started walking around town fairly swiftly and it didn’t take long to discover the river and witness that amazing Tuscan sunset. I am completely in love with Florence and in hindsight should have spent an extra night there as it was flawless…The street musicians/performers were grand (to the point I bought their CDs) The museum was open til midnight and at that time of night you had t all to yourself (pretty much) The bars were all full and lively and I guess that was the reason that I walked around for 8 hours again before I made it back to the Hotel and I was worn out.
The next decision was should I or shouldn’t I head to Cinque Terre it was over 100 kms in the wrong direction to Venice and probably a bad move considering how worn out I am starting to feel.
Day 21 8th May 2011
Woke up in a full room…don’t recall if it was that way when I entered last night but there were four full beds…I had only met the grump the day before, now I also have Alex (Canadian/English/Italian) who is also heading to Melbourne and Paula who is currently residing in Dublin from Brazil and she is studying to be a naturopath.
After last night I thought bugger this I will head out on my own…so it was a quick hello and moving on… It is mother’s day today, so I called me mum and funnily enough this is the first mothers day in 5 years that I don’t have the boys…I spoke to IJ & MM but couldn’t get through to Nan to speak to Zachy… had a little tear but in a week I will be home.
Got dressed and went to brekky and sat with Alex, and Paula and what do you know we decided we will go and check the sites out…starting with the Vatican…which incidentally the museum is closed on Sunday…those Catholics welcome to the 21st century open 7 days ;-)
No matter mass was on and the pope wasn’t there but to the rest that didn’t matter, banners were flying high and the cheering non stop and the heathens continued to shoot photos. It’s hard not to be consumed by religious frenzy when you are in a place like this.
Loads of photos and then we started proceeding to the next site and the next site and I have to say Alex & Paula moved with ease and we just kept going from one site to the next and its probably different walking in the day than at night but we walked for 5 plus hours and it was grand we had time to shop, make phone calls and take many snaps. We didn’t make it back to the Colosseum but I thought I would do that tomorrow after my booked Vatican tour.
We did get a little lost but thankfully Alex and Paula got us back to the car and we ran into Joao and Pedro from last night so we were going to head back to the hostel. As soon as we got in the car and attempted to turn the Sat Nav it all went dead and our phones were flat and it was hilarious to be sitting in the car hopeless not knowing what direction…Paula had given Joao and Pedro a hard time telling them they jinxed us (I don’t think it was them) I think the lighter fuse had been overloaded and that was it… We made it to the Hostel with Alex navigating on his iPhone and all in all a good day.
New room mates with Alex moving out and two other Brazilians moving in…except they looked German or Swedes and the were of German ancestory and both were studying in Germany (one was working on a 3-D printing machine which sounded amazing but we never finished the conversation as everyone was in a rush to get to Dinner…incidentally dinner was pizza dough and that was basically it…I decided to skip it…my stomach complained and rather went to the corner shop and bought Pizza…
For the evening we decided we would go clubbing or see what the hell night life is there…we mad it to the clubs district and there was one club that had the same beef jerkies standing outside letting the women in and making the blokes wait and then their mates or those showing bills to em in… If there is Karma in the next life these poof heads will be turned into mice for the next life… needless to say Paula went in easily and us four blokes stood out there…Needless to say my patience wears thin for that shit and we moved on next door to a place called Musica…They had a band playing live (their name is the Camomile Factory) they gave us their CD after whooping our arses in foosball (that was the highlight of the night) and not to be too harsh but they sounded awful and I am yet to listen to their CD but hope it sounds better.
Was yacking away to the bar girl who has a friend in Australia that wanted to stay in Oz and “she just got married”…wow…bride visas in Oz…SCARY…
The trip back to the hostel was as eventful as trying to get a cab in Sydney at 3:00 am during X-mas…scum bag cabbies wanted to charge you more to get you there and even then they didn’t drop you off where you wanted them to… we got there and it was another night.
After last night I thought bugger this I will head out on my own…so it was a quick hello and moving on… It is mother’s day today, so I called me mum and funnily enough this is the first mothers day in 5 years that I don’t have the boys…I spoke to IJ & MM but couldn’t get through to Nan to speak to Zachy… had a little tear but in a week I will be home.
Got dressed and went to brekky and sat with Alex, and Paula and what do you know we decided we will go and check the sites out…starting with the Vatican…which incidentally the museum is closed on Sunday…those Catholics welcome to the 21st century open 7 days ;-)
No matter mass was on and the pope wasn’t there but to the rest that didn’t matter, banners were flying high and the cheering non stop and the heathens continued to shoot photos. It’s hard not to be consumed by religious frenzy when you are in a place like this.
Loads of photos and then we started proceeding to the next site and the next site and I have to say Alex & Paula moved with ease and we just kept going from one site to the next and its probably different walking in the day than at night but we walked for 5 plus hours and it was grand we had time to shop, make phone calls and take many snaps. We didn’t make it back to the Colosseum but I thought I would do that tomorrow after my booked Vatican tour.
We did get a little lost but thankfully Alex and Paula got us back to the car and we ran into Joao and Pedro from last night so we were going to head back to the hostel. As soon as we got in the car and attempted to turn the Sat Nav it all went dead and our phones were flat and it was hilarious to be sitting in the car hopeless not knowing what direction…Paula had given Joao and Pedro a hard time telling them they jinxed us (I don’t think it was them) I think the lighter fuse had been overloaded and that was it… We made it to the Hostel with Alex navigating on his iPhone and all in all a good day.
New room mates with Alex moving out and two other Brazilians moving in…except they looked German or Swedes and the were of German ancestory and both were studying in Germany (one was working on a 3-D printing machine which sounded amazing but we never finished the conversation as everyone was in a rush to get to Dinner…incidentally dinner was pizza dough and that was basically it…I decided to skip it…my stomach complained and rather went to the corner shop and bought Pizza…
For the evening we decided we would go clubbing or see what the hell night life is there…we mad it to the clubs district and there was one club that had the same beef jerkies standing outside letting the women in and making the blokes wait and then their mates or those showing bills to em in… If there is Karma in the next life these poof heads will be turned into mice for the next life… needless to say Paula went in easily and us four blokes stood out there…Needless to say my patience wears thin for that shit and we moved on next door to a place called Musica…They had a band playing live (their name is the Camomile Factory) they gave us their CD after whooping our arses in foosball (that was the highlight of the night) and not to be too harsh but they sounded awful and I am yet to listen to their CD but hope it sounds better.
Was yacking away to the bar girl who has a friend in Australia that wanted to stay in Oz and “she just got married”…wow…bride visas in Oz…SCARY…
The trip back to the hostel was as eventful as trying to get a cab in Sydney at 3:00 am during X-mas…scum bag cabbies wanted to charge you more to get you there and even then they didn’t drop you off where you wanted them to… we got there and it was another night.
Friday, May 13, 2011
Day 20 7th May 2011
The day probably started much earlier but I will start it from the time I left the Hostel…The Portuguese/Lisbon airport was shambles and the only people I felt sorry for were the counter staff a s the schmucks that were on the airport floor could not organise a piss up in a brewery…word of warning if you are flying out of Lisbon allow at least 3 hours as two hours are never enough …oh and the automatic checking booth…is totally shite…
With that rant out of the way…It was interesting when I handed the car back to Hertz, they wanted to charge me for damage that was already there…thankfully, I pulled my trusty IPhone and showed them the picture from the airport at Barcelona, otherwise they would have charged me…in saying that I had to pay an extra 470 euros for dropping the car across the border… Mental note next time buy a car…its cheaper or better still use the trains and half the bag size.
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&client=safari&rls=en&biw=1276&bih=621&tbm=isch&sa=1&q=rome&aq=f&aqi=g10&aql=&oq=
After last night in Lisbon I was renewed with hope for Hostels and decided to go again… as I landed in the airport at Rome…I was handed the keys to a car and it was not an Alfa as promised…it was a Lancia…and might I add a shit-box of a car…probably, karma and wouldn’t be a bad thing for me to drive a slower car…especially, all the stories I heard about Italian highway patrols…
I got to Hotel Alessandro and it was pretty good…I was initially by myself in the room then got a grouch then I was out with some new friends, Portuguese, Turkish and Mexican…yes, Roma is a multicultural society too…especially in Hostels, after dinner, I decided I will drive to some sites and see them by night…
Got to the colosseum (and never made it back again ☹) and then headed into town and walked around 3 hours seeing the sites…now that was an hour and a half seeing the sites…40 minutes getting back to where we parked the car and 45 minutes lost in a three block radius with two GPSs and about as many maps and thank fk that none of us were on board with Christopher Columbus or Captain Cook for that matter…we would have been lost and perished at sea long before sunrise or even the first day is over… we finally made it and as enjoyable as the sites were the stress of finding the car and the constant nag swore not to do this again…next time I am heading out on my own…
One mental note, this day proclaims the start of Pizza and Ice cream diet almost everyday from here on. Yes I am staking on the kilos in Italy…
With that rant out of the way…It was interesting when I handed the car back to Hertz, they wanted to charge me for damage that was already there…thankfully, I pulled my trusty IPhone and showed them the picture from the airport at Barcelona, otherwise they would have charged me…in saying that I had to pay an extra 470 euros for dropping the car across the border… Mental note next time buy a car…its cheaper or better still use the trains and half the bag size.
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&client=safari&rls=en&biw=1276&bih=621&tbm=isch&sa=1&q=rome&aq=f&aqi=g10&aql=&oq=
After last night in Lisbon I was renewed with hope for Hostels and decided to go again… as I landed in the airport at Rome…I was handed the keys to a car and it was not an Alfa as promised…it was a Lancia…and might I add a shit-box of a car…probably, karma and wouldn’t be a bad thing for me to drive a slower car…especially, all the stories I heard about Italian highway patrols…
I got to Hotel Alessandro and it was pretty good…I was initially by myself in the room then got a grouch then I was out with some new friends, Portuguese, Turkish and Mexican…yes, Roma is a multicultural society too…especially in Hostels, after dinner, I decided I will drive to some sites and see them by night…
Got to the colosseum (and never made it back again ☹) and then headed into town and walked around 3 hours seeing the sites…now that was an hour and a half seeing the sites…40 minutes getting back to where we parked the car and 45 minutes lost in a three block radius with two GPSs and about as many maps and thank fk that none of us were on board with Christopher Columbus or Captain Cook for that matter…we would have been lost and perished at sea long before sunrise or even the first day is over… we finally made it and as enjoyable as the sites were the stress of finding the car and the constant nag swore not to do this again…next time I am heading out on my own…
One mental note, this day proclaims the start of Pizza and Ice cream diet almost everyday from here on. Yes I am staking on the kilos in Italy…
Day 19 6th May 2011
Another day another adventure, and I don’t mean this lightly…
The day started about 5:00 am when one of the room boarders waltzed in with a bang…clearly he had a good night…but that was not the reason he gets a mention…about 40 minutes later…there was this choking shriek noise coming from our latest boarder that freaked the hell out of everyone in the room…Abrish almost jump off his top bunk and by then any hope of sleep was quickly dissipated.
True to form Janice and Mandy were ready by 7ish and we hit the road for what will be a 24 hours in Portugal (well for me anyway). I will come to regret the decision of not staying there longer.
Dropped the ladies off in Tevinia and headed towards Lisbon…I guess I didn’t realise how tired I was but about an hour into the trip I was nodding off at the wheel so decided on a stop over at the service centre and that was an hour’s nap… and that was the last bit of sleep I got in Portugal.
When I got in town first thing I realised is I must have been asleep as I got through the toll gates without collecting a ticket and that was a 40 euro fee…
I also hadn’t booked any accommodation and I don’t know why I picked up an Oasis brochure as we were leaving Seville…but that was the start of a huge chain reaction… I couldn’t make one end of town to the next so I typed the address from the brochure into the GPS…as I kept driving, I sensed perhaps Hostel stays are not for me…I was in a rough neighbourhood…the street the hostel was allegedly on was a one lane and when I got up there…what do you know there is no Hostel…and its one way up and have to reverse back…fairdinkum, I thought I would be ambushed reversing out it was like a scene from “City of God” but I think that was more the lack of sleep…and I started driving again towards the other street name… And viola I got to Oasis…after a bit of driving and walking.
