.........sitting in a parking lot at the base of a heaven-clad mountain, the heat of the sun on my face, my heart ached to be snowboarding.........
Wednesday, March 21, 2007
caught
(written march 13 at 1243......sitting at the bus stop at Liptovsky Mikulas, Republic of Slovakia, sun blazing on my back, view of snow-capped mountains before me)
so far, so successful.....although it didn't start out that way......actually i'm noticing a pattern: early mornings=some kind of screw up on my part that turns into a lot of waiting
i made my bus this morning......even got off at the right stop for the Liberty Caves (Jakysna Slobody), but somehow the 90 minute hike to the caves reported in my guide book took me 10 minutes........now, i may be fit but by no means do i move like a cheetah........so, now i'm at what seems like a tourist trap without any tourists.....i waited at one of the deserted picnic benches near the deserted park benches in the deserted square in front of the building clearly indicating, in numerous languages, the entrance to the cave......ok, this couldn't be much more obvious, right?
am i missing something?......for the next hour, the only person i saw was a cleaning lady......she happened to yell at me for using the WC (which happened to have the TP on a roll.......but not in the stall....in the waiting area......therefore, one still had to guestimate their needs while staying within the confines of social acceptability......thankfully for me, there was noone around).....
so now it's after 9am and the first tour of the cave is going to start soon.....and i'm still the only person around.....and this is when i notice it......right there.......clear as day.......on the big sign......under the prices......clearly written......IN ENGLISH......."minimum 4 people"......what!??!
with 5 minutes to spare, i'm still alone.....and then........voices.......workers?......no tourists!
that's right.....a bunch of slovakian tourists arrived just in time......i didn't understand a word of the tour but the chambers and formations were well worth it....especially, towards the end....whenwe had to meander throughan infinite cage of stalagmites and stalagtites.........
so far, so successful.....although it didn't start out that way......actually i'm noticing a pattern: early mornings=some kind of screw up on my part that turns into a lot of waiting
i made my bus this morning......even got off at the right stop for the Liberty Caves (Jakysna Slobody), but somehow the 90 minute hike to the caves reported in my guide book took me 10 minutes........now, i may be fit but by no means do i move like a cheetah........so, now i'm at what seems like a tourist trap without any tourists.....i waited at one of the deserted picnic benches near the deserted park benches in the deserted square in front of the building clearly indicating, in numerous languages, the entrance to the cave......ok, this couldn't be much more obvious, right?
am i missing something?......for the next hour, the only person i saw was a cleaning lady......she happened to yell at me for using the WC (which happened to have the TP on a roll.......but not in the stall....in the waiting area......therefore, one still had to guestimate their needs while staying within the confines of social acceptability......thankfully for me, there was noone around).....
so now it's after 9am and the first tour of the cave is going to start soon.....and i'm still the only person around.....and this is when i notice it......right there.......clear as day.......on the big sign......under the prices......clearly written......IN ENGLISH......."minimum 4 people"......what!??!
with 5 minutes to spare, i'm still alone.....and then........voices.......workers?......no tourists!
that's right.....a bunch of slovakian tourists arrived just in time......i didn't understand a word of the tour but the chambers and formations were well worth it....especially, towards the end....whenwe had to meander throughan infinite cage of stalagmites and stalagtites.........
i stink..... i don't think i've had a proper shower in more than a few days.......turkish thermal baths don't really count....boiled but not pressed...
......last night i went to a show in budapest.....these kids from manchester had stayed at our hostel and put me on the guestlist.... and because they knew noone else, a song was dedicated to me as well.......i can't say that i would listen to them at home.....although i probably would have in 1997.......but they were good musicians and good people......
budapest has been a bit of a stupor........i have again changed my plans.......instead of croatia, i'm off to romania......i'm tagging-along with a couple of english lads [one is a combo of paul mccartney and eddy izzard, the other is a british brian mitchell(see montreal trip '99)] to see dracula's castle and go sailing on the black sea.....well, that's the current plan anyway.....
and did i mention that there were vampires at the show? oh yes......and the manchester kids dedicated a ska-like tune to them seconds before background vocals of "suck it up, suck it up" engaged........i laughed......the vampires were clueless.........
adieu,k
......last night i went to a show in budapest.....these kids from manchester had stayed at our hostel and put me on the guestlist.... and because they knew noone else, a song was dedicated to me as well.......i can't say that i would listen to them at home.....although i probably would have in 1997.......but they were good musicians and good people......
budapest has been a bit of a stupor........i have again changed my plans.......instead of croatia, i'm off to romania......i'm tagging-along with a couple of english lads [one is a combo of paul mccartney and eddy izzard, the other is a british brian mitchell(see montreal trip '99)] to see dracula's castle and go sailing on the black sea.....well, that's the current plan anyway.....
and did i mention that there were vampires at the show? oh yes......and the manchester kids dedicated a ska-like tune to them seconds before background vocals of "suck it up, suck it up" engaged........i laughed......the vampires were clueless.........
adieu,k
Sunday, March 11, 2007
communist left-overs
ok, i'm no expert on communism -- nor politics, in general, for that matter....i mean, i know the basics.....i've read animal farm....but it's interesting to see the remnants of communism ina post-communist society....this morning, when i awoke, before i had pulled back the covers, i glanced out my window at the blue sky....and i saw one of those megaphone-on-a-pole devices....somehow, i hadn't noticed it before....i haven't seen one since laos......now, on this quiet residential street, there's one....another interesting legacy is the housing developments -- lego-like in uniformity.....sparse, bland, yet interesting in their repetitive sameness.....apparently, bratislava also has one of the ideally planned (communist creation) neighbourhoods......where everything had been thought of.....including ensuring that no children had to cross busy streets to get to school....amazing!
then there's the TP....now this is just a guess: but i wonder if teh reason for handing out bundles of TP (which only happens in the toilets that you have to pay for, i might add) instead of merely restocking the rolls, may have something to do with lingeringcommunistic ideas.......somehow my ration always seems scant.....
if nothing else, it has made me consider my TP use....
then there's the TP....now this is just a guess: but i wonder if teh reason for handing out bundles of TP (which only happens in the toilets that you have to pay for, i might add) instead of merely restocking the rolls, may have something to do with lingeringcommunistic ideas.......somehow my ration always seems scant.....
if nothing else, it has made me consider my TP use....
