another day, another dirge

what a day

2007-05-03T07:37:00.000-07:00

i woke up with bedbug bites......discovered i´d been robbed......then the first place i went to sightsee was a church.....full of people.....for a funeral service......yup, i was off to a good start......
thankfully i have been adopted by a crew of wonderful polish people....(apparently i am already 2.5% polish)......not only are we hanging out in riga but they are already planning what we are going to do when i get to krakow.......so awesome.......
just trying to keep perspective.......focus on what´s really important......and not worry about the (frustrating) details that, in the long run, don´t rerally matter.........

riga

2007-05-02T05:32:00.000-07:00

it´s snowing

history in the making

2007-04-26T14:01:00.000-07:00

after a quiet but full day of being a tourist in tallinn, i was walking home from the far end of the city......suddenly, a rumble was heard from the sky.......everyone in teh streets started to look to the fading light of the heavens.......there was a helicopter....now, this wouldn't have worried me except that the people seemed confused byit...obviously, helicopters are not a regular occurrence here.......i continued on my way.....whatever was going on, hopefully it wouldn't affect me.....and it was about time i got back......
then, the sirens.......5 or 6 big bop bars went racing by........more confused faces.....cells popped out of pockets and conversation was everywhere (not that i could understand any of it)......i made my way throug old town and as i was geting near the castle, police seemed clustered.....my curiosity finally got me.....i asked what was going on......apparently the estonian government had decided to remove a monument to fallen russian soldiers and the russian minority was protesting......the stautue had been covered with a tarp today as a precursor to its removal........crowds were gathering.......crowd control was under way.......
as the girl who explained all this to me led me towar the site of the demonstration, we were redirected by walls of police.......i stopped for a while at an interesting vantage point.....watched cars and people back up behind cops in neon yellow......watched as they marched into position ...as they erected fences....listened to choppers and cheering and horns blasting in unison.....felt the tension and the unknown of what this could mean.....at the moment it was peaceful but felt like that could change quite quickly......when i moved on, the sun was almost set and a lone dove sat perched on the high cross of the church near the site........people were continuing to gather....most had their mobiles out, sharing the current event in action.......
check out these photos....they are from the news page so i don't know how long the photos will stay up.....

why i like estonia

2007-04-26T13:56:00.000-07:00

1) an estonian gave me a ride from riga to tallinn....for free
2) an estonian gave me a place to sleep and super hospitality.....two days running......and asked for nothing in return
3) an estonian at the bus stop spontaneously gave me a bus ticket (and as coincidence had it, we got off at the same stop 15 mins later.....and she lived in the same building as i was going to)
4) an estonian let me use his phone for free (altho i had offered to give himcash) after no payphones could be found......then he gave my travelling partner a place to sleep.....free

4 different peoplein less than a few hours.......so nice.....such generosity

2 liner

2007-04-26T13:54:00.000-07:00

(thursday april 26...on the couch....katrina's......tallinn, estonia.....1008pm)

something i like about a midieval town: if you happen to let one slip while walking the streets, noone will notice....many of the cobbled ways still smell like the good old days: pre-plague.

honourable mention

2007-04-26T13:52:00.000-07:00

cheers to the 4 guys who made my best day in dubrovnik end on the right note....it was great hanging out with you at fresh.....i did want to meet up with you later but i got a bit chilled with my wet hair.....did you leave croatia with a bang?

satisfaction

2007-04-26T13:45:00.000-07:00

(sat. april 21 1525......on my bed......oprah with subtitles to my left......majda's apartments....mostar, bosnia)

first: yesterday
after my mini-upset, i did some wading on the rcky adriatic shoresnear my place before gathering my things and heading over to the kayaking adventure.....i am SO glad that i stuck around....
i shared a kayak with the good-looking croatian guide and 2 american journalists were in the other kayak......we headed out around 330pm......it was sunny: light glinting off the sea.....and it wasn't too hot......you have no idea how glad i was to get out on the water....we chatted as we pddled for the next 3 hours......aroud lokrum island....into caves....a short swim break (complete with snorkel gear) from a cave beach -- altho the guide and i were the only ones that jumped in......he pointed out a "morina" (moray eel?) and killed a sea urchin so we could try its "gonads"....we got back to shore just as the sun was ready to set....such a great afternoon.....i walked away cold but satisfied......

guy magnet

2007-04-26T13:42:00.000-07:00

(noon......still at cafe)

a really creepy old man is sitting down the path.....cigar in mouth.....watching me......
i saw him when i was walking here.....and as i passed, he said "oh yes".......i passed, walked on, found this coffee......and now he's parked himself on the bench a short distance away.....staring.
i wanted to go swimming after this......but not if i have an audience.......

getting perspective

2007-04-26T13:30:00.000-07:00

(friday april 20....1145am.....overlooking the adriatic sea.....waiting for my capuccino....cafe......dubrovnik, croatia)

i changed all my plans to stay an extra day in order to go kayaking......i can't afford it but then again i can't afford this trip.......it means no Plitvice Lakes, no Sarajevo, and probably a short Zadar.....talking to some kids last night, i almost wish that i hadn't booked that flight and would have spent the rest of my trip in Bosnia and Serbia....but no.....

back to the point:kayaking.......so the day before yesterday i started inquiring and it was unavailable yesterday and when i went to the tourist office to ensure it was happening today, they told me again "maybe tomorrow" because "it was FULL for today".......what?!.....well, in typical me-of-late fashion, the emotion got the better of me....i was trying to stay composed and simply state that i had changed my plans for this and yada yada yada........but as teh words emerged they started to warble......and the dams went up and the tearssqueezed out through the cracks.....it wasn't a full-blown cry but it was an obvious-enough struggle to be embarrassing......especially when you consider what the people of dubrovnik have been through: attacked by air, land and sea.....less than 15 years ago.....and i'm crying because i can't go kayaking!...now i know that this isn't a normal reaction for me....i know taht there's more going on under the surface.....i know that i'm slowly dealing with some unresolved stuff.....but the woman standing before me does not know this.....she sees a foreigner brought to tears by the prospect of not kayaking.......again, embarassing......

what's it take to get a little help 'round here?