This place was cheap, it was 20 euro for the night…I knew I wasn’t there long so didn’t bother unpacking and just took a small bag out of the car. I knew I was hardly going to need anything other than my camera… Boy was I right…
First person I met was Serena who was having lunch and looking at a map of the city…speaking of lunch…I only had coffees and red bulls so far that day...and Serena had a monstrous plate of pasta…I thought she cooked for everyone in the Hostel but no she just ate it all by herself… Incidentally, Serena has graduated with a molecular biology degree…so if she wanted to kill you and hide the evidence, she probably could…but thankfully, she is nice and not ready to kill anyone…even after partnering me in seeing Lisbon in 5 hours straight…
Sarena introduced me to Aussie Blake, man all I gotta say is it was good to hear that Aussie twang and seeing a happy face and someone who knows Lisbon…Blake my man you are a star, and I so wished when I was younger I lived to travel as you are…Keep flying the flag buddy and hope to catch ya for a beer in old Sydney Town…Blake gave me all the spots to see in about 5 minutes flat and had a good yarn as well…
Not before too long we were on our way out and Serena and I headed for the trams…In case you have missed it I love trams (I typed initially as “I have a tram fetish”…but I know some of the people that will read this the wrong way…dirty, dirty, dirty)
Lunch on the run buying, toast, salami and cheese at the super market while waiting for the tram…then it was Lisbon in 5 hours flat…then dinner and back to the hostel for what was the likely and unlikely mayhem…Who would have thought that a game of celebrity head could be so much fun…even without drinking…well ok clarify I was not drinking but was having a great old time…others were and they were also having a great old time…Why did I ever leave Lisbon?
Well, the night just got crazier as it progressed…by 1:00 am celebrity head was over and we were heading out to what looked like the party quarters of the Universe… what scared me the most with a 1000 people crammed In a few laneways and cops everywhere and damn street vendors and Blake’s reassurance and apology that this is a quite night…I so didn’t want to leave Lisbon… the humungous cocktails and I mean they were lethal and I didn’t even finish one as I had to drive in a few hours. Dana on the other hand thought she was going to drink all of us under the table…Let’s just say that didn’t happen… the night’s shenanigans took more twist and turns than a CSI investigation and Dana & I were separated from the group and by 5:00 am were back at the Hostel and decided against sleeping so I can get to the airport on time not to mention that Dana had passed out long ago.
I think this night was by far my craziest night and this beat the wedding (which included 10 hours of drinking solid) and last night in Majorca where we had lots of drinking and lots of people until 4:00 am…hard to believe but true…Those who were there will vouch for that… ☺
And all the roads lead to Rome!
The day started about 5:00 am when one of the room boarders waltzed in with a bang…clearly he had a good night…but that was not the reason he gets a mention…about 40 minutes later…there was this choking shriek noise coming from our latest boarder that freaked the hell out of everyone in the room…Abrish almost jump off his top bunk and by then any hope of sleep was quickly dissipated.
True to form Janice and Mandy were ready by 7ish and we hit the road for what will be a 24 hours in Portugal (well for me anyway). I will come to regret the decision of not staying there longer.
Dropped the ladies off in Tevinia and headed towards Lisbon…I guess I didn’t realise how tired I was but about an hour into the trip I was nodding off at the wheel so decided on a stop over at the service centre and that was an hour’s nap… and that was the last bit of sleep I got in Portugal.
When I got in town first thing I realised is I must have been asleep as I got through the toll gates without collecting a ticket and that was a 40 euro fee…
I also hadn’t booked any accommodation and I don’t know why I picked up an Oasis brochure as we were leaving Seville…but that was the start of a huge chain reaction… I couldn’t make one end of town to the next so I typed the address from the brochure into the GPS…as I kept driving, I sensed perhaps Hostel stays are not for me…I was in a rough neighbourhood…the street the hostel was allegedly on was a one lane and when I got up there…what do you know there is no Hostel…and its one way up and have to reverse back…fairdinkum, I thought I would be ambushed reversing out it was like a scene from “City of God” but I think that was more the lack of sleep…and I started driving again towards the other street name… And viola I got to Oasis…after a bit of driving and walking.
This place was cheap, it was 20 euro for the night…I knew I wasn’t there long so didn’t bother unpacking and just took a small bag out of the car. I knew I was hardly going to need anything other than my camera… Boy was I right…
First person I met was Serena who was having lunch and looking at a map of the city…speaking of lunch…I only had coffees and red bulls so far that day...and Serena had a monstrous plate of pasta…I thought she cooked for everyone in the Hostel but no she just ate it all by herself… Incidentally, Serena has graduated with a molecular biology degree…so if she wanted to kill you and hide the evidence, she probably could…but thankfully, she is nice and not ready to kill anyone…even after partnering me in seeing Lisbon in 5 hours straight…
Sarena introduced me to Aussie Blake, man all I gotta say is it was good to hear that Aussie twang and seeing a happy face and someone who knows Lisbon…Blake my man you are a star, and I so wished when I was younger I lived to travel as you are…Keep flying the flag buddy and hope to catch ya for a beer in old Sydney Town…Blake gave me all the spots to see in about 5 minutes flat and had a good yarn as well…
Not before too long we were on our way out and Serena and I headed for the trams…In case you have missed it I love trams (I typed initially as “I have a tram fetish”…but I know some of the people that will read this the wrong way…dirty, dirty, dirty)
Lunch on the run buying, toast, salami and cheese at the super market while waiting for the tram…then it was Lisbon in 5 hours flat…then dinner and back to the hostel for what was the likely and unlikely mayhem…Who would have thought that a game of celebrity head could be so much fun…even without drinking…well ok clarify I was not drinking but was having a great old time…others were and they were also having a great old time…Why did I ever leave Lisbon?
Well, the night just got crazier as it progressed…by 1:00 am celebrity head was over and we were heading out to what looked like the party quarters of the Universe… what scared me the most with a 1000 people crammed In a few laneways and cops everywhere and damn street vendors and Blake’s reassurance and apology that this is a quite night…I so didn’t want to leave Lisbon… the humungous cocktails and I mean they were lethal and I didn’t even finish one as I had to drive in a few hours. Dana on the other hand thought she was going to drink all of us under the table…Let’s just say that didn’t happen… the night’s shenanigans took more twist and turns than a CSI investigation and Dana & I were separated from the group and by 5:00 am were back at the Hostel and decided against sleeping so I can get to the airport on time not to mention that Dana had passed out long ago.
I think this night was by far my craziest night and this beat the wedding (which included 10 hours of drinking solid) and last night in Majorca where we had lots of drinking and lots of people until 4:00 am…hard to believe but true…Those who were there will vouch for that… ☺
And all the roads lead to Rome!
Day 18 5th May 2011
After last night’s shenanigans and the BS from the bed saga…I was ready to leave pronto…so I got up about 6:00 and by seven decided I am going for a run because I felt I need one and come back, pack my bags and go to Portugal… The run did one thing (other than the benefits of going fast run on a 5 kms slog), it cleared my head to not be a princess and I came back and decided I might stay if I can get accommodation and if the girls wanted a lift to the next town, I’ll do that but we must leave really early as I am running out of time to see anything in Portugal not even Lisbon at this rate.
In hindsight, that was the best decision I had ever made on this trip… we had a “Hostel breakfast” basically eating on a napkin as you have to wash your own dishes and I made my own coffee and yeah, welcome to living a normal life during a holiday…secretly, I am starting to enjoy it a little…we went for the sight seeing tour of Seville…we knew what we wanted to see but I think this was also the beginning of me realising I have zero survival skills (without gadgets)…much on that later on…
We did the Cathedral and Alcatraz (or what I thought was Alcatraz) and had a great lunch and then dropped J off to have a rest as her allergies were really bad and she had been popping allergy tablets to help her get by.
I wanted to go and see the Macarena Cathedral and Mandy & Martin decided to join…when we got there we had realised that the wall was our very first stop. The church was another spectacular sight and we walked and took our photos and then decided to walk back to the car and get ready for the night outing where we will start with a Flamenco Show then dinner then we will see where this town really party before 10 pm???
As we were heading back, there was a hole in the wall o a pub that Mandy stood there for a minute mesmerised, there was dancing and singing coming out of it and she asked if we can go in…well, I know I don’t get asked twice to stop over for a drink so I went along and Martin joined us…
The net two or so hours will live with me forever, the place had all these ladies dressed in a their Flamenco’s finest, singing and dancing and just having a great time…it was like having our very own private Flamenco dance, they were very accommodating, and OMG the look on Mandy’s face alone was worth a million dollars. Her face lit up with excitement and the fact they allowed us to take photos was brilliant, one of the chaps had actually been to Australia the year before and the vibe was electric, hell it was 10000 volts…then they were telling us about Freia (not sure of the spelling) and Martin used his Spanish to actually get an address…When I asked I think Jorge what Freia is, he said coming to Saville and asking that is like him coming to Sydney and saying what is the Sydney Harbour bridge… Lesson learnt, I am culturally ignorant and will be doing allot more reading before my next planned travel.
Unfortunately, we had to leave them and rushed back to get changed and make our show reservation…Janice was there waiting and I had to check in for another night…but being on a high from the afternoon (well almost literally ☺ ) we got dressed and I decided to drive to the show as it was getting late and no cabs were out…I think it was another good decision.
We made the show albeit 5 minutes late and although I have seen a few in Sydney’s Liverpool street and another at Manly Wharf…sorry, but this show was nothing short of magnificent and OMG those dancers were awesome and the singers as well… Good choice Janice, definitely worth every dime we spent on this show and for anyone in Seville do it…
Now I was tired, and we didn’t know what to do, do we try to find this Freia or do we get dinner first or do we call it a night…Thankfully, Martin’s enthusiasm is infectious and we decided to see if we can follow his instructions of just go there and I mean he was pointing on a map on my iphone and we put that street name in the GPS… and we drove there…OMG I think Paris in Peak hour traffic had less cars…
http://www.google.com/search?q=Feria+Sevilla&hl=en&client=safari&rls=en&prmd=ivnsm&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=-SHOTeWuMIXs-gaZ5f3rCQ&ved=0CCQQsAQ&biw=1276&bih=621
Somehow again, we got parking and we had dinner and found out that Freia is larger than life…It was bloody massive party…I think bigger than any I have ever been to…think of Hyde park in the UK filled with people everywhere and then double that again…
I think I snapped about 500 shots and couldn’t have walked 10% of that place, after allot of walking we didn’t know if we should stop for a drink and it looked like the tents were all jam packed…we decided we would see if we can stopover somewhere for a drink and I asked someone at a relatively tamed tent if we can come in and buy a drink at the bar…the guy at the door said yes and just as we walked in Janice refused, and her claim, rightly r wrongly was that the person I asked has no right as this is a family cultural affair and she refused to get in… And that was the downer of the day so we headed to the car and drove back to the Hostel… Not sure if it was the tiredness of the long day, the allergies, my cultural ignorance to the Seville Tradition or what it was but it was tense to say the least and I just went quite as I tend to… so when Janice poked me again when we were walking back, we went off at and decided it…its ok, whatever if she had her k in a knot and I asked and her response was if I chose to not go should not p me off and god almighty reminded me of many arguments I have had in the past…so we decided to call it a night and get ready as I need to be in Portugal ASAP the next day.
Bam, Bam, Bamm and that was another dramatic end of another night in Seville…Oh well, Shit happens.
In hindsight, that was the best decision I had ever made on this trip… we had a “Hostel breakfast” basically eating on a napkin as you have to wash your own dishes and I made my own coffee and yeah, welcome to living a normal life during a holiday…secretly, I am starting to enjoy it a little…we went for the sight seeing tour of Seville…we knew what we wanted to see but I think this was also the beginning of me realising I have zero survival skills (without gadgets)…much on that later on…
We did the Cathedral and Alcatraz (or what I thought was Alcatraz) and had a great lunch and then dropped J off to have a rest as her allergies were really bad and she had been popping allergy tablets to help her get by.
I wanted to go and see the Macarena Cathedral and Mandy & Martin decided to join…when we got there we had realised that the wall was our very first stop. The church was another spectacular sight and we walked and took our photos and then decided to walk back to the car and get ready for the night outing where we will start with a Flamenco Show then dinner then we will see where this town really party before 10 pm???
As we were heading back, there was a hole in the wall o a pub that Mandy stood there for a minute mesmerised, there was dancing and singing coming out of it and she asked if we can go in…well, I know I don’t get asked twice to stop over for a drink so I went along and Martin joined us…
The net two or so hours will live with me forever, the place had all these ladies dressed in a their Flamenco’s finest, singing and dancing and just having a great time…it was like having our very own private Flamenco dance, they were very accommodating, and OMG the look on Mandy’s face alone was worth a million dollars. Her face lit up with excitement and the fact they allowed us to take photos was brilliant, one of the chaps had actually been to Australia the year before and the vibe was electric, hell it was 10000 volts…then they were telling us about Freia (not sure of the spelling) and Martin used his Spanish to actually get an address…When I asked I think Jorge what Freia is, he said coming to Saville and asking that is like him coming to Sydney and saying what is the Sydney Harbour bridge… Lesson learnt, I am culturally ignorant and will be doing allot more reading before my next planned travel.