2 for 2
(written march 11)
i sat at the bus stop......silent.......tears streaming down my face......chin tucked into my snowboarding jacket....attempting to imitate the magical genius of teh ostrich and disappear
it had been a particularly disappointing morning....buti'd tried to look on the bright side....it could have been worse......it could ahve been raining......the station clock said it was 12 degrees celcius....it lied.....at home, 12 degrees is practically t-shirt weather....i had my snowboarding jacket on and still my arms were retreating up my sleeves to reach the hearth of my core.....if only the driver hadn't been so mean (or so it had seemed -- as i don't actually know what he said)
the morning had started off well....early, but well....i woke up in plenty of time to catch my 845 am sunday morning bus to my next destination....well-rested, showered, packed, with a morsel in my belly......i was ready to go with time to spare....but i forgot one major factor.........small town goodbyes......i went to say "bye and thanks" and before i knew it i was being offered coffee and tea and talked to as if i understood ( i wonder if she was a little lonely).....i got a photo with her for posterity....which initiated her to reciprocate....then addresses were exchanged...then more goodbyes....hugs and kisses....the whoel repartee took 10 minutes....it was 3 minutes too much
i walked down the hill (the most mountainous beast i have yet to climb on this journey)....and turned the corner to see my bus.....pass me.....saw it......it was right there......that's ok, thought i......i still had 45 minutes before my other bus leaves.......so i waited......
i checked the schedule and another public bus was scheduled in half and hour -- i should still be able to squeeze into the depot before the grand departure.....dramatic but ok....so i waited......waited.....30 minutes passed and no bus....bag off...check schedule...turns out tere are footnotes....the 830am bus is a weekday bus...... contemplate hiking back up the hill and wasting another day......an old man walked by and i tried to ask if another bus was coming....the only time that i could see that had the same symbols as the 8am bus was not scheduled until 3pm.....i sure didn't want to sit at that stop ALL day
he spoke a lot -- not a word of which i understood.....nosimple words like "ano" (yes) or "ne"(no)...but his hands seemed to indicate thtat i should stay put.....i did......i had now been at the bus stop for over an hour....the next potential bus (depending on the meanings of the schedule's footnotes) should come in 25 minutes......i waited
the bus did come....it got me to the depot90 minutes after my bus had left and 2 hours before the next one to my destination....more waiting....i tried to read but my fingers froze quickly.....even when standing in teh sun....there was no indoor waiting area....the info lady didn't which platform my bus was leaving from ....and 3 buses were leaving at the appointed time.....since my next stop was not a final destination, it was not indicated on the big board.....i had to wait for the buses.....i didn't want to think of what i'd do if i missed the next bus.....hopefully, they's stop long enough for me to determine which one was mine
one of the nuses pulled in 30 minutes before departure time -- and it had the name of my next town on the list of destinations on the placard in the window....yeah!....unexpressed internal jubilee!....after the passengers disembarked, i tried to confirm taht this was indeed my bus.....( i wouldn't want to get on the wrong one and end up who knows where)....as the driver got people's bags out of teh belly of the bus, i actioned for mine to go in....i was hopeful that with my bag safe, i could run to teh toilet and maybe eat something before we left....neither of which i had done......he snapped at me.....said "ne"....and made an action that he was going to eat....no big deal, really....but it struck a chord.....i slumped onto the bench as the embarassment of my public tears mounted.....
a young girl sat next to me....after a few minutes, i semi-composed myself, got out my phrase-book and pieced together a badly executed request for her to watch my bag.....she understood.....she nodded and i ran off to the WC
in retrospect, i still don't know what happened to me....i know like has tenderized my emotions over the last few years--beaten me into a softy -- but this seemed uncalled for......oh well! if this is the worst that happens to me on this trip, then no worries indeed......
i sat at the bus stop......silent.......tears streaming down my face......chin tucked into my snowboarding jacket....attempting to imitate the magical genius of teh ostrich and disappear
it had been a particularly disappointing morning....buti'd tried to look on the bright side....it could have been worse......it could ahve been raining......the station clock said it was 12 degrees celcius....it lied.....at home, 12 degrees is practically t-shirt weather....i had my snowboarding jacket on and still my arms were retreating up my sleeves to reach the hearth of my core.....if only the driver hadn't been so mean (or so it had seemed -- as i don't actually know what he said)
the morning had started off well....early, but well....i woke up in plenty of time to catch my 845 am sunday morning bus to my next destination....well-rested, showered, packed, with a morsel in my belly......i was ready to go with time to spare....but i forgot one major factor.........small town goodbyes......i went to say "bye and thanks" and before i knew it i was being offered coffee and tea and talked to as if i understood ( i wonder if she was a little lonely).....i got a photo with her for posterity....which initiated her to reciprocate....then addresses were exchanged...then more goodbyes....hugs and kisses....the whoel repartee took 10 minutes....it was 3 minutes too much
i walked down the hill (the most mountainous beast i have yet to climb on this journey)....and turned the corner to see my bus.....pass me.....saw it......it was right there......that's ok, thought i......i still had 45 minutes before my other bus leaves.......so i waited......