2007-04-26T13:18:00.000-07:00

(thursday april 19 1140am.....on teh steps of the cathedral......bits of steps missing from being blown up.....dubrovnnik, croatia)

i just stepped out of the british consulate......there isn't a canadian one here but we're commonwealth, right?....i was pretty excted to be somewhere where i could finally find a proper massage therapist.....my back is pretty constant and i try my best not to let it stop me.....(altho it does slow me down quite a bit).....anyway.....besides making me feel like an idiot, i was told straightforwardly that they only carry lists of lawyers (implication :nothing so silly as massage therapists) and that they were only thre for emergencies (implication: of which back issues does not qualify).....and that if i truly did have a back problem that i should go to the hospital......
i work in a hospital.....there is NOTHING they are going to be able to do for me......give me more drugs? what a waste of resources......
.....and i can't believe that i'm still crying about it but it's just so damn frustrating......i can't carry on like this for another month......

UPDATE thrusday april 26......my experience at the canadian embassy in tallinn was the complete opposite.....the woman was surprised at my request but SO nice.....she looked the information up for me on the internet and then recommended a location and marked it on the map......she even wished me good health and that i would feel better so that i could enjoy estonia.....so nice not to make a person in pain feel like an idiot.....so the happy ending is that i got a massage today....yeah!.....and i'm achy now but that is normal post-massage-i-will-hopefully-not-be-getting-headaches-for-a-while achiness......woohoo!

sidenote

2007-04-22T02:47:00.000-07:00

i have so much more to report.....and i will soon....i hope.......but my internet time is up for the moment.....
i am about to catch a bus out of bosnia......heading back to croatia to catch a plane to london......it,s cheaper for me to fly to london and then back to eastern europe than it is to travel by land......so crazy......in fact......my flight to london costs less (only 18$) than it would cost for me to get from the airoprt to london proper (about 17 pounds)........mental.......
later

final countdown - epic II

2007-04-22T02:30:00.000-07:00

(wednesday april 18....sipping a DELICIOUS apple-banana-cherry-ginger smoothie off a side street in stari grad, dubrovnik, croatia)

yesterday was almost a write-off.......after a little walk, a headache started creeping up again......pills don,t work.......so after a 12-hour post-migraine sleep, i went down for an afternoon nap.....i thought my one day in korcula was soon to become a void....i managed to wake around 430pm and saw a bit of the island before the sunset.......phew!......it was stormy and gorgeous......and i got adopted as wind-playmate by a cute puppy.....so good!
earlier today i sat on the bus ....anesthetized.......i couldn,t move my limbs but i was conscious of what was going on around me......i had to will with might to make my eyes move......when have i EVER been this tired?
i ad woken up at 5am to pack and catch the bus to dubrovnik.....alll was in order.........i double checked that the essentials were in their designated places.......i locked the door and dropped the key in teh batheroom window (as instructed to do.....twice).....i hoisted up my small bag and made my merry way to the bus terminal with plenty of time to get myself there......i mean, this was the only departure time off the island today.......i didn,t want to take any chances.......
it was then that i noticed.....my eyes made contact wit the bars.....the closed bars......the locked gate.....at the bottom of the stairs......the gate for which i,d dropped the keys through the bathroom window....and i was walled in......the bus station mere metres away.......the sun was rising casting pastels in the sky and i didn,t care........it was early.....i didn,t care......i didn,t know which door belonged to my landlord....i didn,t care......i climbed back up the stairs.......and started knocking on the door i saw.......now, i had assumed that my landlord lived upstairs.......i,d never seen him enter nor leave....i,d never glimpsed him in the window.....but while i had been trying to sleep away the punding in my head the day before, all i could hear from upstairs was....over and over again......no joke......"the FINAL COUNTDOWN"............and to see this man, you would know that no other person on the island could possibly love this song as much as he........
so back to the knocking......within 7 minutes it had progressed to banging o the door......by 10 minutes, i was running out of time and contemplating having to camp in the courtyard until someone awoke....debating with myself whether it would be so bad.....but i didn,t give up.........i started knocking/tapping/noising any surface available......windows, doors, furniture, glass, metal, wood......it was surprisingly accoustically varied.......finally a face appeared in thewindow....a confused face......i never thought i,d be so happy to see this dude......and now 4 minutes until the bus leaves (it,s like that johnny cash song).......he freed me from my cage and i jogged the 3 blocks to the station.....
maybe the relaxation after the panic had led to the state of anesthesia.....whatever it was, i,m glad i made it to dubrovnik......this place deserves at least 2 days........