Unfortunately, we had to leave them and rushed back to get changed and make our show reservation…Janice was there waiting and I had to check in for another night…but being on a high from the afternoon (well almost literally ☺ ) we got dressed and I decided to drive to the show as it was getting late and no cabs were out…I think it was another good decision.
We made the show albeit 5 minutes late and although I have seen a few in Sydney’s Liverpool street and another at Manly Wharf…sorry, but this show was nothing short of magnificent and OMG those dancers were awesome and the singers as well… Good choice Janice, definitely worth every dime we spent on this show and for anyone in Seville do it…
Now I was tired, and we didn’t know what to do, do we try to find this Freia or do we get dinner first or do we call it a night…Thankfully, Martin’s enthusiasm is infectious and we decided to see if we can follow his instructions of just go there and I mean he was pointing on a map on my iphone and we put that street name in the GPS… and we drove there…OMG I think Paris in Peak hour traffic had less cars…
http://www.google.com/search?q=Feria+Sevilla&hl=en&client=safari&rls=en&prmd=ivnsm&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=-SHOTeWuMIXs-gaZ5f3rCQ&ved=0CCQQsAQ&biw=1276&bih=621
Somehow again, we got parking and we had dinner and found out that Freia is larger than life…It was bloody massive party…I think bigger than any I have ever been to…think of Hyde park in the UK filled with people everywhere and then double that again…
I think I snapped about 500 shots and couldn’t have walked 10% of that place, after allot of walking we didn’t know if we should stop for a drink and it looked like the tents were all jam packed…we decided we would see if we can stopover somewhere for a drink and I asked someone at a relatively tamed tent if we can come in and buy a drink at the bar…the guy at the door said yes and just as we walked in Janice refused, and her claim, rightly r wrongly was that the person I asked has no right as this is a family cultural affair and she refused to get in… And that was the downer of the day so we headed to the car and drove back to the Hostel… Not sure if it was the tiredness of the long day, the allergies, my cultural ignorance to the Seville Tradition or what it was but it was tense to say the least and I just went quite as I tend to… so when Janice poked me again when we were walking back, we went off at and decided it…its ok, whatever if she had her k in a knot and I asked and her response was if I chose to not go should not p me off and god almighty reminded me of many arguments I have had in the past…so we decided to call it a night and get ready as I need to be in Portugal ASAP the next day.
Bam, Bam, Bamm and that was another dramatic end of another night in Seville…Oh well, Shit happens.
Day 17 4th May 2011
Seville Bound, and my first passengers meet Mandy & Janice from USA… Mandy & Janie are work colleagues and travel companions, Mandy married, Janice studying and as travel partners well, I think it works…they are having their own European Adventure.
So we decided to head-out early (ok, truth is , I decided because I figured my schedule is out of whack with the Majorca unscheduled stopover) The morning started with a lesson…Janice thought she left her IPhone charger so just as we cleared Granada tight alleys we had to come back…Oh and after that she hadn’t forgotten it, it was in her bag…Well we could’ve left later but no matter…Janice was on first strike :P
The drive was great we stopped over a few times and managed to get lunch in a sweet town in the middle of nowhere and the girls survived me clicking on 200 km/h without complaints…that was good. We learnt a bit more about each other as you do on a road trip and I think we will be friends for a while…along the travels it was somehow decided that I will stay t the Hostel if I can find a park…well, I found a park (The fact is I made my own parking on the footpath and apparently it works)
In the Hostel, I get a room to share with 5 others but there is only one “Abrish” from Manchester and he is cool…he tells us that he is heading to watch a bull fight and randomly we agree we will too…we all get dressed, hop in a cab and heading for our bull fight…yay… well ok other than we only lasted to watch two out of 6 bulls being slain it was something to tick in the box and move on….The atmosphere is electric and people are all dressed up and its just and amazing town. We walked out and walked along the promenade and it really is a beautiful city… a few more photo opportunities (the start of many) and then we get a cab back after allot of walking so we can get ready for dinner and heading out. When we get back to the Hotel, M & J have a new roomy, Martin from San Fran a cool guy, and extremely eccentric to say the least… He is speaking Spanish well to the lame (such as myself) my first impression was he is speaking Spanish, later on I figure he knows a little Spanish and by the measure of all of us, he might as well speak for all of us…
We headed out for dinner and there was a pub crawl organised by the Hostel and after much deliberations we declined it and tried our own…We were informed that Seville is a lively town, but by what we have seen this night…not very lively, Inmus had told me about this great Flamenco Festival but we have seen no signs of it at all…
Meanwhile my hostel dramas were unfolding…early during the day someone decide dto move my stuff from the allocated bed (Yes, I felt like a prisoner being allocated a cell and a bed) no matter, so I took the next bed…when we came back at 2 am…I see a little angry Korean chap who is waving his ticket at me and telling me how he moved my stuff to the floor because I was in his bed…oh, by that stage I see red, I see red, I see red…
Thankfully the ladies are calmer and Martin is drunk and loud and we decided that there was a mattress underneath their bunks and that I can sleep on the floor…to be honest I just wanted to leave and decided there is no way I am going to do this ever again…the mattress was dusty and I think that would have contributed to Janice’s allergy going haywire…By now I just can’t wait till the morning to get the hell out of Seville sworn off all Hostels for life as the “Hostel experience was Hostile”
So we decided to head-out early (ok, truth is , I decided because I figured my schedule is out of whack with the Majorca unscheduled stopover) The morning started with a lesson…Janice thought she left her IPhone charger so just as we cleared Granada tight alleys we had to come back…Oh and after that she hadn’t forgotten it, it was in her bag…Well we could’ve left later but no matter…Janice was on first strike :P
The drive was great we stopped over a few times and managed to get lunch in a sweet town in the middle of nowhere and the girls survived me clicking on 200 km/h without complaints…that was good. We learnt a bit more about each other as you do on a road trip and I think we will be friends for a while…along the travels it was somehow decided that I will stay t the Hostel if I can find a park…well, I found a park (The fact is I made my own parking on the footpath and apparently it works)
In the Hostel, I get a room to share with 5 others but there is only one “Abrish” from Manchester and he is cool…he tells us that he is heading to watch a bull fight and randomly we agree we will too…we all get dressed, hop in a cab and heading for our bull fight…yay… well ok other than we only lasted to watch two out of 6 bulls being slain it was something to tick in the box and move on….The atmosphere is electric and people are all dressed up and its just and amazing town. We walked out and walked along the promenade and it really is a beautiful city… a few more photo opportunities (the start of many) and then we get a cab back after allot of walking so we can get ready for dinner and heading out. When we get back to the Hotel, M & J have a new roomy, Martin from San Fran a cool guy, and extremely eccentric to say the least… He is speaking Spanish well to the lame (such as myself) my first impression was he is speaking Spanish, later on I figure he knows a little Spanish and by the measure of all of us, he might as well speak for all of us…
We headed out for dinner and there was a pub crawl organised by the Hostel and after much deliberations we declined it and tried our own…We were informed that Seville is a lively town, but by what we have seen this night…not very lively, Inmus had told me about this great Flamenco Festival but we have seen no signs of it at all…
Meanwhile my hostel dramas were unfolding…early during the day someone decide dto move my stuff from the allocated bed (Yes, I felt like a prisoner being allocated a cell and a bed) no matter, so I took the next bed…when we came back at 2 am…I see a little angry Korean chap who is waving his ticket at me and telling me how he moved my stuff to the floor because I was in his bed…oh, by that stage I see red, I see red, I see red…
Thankfully the ladies are calmer and Martin is drunk and loud and we decided that there was a mattress underneath their bunks and that I can sleep on the floor…to be honest I just wanted to leave and decided there is no way I am going to do this ever again…the mattress was dusty and I think that would have contributed to Janice’s allergy going haywire…By now I just can’t wait till the morning to get the hell out of Seville sworn off all Hostels for life as the “Hostel experience was Hostile”
Day 16 3rd May 2011
Well, another day in the life of Hany…The rain persisted from last night so I was adamant to leave as soon as the miserable Alhambra tour was going to be over and find a sunny town. Boy was I wrong…Let’s just say that the trip took on new momentum from this day on and probably a whole new energy…
I drove and parked in Alhambra car park…to get me out as soon as possie…little did I know I was in for a long haul up steep hills but definitely a must for everyone to do…the facts are fascinating and its amazing that through out the ages how stupidity managed to wreck and luck managed to preserve… if anything I have truly to the profound realization that all those fight or argue in the name of religion are morons…and should be publicly flogged every hour.
No matter, I met some great folks today…Claire& her sis Sherry and her son Trey who is studying in Granada…and as an introvert I publicly introduced myself and as surely most who have met me would say that the first impression they got when they met me was I should be gagged… Some still share that on all subsequent meets… whatever…
Also met Mandy and Janice who have become my travel companions not to mention they opened my eyes to the joy of travelling alone yet with many people. Mandy and Janice have introduced me to the world of Hostels let that be forever known that I agreed to stay in a Hostel. Ok the Granada experience was an independent double room with my own bathroom…I was told that’s not really the same but it said Hostel.
Quote of the day at lunch was when Janice who ordered “Oh la la” and as we were all sharing tapas style and Janice turned to Trey “ want to sample my Oh la la” when suddenly everyone burst in laughter and Janice went red (and it wasn’t just the Sangria I spilt on her… in fairness Trey did politely decline and Sherry decided to advise him that “you will never get an offer like that again” well for Trey’s sake I hope that’s not true (In fact I am sure of it)
The next thing we did was dinner and drinks in an Irish pub… followed by an arab bath…Ok this thing was bizarre and if people haven’t tried it well don’t take my word for it and you may like it…but paying for someone to bath you with suds is ummm…how do I say this a very weird experience…and only the arabs could think of this…the west had just called it solicitation but the arabs called it a bath…it was something to chalk up and move on…
The rest of the night was even weirder with me catching up with Trey and his buddies which involved about 20 year olds who were so young that I either missed half the shit or wanted to…lets say that if I am in a room with those guys it would get ugly quickly…their collective maturity was 5 (in fact maybe less than 5). The exception were Trey and Brian and they were cool but I just felt out of place and probably way too old to have hung around as long as I have so headed back home about 3 am after all I have a big drive to Seville and Janice and Mandy will be joining me.
I drove and parked in Alhambra car park…to get me out as soon as possie…little did I know I was in for a long haul up steep hills but definitely a must for everyone to do…the facts are fascinating and its amazing that through out the ages how stupidity managed to wreck and luck managed to preserve… if anything I have truly to the profound realization that all those fight or argue in the name of religion are morons…and should be publicly flogged every hour.
No matter, I met some great folks today…Claire& her sis Sherry and her son Trey who is studying in Granada…and as an introvert I publicly introduced myself and as surely most who have met me would say that the first impression they got when they met me was I should be gagged… Some still share that on all subsequent meets… whatever…
Also met Mandy and Janice who have become my travel companions not to mention they opened my eyes to the joy of travelling alone yet with many people. Mandy and Janice have introduced me to the world of Hostels let that be forever known that I agreed to stay in a Hostel. Ok the Granada experience was an independent double room with my own bathroom…I was told that’s not really the same but it said Hostel.
Quote of the day at lunch was when Janice who ordered “Oh la la” and as we were all sharing tapas style and Janice turned to Trey “ want to sample my Oh la la” when suddenly everyone burst in laughter and Janice went red (and it wasn’t just the Sangria I spilt on her… in fairness Trey did politely decline and Sherry decided to advise him that “you will never get an offer like that again” well for Trey’s sake I hope that’s not true (In fact I am sure of it)
The next thing we did was dinner and drinks in an Irish pub… followed by an arab bath…Ok this thing was bizarre and if people haven’t tried it well don’t take my word for it and you may like it…but paying for someone to bath you with suds is ummm…how do I say this a very weird experience…and only the arabs could think of this…the west had just called it solicitation but the arabs called it a bath…it was something to chalk up and move on…
The rest of the night was even weirder with me catching up with Trey and his buddies which involved about 20 year olds who were so young that I either missed half the shit or wanted to…lets say that if I am in a room with those guys it would get ugly quickly…their collective maturity was 5 (in fact maybe less than 5). The exception were Trey and Brian and they were cool but I just felt out of place and probably way too old to have hung around as long as I have so headed back home about 3 am after all I have a big drive to Seville and Janice and Mandy will be joining me.