i checked the schedule and another public bus was scheduled in half and hour -- i should still be able to squeeze into the depot before the grand departure.....dramatic but ok....so i waited......waited.....30 minutes passed and no bus....bag off...check schedule...turns out tere are footnotes....the 830am bus is a weekday bus...... contemplate hiking back up the hill and wasting another day......an old man walked by and i tried to ask if another bus was coming....the only time that i could see that had the same symbols as the 8am bus was not scheduled until 3pm.....i sure didn't want to sit at that stop ALL day
he spoke a lot -- not a word of which i understood.....nosimple words like "ano" (yes) or "ne"(no)...but his hands seemed to indicate thtat i should stay put.....i did......i had now been at the bus stop for over an hour....the next potential bus (depending on the meanings of the schedule's footnotes) should come in 25 minutes......i waited
the bus did come....it got me to the depot90 minutes after my bus had left and 2 hours before the next one to my destination....more waiting....i tried to read but my fingers froze quickly.....even when standing in teh sun....there was no indoor waiting area....the info lady didn't which platform my bus was leaving from ....and 3 buses were leaving at the appointed time.....since my next stop was not a final destination, it was not indicated on the big board.....i had to wait for the buses.....i didn't want to think of what i'd do if i missed the next bus.....hopefully, they's stop long enough for me to determine which one was mine
one of the nuses pulled in 30 minutes before departure time -- and it had the name of my next town on the list of destinations on the placard in the window....yeah!....unexpressed internal jubilee!....after the passengers disembarked, i tried to confirm taht this was indeed my bus.....( i wouldn't want to get on the wrong one and end up who knows where)....as the driver got people's bags out of teh belly of the bus, i actioned for mine to go in....i was hopeful that with my bag safe, i could run to teh toilet and maybe eat something before we left....neither of which i had done......he snapped at me.....said "ne"....and made an action that he was going to eat....no big deal, really....but it struck a chord.....i slumped onto the bench as the embarassment of my public tears mounted.....
a young girl sat next to me....after a few minutes, i semi-composed myself, got out my phrase-book and pieced together a badly executed request for her to watch my bag.....she understood.....she nodded and i ran off to the WC
in retrospect, i still don't know what happened to me....i know like has tenderized my emotions over the last few years--beaten me into a softy -- but this seemed uncalled for......oh well! if this is the worst that happens to me on this trip, then no worries indeed......
bratislava
why haven't i heard more about this city?
2 nights and 1 day and i'm steamrolled.....it's beautiful, the people are amazingly nice, fun and hospitable, and a student can visit a lot of historical places FREE......i like.....
i arrived in teh evening and immediately had plans with some guys who'd also just arrived....the word on teh street was there was a party in an old bomb shelterunder the castle.....i'm not shitting you....an old bomb shelter
i wandered the city in the rain and relaxed in the lounge of the hostel....by the time, our meeting time, had arrived, our crew had grown to 5 members....i'm not even going to try to do the evening justice....unforgettable venue, unforgettable music, unforgettable company.....all in a good way.....i even got lessons on "how to catch the bartenders' eye" by this slovakian guy -- who, by default, was good-looking.........that entertaining and inane conversation produced a BOTTLE of local wine in my hand....apparently, taht's the way the locals do it....such good times!
none of us made it home early -- and also impressively, all the guys danced........
the next morning, my internal clock went off at a ridiculously early 9am......i felt gross and jumped into the shower before anyone else even started to stir....within no time, i was out the door and sightseeing.......by 230pm, i'd impressed myself with my abilities to visit a castle and 2 museums well and in record time (PS i would highly recommend the latter2) .....so i headed to teh bus stop to see some ruins of a castle out of town....before i'd reached the curb, i heard a "hey!"....it was melanie, one of the bombShelter crew....she'd just gotten up and the same venture was her token touring for teh day..........we had instant company............teh ruins of devin castle are picturesque to say the least....situated between the 2 main rivers.....and we arrived just as teh sun was starting its descent onto the horizon....we wandered and climbed and photos were taken in abundance.....thent tiredness and hunger crept up on us....we headed back to town....and after setting up a meeting time for that night, we parted ways.........
after my traditional meal of garlic soup from an edible bowl, i bumped into another crew member, rich, on my way back to the hostel......we wandered some more before deciding to rest in anticipation of a predictably big night out.............
we hung out, the 3 of us, at teh hostel, 'till quite late....talking to a group of locals playing Sorry and drinking....
the first place we went, once ventring outdoors, cuked....after incidences of cigarette burns, unsolicited gropes and beer showers within the first 45 minutes, we left.......we had another option but we were a little lost....a random guy had walked us there (totally out of his way--so nice!)......we asked soem guys at a bus stop how to get there or where to go....within a few minutes our crew had initiated 2 new members -- 2 bratislavians (Andre and Saro)......2 places later, we were relatively satisfied by the music....our new friends were awesome--so awesome!...one spoke some english but it deteriorated as he got drunker....and he was trying to translate for his friend.....we finally left around 4am or so....walked back to our hostel....and in a moment of spontaneity, invited our new friends in for tea....it was 530 or 6am by the time my head hit my pillow....but it was well worth it......
today we all headed in opposing directions
2 nights and 1 day and i'm steamrolled.....it's beautiful, the people are amazingly nice, fun and hospitable, and a student can visit a lot of historical places FREE......i like.....