headaches

2007-04-22T02:22:00.000-07:00

(monday, april 16....830pm......in bed.....my apartment.....korcula, croatia)

i almost had another migraine.....my eye went wonky.....first a flashy-tv-snow-like disturbance in my lower right field of vision and gaps in my vision (tried to read and entire words were missing)....my head wwas throbbing and pills didn,t help a bit....tears were coming to my eyes and i fought hem back.....were they pain? frustration? i don,t know........i was dizzy and off-balance.......then my right side--arm and hand-- went numb and the right side of my tongue too.....this worried me a bit......i clenched and opened my hand.....bit on my tongue.....no change.......i minimized stimulus as much as possible....sat in the middle of the ferry to minimize sun exposure.....essentially missed the entire boat ride....something i had been looking forward to........i slept the journey away in an attempt to cure the pain.....this head and back business is really pissing me off........
now i,m ok but i,m tucking in early to try to avoid further problems tomorrow.......this is a beautiful place....unlike anywhere i,ve been before........and the sunset was one of the best i,ve ever seen (of course my camera had run out of batteries)......the sky the reddest i,ve ever seen it (yeah! good weather tomorrow).....silhouetting the islands and a solo fisherman in the bay.....i wandered along the midieval streets on the short walk back to my abode....i look forward to exploring with tomrrow,s sunshine....i also look forward to getting in the water

the haps

2007-04-21T13:59:00.000-07:00

(monday april 16.....noon......in the shade...in the park.....just outside the wall of the old city....split, croatia)

what did i do today?
split.
and now i,m ready to split from split.
it,s a bit of a quieter venice....minus canals......roman architecture, loads of tourists and cafes, little nonsensical pedestrian alleys to get lost in..........i,m glad i didn,t get a room here......i,m finding myself impatient to leave and do.......a little ironic since i,m headed to an island in the hopes of finding some serious lounging--yet environment does make a HUGE difference.......cars and bustle vs. calm and quiet? well, i,m gonna take this opportunity to practice my relaxation skill--so writing & reading & general relaxing.....here i come
what happened today?
well, yesterday my pants had an identity crisis and decided spontaneously to become shorts.....this on the day that i,d decided to go paragliding (reminiscent of skydiving much?) & on the one night/day that i had not brought my big pack.....therefore i had no change of clothes.....then to take a night train (nowhere to empty contents of pack to retrieve sole pair of replacement trousers)....consequently, i am wearing well ventilated pants....both pant-legs have dehisced about one hand length below my butt......could be worse......so, me thinks.....maybe i can use this time to find a NEW pair of trousers....no dice.....the biggest size i can find is 2 sies too small....then again i am in a touristy area full of high-priced stores aimed at teenagers.....needless to say, i gave up on that mission.....
another occurrence......i was walking along, eating my burek (tasty greasy cheap lunch) when i felt a tap on my shoulder......one woman tapped and pointed to another......the other jogged up to me waving cash....a scrunch of coloured paper......my scrunch of coloured paper.....90 kuna (about 20$) had fallen out of my pocket.....altho easily missed at home, this is the economic equivalent of about 20 lunches.....i said a heartfelt "hvala".......i would have had no idea the money was missing until much later.......what a wonderful woman....
and some sad news.......still no sailing for me.....apparently "it,s not the season"......yet the heat is sweltering, the sun is shining, the wind is blowing......how much more right can the season get? is it really necessary to hold to the confines of certain months?

serenade

2007-04-21T13:52:00.000-07:00

(sunday, april 15.....lake bled, slovenia)

church bells in the background, i watch voyeuristically the flirtations of purple-headed mallard ducks.....it,s interesting......they splash each other tentatively with their beaks bobbing up and down on the surface of the lake......they shake their tail feathers at those who ose to interrupt.....and stare at each other submissively with nexks outstretched at lake level......we,ve got similar ducks at homebut i,ve never noticed such behaviour......maybe i just never took the time........

i was planning on hiking this morning but as i,d had a long sleep, i awoke in residual tiredness that won,t wane.....in that way that this sunday morning has been spiritual and meditative from this bench at the water,s edge......surrounded by the Julian Alps......

i,ve changed locations along lake bled....different bench, different view......and now an accordionist is playing "if you,re going to san francisco" behind me as swans float before me.......comedy.

education

2007-04-15T07:15:00.000-07:00

(saturday april 14th 625pm......on a bench watching the sun make its descent over lake bohinj, slovenia)

what did i do today?
bled.
no really......i,m staying in a beautiful lake-side town : bled........i have had a beautiful day.....of walking, hiking, travelling and relaxing.....actually, that,s something i,m relearning: relaxation....proper no-worries time.......spent doing nothing in particular, usually in a beautiful place.....with no time constraints.....i really hope that i,m able to pratice this reclaimed skill once i,m home......let,s not think about that too much.....
.....actually, even after a few days between me and the spanish girls, i find that their presences were inspiring to me....i had been a bit off.......feeling a bit squelched......still searching for the elements of me i enjoyed but had misplaced over school (and everything else that happened over the last few years)......inspiring: truely the right word......i can practically feel "me" blooming......and i,m starting to reclaim interests and skills of old......fiesta en mi cabeza.......

going for gold

2007-04-13T10:20:00.000-07:00

i admit that on this trip, from time to time, i have used less than honest means to save a few pennies....but i find it funny when i,m honest and the "authority" encourages me to be otherwise.....
buying my ticket for this train, the ticket vendor asked my age....a common question as those under 26 get a discount........ageist, sure......but it is nice when the vendors try to help you save instead of giving you the priciest ticket (cough cough zagreb).....anyways, when i told the truth, the lady responded "are you sure?" to which i answered "i could be 25"......discount done....

2007-04-13T10:07:00.000-07:00

(written april 9 in pula, croatia)

today i went to premantura with the spanish girls,vanessa and rosa.....the water was a window to the seaworld below......barely there......just a film.....a portal to that other world.......

and now i,m going to italy with them too.......totally hadn,t planned on that.......but i can,t pass up good compnay.....and to think it could have been so different if i hadn,t gotten stuck in pula over easter
and to make it more destiny....minutes after deciding to join them (minutes after they invited me).....i went to pay for my accomodation to find that i could have had a ride to slovenia this morning but the day receptionist neglected to pass on the message......even tho i had asked twice whether there were any messages for me.......these things happen for a reason....but only hindsight may let me in on it