Day 15 2nd May 2011
Well, all I can say is the trip from here on in will be a life changing experience… More on that later but I am writing this really knowing what has happened already so bear with me for a moment as I relay my tale…por favore ;-)
Ok I was all gung ho when I started this next leg and I am Granada bound…I have heard a fair bit about Granada and have to say that I go there with both anticipation and apprehension and both are exciting propositions.
http://www.google.com/search?q=granada+spain&hl=en&client=safari&rls=en&prmd=ivnsm&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=ByDOTdavMo6d-wbg4onrCQ&ved=0CEgQsAQ&biw=1276&bih=621
You can imagine my surprise that it was raining all the way west and all the time I spent today as well…I don’t mean drizzle either, its constant downpour… “The rain in Spain…fell on the plain and was a bloody pain” I am not one to dampen my spirit so I drove as swiftly as I could and as safely as I could…and when I got to Grenada decided to stay near Alhambra and get the hell out as soon as I can after the tour tomorrow…
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&client=safari&rls=en&nfpr=1&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=PiDOTYa9IcyCswbO_dmmCw&ved=0CDgQBSgA&q=granada+spain+Arabeluj&spell=1&biw=1276&bih=621
As fate would have it…I stayed in a lovely place called Arabeluj??? Nice and beautiful and shame about the weather…I picked a big room with a terrace and with all the rain and the 500 odd Kms that I trekked to get here…I even ordered a massage… NO, a deep tissue massage… for the Aussies out there and hell maybe others will agree… but massages are meant to help you loosen up and relax and hell maybe even get a few knots out of your joints…well, if that’s your expectation…don’t bother in Spain ☺ don’t get me wrong its not bad…but it ain’t worth the $$$ either…
After the lame massage decided to brave the weather and hit the town to see what’s there…it was the feast of the cross and a few churches had put in allot of effort and shame on the weather…I walked and walked and snapped as many photos as I could tolerate in the rain…but after 2 hours and numerous shots I was properly lost and went into a few bars and to my astonishment they were horrendous and dirty and sleazy… and did I mention scary…still by the third one decided I need food and had some tapas (which I looked at the food passing by me at the bar and pointed to what I thought was good) it was the cheapest meal I had ever had…along with two beers its was about 6 euro. So decided to spend the money saved on the meal by getting a cab back to the hotel… as I was a drowned rat.
Ok I was all gung ho when I started this next leg and I am Granada bound…I have heard a fair bit about Granada and have to say that I go there with both anticipation and apprehension and both are exciting propositions.
http://www.google.com/search?q=granada+spain&hl=en&client=safari&rls=en&prmd=ivnsm&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=ByDOTdavMo6d-wbg4onrCQ&ved=0CEgQsAQ&biw=1276&bih=621
You can imagine my surprise that it was raining all the way west and all the time I spent today as well…I don’t mean drizzle either, its constant downpour… “The rain in Spain…fell on the plain and was a bloody pain” I am not one to dampen my spirit so I drove as swiftly as I could and as safely as I could…and when I got to Grenada decided to stay near Alhambra and get the hell out as soon as I can after the tour tomorrow…
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&client=safari&rls=en&nfpr=1&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=PiDOTYa9IcyCswbO_dmmCw&ved=0CDgQBSgA&q=granada+spain+Arabeluj&spell=1&biw=1276&bih=621
As fate would have it…I stayed in a lovely place called Arabeluj??? Nice and beautiful and shame about the weather…I picked a big room with a terrace and with all the rain and the 500 odd Kms that I trekked to get here…I even ordered a massage… NO, a deep tissue massage… for the Aussies out there and hell maybe others will agree… but massages are meant to help you loosen up and relax and hell maybe even get a few knots out of your joints…well, if that’s your expectation…don’t bother in Spain ☺ don’t get me wrong its not bad…but it ain’t worth the $$$ either…
After the lame massage decided to brave the weather and hit the town to see what’s there…it was the feast of the cross and a few churches had put in allot of effort and shame on the weather…I walked and walked and snapped as many photos as I could tolerate in the rain…but after 2 hours and numerous shots I was properly lost and went into a few bars and to my astonishment they were horrendous and dirty and sleazy… and did I mention scary…still by the third one decided I need food and had some tapas (which I looked at the food passing by me at the bar and pointed to what I thought was good) it was the cheapest meal I had ever had…along with two beers its was about 6 euro. So decided to spend the money saved on the meal by getting a cab back to the hotel… as I was a drowned rat.
Day 14 1st May 2011
Jeez already May…. Oh well, all good things must come to an end…And sadly, at 8:00 am I was awake and so were Angela, Inmus and Eva for the Trek to the airport…I was being talked into staying the day and Barbara bf even promised a day canoeing but alas, two reasons I had to leave, in the back of my mind is a long, long, long drive to Lisbon and being surrounded by so many beautiful women is not a good thing for me…They tell me that temptation is very hard to resist and they were all amazing…so as sad as it was…I left Majorca for Barcelona to start another journey south…to Valencia.
So picked the car up and went back to the Hotel picked my bag and yadda yadda yadda…started driving…lets say that I have new renowned confidence in my ability to drive on the right side of the road and thank god fr GPS… I probably shouldn’t have remembered my lead foot but at 220 km/hr it was fabulous and the roads were good enough so the 300 miles started off well and even managed to take a breezer and stopped once for Red-bull (I was knackered after 2 nights of mayhem) and another for lunch at Orepsa…I can really live here…well maybe I will do what the poms do and retire in the Mediterranean or is Spain technically in the Atlantic…whatever…
http://www.aboutvalencia.com/
Finally got to Valencia, and just drove around town til I got parking and used the GPS and found a hotel across the road…it was very nice actually…Jardin Botanico
No the photo on FB was not my room…
To be honest I was exhausted and spent the afternoon just uploading photos and managed a spa bath and that was it…Woke up from my siesta at 11 and wasn’t sure I would get food. It turns out my hotel is right near the main touristy street in the “Old City” and all restaurants were open…I was in my shorts and T-shirt and it was getting cool. However, I was glad by my attire as no one wanted to drag me into the bars and none of the street vendors wanted to talk to me as I probably looked like a hobo…woo hoo…One disadvantage the restaurant I picked had poor service and poor food…it was busy and looked like it had lots of locals and the food looked good but tasted average.
Went back to the hotel as it was getting late and the locals seemed a little rough.
The sleep at night was mostly interrupted because I left the TV on and oh Osama is dead…hoppty do da
So picked the car up and went back to the Hotel picked my bag and yadda yadda yadda…started driving…lets say that I have new renowned confidence in my ability to drive on the right side of the road and thank god fr GPS… I probably shouldn’t have remembered my lead foot but at 220 km/hr it was fabulous and the roads were good enough so the 300 miles started off well and even managed to take a breezer and stopped once for Red-bull (I was knackered after 2 nights of mayhem) and another for lunch at Orepsa…I can really live here…well maybe I will do what the poms do and retire in the Mediterranean or is Spain technically in the Atlantic…whatever…
http://www.aboutvalencia.com/
Finally got to Valencia, and just drove around town til I got parking and used the GPS and found a hotel across the road…it was very nice actually…Jardin Botanico
No the photo on FB was not my room…
To be honest I was exhausted and spent the afternoon just uploading photos and managed a spa bath and that was it…Woke up from my siesta at 11 and wasn’t sure I would get food. It turns out my hotel is right near the main touristy street in the “Old City” and all restaurants were open…I was in my shorts and T-shirt and it was getting cool. However, I was glad by my attire as no one wanted to drag me into the bars and none of the street vendors wanted to talk to me as I probably looked like a hobo…woo hoo…One disadvantage the restaurant I picked had poor service and poor food…it was busy and looked like it had lots of locals and the food looked good but tasted average.
Went back to the hotel as it was getting late and the locals seemed a little rough.
The sleep at night was mostly interrupted because I left the TV on and oh Osama is dead…hoppty do da
Sunday, May 1, 2011
Day 13 30th April 2011
To the superstitious out there, rest assured day 13 was a very lucky day… the most strenuous thing I did today was a walk through the local produce market and it was endless joy…didn’t even take the camera out…Had a first home cooked meal in awhile (make that along while) I don’t believe I have laughed so hard in a long time and it was just a nice simple day…no site seeing, no cameras and just great company…One think to note that in Spain in general I am feeling like a giant and at 5”7 I was on par with the “tall” locals…yes it was bizarre and Ms Lee if you are reading this at any time no comments please ;-)
http://www.mallorcaweb.com/reports/fairs-and-markets/
Dinner was so many people but I will try to remember all the nationalities…(no I won’t bother with all the names, as I don’t believe I would get half of them right…
So we had Spaniards (7), Italians (2), Argentinians (2), Peruvian (1), French (2), a Mexican (1)? Oh and the honorary Single Majorcan (1). Ah and me flying the green and gold (1) THAT’S 17 people in a single room that is no bigger that my current hotel room… I can assure you I have not experienced such a gathering for a long, long time where people got along and it was warm and inviting and so it was a very great night that ended at 4:00 am after we literally had to kick people out as I have a flight to get up for in 4 hours.
People helped in cooking, in cleaning, in washing, in ensuring glasses (and bellies) were full…I want to at least instil this simple life in my boys at a minimum.
http://www.mallorcaweb.com/reports/fairs-and-markets/
Dinner was so many people but I will try to remember all the nationalities…(no I won’t bother with all the names, as I don’t believe I would get half of them right…
So we had Spaniards (7), Italians (2), Argentinians (2), Peruvian (1), French (2), a Mexican (1)? Oh and the honorary Single Majorcan (1). Ah and me flying the green and gold (1) THAT’S 17 people in a single room that is no bigger that my current hotel room… I can assure you I have not experienced such a gathering for a long, long time where people got along and it was warm and inviting and so it was a very great night that ended at 4:00 am after we literally had to kick people out as I have a flight to get up for in 4 hours.
People helped in cooking, in cleaning, in washing, in ensuring glasses (and bellies) were full…I want to at least instil this simple life in my boys at a minimum.
Day 12 29th April 2011
Well, lets say that the day started very calmly…did not even get out of bed til 10, and was ready by 12… The Hostel owners had organised my ride with on of the chaps who work there…when I got in the car he had some leb music on and then he was fiddling to change it and I asked him not to worry about it and he can keep it. This started another conversation and I found out that his name is Maured, (I think) he is originally from Syria and been living in Spain for 4 years. He has 3 brothers and none live in Syria, but he was worried about his parents getting old and living on their own so he wanted to know how he would get back there.
So this driver of mine was a chap that spoke English, Arabic, French, Spanish and Portuguese…oh and he is a dentist and working as a lackey in a Hostel it begs a question really of when will the world be unified in educating and accepting everyone to be equal? No matter…
Ok I got to the airport and still frustrates me the lack of WIFI in European airports??? Another stupid thing I did was locked my SIM and left the PUK code which meant a very challenging situation when I am getting picked up at the airport and have no means of contact…Thankfully, I am old enough to remember pay public phones and somewhat managed to use one…
Incidentally, Majorca’s airport is twice as big as Sydney’s international airport…in fact it could be 3 times as big so its no mean feat to understand where you are and explain it when most people don’t speak allot of English and I am dim wit that does not speak any Spanish (here is another mental note) learn more languages…more on that to follow.
I am greeted by three beautiful Senoritas (and I was politely corrected when I had faux pas and called her Senora) so stuck to English from there on. Lets just say that a random chat on a bus in Dublin leads to me meeting so many people in Majorca (which was not even on the travel chart…is amazing to say the least.
I am gob smacked by the hospitality and trust that these young ladies have provided me…They picked me up from the airport and sorry to lay the boot but this gesture alone neither of my partner/spouse/defacto EVER bothered to offer…In saying that I have great friends who simply did that and I adore my friends who dis this for me as I think it’s the nicest gesture…so you can imagine when really complete strangers do that especially when we had no means to communicate it was frustrating for all involved…
http://www.palmademallorca.es/IMI/PORTAL/PRD/floc_d4_v1.jsp?tipo=1&agrupacion=3&contenido=949&nivel=1400&language=en
They drove me around town…taking in the sites and photo opportunities…
http://www.mallorcawebsite.com/balearik/Cathedrali.html
Organised dinners with friends and families and its an experience that will live with me for a long time…
The rest of the evening was filled with laughter and lots of Spanish terms…and not forgetting the Italian in the mix as well. So here is what I am trying to recall “ques de le Primo est al Rimo” not even sure what it means…will be sure to check in and perhaps the Spanish motley crew care to comment or quite possibly correct it. The night started with Dinner and drinks and ended with dancing in a Jazz bar which was super cool
http://www.jazzvoyeurfestival.com/index.php
…you really quite easily can see why Christopher Skase never wanted to leave Majorca for Melbourne (more appropriately Melbourne Jail)
One last thing as I write this I am watching the rerun of the Royal Wedding in my Hotel room in Valencia. Needless to say, no one was watching it in Majorca.
http://www.officialroyalwedding2011.org/
So this driver of mine was a chap that spoke English, Arabic, French, Spanish and Portuguese…oh and he is a dentist and working as a lackey in a Hostel it begs a question really of when will the world be unified in educating and accepting everyone to be equal? No matter…
Ok I got to the airport and still frustrates me the lack of WIFI in European airports??? Another stupid thing I did was locked my SIM and left the PUK code which meant a very challenging situation when I am getting picked up at the airport and have no means of contact…Thankfully, I am old enough to remember pay public phones and somewhat managed to use one…
Incidentally, Majorca’s airport is twice as big as Sydney’s international airport…in fact it could be 3 times as big so its no mean feat to understand where you are and explain it when most people don’t speak allot of English and I am dim wit that does not speak any Spanish (here is another mental note) learn more languages…more on that to follow.