i arrived in teh evening and immediately had plans with some guys who'd also just arrived....the word on teh street was there was a party in an old bomb shelterunder the castle.....i'm not shitting you....an old bomb shelter
i wandered the city in the rain and relaxed in the lounge of the hostel....by the time, our meeting time, had arrived, our crew had grown to 5 members....i'm not even going to try to do the evening justice....unforgettable venue, unforgettable music, unforgettable company.....all in a good way.....i even got lessons on "how to catch the bartenders' eye" by this slovakian guy -- who, by default, was good-looking.........that entertaining and inane conversation produced a BOTTLE of local wine in my hand....apparently, taht's the way the locals do it....such good times!
none of us made it home early -- and also impressively, all the guys danced........
the next morning, my internal clock went off at a ridiculously early 9am......i felt gross and jumped into the shower before anyone else even started to stir....within no time, i was out the door and sightseeing.......by 230pm, i'd impressed myself with my abilities to visit a castle and 2 museums well and in record time (PS i would highly recommend the latter2) .....so i headed to teh bus stop to see some ruins of a castle out of town....before i'd reached the curb, i heard a "hey!"....it was melanie, one of the bombShelter crew....she'd just gotten up and the same venture was her token touring for teh day..........we had instant company............teh ruins of devin castle are picturesque to say the least....situated between the 2 main rivers.....and we arrived just as teh sun was starting its descent onto the horizon....we wandered and climbed and photos were taken in abundance.....thent tiredness and hunger crept up on us....we headed back to town....and after setting up a meeting time for that night, we parted ways.........
after my traditional meal of garlic soup from an edible bowl, i bumped into another crew member, rich, on my way back to the hostel......we wandered some more before deciding to rest in anticipation of a predictably big night out.............
we hung out, the 3 of us, at teh hostel, 'till quite late....talking to a group of locals playing Sorry and drinking....
the first place we went, once ventring outdoors, cuked....after incidences of cigarette burns, unsolicited gropes and beer showers within the first 45 minutes, we left.......we had another option but we were a little lost....a random guy had walked us there (totally out of his way--so nice!)......we asked soem guys at a bus stop how to get there or where to go....within a few minutes our crew had initiated 2 new members -- 2 bratislavians (Andre and Saro)......2 places later, we were relatively satisfied by the music....our new friends were awesome--so awesome!...one spoke some english but it deteriorated as he got drunker....and he was trying to translate for his friend.....we finally left around 4am or so....walked back to our hostel....and in a moment of spontaneity, invited our new friends in for tea....it was 530 or 6am by the time my head hit my pillow....but it was well worth it......
today we all headed in opposing directions
epic episode I - SR
(written saturday march 10...on a couch in a coffee shop....sipping a capuccino...bojnice, slovak republic... 530pm)
let's start with today.............
my grand total of 2 hours of sleep didn't quite cut it in the department of rest....whe i awoke, to pack, to haul my butt (and huge pack) to the bus station..........of course, my state was totally self-induced.....
but i managed -- even brushed my teeth........waltzed into the bus depot just shy of 9am (when my bus was scheduled to depart) and parked myself in line.......the bus wasn't there yet, to my relief......3 more minutes, no bus......3 more minutes, no bus......3 more minutes and the line starts to disperse to other buses.......finally my infinite patience waned and i made my way, burdened by my belongings, to ask what was happenning --- in that way that i scantly speak the language and the info lady spoke minimal english........she let me know the next bus was in 2 hours.....2 hours that could have been spent in sweet deep sleep -- the kind with no dreams because you're just unconscious
there was no kirstin in those 2 hours that lapsed.....only a zombie surrounded by bags......sitting on a bench with hands up the sleeves of her jacket......frozen and thoughtless
the next scheduled bus actually arrived......i plugged into my iPOD and dozed in and out of consciousness ...in teh safety of transport....the sun shining on my face thru the window....
from there i folllowed the directions given to me by the tourist info lady in bratislava...now let me tell you something about her -- as i soon learned, she was evidently persuing the wrong vocation......virtually every piece of info she gave me almost turned horribly wrong.....originally, i was going to go to another town and daytrip to where i am now.......but no.....she informed me that i could just stay in town.....she looked it up online and told me that there were a lot of places to stay that were in my price range and recommended that i just walk into the tourist office here, in bojnice, when i arrived, to arrange accomodation....ok, sounds good.
so here i am...........on a later bus...into a town where i have no accomodations organized...but no worries.....it still gets in at 230pm.........so i roll into town and transfer to a local bus where 2 ladies(one older, one middle-aged) adopt me....lovely lovely ladies......did i mention that they don't speak any english? they ordered young people on the bus (who knew a few words of english) to try and find out if i needed help....i said i was coming to bojnice....they asked me for an address.....well, i don't have one yet.........when i got off the bus, the ladies also disembarked....they stopped meand one proceeded to phoen her niece....i know this because she handed me the phone so that her niece could find out what i needed......the neice told me that her aunt would walk me to the tourist office (good thing because it was nowhere near the bus stop -- thanks info lady) but that it was probably already closed (double thanks).......we walked, the 3 of us, at a snail's pace, to the main stretch of shops -- me, a veriotable mountain of bags........by the time we reached the tourist office i was feeling alittle anxious.....i really didn't know where i was going to sleep and it is nowhere near warm enough to resort to a park bench nor did it seem liek there was anything resembling nightlife in this sleepy town to put a make-shift roof over my head for the night
the last few steps ached....not in my feet or shoulders per usual, but in my heart.......it almost stopped when the door opened......the door opened AND the girl spoke english.....i was able to drop my gear and repeatedly thank the women who walked with me before sitting down to the task at hand: find a home.......she made many calls.....apparently, affordale accomodation was not as plentiful as previously reported.....shocking!