(april 11....on the train to venice from padova)
i have found myself in italy.....who would have guessed? did you?......per usual, the unexpected is teh best part of travelling......after chilling on the coast of the adriactic sea with some fine individuals, i ended up in padova with free accomodation in a collective space with friends of my new friends......they are even hooking me up with a massage (missed a party at the radio station last night because of another migraine--my back is shit--my whole left side--numb arm and pressure in my eye socket--in addition to nauseous--i,ve been popping pills and sleeping--hopefully a proper massage will help)......and now i,m off to explore venice for the day.......
these girls took amazing care of me when i was hurting.......in pain, it,s a lot less scary when you know someone is looking out for you.....unlike balaton when i was alone and my vision started to blur......but for the moment i am ok....not great, but ok.....and hopefully tomorrow will be even better.
p.s. my spanish is terrible.......and consequently, we speak a combo of spanish-english-french-andnow-italian ........i am understanding most but may be very confused when i get home (or confuse otehrs if i try to speak) as i no longer can distinguish which words belong to which language.......doh!

first impressions

2007-04-09T13:09:00.000-07:00

(written april7th 755pm...bench on the beach....in front of hostel....pula,croatia)

embers have singed the edge of the cloud and the colour of the sky is bouncing gently off the adriatic sea.....and me......it does feel a bit like summer camp & i don't know anyone yet......i wonder if there will be ice-breakers later.....and a sing-a-long.....maybe not in the traditional camp way.....
for now, the light is fading & people are settling in for a beach night.....kinda like thailand, but colder.......

comparison

2007-04-09T13:00:00.000-07:00

lake balaton
by myself
stormy
great expanse of water
not salty
don't know about boats
did not swim
few hotels, accomodation available
stayed in 3 bedroom apartment all on
my own

black sea
with crew
sunny
great expanse of water
salty
no boats......none....not one
swam right away
many hotel, none open.....therefore, no accomodation
NO accomodation.....slept in an ATM booth

it's amazing how i came to balaton to swim in the lake (even momentarily)....but with the wind blowing, it seemed a much better idea to come home, cook some dinner, and drink some wine (which i might add, cost less than 2$).

"massage"

2007-04-09T12:44:00.000-07:00

(wednesday, april 4th)

today i had an experience entitled a massage.....after (again) numerous failed attempts at finding someone who could both perform a massage and document it in english, i gave up.......my back has been bad ona nd off for 4 countries......in 3 of the 4 i tried to get help......without success.......by today, my left side was getting so bad that my arm was numb and my hip felt wrong.....i decided that i didn't care about documentation, i needed my muscles sorted out......so i booked a massage...

now, it came toa grand total of 7$ (including tip), so i really shouldn't complain.....as a massage, being touch, generally feels good or leaves you feeling good, whether it happens to be good or not....

the experience started by the practitioner yelling at me to take my shirt off while sating at me.....why are you staring at me? am i in the wrong place? meanhwile she's yelling at me in hungarian.....finally, she actions for me to remove my clothing.....something i was prepared to do anyway.....so i did it......with her staring at me........and climbed onto the table......now, might i say, this was not a relaxing way to start......in fact, i became quite worried about letting this person touch me....pretty much the opposite of relaxed......and then......she forcefully pulls down my pants.....and yes, i was wearing a belt......and yes, i have hips.....and yes, it was forceful......so there i am......lying ass-en-l'air......vulnerable to the whims of this obviously disgruntled worker....

for the next half hour, she kneaded my back....it was neither good nor very bad......it was neither strong enough to ease my muscles nor gentle enough to relax me.....indeed, it was the strangest massage i have ever had.....and i was actually glad when it was over and i was able to pull up my pants and go on my merry way.......

a bath to end it

2007-04-09T12:29:00.000-07:00

(written april 4th.....in bed......in my 3-bedroom apartment in kesthely, hungary....lake balaton....sipping homemade ginger tea........1050pm)

i just had a hot bath.......not a luke-warm shower that ends too quickly.......in which your feet never feel entirely cleansed.......no, a bath...........deep enough to snorkel in......and long enough to press the palms of my feet, legs straight and be emersed to my shoulders....hot enough to make me heady and boil me a nice shade of lobster.....these are the things i take for granted.......and now, i'm buffed and polished.....a good way to end a country......tomorrow, i'm off to craotia.......

notorious

2007-04-02T13:35:00.000-07:00

so i just remet some guy that i encountered on a street in romania (i am now in budapest).....and he told me that the folks he was with retold my group's stories well after we left......a little odd....i feel notorious.......and hopefully, very very soon i will get around to writing those stories (for they are good)....and then i will be able to pass them on to you.........worst case scenario.......you get them orally, by a fire and over a glass........that wouldn't be so bad either

email

2007-04-02T13:33:00.000-07:00

sweetheart,
thanks again for helping the other night.....you have no idea how awesome you are......
well, it looks like i am starting a new chapter....i've been trying to do so for a couple days...but haven't managed to leave......today i slept in WAY past my train departure time.....and so i spent the afternoon in a hammock or on the computer....catching up with keeping in touch......

........and this is how you find me....no new stories, and no REAL direction......but i need lulls every once in a while.....i like a lull...........let me know how you are....
love,
k

announcements

2007-04-02T13:29:00.000-07:00

a lot has happened in the last week......here are some announcements:

1) Natalie is no longer Miss Kimm......she's traded her name for a family......and is probably honeymooning somewhere right now..........congratulations hon'
2) Scottish Robert is engaged.......as is Robyn......but not to each other......in fact, they have never met.....(that could be awkward).......well, happiness to you all
3) my grades came in.........i'm officially a registered nurse........woohoo!