I am greeted by three beautiful Senoritas (and I was politely corrected when I had faux pas and called her Senora) so stuck to English from there on. Lets just say that a random chat on a bus in Dublin leads to me meeting so many people in Majorca (which was not even on the travel chart…is amazing to say the least.
I am gob smacked by the hospitality and trust that these young ladies have provided me…They picked me up from the airport and sorry to lay the boot but this gesture alone neither of my partner/spouse/defacto EVER bothered to offer…In saying that I have great friends who simply did that and I adore my friends who dis this for me as I think it’s the nicest gesture…so you can imagine when really complete strangers do that especially when we had no means to communicate it was frustrating for all involved…
http://www.palmademallorca.es/IMI/PORTAL/PRD/floc_d4_v1.jsp?tipo=1&agrupacion=3&contenido=949&nivel=1400&language=en
They drove me around town…taking in the sites and photo opportunities…
http://www.mallorcawebsite.com/balearik/Cathedrali.html
Organised dinners with friends and families and its an experience that will live with me for a long time…
The rest of the evening was filled with laughter and lots of Spanish terms…and not forgetting the Italian in the mix as well. So here is what I am trying to recall “ques de le Primo est al Rimo” not even sure what it means…will be sure to check in and perhaps the Spanish motley crew care to comment or quite possibly correct it. The night started with Dinner and drinks and ended with dancing in a Jazz bar which was super cool
http://www.jazzvoyeurfestival.com/index.php
…you really quite easily can see why Christopher Skase never wanted to leave Majorca for Melbourne (more appropriately Melbourne Jail)
One last thing as I write this I am watching the rerun of the Royal Wedding in my Hotel room in Valencia. Needless to say, no one was watching it in Majorca.
http://www.officialroyalwedding2011.org/
Day 11 28th April 2011
Started the day about 8:30 and I am way too relaxed after a night of Shenanigans and lots of drinks. Breakfast was simple but nice…The place I am staying is definitely an experience and the people staying are also nice and sweet…older crowd which is grand.
http://www.fcbarcelona.com/web/index_idiomes.html
One of the couples I met this morning (I forgot their names Sorry) They are from England somewhere south and they were talking about their grandchildren…One of their daughters is married to a Welshman and lives for the Rugby daughter 10 and son 9 and the kids favourite activities are playing Rugby…I am so jealous and am more adamant to feature more in my boys lives perhaps I can influence it more…The funny tale was however how another daughter lives in the US and her kids (boy and a girl) but the description I the daughter is great, the son is the “Son of Satan” quite funny how they described it but allegedly, the mother was arguing with the boy to have a timeout and was marching him to his room when the boy suddenly slammed the door and cut off her finger off. Okay I concur with a fitting name…it made me super grateful that my boys are okay and I can deal with that.
Other older couple (the gentleman actually live in Point Piper at some time ago) had advised that the Chocolate Museum is well worth the visit…
http://www.pastisseria.com/en/PortadaMuseu
I had wondered aimlessly viewing the world through my lens once again…but after the umpteenth shot of the Cathedral I remembered something I read once and decided to just sit down and enjoy the view and take shots sparingly. I have to say it’s a much better experience, and I believe the memory lasts longer than photos I won’t look at probably ever again.
As I just walked at a much slowed pace I was attracted to a quadrilateral where it seemed that there were drama classes being rehearsed with many impromptu performance and gosh it was refreshing to watch and these kids (yes, I am feeling old when I am talking about young adults in their 20s and calling them kids.) after watching for 20 minutes I started walking again and then asked about the Chocolate museum only to discover it was in the same building as that quadrant that I seen the performance about an hour earlier…so I trekked back and had the most amazing chocolate ever…70% cocoa and ok it was so nice that I had to take more photos…
I think if I ever had a calling…this place was it, I would love to come back and spend six months just to be an apprentice chocolatier…it may never be too late to get out of the rat race…
I walked and walked and walked all over town…just slowly and at ease with the world, it felt superb and especially that I had nowhere to be or a place to be at…Loved it and for those wanting to travel…this is the way to do it… but, experience it as you wish.
http://www.barcelonaturisme.com/
I returned to the Hostel and faffed around for a while…I was then advised that the car had not been repaired in time and that if possible they need more time. At that point I decided to take up Angela’s offer and head to Majorca…Booked the flights organised my lifts to the airport and it was settled...I would head to Majorca next day and spend two nights there.
I stayed in my room just reading and uploading a few more wedding photos and even managed a siesta…In the evening I had massage booked and after all the walking I really needed it. After the massage I went out to a local for dinner and it was the Obama British Africa…if they added Kangaroo Rio Noodles to the name
They would have covered a mark from all the six continents maybe I should have suggested that.
And that was about as much activity I was up for…no visits to the Benerabu or the Olympic stadium and I got more rest when I got to my room and packed a bag for the trip…
http://www.fcbarcelona.com/web/index_idiomes.html
One of the couples I met this morning (I forgot their names Sorry) They are from England somewhere south and they were talking about their grandchildren…One of their daughters is married to a Welshman and lives for the Rugby daughter 10 and son 9 and the kids favourite activities are playing Rugby…I am so jealous and am more adamant to feature more in my boys lives perhaps I can influence it more…The funny tale was however how another daughter lives in the US and her kids (boy and a girl) but the description I the daughter is great, the son is the “Son of Satan” quite funny how they described it but allegedly, the mother was arguing with the boy to have a timeout and was marching him to his room when the boy suddenly slammed the door and cut off her finger off. Okay I concur with a fitting name…it made me super grateful that my boys are okay and I can deal with that.
Other older couple (the gentleman actually live in Point Piper at some time ago) had advised that the Chocolate Museum is well worth the visit…
http://www.pastisseria.com/en/PortadaMuseu
I had wondered aimlessly viewing the world through my lens once again…but after the umpteenth shot of the Cathedral I remembered something I read once and decided to just sit down and enjoy the view and take shots sparingly. I have to say it’s a much better experience, and I believe the memory lasts longer than photos I won’t look at probably ever again.
As I just walked at a much slowed pace I was attracted to a quadrilateral where it seemed that there were drama classes being rehearsed with many impromptu performance and gosh it was refreshing to watch and these kids (yes, I am feeling old when I am talking about young adults in their 20s and calling them kids.) after watching for 20 minutes I started walking again and then asked about the Chocolate museum only to discover it was in the same building as that quadrant that I seen the performance about an hour earlier…so I trekked back and had the most amazing chocolate ever…70% cocoa and ok it was so nice that I had to take more photos…
I think if I ever had a calling…this place was it, I would love to come back and spend six months just to be an apprentice chocolatier…it may never be too late to get out of the rat race…
I walked and walked and walked all over town…just slowly and at ease with the world, it felt superb and especially that I had nowhere to be or a place to be at…Loved it and for those wanting to travel…this is the way to do it… but, experience it as you wish.
http://www.barcelonaturisme.com/
I returned to the Hostel and faffed around for a while…I was then advised that the car had not been repaired in time and that if possible they need more time. At that point I decided to take up Angela’s offer and head to Majorca…Booked the flights organised my lifts to the airport and it was settled...I would head to Majorca next day and spend two nights there.
I stayed in my room just reading and uploading a few more wedding photos and even managed a siesta…In the evening I had massage booked and after all the walking I really needed it. After the massage I went out to a local for dinner and it was the Obama British Africa…if they added Kangaroo Rio Noodles to the name
They would have covered a mark from all the six continents maybe I should have suggested that.
And that was about as much activity I was up for…no visits to the Benerabu or the Olympic stadium and I got more rest when I got to my room and packed a bag for the trip…
Thursday, April 28, 2011
Day 10 27th April 2011
Zachy called me and he sounds great and I know it tears a bit at me not seeing them but I know I really need this break and look forward to seeing them all my boys very soon.
Paul Vinnie insisted to pick me up and take me to the airport and it was an early start indeed…but the bugger didn’t show up and I never heard from him either…Odd but whatever…after allot of stress managed to get to the airport in time and even had time to wonder and buy a couple of Cds and even have Brekky…
Flight was good and the highlight was watching a git who has no manners o no decorum to have his seat so far back the chap behind him who was at least 6”3’ almost had his knees in his throat…manners are hard to teach. The schmuck that had his seat pushed back spent most of the flights watching a History Channel documentary on Aztec civilisations…I bit my tongue on more than one occasion because I would have loved to give him a piece of my mind.
I guess the episode with Vinnie not showing up and stress to getting to the airport and the Dic Head on the flight I was wound up too much so when I got in the car to drive after already forking out a bomb I think the car was a bad idea as I also need to buy GPS, a new SIM (why the fuk do Telcos not have Roaming always switched on) it pisses the fk out of me…
Anyway, a new country is exciting but I really need to learn more languages and I think If I learn Spanish and improve my French to a decipherable dialect that ought to cover it for now…
It took me 2 hours of driving around and trying to get a GPS unit and none of the shops I visited had a micro sim…fkn Apple should really try not to stand out…
Ok and if that was stressful, the next turn of events was going to get worse…The Hostel I am staying http://www.anticespai.com
(Incidentally it’s a great place to stay in Barcelona)
Anyway back to the bad event of the day he wanted to make a quick buck by charging my additional 35 euros a day to park the car…regardless I was fine with that an asked him to park it as I don’t know where I am going…and the next event cost home more than my entire stay and including the parking, instead of having the car in reverse, he put it in first gear and smashed it into the wall…Poor Bastard.
Ok, that was as bad as the day needed to be…it was time for some good karma, started walking around Barcelona (a bit more relaxed knowing where I am going) it’s a big game and I decided that I would go for Barcelona seeing that this is my new home town for the day ;)
Honed my bargaining skills and haggled for a Barcelona shirt (which I gave away at the end of the night) while walking around I was asked if I wanted to buy “Charlie” and that was after walking around seeing hookers and I was like ooh no thanks but the guy must’ve read the confused look on my face then replied its ####...I was like oh ok…but the answer is still no…
I then walked in the first bar I could find and t was an Irish bar and there I met Kate and Cath from Melbourne who are travelling just to see the football games (wow I was impressed and jealous) sadly, they had Real Madrid shirts on so needless to say they copped lots of flack…I for one was grateful Barcelona won http://www.uefa.com/uefachampionsleague/video/highlights/index.html
especially when Cath insisted on wearing her Real Shirt…Kate was at least sensible…after lots of drinks, dinner and more drinks til we were kicked out of the pub and with some Swiss Uni boys it was messy to say the least…I typed one digit too long for Kate’s number and oops oh well…sure will see them some football match somewhere.
The day finished much better than it started…
Paul Vinnie insisted to pick me up and take me to the airport and it was an early start indeed…but the bugger didn’t show up and I never heard from him either…Odd but whatever…after allot of stress managed to get to the airport in time and even had time to wonder and buy a couple of Cds and even have Brekky…
Flight was good and the highlight was watching a git who has no manners o no decorum to have his seat so far back the chap behind him who was at least 6”3’ almost had his knees in his throat…manners are hard to teach. The schmuck that had his seat pushed back spent most of the flights watching a History Channel documentary on Aztec civilisations…I bit my tongue on more than one occasion because I would have loved to give him a piece of my mind.