she scrolled down the options on teh monitor...."is this price ok?"...."yeah".... the words "it's available" were more than welcome, they were emotional paramedics.....i remind you, i'd barely slept, barely eaten and was facing frozen homelessness........
so, i bought a map, strapped on my bags, and hiked up the hill just outside the castle walls......thsi is where i found my palace: a bachelor's suite in a woman's house, bottom floor (seem familiar?) for 400SK (about 20$ CAN)....unbelievable! this is 10$ cheaper per night than my dorm bunk in bratislava.......
but the comedy didn't end tehre........i was now racing the sunset to see the town and castle (the purpose of this stop) before i left early tomorrow....the problem? a sweet, well-meaning landlady talking to me in slovakian and ecting responses........she showed me around, tried to tell me about the town and then enlisted the neighbour's 20-something daughter to translate...........this led to more funny but the intended messages finally got across--i think.........
so, a little after 4pm, i got out of the house......one minute it was all i could do to be in a house, the next i wanted out.........typical kirstin
but the story has a happy ending (as they tend to when there is a castle involved).........i was able to walk around town with daylight and found a loungy bar/cafe with 60's pop art on the walls, good music ( a rare find when traveling) and eye candy......and here i sit
let's start with today.............
my grand total of 2 hours of sleep didn't quite cut it in the department of rest....whe i awoke, to pack, to haul my butt (and huge pack) to the bus station..........of course, my state was totally self-induced.....
but i managed -- even brushed my teeth........waltzed into the bus depot just shy of 9am (when my bus was scheduled to depart) and parked myself in line.......the bus wasn't there yet, to my relief......3 more minutes, no bus......3 more minutes, no bus......3 more minutes and the line starts to disperse to other buses.......finally my infinite patience waned and i made my way, burdened by my belongings, to ask what was happenning --- in that way that i scantly speak the language and the info lady spoke minimal english........she let me know the next bus was in 2 hours.....2 hours that could have been spent in sweet deep sleep -- the kind with no dreams because you're just unconscious
there was no kirstin in those 2 hours that lapsed.....only a zombie surrounded by bags......sitting on a bench with hands up the sleeves of her jacket......frozen and thoughtless
the next scheduled bus actually arrived......i plugged into my iPOD and dozed in and out of consciousness ...in teh safety of transport....the sun shining on my face thru the window....
from there i folllowed the directions given to me by the tourist info lady in bratislava...now let me tell you something about her -- as i soon learned, she was evidently persuing the wrong vocation......virtually every piece of info she gave me almost turned horribly wrong.....originally, i was going to go to another town and daytrip to where i am now.......but no.....she informed me that i could just stay in town.....she looked it up online and told me that there were a lot of places to stay that were in my price range and recommended that i just walk into the tourist office here, in bojnice, when i arrived, to arrange accomodation....ok, sounds good.
so here i am...........on a later bus...into a town where i have no accomodations organized...but no worries.....it still gets in at 230pm.........so i roll into town and transfer to a local bus where 2 ladies(one older, one middle-aged) adopt me....lovely lovely ladies......did i mention that they don't speak any english? they ordered young people on the bus (who knew a few words of english) to try and find out if i needed help....i said i was coming to bojnice....they asked me for an address.....well, i don't have one yet.........when i got off the bus, the ladies also disembarked....they stopped meand one proceeded to phoen her niece....i know this because she handed me the phone so that her niece could find out what i needed......the neice told me that her aunt would walk me to the tourist office (good thing because it was nowhere near the bus stop -- thanks info lady) but that it was probably already closed (double thanks).......we walked, the 3 of us, at a snail's pace, to the main stretch of shops -- me, a veriotable mountain of bags........by the time we reached the tourist office i was feeling alittle anxious.....i really didn't know where i was going to sleep and it is nowhere near warm enough to resort to a park bench nor did it seem liek there was anything resembling nightlife in this sleepy town to put a make-shift roof over my head for the night
the last few steps ached....not in my feet or shoulders per usual, but in my heart.......it almost stopped when the door opened......the door opened AND the girl spoke english.....i was able to drop my gear and repeatedly thank the women who walked with me before sitting down to the task at hand: find a home.......she made many calls.....apparently, affordale accomodation was not as plentiful as previously reported.....shocking!
she scrolled down the options on teh monitor...."is this price ok?"...."yeah".... the words "it's available" were more than welcome, they were emotional paramedics.....i remind you, i'd barely slept, barely eaten and was facing frozen homelessness........
so, i bought a map, strapped on my bags, and hiked up the hill just outside the castle walls......thsi is where i found my palace: a bachelor's suite in a woman's house, bottom floor (seem familiar?) for 400SK (about 20$ CAN)....unbelievable! this is 10$ cheaper per night than my dorm bunk in bratislava.......
but the comedy didn't end tehre........i was now racing the sunset to see the town and castle (the purpose of this stop) before i left early tomorrow....the problem? a sweet, well-meaning landlady talking to me in slovakian and ecting responses........she showed me around, tried to tell me about the town and then enlisted the neighbour's 20-something daughter to translate...........this led to more funny but the intended messages finally got across--i think.........
so, a little after 4pm, i got out of the house......one minute it was all i could do to be in a house, the next i wanted out.........typical kirstin
but the story has a happy ending (as they tend to when there is a castle involved).........i was able to walk around town with daylight and found a loungy bar/cafe with 60's pop art on the walls, good music ( a rare find when traveling) and eye candy......and here i sit
dobreden (goodday)
(written march 8)
Today is teh first day it has rained to a disheartening degree.....fortunately, i spent the first half of it on a bus and the second half of it on a train.........this potentially disastrous leg of mystery transportation and connections and potential lack of accomodation availability at destination has also worked out in a miraculous way.........i got into bratislava over 2 hours before i thought i would (hooray for checking the train schedule even though it was a ten minute walk from the bus depot) which meant i got in with daylight........on arrival, i walked to the tousit info and asked about accomodation.......i then walked to the recommeded abode to find out it's one of the best -- according to 2 american guys who showed up just before me and with whom i'm going to a party in an old bombshelter later tonight....not bad......not bad at all.........so far the slovak republic is shaping up nicely.......