montage - budapest 2nd round

2007-04-02T13:17:00.000-07:00

montage - romania 1

2007-04-02T13:00:00.000-07:00

montage - romania 2

2007-04-02T12:41:00.000-07:00

montage - romania 3

2007-04-02T12:06:00.000-07:00

montage - romania 4

2007-04-02T11:18:00.000-07:00

montage - budapest 1

2007-04-02T11:00:00.000-07:00

montage - budapest 2

2007-04-02T10:40:00.000-07:00

montage - tokaj

2007-04-02T09:41:00.000-07:00

montage - spisske

2007-04-02T09:26:00.000-07:00

montage - levoca

2007-04-02T09:17:00.000-07:00

montage - tatras

2007-04-02T09:12:00.000-07:00

montage - bojnice

2007-04-02T09:01:00.000-07:00

montage - bratislava 1

2007-04-02T08:50:00.000-07:00

montage - bratislava 2

2007-04-02T08:33:00.000-07:00

montage - brno

2007-04-02T08:30:00.000-07:00

montage - cesky krumlov 1

2007-04-02T08:19:00.000-07:00

montage - cesky krumlov 2

2007-04-02T08:07:00.000-07:00

montage - kutna hora

2007-04-02T07:56:00.000-07:00

montage - terezin

2007-04-02T07:43:00.000-07:00

montage - prague 1

2007-04-02T07:32:00.000-07:00

montage-prague 2

2007-04-02T07:15:00.000-07:00

coffee

2007-04-02T06:17:00.000-07:00

2007-04-02T06:06:00.000-07:00

montage- Vienna (1b)

2007-04-02T05:58:00.000-07:00

montage Vienna (2)

2007-04-02T04:33:00.000-07:00

RECAP- Vancouver to Vienna (a l'envers)

2007-04-02T04:21:00.000-07:00

longing

2007-03-21T05:28:00.000-07:00

.........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.........

caught

2007-03-21T05:16:00.000-07:00

(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.........

2007-03-21T02:00:00.000-07:00

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

communist left-overs

2007-03-11T13:37:00.000-07:00

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....

2 for 2

2007-03-11T13:12:00.000-07:00

(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......

bratislava

2007-03-11T12:53:00.000-07:00

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

epic episode I - SR

2007-03-11T12:24:00.000-07:00

(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

dobreden (goodday)

2007-03-11T12:18:00.000-07:00

(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.......

to those who love me

2007-03-07T03:54:00.000-08:00

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

2007-03-07T03:43:00.000-08:00

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

2007-03-07T03:42:00.000-08:00

i just overheard that the place i'm staying in used to be the house of the gatekeeper........YES, MY GATEKEEPER.......

leperous socialite

2007-03-07T03:32:00.000-08:00

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.

back to work

2007-03-07T03:21:00.000-08:00

(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......

to all the ones i've loved before

2007-03-07T03:19:00.000-08:00

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......

mission aborted

2007-03-03T09:18:00.000-08:00

(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.

ransom acts of kindness

2007-03-03T09:12:00.000-08:00

(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.........

food

2007-03-03T09:07:00.000-08:00

(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.

2007-03-03T08:55:00.000-08:00

(written march 1)

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

2007-03-03T08:51:00.000-08:00

(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.

putting out fires

2007-03-03T08:48:00.000-08:00

(written feb 24)

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......

disclaimer

2007-02-27T11:54:00.000-08:00

I've found that my motivation to write and my skills at description have waned over the years.....this is probably not helped by aching back and shoulders......i happen to enjoy the infrequent hour or two that we take to pause from all the activity......and i chose to do just that: pause.

admittedly, i almost didn't make it here tonight......it started to rain, so we decided to head to our place for a rest......a 45 minute nap at 630pm almost became a full night's slumber.....but alas i AM here.....and i'm well.....and probably heading out now that i am awake.......i promise to write something (hopefully remotely interesting) soon.........

ein zweibel

2007-02-27T11:48:00.000-08:00

(written feb 24)

our place currently reeks of onions--this is primarily due to the fact that we had a delectable dinner in which onion was a staple. Unfortunately, this almost did not occur. Who knew what a challenge it could be to buy a single onion.....not a bag, no......no need for a bushel.....we only have one dinner for two people to prepare.....we tried the Billa (supermarket), we tried the corner produce, we tried everywhere we could think of......our options were 2: no zweibel vs. many zweibel.......we had all but given up when we passed our friendly wine merchant/deli......noticed a basket......a basket of....none other than.....ZWEIBEL!........i tentatively asked, with one finger raised "ein zweibel?" (one onion?) and the man behind the counter nodded.....a spontaneous song and dance ensued........ein zweibel was a victory with tangible (and tasty) results.

feb 24 - vienna

2007-02-27T11:40:00.000-08:00

how to capture our stay thus far?
so much has filled our days.......i've seen real Schiele, Klimt, Moll, Warhol, Export, Ono......i've eaten confectioneries created for an emperor and drank a variety of Viennese melanges.....i've gawked at gothic cathedrals and been down to see the bones of priests and plague victims.......we've been suurounded by opulence in the Imperial Palace and at the opera.....we've meandered midieval courtyards and created our own missions while learning many facts and skills........

what i like about vienna (beyond the obvious):
1) dogs, dogs everywhere!

on the street
in that guy's coat
on leash, off leash
on the tram
in the posh coffee shop
in the pizzaria
at the pub
(and an add-on from prague -- in the art gallery)

where the people go, so too go their dogs......and the dogs are amazingly aloof.......