I guess the episode with Vinnie not showing up and stress to getting to the airport and the Dic Head on the flight I was wound up too much so when I got in the car to drive after already forking out a bomb I think the car was a bad idea as I also need to buy GPS, a new SIM (why the fuk do Telcos not have Roaming always switched on) it pisses the fk out of me…
Anyway, a new country is exciting but I really need to learn more languages and I think If I learn Spanish and improve my French to a decipherable dialect that ought to cover it for now…
It took me 2 hours of driving around and trying to get a GPS unit and none of the shops I visited had a micro sim…fkn Apple should really try not to stand out…
Ok and if that was stressful, the next turn of events was going to get worse…The Hostel I am staying http://www.anticespai.com
(Incidentally it’s a great place to stay in Barcelona)
Anyway back to the bad event of the day he wanted to make a quick buck by charging my additional 35 euros a day to park the car…regardless I was fine with that an asked him to park it as I don’t know where I am going…and the next event cost home more than my entire stay and including the parking, instead of having the car in reverse, he put it in first gear and smashed it into the wall…Poor Bastard.
Ok, that was as bad as the day needed to be…it was time for some good karma, started walking around Barcelona (a bit more relaxed knowing where I am going) it’s a big game and I decided that I would go for Barcelona seeing that this is my new home town for the day ;)
Honed my bargaining skills and haggled for a Barcelona shirt (which I gave away at the end of the night) while walking around I was asked if I wanted to buy “Charlie” and that was after walking around seeing hookers and I was like ooh no thanks but the guy must’ve read the confused look on my face then replied its ####...I was like oh ok…but the answer is still no…
I then walked in the first bar I could find and t was an Irish bar and there I met Kate and Cath from Melbourne who are travelling just to see the football games (wow I was impressed and jealous) sadly, they had Real Madrid shirts on so needless to say they copped lots of flack…I for one was grateful Barcelona won http://www.uefa.com/uefachampionsleague/video/highlights/index.html
especially when Cath insisted on wearing her Real Shirt…Kate was at least sensible…after lots of drinks, dinner and more drinks til we were kicked out of the pub and with some Swiss Uni boys it was messy to say the least…I typed one digit too long for Kate’s number and oops oh well…sure will see them some football match somewhere.
The day finished much better than it started…
Day 9 26th April 2011
The last day in London well I was looking forward to the last day where I actually get to catch up with friends before I trek the next 18 days alone.
I had promised allot of people that I would put a few photos from the wedding up on the web…sadly, the Macbook is not really functioning as smoothly so I need to buy yet another contraption to get the photos onto the laptop…so I spent the day walking around Canary Wharf and managed to even get a few photos printed ;-)
It was expected walking around my wallabies jacket, beard and beanie and as I was taking a few photos of the place offcourse a guard comes up to tell me I should not take photos of the buildings…”it looks suspicious” to which I am thinking…okay pick on an arab day and I am like…whatever and I walk off…
Catching up with Jon after a 12 months was good and catching up with Jamaria after 6 years plus was even better…Dinner was in a Chinese restaurant on a boat but according to Jamaria the ambience in the other restaurant would have been better...personally, I thought it was good and the cuisine was definitely grand especially the eel…and Jamaria at least now believes I eat everything.
I spoke to the boys (IJ & MM) and I really miss them) couldn’t get through to Zach so maybe next time.
I had promised allot of people that I would put a few photos from the wedding up on the web…sadly, the Macbook is not really functioning as smoothly so I need to buy yet another contraption to get the photos onto the laptop…so I spent the day walking around Canary Wharf and managed to even get a few photos printed ;-)
It was expected walking around my wallabies jacket, beard and beanie and as I was taking a few photos of the place offcourse a guard comes up to tell me I should not take photos of the buildings…”it looks suspicious” to which I am thinking…okay pick on an arab day and I am like…whatever and I walk off…
Catching up with Jon after a 12 months was good and catching up with Jamaria after 6 years plus was even better…Dinner was in a Chinese restaurant on a boat but according to Jamaria the ambience in the other restaurant would have been better...personally, I thought it was good and the cuisine was definitely grand especially the eel…and Jamaria at least now believes I eat everything.
I spoke to the boys (IJ & MM) and I really miss them) couldn’t get through to Zach so maybe next time.
Day 8 25th April (Anzac Day) 2011
Well everyone at home must be super excited about a 5 daylong weekend… I would have been too but the fact that I will have 8 weeks off in a row… I can’t be Jealous.
Well in London Town its still a Bank Holiday technically (Easter Monday) its weird that the Scotts didn’t really have any comprehension of the long weekend but the Londoners seem to have had. Anyway, continuing from my seventh Sabbath the previous day I decided to chill out some more and had not left the apartment before 3:30 ish … Sadder than that is I actually stayed in the apt watching the 10 commandments…Yes, its sad…but whatever…
When I finally got my arse in gear I headed straight for the London eye but the queue was horrendous so just took a few snaps of Big Ben, Parliament, Westminster, and Yes B(F)uckingham Palace…the thought that kept going through my head was this could potentially be the last Royal Wedding of my era… And at the same time…I was thinking poor saps their lives as the know it will be forever ruined after that wedding… I guess that’s what compelled me into buying the memorabilia items and I did so from the palace shop and not the “Tacky” convenience stores…that was my contribution to the wedding ☺
http://www.theukgiftcompany.co.uk/the_official_royal_collection/royal_wedding_pill_box_from_the_royal_collection/31308_p.html
I then hopped on the tube to Leicester sq… and wasn’t really sure why… but the place was abuzz as always and as I aimlessly wondered I just ended up in front of the theatre and Les Miserables was playing…I have heard the sound track and I might have even seen it but the fact that I was in London…I think the bucket list was owed something other than the adrenaline junk…so I decided time to splash out on the arts and yes it was worth every penny (and there were a few pennies spent) I dreamed a dream when hope was high ;-) well I am glad I am still dreaming.
http://www.lesmis.com/home
Going home I was elated to say the least and promptly added the Les Miz soundtrack to my library
Well in London Town its still a Bank Holiday technically (Easter Monday) its weird that the Scotts didn’t really have any comprehension of the long weekend but the Londoners seem to have had. Anyway, continuing from my seventh Sabbath the previous day I decided to chill out some more and had not left the apartment before 3:30 ish … Sadder than that is I actually stayed in the apt watching the 10 commandments…Yes, its sad…but whatever…
When I finally got my arse in gear I headed straight for the London eye but the queue was horrendous so just took a few snaps of Big Ben, Parliament, Westminster, and Yes B(F)uckingham Palace…the thought that kept going through my head was this could potentially be the last Royal Wedding of my era… And at the same time…I was thinking poor saps their lives as the know it will be forever ruined after that wedding… I guess that’s what compelled me into buying the memorabilia items and I did so from the palace shop and not the “Tacky” convenience stores…that was my contribution to the wedding ☺
http://www.theukgiftcompany.co.uk/the_official_royal_collection/royal_wedding_pill_box_from_the_royal_collection/31308_p.html
I then hopped on the tube to Leicester sq… and wasn’t really sure why… but the place was abuzz as always and as I aimlessly wondered I just ended up in front of the theatre and Les Miserables was playing…I have heard the sound track and I might have even seen it but the fact that I was in London…I think the bucket list was owed something other than the adrenaline junk…so I decided time to splash out on the arts and yes it was worth every penny (and there were a few pennies spent) I dreamed a dream when hope was high ;-) well I am glad I am still dreaming.
http://www.lesmis.com/home
Going home I was elated to say the least and promptly added the Les Miz soundtrack to my library
Day 7: 24 April 2011 Take 2 London
Landing in Terminal 5 it was just as well that they speak English in London…can that airport be any more confusing…Decided to brave the tube to get to the apartment.
Ok the first sting was the 21 pounds for the ride damn…what would a cab cost…I am told lots more than that. So imagine me with a backpack weighing 18 kgs and a laptop bag weighing another 8 and a sac with some books. Ok that’s lugging half my weight around… Then get the express to Paddo and change at Piccadilly and then again at Green Park (oh, in case you are wondering I bought a Tube app well worth the $1.19) then finally at Canary Wharf.
I decided to read some reviews on the tube about Marlin apartments and one of the reviews was sh!tty well actually a few were…but one mentioned bed bugs an oh man that started a bad vibe in me…
So back to lugging the weight I was lost through a few streets as the folks in Canary Wharf are either ignorant or don’t like giving straight directions…To the Sydney folks, the best way I can describe Canary Wharf is imagine I am in a new apartment in Alexandria and had to land in Redfern on a Sunday arvo and maybe that should give you some perspective…
No matter, I made it to the apartment and was completely exhausted. Back to that review, as soon as I walked through I began to itch and I mean really badly…Thankfully, someone kind a while ago had mentioned that they travel with Lavender oil to put down on their pillows to help em sleep…well, I do listen and had bought a wee concentrate bottle before I left and les say that its empty now. But I was part irrational and part paranoid but I needed to be sure. And for the record I have not seen any bugs and the place is fine.
Ok, this evening I decided to have dinner and go to bed so went out to Canary Wharf and had dinner at all bar one so it’s a bit like King Street wharf and its really nice…Now, all the stereotyping about English folks drinking culture and was evident in the local pub. It was like watching an episode of ladette to lady… Surreal to say the least http://www.citypride.co.uk/functions.asp
I have not seen a single person without pints of beer and cigi in their mouth for a whole hour. In fact the pub was empty and everyone was standing in the beer garden lighting up… I guess it could also be the perception that tourists get in Aus if they are at the Coogee Bay Hotel (except half the patrons there are also poms ;)
So I came home did a bit of reading and went to bed.
And so was the Seventh day of rest.
Ok the first sting was the 21 pounds for the ride damn…what would a cab cost…I am told lots more than that. So imagine me with a backpack weighing 18 kgs and a laptop bag weighing another 8 and a sac with some books. Ok that’s lugging half my weight around… Then get the express to Paddo and change at Piccadilly and then again at Green Park (oh, in case you are wondering I bought a Tube app well worth the $1.19) then finally at Canary Wharf.
I decided to read some reviews on the tube about Marlin apartments and one of the reviews was sh!tty well actually a few were…but one mentioned bed bugs an oh man that started a bad vibe in me…
So back to lugging the weight I was lost through a few streets as the folks in Canary Wharf are either ignorant or don’t like giving straight directions…To the Sydney folks, the best way I can describe Canary Wharf is imagine I am in a new apartment in Alexandria and had to land in Redfern on a Sunday arvo and maybe that should give you some perspective…
No matter, I made it to the apartment and was completely exhausted. Back to that review, as soon as I walked through I began to itch and I mean really badly…Thankfully, someone kind a while ago had mentioned that they travel with Lavender oil to put down on their pillows to help em sleep…well, I do listen and had bought a wee concentrate bottle before I left and les say that its empty now. But I was part irrational and part paranoid but I needed to be sure. And for the record I have not seen any bugs and the place is fine.
Ok, this evening I decided to have dinner and go to bed so went out to Canary Wharf and had dinner at all bar one so it’s a bit like King Street wharf and its really nice…Now, all the stereotyping about English folks drinking culture and was evident in the local pub. It was like watching an episode of ladette to lady… Surreal to say the least http://www.citypride.co.uk/functions.asp
I have not seen a single person without pints of beer and cigi in their mouth for a whole hour. In fact the pub was empty and everyone was standing in the beer garden lighting up… I guess it could also be the perception that tourists get in Aus if they are at the Coogee Bay Hotel (except half the patrons there are also poms ;)
So I came home did a bit of reading and went to bed.
And so was the Seventh day of rest.
Day 7: 24 April 2011
And on the Seventh day I rested… Well, almost.
After a big day and a big night at the wedding I was shattered. Still managed to get up early to pack my sac…and by 8:30 was ready for brekky and Andrea and John cooked up a storm.
9:30 am John Beattie Beattie a local had agreed to drive me back to Edinburgh and I was warned he likes to chat…except, little did they know so do I…Turns out John is a soccer fanatic, bike enthused (Ducati owner) and had been to Oz…so we only had a few things to talk about for the two hour ride back. And oh yes you guessed folks we are now Facebook friends…
Driving through Princess Street something tells me that it may be the last time but I hope not…it was beautiful and sunny and I will truly forever hold this city in my heart.
Goodbye Edinburgh and till we meet again
After a big day and a big night at the wedding I was shattered. Still managed to get up early to pack my sac…and by 8:30 was ready for brekky and Andrea and John cooked up a storm.
9:30 am John Beattie Beattie a local had agreed to drive me back to Edinburgh and I was warned he likes to chat…except, little did they know so do I…Turns out John is a soccer fanatic, bike enthused (Ducati owner) and had been to Oz…so we only had a few things to talk about for the two hour ride back. And oh yes you guessed folks we are now Facebook friends…
Driving through Princess Street something tells me that it may be the last time but I hope not…it was beautiful and sunny and I will truly forever hold this city in my heart.