Today is teh first day it has rained to a disheartening degree.....fortunately, i spent the first half of it on a bus and the second half of it on a train.........this potentially disastrous leg of mystery transportation and connections and potential lack of accomodation availability at destination has also worked out in a miraculous way.........i got into bratislava over 2 hours before i thought i would (hooray for checking the train schedule even though it was a ten minute walk from the bus depot) which meant i got in with daylight........on arrival, i walked to the tousit info and asked about accomodation.......i then walked to the recommeded abode to find out it's one of the best -- according to 2 american guys who showed up just before me and with whom i'm going to a party in an old bombshelter later tonight....not bad......not bad at all.........so far the slovak republic is shaping up nicely.......
Wednesday, March 07, 2007
to those who love me
assignment:
1. get your hands on:
- czech film ("pelisky" and "divided we fall" are both good)
- becherovka (check the local liquor store)
- glasses
- comfortable living room
- TV with film-viewing device
2. get together
3. drink, chat, and watch a film
result: a joint czech experience
gretel and gretel
yesterday (mar5), alison (this calgarian girl i met walking from the bus station to my hostel) and i decided we'd go for a hike to the highest peak of the area (Klet)....we packed some snacks, bought exta water , and made sure we were well layered......we made our way through the cobble-stoned midieval streets of cesky krumlov, overlooked by the castle......we passed into the surrounding "suburbs", onto pavement, up into the farm lands....we followed the markers -- green and white-- into the forest paths.....we followed the arrows and squares indicating direction right into a gully where we stopped to take pictures.....when alison happened to notice another arrow....clearly labeled, it was pointing in the direction from whence we'd come....doh! we must have missed the turn.....we kept our eyes peepled and headed back....the path became road and we'd still seen no turn-off......we went unitl we came upon another arrow pointing in the original direction......so we turned.....we were starting to feel like human yoyos --back and forth, back and forth........but we were determined......it became evident that either a marker was missing or had been tampered with.....not the types to give up that easily, we decided to make our own way up to the top of the "mountain"............we scaled the forested hill dodging evidence of both deer and bear......periwinkle were popping up through the cover of autumnal leaves...pussywillow trees welcomed the way.....smells of pine and an indescribable sweetness caressed our senses as we crunched through the brush.....as we walked i started to wish we had some breadcrumbs to show us the way back......but we made it --to the top (although not Klet) and back....no worse for wear except for bramble scratches.........
side note for nightmare fans
i just overheard that the place i'm staying in used to be the house of the gatekeeper........YES, MY GATEKEEPER.......
leperous socialite
so as i mentioned (re: doing anita proud), i had left a note for those guys.....but when there was no response, i wans't too bothered.....i tied some loose-ends (as i was leaving thenext day) and went out on my own...........i had a plan: a little dancing and then some places angela and i didn't manage to check out, such as this underground wine cellar and a veg restaurant/lounge/club........i started at this place that seemed pretty dudly but happened to have cover that got more expensive as the night progressed........5 rooms, each with different music, each of which sucked....honestly!.....i started by hanging in the lounge, the area with the best of the worst tunes and lots of cozy seating.......i think i spoke to one person before a group of people from my hostel entered--including those guys......what struck was that they saw me ignored me.....i'm not used to that.........i felt leperous....it's not that i cared what they thought of me as individuals......it was more that i was lonely and am used to travelers being friendly......i didn't want to be like that saudi guy so i proceeded to find my own fun......on the dance floor, where else?......i danced for a couple of hours to horrible hits, entertained completely by the sad display /comedy show that was the club......i managed to excuse myself just before a guy from ghana practically proposed.........by the time i walked through town, i'd wound down and skipped the other places on the list.......
the next night proved to be the opposite......i was in a new place with new people (cesky krumlov).....7 of us went out in the small midieval town and had a GREAT time......we went to a couple of bars.....had an international foosball tournament, played some pool and danced idiotically to old czech pop songs with young czech art students.......it was the first, of hopefully may, one-night crews.
the next night proved to be the opposite......i was in a new place with new people (cesky krumlov).....7 of us went out in the small midieval town and had a GREAT time......we went to a couple of bars.....had an international foosball tournament, played some pool and danced idiotically to old czech pop songs with young czech art students.......it was the first, of hopefully may, one-night crews.
back to work
(written march 6)
...going backa couple of days......was it march 3rd?.....i woke in plenty of time to get breakfast (free!) and catch my train.....actually anita would have been proud.......i went out of my comfort zone........i was leaving really early so i left a note for those guys i almost hung out with the night before to see if they wanted to do something in the evening.......
so, i get on my train, find a seat....ina compartmetn.....six seats, in rows of three facing each other, contained by a sliding door.....for some this may seem mundane....for me, a lover of trains, this was a first .......and exciting!