2)conservationism abounds

power goes out (even in the public washrooms) if no one walks in after a while
appliances are small
toilets use less water....and sometimes you control how much water you use based on your needs

Mr. Lenz

2007-02-24T12:47:00.000-08:00

(written Feb 21)

we both woke up fairly early...it's been a relaxing yet jet-lagged day....we settled......got groceries....got our bearings......wandered vienna......we're in vienna...no really. we are.

our apartment is FABULOUS! angela said "it's liek staying at someone's grandmother's house but without the grandmother".....we have 2 bedrooms, a bathroom, kitchen, living room AND terrace...it's clean...it's cozy...it's home (for now).....and then there's mr.lenz....

my mom has this movie that she loves called "Until September"....it's about an american woman who gets stuck in paris when she misses her connecting flight to (was it?) budapest.....it follows her as she meets this man--her friend's nextdoor neighbour--with whom she has a heated affair.

well, the moment we walked into our building, i felt like i stepped into a scene from "Until September"...the feeling of foreigness was the same....the portayal of exhaustion was the same......the walk-up was the same......

as we found our apartment, mr.lenz was standing in the doorway.....he was our new neighbour and he had opened our place for us.....va va va voom!.....but the plot twists a bit when the neighbour is a 4foot9, 65 year old austrian man with a firm grip......

maybe next time i'll tell you more about vienna......
right now it's time for bed.......auf vedazen (or something like that).....

an afternoon in amsterdam

2007-02-24T12:35:00.000-08:00

How exhausted can a person become? Let's do an experiment:

night shift (make it 2?)
add trip prep & cleaning for minimal slumber
stir with last minute packing
combine with 9 hour flight
set aside for 8 hours while you visit amsterdam

admittedly, it was whirlwind and overwhelming.....i felt liek i'd stepped into a section of disneyland (thank you, anita)......surreal? yes......we wandered the streets along the canal....dodging trams and cyclists...it's flatter than the prairies and so many cyclists...awesome!
the buildings? what can be said. hundreds of years old....tall and slender...each with their own slant--forward, right, left-- yet holding each other up......we stopped for a coffee and streudel just as it started to pour......our windowed-in terrace style seating area gave us a good view of the passers-by.......we were exhausted and amsterdam was uneventful....thankfully!

but i'm getting off track....back to the experiment:
add 2 hours of flight time
and the quickest possible mode of transportation to accomodation
and the brain--including motor and communication skills--has gone a long way in the process of shutting down

result: 2 comatose women

follow up

2007-02-24T11:55:00.000-08:00

i managed to abide by the security rules....i managed to fly the first leg of my trip without any major issues (except perhaps exhaustion)......i managed to get my butt (and other parts) safely to amsterdam.....then, recklessly, i left the security area....
i managed to enjoy my first visit to the city without purchasing and transporting any liquids greater than 3 fluid ounces. Yet, somehow, i found a way to get chastised at the security point on my return for my connecting flight.....and tragedy.......they threw away the wine given to me on the previous flight........heartbreaking

PSA

2007-02-20T01:16:00.000-08:00

So I’m getting the last minute details together before I fly away for 3 months……last minutes details? Who am I kidding? I haven’t even started packing yet…….but I have downloaded a ridiculous amount of music onto my ipod…..

Anyway….i came across some pretty important information that I think the average person should know…..(in addition to the above-average people like yourself, of course):

According to the Transportation Security Administration, part of the US Department of Homeland Security, certain surprising items are not allowed in one’s carry-on baggage when flying……for the progression of items to be fully appreciated, I suggest you check out the website and read them in order before continuing…….

Admittedly, it is nice to know that I can now carry-on makeup, shampoo and other liquids, gels and aerosols (provided they are less than 3 fluid ounces). On the other hand, as I moved down the lists from “make-up & personal items” to “electronic devices” to “sharp objects”, the progression of less-desirable carry-on items was apparent. I mean, how stupid are we getting? Does it really need to be specified that firearms should not be in carry-on luggage? Let alone, does it require an entire subsection describing the particulars of what would be considered a firearm? Do we need to be told explicitly not to bring our brass knuckles, nunchukus, throwing stars and swords on the plane? I mean, I can see how there may be some differences in opinion when it came to meat cleavers, hand grenades and plastic explosives….come on! But the strangest is that the list finished with “food and drink”. The items we would consume. Whereas screwdrivers and tools less than seven inches in length are allowed in carry-on luggage, “Beverages brought from home or purchased before reaching the security checkpoint in containers LARGER than 3 oz.” are not allowed. I recognize the importance of security. But am I the only one who sees the lunacy created when common sense is thrown out the window for doctrine?

Now back to our regularly scheduled programming…..let’s pack!

trapped in a capsule for travel

2006-08-21T23:25:00.000-07:00

some other entries from sept. 10.....the last entries before i got hurt.......

"Sitting on a beach of grey stones, grey sea, grey sky. The rain's indecision is torturing. Dry or downpour...is that too much to ask? The drips hit the paper so...intermittently...&yet manage to interrupt. Close book. I sat and let the sky spit on me."

"So i've actually been excited lately. i convinced my mom to sell her place & buy a house in my 'hood. i even found the house. i daydream about it, i talk & talk & talk about it. i have such a crush on that place."

but the grotto, as we called it, never came to pass......but the house mom did buy, in another neighbourhood, has been a dream.... it's hard to believe i was thinking about this before my life was temporarily halted.......before the book was closed......it's amazing how one can be derailed and somehow find their way back to the tracks......the life i was dreaming of for myself and my mom will soon be a reality.....some minor details in different form but the plot is the same.........waiting's the hard part...........

(pssst.....hey......are you there graduation?...someone said you were right around the corner......)

How relationships start & end

2006-08-21T23:12:00.000-07:00

i was trying to get some homework done tonight ......looking through some plastic bags in the corner of my computer room.....i shuffled the piles of discheveled papers around......found treasure: my awesome hole punch that clips into a binder (broken now....crushed in the accident)......then i realized these were the notes from that semester......i browsed briefly and came upon a duotang......my journal of mismatched and irregular entries........my thoughts i deemed worthy of penmanship...or those scribbled in boredom........one of the entries on the last day i wrote in it was very parallel to something i almost wrote yesterday.......when driving, i randomly think: of how i thought of you on your birthday....but was not able to wish you well......
....well, i found this entry....i wonder if it was about you or someone else or noone in particular........it went something like this:

"Fri.Sept 10, 2004 ...