Goodbye Edinburgh and till we meet again
Monday, April 25, 2011
Day 6: 23 April 2011
Day 6: 23 April 2011
Oh the nucleus of the trip…This is the day I trekked all the way from Aus for (well it’s the primary reason I am here)
Another 5:00 am start and it didn’t take long to actually hop out in miserable weather for a run…and I am so glad I did…it felt so great and yes I am sore an muscles are tightening up…but oh well.
Had breakfast and a big walk and then lunch and finally back to the BnB for a quick nap. God I love this place…
The moment of truth had arrived and I am wearing a kilt…no well as the guys sy its not a kilt unless it’s the full 8 foot highlander…but bugger em I am in for all arguments in a KILT and it feels great and Yes (free balling). To be honest, going to the wedding had stirred some emotions in me… Wondered if that will ever be me walking down an isle and exchanging vows. Watching Milly cry also evoked some uncertainties within me… But it was a beautiful ceremony and really moving…May the bride and groom enjoy a long and healthy life together I know they deserve it.
The reception was amazing and wonderful in everyway…and in typical Hany fashion I got to meet loads of people and its nice meeting some nice people and ok there were a couple that gave off bad vibes and to the most part I deflected their company away.
I will forever remember this day and if nothing else I have over 800 photos to remind me of the day ☺
The biggest lesson of the day for me was Happy people and on two fronts I learnt that being happy is the best thing in the world and finding another happy soul is just as important. I have seen such a person and will hold unto that for a long time til I find someone I can share with because as god is my witness I will not repeat the same mistake again.
A great night and lots of photos and a few friends and I know I made the right decision coming out here. Thank you Murray & Kathleen and god bless.
Oh the nucleus of the trip…This is the day I trekked all the way from Aus for (well it’s the primary reason I am here)
Another 5:00 am start and it didn’t take long to actually hop out in miserable weather for a run…and I am so glad I did…it felt so great and yes I am sore an muscles are tightening up…but oh well.
Had breakfast and a big walk and then lunch and finally back to the BnB for a quick nap. God I love this place…
The moment of truth had arrived and I am wearing a kilt…no well as the guys sy its not a kilt unless it’s the full 8 foot highlander…but bugger em I am in for all arguments in a KILT and it feels great and Yes (free balling). To be honest, going to the wedding had stirred some emotions in me… Wondered if that will ever be me walking down an isle and exchanging vows. Watching Milly cry also evoked some uncertainties within me… But it was a beautiful ceremony and really moving…May the bride and groom enjoy a long and healthy life together I know they deserve it.
The reception was amazing and wonderful in everyway…and in typical Hany fashion I got to meet loads of people and its nice meeting some nice people and ok there were a couple that gave off bad vibes and to the most part I deflected their company away.
I will forever remember this day and if nothing else I have over 800 photos to remind me of the day ☺
The biggest lesson of the day for me was Happy people and on two fronts I learnt that being happy is the best thing in the world and finding another happy soul is just as important. I have seen such a person and will hold unto that for a long time til I find someone I can share with because as god is my witness I will not repeat the same mistake again.
A great night and lots of photos and a few friends and I know I made the right decision coming out here. Thank you Murray & Kathleen and god bless.
Day 5: 22 April 2011
Not surprising really a 4:00 am start and by 5:30 I had ants in my pants and walked out to take some night shots of the castle and so on and so forth…
http://www.edinburghcastle.gov.uk/
Well freezing and misty morning and I wish had a talent for cinematography or story telling it’s definitely the right atmosphere. But alas I don’t so I will continue to take photos ;-)
After two and bit hours and a flat battery and a full memory card (the camera’s that is) I returned to the hotel and then went for a walk on the hunt for Brekky…Needless to say, Edinburgh did not disappoint me in not finding a place to eat at 7:00 am (unless you wanted to go to Starbucks) No matter found a coffee place and had a coffee not complaining it was alright…then a few more walks around town and a few more photos and back to the hotel.
Do the three SSS and packed my bags and went out to walk through the old city and collect my Kilt (did I mention how excited I am about being in a Kilt)
Now its almost 12 and I am remembering that the mist or fog or whatever it is it ain’t gonna lift so might as well walk…I have 5 plus hours till Murray picks me up so make the most of it…and in review of that comment now…the most of it should have stopped at the scrumptious three course meal I had at La Garrigue
http://www.lagarrigue.co.uk/lagarrigue/index.htm
(French restaurant) but no it didn’t…I walked all over the city probably in excess of 4 miles all up…back and forth and through to the Scottish parliament http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/
and the mistake was to get to Arthur’s seat and lost on the way back...Hey, its exercise and I more than made up for it by downing a few pints and a spicy bloody Mary at the Hard Rock Café Edinburgh. http://www.hardrock.com/locations/cafes3/cafe.aspx?LocationID=42&MIBEnumID=3
Murray picked me up and we headed to Glasgow…gee I wish he told me that earlier. Anyway it’s ok…we will sort something out and get me back there on Sunday for my next leg of the flight.
http://www.loch-lomond-view.com/?gclid=CIbY8a64t6gCFQoY4QodFGfACQ
Drinks with the bridal party and it’s promising to be a riot wedding…oh well bring it…had a quite one in the pub on the way home and I felt like a prey with some women pointing at me and sniggering and I promptly got out…and headed to my BnB.
Speaking of the BnB its bloody awesome and I have stayed in quite a number of hotel and well renowned for being a snob…but this place is great Andrea and John Hughes definitely worth Staying at Gowanlea Guest House http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Hotel_Review-g551931-d648126-Reviews-Gowanlea_Guest_House-Balloch_West_Dunbartonshire_Loch_Lomond_and_The_Trossachs_National_Park_Scotland.html
…will be putting a glowing review on Trip advisor.
http://www.edinburghcastle.gov.uk/
Well freezing and misty morning and I wish had a talent for cinematography or story telling it’s definitely the right atmosphere. But alas I don’t so I will continue to take photos ;-)
After two and bit hours and a flat battery and a full memory card (the camera’s that is) I returned to the hotel and then went for a walk on the hunt for Brekky…Needless to say, Edinburgh did not disappoint me in not finding a place to eat at 7:00 am (unless you wanted to go to Starbucks) No matter found a coffee place and had a coffee not complaining it was alright…then a few more walks around town and a few more photos and back to the hotel.
Do the three SSS and packed my bags and went out to walk through the old city and collect my Kilt (did I mention how excited I am about being in a Kilt)
Now its almost 12 and I am remembering that the mist or fog or whatever it is it ain’t gonna lift so might as well walk…I have 5 plus hours till Murray picks me up so make the most of it…and in review of that comment now…the most of it should have stopped at the scrumptious three course meal I had at La Garrigue
http://www.lagarrigue.co.uk/lagarrigue/index.htm
(French restaurant) but no it didn’t…I walked all over the city probably in excess of 4 miles all up…back and forth and through to the Scottish parliament http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/
and the mistake was to get to Arthur’s seat and lost on the way back...Hey, its exercise and I more than made up for it by downing a few pints and a spicy bloody Mary at the Hard Rock Café Edinburgh. http://www.hardrock.com/locations/cafes3/cafe.aspx?LocationID=42&MIBEnumID=3
Murray picked me up and we headed to Glasgow…gee I wish he told me that earlier. Anyway it’s ok…we will sort something out and get me back there on Sunday for my next leg of the flight.
http://www.loch-lomond-view.com/?gclid=CIbY8a64t6gCFQoY4QodFGfACQ
Drinks with the bridal party and it’s promising to be a riot wedding…oh well bring it…had a quite one in the pub on the way home and I felt like a prey with some women pointing at me and sniggering and I promptly got out…and headed to my BnB.
Speaking of the BnB its bloody awesome and I have stayed in quite a number of hotel and well renowned for being a snob…but this place is great Andrea and John Hughes definitely worth Staying at Gowanlea Guest House http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Hotel_Review-g551931-d648126-Reviews-Gowanlea_Guest_House-Balloch_West_Dunbartonshire_Loch_Lomond_and_The_Trossachs_National_Park_Scotland.html
…will be putting a glowing review on Trip advisor.
Day 4 - 21 April 2011 Take 2:
My heart surely missed a beat landing in Edinburgh…It was sunny (surprisingly) but that didn’t last long.
Check-in at the Georges Hotel…
http://www.principal-hayley.com/venues--hotels/the-george-hotel.aspx
Nice and swanky and the location was just perfect.
Its surreal walking down memory lane from quite a number of years ago (9.5 to be exact) but, I had walked to where I lived and thanks to modern technology took loads of Digital photos. Offcourse its also grand that I still have my almost full faculties to remember where everything is.
A Drink at “All bar one” and “Queens Arms” http://www.queensarmsedinburgh.com/
were the two haunts I oft visited when I lived here…Alasdair McLeish (from Westpac) and so wished I had moved back here permanently. Oh well a few more years and surely I know I want to retire somewhere as serene and nice as Edinburgh…maybe allot warmer.
Got the kilt
http://www.thekiltstore.com/
organised and I am so very excited about that…and bought a t-shirt that had the slogans…It’s a Kilt If I wear underwear then it’s a skirt…well if that doesn’t say it all ;)
Check-in at the Georges Hotel…
http://www.principal-hayley.com/venues--hotels/the-george-hotel.aspx
Nice and swanky and the location was just perfect.
Its surreal walking down memory lane from quite a number of years ago (9.5 to be exact) but, I had walked to where I lived and thanks to modern technology took loads of Digital photos. Offcourse its also grand that I still have my almost full faculties to remember where everything is.
A Drink at “All bar one” and “Queens Arms” http://www.queensarmsedinburgh.com/
were the two haunts I oft visited when I lived here…Alasdair McLeish (from Westpac) and so wished I had moved back here permanently. Oh well a few more years and surely I know I want to retire somewhere as serene and nice as Edinburgh…maybe allot warmer.
Got the kilt
http://www.thekiltstore.com/
organised and I am so very excited about that…and bought a t-shirt that had the slogans…It’s a Kilt If I wear underwear then it’s a skirt…well if that doesn’t say it all ;)
Day 4 - 21 April 2011
Last Day in Dublin…Bags packed…brekky and finally found the cd of Pub songs (Irish pub songs with lyrics) I shall attempt to remember some.
I spoke to the boys this morning and it made my day and I can’t wait to hold them in my arms again.
So, alas goodbye Dublin and I can’t wait to walk down Princess street in Edinburgh…and although Dublin was grand…I am sure she is not my top city in the world, maybe it’s the rush, maybe it’s the lack of infrastructure or the streets full of Non-Irish folk…BUT, to me the city seemed desolate and although I am grateful I have visited it…It will take some convincing to come back here in a hurry…perhaps I should have visited Belfast…maybe next time…
PS (To the Irish govt) invest in some Internet infrastructure ffs… Even the airport does not have WIFI or DUTY Free???
Song for Dublin
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CgsVd4-wH_A
I spoke to the boys this morning and it made my day and I can’t wait to hold them in my arms again.
So, alas goodbye Dublin and I can’t wait to walk down Princess street in Edinburgh…and although Dublin was grand…I am sure she is not my top city in the world, maybe it’s the rush, maybe it’s the lack of infrastructure or the streets full of Non-Irish folk…BUT, to me the city seemed desolate and although I am grateful I have visited it…It will take some convincing to come back here in a hurry…perhaps I should have visited Belfast…maybe next time…
PS (To the Irish govt) invest in some Internet infrastructure ffs… Even the airport does not have WIFI or DUTY Free???
Song for Dublin
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CgsVd4-wH_A
Day 3 - 20th April 2011
What a busy day…started quite early in the morning like 4:30 am (local time) and considering that was only a total of 2 hours sleep, oh brother…
Today’s adventures started with a day trip booked to Glendalough and Kilkenny.
http://www.glendalough.ie/
http://www.kilkennycastle.ie/en/
Discovery that compliments go a long way and that travelling on your own especially when you are extremely extroverted is probably an advantage.
Met several people on the bus including 3 Spaniards, 5 Americans and 3 Germans and no that was not everyone on the bus there were a few more but being the only Aussie it was advantageous.
Learnt that Spaniards like to study abroad and International Corporate Studies is highly desirable in a foreign country…and there are Masters in Art at Finland that his gf was studying…the person next to me Angela (who I thought pronounced it Andy…She was actually saying Angee) lives in Majorca and is interesting we hung around pretty much all day and discovered that se works in HR but wants to combine that with Social Work...when I asked what that is she stated that she likes placing people who have been long term unemployed and she has no bias as to where from and were to...Although, Majorca is her market place. Interestingly enough she didn’t know who Christopher Skase was…I guess he has been dead for a while and the Spaniards couldn’t give a flaming flying Funk about who he was…Good to know that they will let you be!