from the train, i followed the parade of people (seemingly tourists) headed in the same direction as i -- to the ossuary.....the latter is a church....what makes this one particualrly interesting is that this one is decorated in, none other than, human remains......there are pyramids of bones, streamers of bones, a chandelier of bones (quite impresive really) and a coat of arms of bones......every bone in the human body is represented.....this is what happens when a crazy monk gets bored, and consequently creative, after a plague -- hmmmmm, what should we do with these extra bones? artwork sounds good
well, the bone church is what brought me to kutna hora, butthe town was what fascinated me more.......i met up with a spanish couple who happened to have a guidebook.....their english was better than my spanish, but through a lot of signing and pointing we navigated our way to the town centre on foot......it was quite eerie really.......not a soul in sight........and everytime we turned a corner and happened to see someone, they were another tourist......but it was in that way that you knew people lived here.......bizarre.......a beautiful day and noone out and about......
...going backa couple of days......was it march 3rd?.....i woke in plenty of time to get breakfast (free!) and catch my train.....actually anita would have been proud.......i went out of my comfort zone........i was leaving really early so i left a note for those guys i almost hung out with the night before to see if they wanted to do something in the evening.......
so, i get on my train, find a seat....ina compartmetn.....six seats, in rows of three facing each other, contained by a sliding door.....for some this may seem mundane....for me, a lover of trains, this was a first .......and exciting!
from the train, i followed the parade of people (seemingly tourists) headed in the same direction as i -- to the ossuary.....the latter is a church....what makes this one particualrly interesting is that this one is decorated in, none other than, human remains......there are pyramids of bones, streamers of bones, a chandelier of bones (quite impresive really) and a coat of arms of bones......every bone in the human body is represented.....this is what happens when a crazy monk gets bored, and consequently creative, after a plague -- hmmmmm, what should we do with these extra bones? artwork sounds good
well, the bone church is what brought me to kutna hora, butthe town was what fascinated me more.......i met up with a spanish couple who happened to have a guidebook.....their english was better than my spanish, but through a lot of signing and pointing we navigated our way to the town centre on foot......it was quite eerie really.......not a soul in sight........and everytime we turned a corner and happened to see someone, they were another tourist......but it was in that way that you knew people lived here.......bizarre.......a beautiful day and noone out and about......
to all the ones i've loved before
p.s.
thanks all for comments....i can't reply to them individually right now....but i totally appreciate them........hooray for long distance conversation......
thanks all for comments....i can't reply to them individually right now....but i totally appreciate them........hooray for long distance conversation......
Saturday, March 03, 2007
mission aborted
(written march 2)
so the night was shaping up to be a nice one......this ozzie guy (i know, i know) and his indian friend had breezed into town and after a nap had invited me to join them for dinner...consequently, i chose to read in the hostel for a while......when i happened back, they had already left.....no worries! i'll do some laundry then......i pack up my gear (clothes, coap and entertainment) and make my way out of the hostel....within about 3 mins i feel a tap on my shoulder....i turn around to see this dude--this older saudi guy who i'd briefly encountered the previous day.....nice enough.....but one of those people that you get the feeling want something from you.....so he sais that he was at the laundromat the day before and wants to walk with me....no skin off my nose........but soon enough i start to realize that he has no idea where he's going.....i have a map and verbal directions from the girl at the hostel.....i pointed out the "cerna ruse" as the girl had told me......he persisted that it was a block further......a block further and we were at wenceslas square and i knew we'd gone too far....i turned back into the mall......now it was becoming apparent that, not only had he not been to this laundromat before, he had no idea what a laundromat was......we were just about to leave as i noticed it on the second floor.
unfortunately, it was closing.
this meant that i now had the pleasure of walking back to the hostel with this dude........i neither wanted nor needed his help or company......why didn't i just say so? i would have at home.....now, i'm a prisoner in my dorm room.....the dude is patrolling the halls loking for some other unsuspecting person to attach himself to......so here i am, no rowdy night out.....no errands completed......
what a way to wind up an eerily deserted and windy day through Terezin.
so the night was shaping up to be a nice one......this ozzie guy (i know, i know) and his indian friend had breezed into town and after a nap had invited me to join them for dinner...consequently, i chose to read in the hostel for a while......when i happened back, they had already left.....no worries! i'll do some laundry then......i pack up my gear (clothes, coap and entertainment) and make my way out of the hostel....within about 3 mins i feel a tap on my shoulder....i turn around to see this dude--this older saudi guy who i'd briefly encountered the previous day.....nice enough.....but one of those people that you get the feeling want something from you.....so he sais that he was at the laundromat the day before and wants to walk with me....no skin off my nose........but soon enough i start to realize that he has no idea where he's going.....i have a map and verbal directions from the girl at the hostel.....i pointed out the "cerna ruse" as the girl had told me......he persisted that it was a block further......a block further and we were at wenceslas square and i knew we'd gone too far....i turned back into the mall......now it was becoming apparent that, not only had he not been to this laundromat before, he had no idea what a laundromat was......we were just about to leave as i noticed it on the second floor.
unfortunately, it was closing.
this meant that i now had the pleasure of walking back to the hostel with this dude........i neither wanted nor needed his help or company......why didn't i just say so? i would have at home.....now, i'm a prisoner in my dorm room.....the dude is patrolling the halls loking for some other unsuspecting person to attach himself to......so here i am, no rowdy night out.....no errands completed......
what a way to wind up an eerily deserted and windy day through Terezin.