How relationships start & end

I thought of you on your birthday...contemplated sending a note...fantasized your reaction...feared your words.
I thought of you on your birthday...knowing you'd not thought of me."

zombies in vancouver

2006-08-20T13:39:00.000-07:00

damn! (or should i say "damned")....i have been waiting for this year's event and somehow seemed to have missed it........
hexes and curses
next year zombiewalk!.....mark my words.......NEXT YEAR

(post script. a definition for the undead)

my first time

2006-07-26T22:44:00.000-07:00

i did it.....for the first time......

i warmed her up and got her ready....i found the spot and went for it......it was a little messy but i got it in on my first try........MY FIRST I.V. start....complete with hook-up.......so exciting....so nerve-wracking....so something i will soon take for granted that i can do......so a moment i want to keep, to remember........

hooray! hooray! for small successes........

aged (2 syllables)

2006-06-04T21:28:00.000-07:00

so i am going on a rare adventure in the near future.......of the elusive planned variety......and the planning has led to much excitement......such as: free+tickets+new tv show+nelly furtado=AWESOME-NESS!
and yet, it almost wasn't......that's right faithful readers.......i was almost kept from surprise planned excitement due to my excelled advancement in years.....the show only allows those 17 to 28 to participate.......and i will be less than a month from 29 at the time of taping.........unbelievable, i know.......i almost needed to get me some fake ID.............

confirmation of original thought

2006-05-28T23:32:00.000-07:00

(woohoo! another paper done.....tick that box off.......)

so this morning, on my way to church, i was pondering my "quality of friends" issue.....this is something that has plagued me for the last while whilst i have been dealing with my own little hell of death and disappointment.....but this morning i had an epiphany:
maybe people just don't know how to be friends to each other.....maybe they're afraid....maybe this world of psychotherapists has made ordinary people feel inadequate to support their peers in times of need.....maybe this is why people are afraid of anything that is unsuperficial and potentially negative and emotional....perhaps that is why people must pay people to lend an ear....

now, don't get me wrong....i think there is a very valid place in our social context for counselling.....but on the other hand, one should be able to vent their frustrations and find support in their so-called friends........i've been starting to fear that the ties i cut years ago "in my best interests" in fact cut me from the last few people who knew how to stand by me in thick and thin........it was hard to realize that, although i thought myself in a much better place socially than ever before, that this was a falsehood disguised by a few years of relative good times........

well, this was passing through my head on my morning's half hour drive and i was thinking of blogging it here......then the sermon happened......rod wilson spoke and started by describing this very phenomenon......it was bizarre to have my thoughts (that i had not yet shared with anyone) regurgitated to me from the pulpit........people are afraid to be friends........

well, suck it up people! sometimes all someone needs is to be heard, to vent, to emote and get perspective.......on their terms................

go on.......be a friend

question

2006-05-21T19:33:00.000-07:00

why did i wake up this morning?

a little song

2006-05-21T16:05:00.000-07:00

oh where, o where
have the real friends gone?
oh where, oh where
can they be?

my dog ate my homework

2006-04-28T00:04:00.000-07:00

no really......she did......as i sat here, at this very computer....printing out a new sheet of references for my mind-numbing project that is due tomorrow....my six-pound wonder-dog decided that she would retaliate on the thing that possesses the majority of my time......my homework.....she dug in to the stack of notes that had piled on the floor next to my chair......i couldn't see her face but i could hear the shred-shred-shredding of the strips of paper as she filleted them.....
"ZOE!!!"
she looked up and her beard betrayed her....it was full of torn scraps of paper.....
i can never stay mad at her for long......she's way too ridiculous (but don't ever tell her i said so)
my biggest regret is that i did not have a camera ready....i tried to go get one.... but by the time i returned, she had shaken the evidence from her fur-lined face.....(she's so sneaky)
all in all....it's good to have little moments to enjoy and giggle over......there have been far too many tears shed in the last month........and my eyes don't squeeze 'em out easy.......what would i do without my little rascals?

when will it end?

2006-04-10T20:51:00.000-07:00

I feel like i'm gonna puke.....a lump has risen in my throat so big that i think i might have swallowed my tongue......can anyone call 911?.....no.....don't bother.... it's too late..... too late..... again......
i was just sitting here....writing another paper....emersed in more inconsequential BS.... another hoop i have to jump to get that piece of paper that will let me practice my chosen profession........ i was just sitting here..... in front of this terminal........ minding my own business.....and BAM......the news:
another one bites the dust.....another piece of my tapestry of people frayed away to nothing but a memory.......
tears and tears and tears and tears.......
actually, i am surprised at my reaction.... i think this is the first time i have spontaneously cried......in this type of situation, that is.......maybe i'm getting better at it......i guess i've had enough practice........
maybe this is healthy.....but definitely not productive........
admittedly, this is BAD timing....better than if it had happened last week.... but still bad......and my brain is locked.....and my stomach is sick...... and i feel guilty

goodnight mary
may you rejoice in health and dance your way into heaven

spanked!

2006-04-04T22:41:00.000-07:00

so today i learned some important and yet disturbing information

there is an actual definition regarding allowable spanking (for children, people) and whatever crosses the line MUST be reported by any citizen promptly or they face a $10, 000 fine and up to 6 months in jail..... (which is more than Lisa "Left-eye" Lopez got for burning down her ex-boyfriend's mansion).......

according to the ministry of children and families, spanking can occur through clothing for the purpose of education......any other purposes are disallowed....... did you know about this?....admittedly, i didn't realize ANY spanking of children was allowable but i also didn't realize my legal obligation as a citizen to report........thankfully i haven't witnessed any child spanking since the 1980's (when such behaviour was perfectly acceptable).....or i may have been blogging from the clink.........

stick talk

2006-04-03T12:51:00.000-07:00

So....I was listening to the radio this morning and overheard a dispute about a very important monument.....someone had discussed the home of the world's largest hockey stick: duncan, bc.....someone else had called in to dispute the claim because the town of eleveth in minnesota also claimed to have the world's largest hockey stick.