There was another spot that was clearly fascinating our driver/tour guide about 150 tonnes rock that is in the middle of a field…Photos attached…I am sure he even referenced the pyramids and some Aztec temples to it…Personally, I don’t understand the comparison but you decide…It is also amusing how there were the numerous facts thrown in along the tour.
The funniest shit was how he was talking about a rock festival and he was disappointed the American rapper J-ZED headed the line up acts (to which all the Americans pissed themselves lol…hahahaha…to his embarrassment he automatically put on U2, sadly it was from 1991 and started it out with DESI IIIIRE
So if being on a bus from 8:30 – 6:30 (with the exception of 4 hours walking around) wasn’t enough torture I was led promptly on another bus by PatRice and off we went to Johnnie Foxes http://www.jfp.ie/
… woo hoo the menu looked spectacular and the pints were flowing too easily…and the Irish music was playing not to mention the artefacts laying outside that pub were fabulous… Well all in all I might state that I just have picked the bad menu and I was exhausted by 10…but after a shot of tequila and a coupe of scotched and by my fourth pint I was on good form.
I have to say I am as always very impressed by Patrice’s singing…my surprise was Joe Thompson’s rendition of beautiful folk songs especially “The Black Velevt Band” and he was bloody good…I said earlier that travelling on your own has its advantages but having local friends is fantastic and I thoroughly enjoyed being awake for 23 hours with loads of drinking…superb fun and new friends as well as old friends around…
Oh yeah, best news of the night was Arsenal drawing 3-3 with Spurs to send them to third spot rather than challenge for The EPL ☺
Today’s adventures started with a day trip booked to Glendalough and Kilkenny.
http://www.glendalough.ie/
http://www.kilkennycastle.ie/en/
Discovery that compliments go a long way and that travelling on your own especially when you are extremely extroverted is probably an advantage.
Met several people on the bus including 3 Spaniards, 5 Americans and 3 Germans and no that was not everyone on the bus there were a few more but being the only Aussie it was advantageous.
Learnt that Spaniards like to study abroad and International Corporate Studies is highly desirable in a foreign country…and there are Masters in Art at Finland that his gf was studying…the person next to me Angela (who I thought pronounced it Andy…She was actually saying Angee) lives in Majorca and is interesting we hung around pretty much all day and discovered that se works in HR but wants to combine that with Social Work...when I asked what that is she stated that she likes placing people who have been long term unemployed and she has no bias as to where from and were to...Although, Majorca is her market place. Interestingly enough she didn’t know who Christopher Skase was…I guess he has been dead for a while and the Spaniards couldn’t give a flaming flying Funk about who he was…Good to know that they will let you be!
There was another spot that was clearly fascinating our driver/tour guide about 150 tonnes rock that is in the middle of a field…Photos attached…I am sure he even referenced the pyramids and some Aztec temples to it…Personally, I don’t understand the comparison but you decide…It is also amusing how there were the numerous facts thrown in along the tour.
The funniest shit was how he was talking about a rock festival and he was disappointed the American rapper J-ZED headed the line up acts (to which all the Americans pissed themselves lol…hahahaha…to his embarrassment he automatically put on U2, sadly it was from 1991 and started it out with DESI IIIIRE
So if being on a bus from 8:30 – 6:30 (with the exception of 4 hours walking around) wasn’t enough torture I was led promptly on another bus by PatRice and off we went to Johnnie Foxes http://www.jfp.ie/
… woo hoo the menu looked spectacular and the pints were flowing too easily…and the Irish music was playing not to mention the artefacts laying outside that pub were fabulous… Well all in all I might state that I just have picked the bad menu and I was exhausted by 10…but after a shot of tequila and a coupe of scotched and by my fourth pint I was on good form.
I have to say I am as always very impressed by Patrice’s singing…my surprise was Joe Thompson’s rendition of beautiful folk songs especially “The Black Velevt Band” and he was bloody good…I said earlier that travelling on your own has its advantages but having local friends is fantastic and I thoroughly enjoyed being awake for 23 hours with loads of drinking…superb fun and new friends as well as old friends around…
Oh yeah, best news of the night was Arsenal drawing 3-3 with Spurs to send them to third spot rather than challenge for The EPL ☺
Day 2 - 19th April 2011
In keeping my word that I will not stop training I went for a 12 km run this morning and the highlight was stopping to take happy snaps. http://www.phoenixpark.ie/
Having Deer and I don’t mean one or two but tens of them was surprising and just spurred me on the run. Running in the cold as well seems to be a hell of allot easier than running in heat so really looking forward to my marathon in a November. In think about that I need to put some thought about fundraising.
Brekky and a coffee to start the day and served by a “Brisbanite” and chatting to a gal that lived in Sydney and I am very happy to be calling Australia home and not sure but another chap in the pub at night had told me that “I have an Aussie accent” cool…
Spent a couple of hours checking emails and updating FB…wow technology thank god. Also, booked Edinburgh’s accommodation and all sorted…now the decision if I should hire a kilt or buy one…Will see.
Today’s fun included Jameson distillery (triple distilled) and offcourse I volunteered for the taste testing, which included a shot of Jameson, a shot of Johnny black (horrendous) and a shot of JD, which is not much better than Johnny. I also had Jameson with Ginger Ale and lime (I think I have anew favourite drink) and to top it off had an Irish coffee…oh look its only midday very nice. They also gave me a certificate for drinking… I am in love with Dublin.
http://www.tours.jamesonwhiskey.com/home.aspx
Next stop was St Michan church where I touched a mummified crusader’s hand (its for good luck or so they tell me) that with touching a grinding stone at the distillery and I am one lucky fella. Well I know I am very blessed indeed.
http://static.panoramio.com/photos/original/1521852.jpg
Next stop was the church of Christchurch and the Dublinia exhibition. Well as the wiggles would say “Blow me down” the Irish had Viking heritage…well it explains the gianormity of some. Speaking of which, I had a drink at Hogans on m way back to the Hotel…At the request of Emma O’Toole-Cunningham but yes I had a moment there but just had to soak it for a minute and moving right along.
http://www.dublinia.ie/
http://www.whoseview.ie/business/Hogans-South-Dublin-City-Centre-Dublin-129413.html
http://cccdub.ie/
In the evening finally familiar faces in the form of Joe & Patrice.
http://www.oneillsbar.com/
It was great actually seeing friends who I haven’t seen in a long time and it was uplifting to know that travels alone suck but for the briefest of moments where you get to share a story. I am not sure when I became a source of authority on an topic but allegedly on relationships gone bad and on finding a job I am alleged to be a Subject Matter Expert :p oh well but, I am happy and that s amazing from where I had been a few months ago and it’s nice I am being complimented on smiling…weird but true.
I am growing a beard for the wedding but maybe I should consider shaving it off after all I only grow them to hide behind them and I really have nothing to hide.
Having Deer and I don’t mean one or two but tens of them was surprising and just spurred me on the run. Running in the cold as well seems to be a hell of allot easier than running in heat so really looking forward to my marathon in a November. In think about that I need to put some thought about fundraising.
Brekky and a coffee to start the day and served by a “Brisbanite” and chatting to a gal that lived in Sydney and I am very happy to be calling Australia home and not sure but another chap in the pub at night had told me that “I have an Aussie accent” cool…
Spent a couple of hours checking emails and updating FB…wow technology thank god. Also, booked Edinburgh’s accommodation and all sorted…now the decision if I should hire a kilt or buy one…Will see.
Today’s fun included Jameson distillery (triple distilled) and offcourse I volunteered for the taste testing, which included a shot of Jameson, a shot of Johnny black (horrendous) and a shot of JD, which is not much better than Johnny. I also had Jameson with Ginger Ale and lime (I think I have anew favourite drink) and to top it off had an Irish coffee…oh look its only midday very nice. They also gave me a certificate for drinking… I am in love with Dublin.
http://www.tours.jamesonwhiskey.com/home.aspx
Next stop was St Michan church where I touched a mummified crusader’s hand (its for good luck or so they tell me) that with touching a grinding stone at the distillery and I am one lucky fella. Well I know I am very blessed indeed.
http://static.panoramio.com/photos/original/1521852.jpg
Next stop was the church of Christchurch and the Dublinia exhibition. Well as the wiggles would say “Blow me down” the Irish had Viking heritage…well it explains the gianormity of some. Speaking of which, I had a drink at Hogans on m way back to the Hotel…At the request of Emma O’Toole-Cunningham but yes I had a moment there but just had to soak it for a minute and moving right along.
http://www.dublinia.ie/
http://www.whoseview.ie/business/Hogans-South-Dublin-City-Centre-Dublin-129413.html
http://cccdub.ie/
In the evening finally familiar faces in the form of Joe & Patrice.
http://www.oneillsbar.com/
It was great actually seeing friends who I haven’t seen in a long time and it was uplifting to know that travels alone suck but for the briefest of moments where you get to share a story. I am not sure when I became a source of authority on an topic but allegedly on relationships gone bad and on finding a job I am alleged to be a Subject Matter Expert :p oh well but, I am happy and that s amazing from where I had been a few months ago and it’s nice I am being complimented on smiling…weird but true.
I am growing a beard for the wedding but maybe I should consider shaving it off after all I only grow them to hide behind them and I really have nothing to hide.
Day 1 18th April 2011
First day in Dublin and after 28 hours to get here, first lesson learnt was even in a recession a reception clerk at an average hotel would take advantage of a tourist. Or so he tried. The room rate had doubled from the online quoted rate by showing up to the desk. So lesson learnt! Book before entering.
http://www.graftoncapital-hotel.com/ its not a bad place to stay and very central.
The city is rather beautiful with a mixture of old and new architecture being blended. Although, in parts not allot of thought had gone into it. Many Happy snaps but the one noticeable fact is, there seem to be very few “Irish” accents. The hotel I am staying seems to have allot of eastern-European staff who are not very familiar with the streets or the language. I wonder how many people have the same perception of Sydney for e.g.?
Other items to note was the lack of WIFI or Internet café’s and that is probably reflected by the large number of unoccupied commercial property. It is clearly visible that Ireland is in financial crisis. Albeit that the pubs were full at night but that could be Aussies and kiwis and Americans whom I have seen in abundance already.
Walked into the museum that had several masterpieces and it is elating being surrounded by such beauty and silence; the enormity of it is humbling and serene.
http://www.museum.ie/en/homepage.aspx
It is definitely the case of Absence makes the heart go fonder and not out of sight out of mind. Seeing kids run around reminds me of my own and I am sure to keep missing them. Especially that I am unable to recharge my phone to will await getting to Scotland and getting a sim to roam with.
The Auld at Dub http://www.thesmithgroup.ie/aulddubliner/index.html
and the very infamous “Temple bar” http://www.thetemplebarpub.com/
are two establishments at which I had my two favourite beers being Guinness & Kilkenny. There are sure a few more to be had while I am in the land of the leprechauns ☺
I must be also getting ready for Spain as I had a very long siesta body recovered sleep after walking all over the city and the drinks were fab not to mention the Irish really seem to have beautiful folk lore music and superb singing voices.
http://www.graftoncapital-hotel.com/ its not a bad place to stay and very central.
The city is rather beautiful with a mixture of old and new architecture being blended. Although, in parts not allot of thought had gone into it. Many Happy snaps but the one noticeable fact is, there seem to be very few “Irish” accents. The hotel I am staying seems to have allot of eastern-European staff who are not very familiar with the streets or the language. I wonder how many people have the same perception of Sydney for e.g.?
Other items to note was the lack of WIFI or Internet café’s and that is probably reflected by the large number of unoccupied commercial property. It is clearly visible that Ireland is in financial crisis. Albeit that the pubs were full at night but that could be Aussies and kiwis and Americans whom I have seen in abundance already.
Walked into the museum that had several masterpieces and it is elating being surrounded by such beauty and silence; the enormity of it is humbling and serene.
http://www.museum.ie/en/homepage.aspx
It is definitely the case of Absence makes the heart go fonder and not out of sight out of mind. Seeing kids run around reminds me of my own and I am sure to keep missing them. Especially that I am unable to recharge my phone to will await getting to Scotland and getting a sim to roam with.
The Auld at Dub http://www.thesmithgroup.ie/aulddubliner/index.html
and the very infamous “Temple bar” http://www.thetemplebarpub.com/
are two establishments at which I had my two favourite beers being Guinness & Kilkenny. There are sure a few more to be had while I am in the land of the leprechauns ☺
I must be also getting ready for Spain as I had a very long siesta body recovered sleep after walking all over the city and the drinks were fab not to mention the Irish really seem to have beautiful folk lore music and superb singing voices.
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