ransom acts of kindness
(written on march 1 but occurred on feb 25)
there's nothing worse than not being able to find the right way out of the metro with large luggage and no escalator/elevator after a vomit-inducing train ride (glamorous i know).......matters are made worse when no one seems to speak english, the signange may as well be in kanji and you're both tired and growing grumpier.....
after approaching a group of people (who all ignored, grimaced or shrugged before promptly exiting), we felt discouraged......then someone, a lone young man, came back through the nearest exit.....he spoke broken english and helped us leave the metro where his girlfriend awaited with large musical instrument........they proceeded to walk us part of the way to our accomodation, and point us the rest of the way.......this was our first encounter with a czech person......and it has been, for the most part, consistent since.........
there's nothing worse than not being able to find the right way out of the metro with large luggage and no escalator/elevator after a vomit-inducing train ride (glamorous i know).......matters are made worse when no one seems to speak english, the signange may as well be in kanji and you're both tired and growing grumpier.....
after approaching a group of people (who all ignored, grimaced or shrugged before promptly exiting), we felt discouraged......then someone, a lone young man, came back through the nearest exit.....he spoke broken english and helped us leave the metro where his girlfriend awaited with large musical instrument........they proceeded to walk us part of the way to our accomodation, and point us the rest of the way.......this was our first encounter with a czech person......and it has been, for the most part, consistent since.........
food
(written march 1)
"choices for vegetarians"= direct quote from a menu
this was a heading that preceded options involving turkey, tuna and ham....hmmm.....that said, we have eaten VERY well.......
on the other hand, the drinks have not been so kind to us....wine, sure, it's lovely.....but angela and i had unsuccessful after unsuccessful attempt at trying new things: absinth (yuk!), plum brandy (strong!), and i even, again, tried beer.....and guess what? i still don't like it.....but the hot wine (svarak) has been complimentary....and i just tried becherocka (a czech tradition) and it was quite nice.....maybe my alcoholic luck is changing......i'll keep you posted.
"choices for vegetarians"= direct quote from a menu
this was a heading that preceded options involving turkey, tuna and ham....hmmm.....that said, we have eaten VERY well.......
on the other hand, the drinks have not been so kind to us....wine, sure, it's lovely.....but angela and i had unsuccessful after unsuccessful attempt at trying new things: absinth (yuk!), plum brandy (strong!), and i even, again, tried beer.....and guess what? i still don't like it.....but the hot wine (svarak) has been complimentary....and i just tried becherocka (a czech tradition) and it was quite nice.....maybe my alcoholic luck is changing......i'll keep you posted.
(written march 1)
some things i probably should have reported earlier but hadn't gotten around to:
some things i probably should have reported earlier but hadn't gotten around to:
- the coolest bathroom EVER! -located in vienna- underground, feels like you've stepped into a 1920's art deco train car....the facade is wooden with stained glass.....the toilet tank is wooden........the toilet seat is wooden......the cubicle walls are wooden....it's spacious (for a public toilet)....each stall has its own sink.....each door sliiiiides open.....the floor is tiled in brown and cream patterns.....all in all, well worth the cover charge.
- prague is both breathtaking and overwhelming....it's this crazy combo of midievil and baroque architecture....every time you turn around it's like you're smacked with more amazing........have you ever climbed inside a fairy tale? i have.....honestly, now i have......(and i even saw a unicorn)
- the jewish quarter--'hood of franz kafka, among others......we went to many synagogues.....more than one made me cry....they had displays recounting the history of their community in prague and the surrounding area.....hundreds of years of discrimination/acceptance/discimination/acceptance......documents from the 1500's, 700's, 1900's........the most potetn for me tho' is the most recent history......one synagogue was essentially a memorial to the holocaust victims of the area......their names cribed on the walls........all the walls covered........upstairs, children's drawings depicting their friends being taken away as well as life within Terezin (a jewish ghetto, transition station and prison)..........tomorrow i go to Terezin......i tell you this, there will be no mascara wearing.
fact of interest: nazis stole jewish treasures during the war and preserved them in order to create a museum for an extinct race. gross! ironically, due to their preservation, they ARE now in a museum. but one run and organized by the jewish community............
p.s. good news.......i just met this nice brazilian girl who happens to be going to terezin tomorow as well....consequently, we are going together.
goodbye
(written march 1)
well, angela's gone.
i just dropped her off at the train station.....and even as i write this a tear wells in my eye....why? i'm not sure...... i know that i'm going to have a great time.......i know that the Unknown blesses me with the best adventures.....yet, it's still goodbye.
we had so much fun....i can't believe the time's up......
seriously! i've been in this new abode for less than 5 mins and i've already met this american guy......it's not like it's possible to be alone for long......maybe i just need to weap.....will i let myself?
for now, i'm going to catch up on writing. read a bit. sort out my life.
well, angela's gone.
i just dropped her off at the train station.....and even as i write this a tear wells in my eye....why? i'm not sure...... i know that i'm going to have a great time.......i know that the Unknown blesses me with the best adventures.....yet, it's still goodbye.
we had so much fun....i can't believe the time's up......
seriously! i've been in this new abode for less than 5 mins and i've already met this american guy......it's not like it's possible to be alone for long......maybe i just need to weap.....will i let myself?
for now, i'm going to catch up on writing. read a bit. sort out my life.
putting out fires
(written feb 24)
lessons learned
lessons learned
- when your sink hot water tap has a pilot light, keep the kitchen window open......even if it's f*&^%g cold out
- when, after washing your clothes in a washing machine, they get dried by a ceiling heat lamp, laundry and outings don't mix
- when lighting a gas stove, ensure that the match you strike is indeed strong enough to endure the action.....otherwise, you may burn the linoleum......
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