How did they rectify this pressing issue? The radio personality phoned city hall in eleveth.....a representative agreed to discuss this politically charged issue LIVE!

Let's look at the facts:

Exhibit A:
"The Cowichan Community Centre, in Duncan on Vancouver Island in British Columbia, boasts the largest hockey stick and puck in the world. Built in 1985, the 205-foot hockey stick is built from Douglas Fir wooden beams reinforced with steel, and weighs in at a staggering 61,000 pounds (28,118 kgs). The World's Largest Hockey Stick & Puck was originally commissioned by the Government of Canada as part of the Expo '86 World's Fair Exposition in Vancouver."

Exhibit B:
"World's Largest Hockey StickMeasuring 107 feet and weighing over three tons, this Christian Brothers hockey stick is complete with a giant rubber puck. Located in downtown Eveleth on Main Street - Grant Avenue... The stick was renovated and was completed in the summer of 2002."

The representative from eleveth city hall, in response to the falseness of their claim of having the world's largest hockey stick stated "we believe we have the world's largest hockey stick in america"......the world's largest hockey stick in america? then the radio personality asked the simple question: which is larger, 205 or 107? the city hall rep would not respond....finally she said tentatively: "1.....0......7........." to which the radio gal stated "is the smaller....yes......107 is smaller than 205"..........

this all seems so ridiculous to me......who cares? if you want to have a weird tourist-attracting monument.....then make it bigger than the others that already exist (it was finished in 2002 versus the duncan one that was built in 1985) or name it correctly (like "america's largest hockey stick").......wouldn't that be a lot easier than trying to explain how 107 is bigger than 205.......

en francais.....

2006-04-01T05:09:00.000-08:00

so I found my blog in french (don't worry people I'm at work....therefore NOT procrastinating from doing the unrealistically ridiculous amount of homework I need to finish in the immediate future........ok, maybe just a little) and it taught me many interesting things....... such as Shelley in french is Xeres.......and here I thought that, even in french, it would be something like......I don't know .......Shelley!..... you know, being a name and all..........

well, i would like to start a movement.....who agrees to only refer to shelley in french? (and Xeres was born)

you're "it"!

2006-04-01T04:27:00.000-08:00

so apparently I've been tagged....TWICE!.....but I found this out in french........so here goes:

QUATRE EMPLOIS j'ont EU
1. dungeon master (aka underage file clerk)
2. the mountain
3. mental health worker
4. emergency undergrad nurse

QUATRE FILMS/EXPOSITIONS j'ont ÉTÉ ADONNÉS :
1. Buffy the Vampire Slayer
2. Party of Five
3. Lost
4. Dead Like Me

QUATRE PLACES j'ont VÉCU (if I keep it Canadian are):
1. Burnaby
2. Montreal
3. Charlevoix
4. Kitsilano

QUATRE PAYS QUE JE VOUDRAIS VISITER (où je n'ai pas été) :
1. Turkey
2. Greece
3. Brazil
4. Japan
(and pretty much everywhere else as well......)

QUATRE SUPPOSITIONS FAUSSES POPULAIRES DE MOI :
1. I'm all fun and games
2. My hair is naturally black and blonde
3. I have no siblings
4. I'm a party person

QUATRE PERSONNES JE RESSEMBLENT (selon quelques personnes) :
1. Bjork (one of the best compliments of all time.....although so full of shit)
2. Grandma Christie
3. Flower (from Bambi)
4. my friend's hairdresser Zoe, although I have never met her to corroborate

QUATRE CHOSES (J'ESPÈRE) FAIRE AVANT QUE JE NE MEURE :
1. Graduate from nursing school
2. work in underprivileged communities setting up sustainable health care
3. fulfill my purpose
4. witness Jo's rise to stardom

LES GENS I ÉTIQUETTE ENSUITE :
1. Chris D.
2. Rachael
3. Leigh
4. YOU

my people are winners

2006-03-27T00:30:00.000-08:00

shukov

commentary

2006-03-26T13:35:00.000-08:00

them's fighting words

afterthought

2006-03-20T17:01:00.000-08:00

http://www.savagechickens.com/blog/2006/03/st-patricks-day.html

click.....or is that cluck

luck of the irish

2006-03-20T15:33:00.000-08:00

so last friday night...some girls and i made a hardfast effort at drinking some green beer......it turned out to be a bit of an epic adventure.....we lined up....we chatted up......we charmed.......we shivered in the cold behind some scotsmen in kilts (but couldn't complain 'cause i'm sure they were colder)........i had my first poutine (with mushroom gravy, mind you -- not very irish but oh so tasty)......we relished the pogues and sank some beverages.......but alas, they were not green......

towards the end of the evening, we met one of the boys at a pub in kits.....it went something like this:

we sat and drank and mocked in good measure......

and as we conversed.....suddenly.......and oh so abruptly.....i jumped out of my seat.......i sprang up with a start....like a leprechaun, i flew 2 feet in the air........what prompted such a feat?.......well, it was something like this:

a full and frothy pint of beer went cascading down my back....from the nape of my neck to the badunc-a-dunc-dunc of my posterior........i had a beer bath ....

although not as picturesque (or as green) as this bath with beer.......

it was remotely less disturbing.........

......perhaps the dude thought i wanted to try a more affordable version of one of these products:

thoughtful?

he did go to the bar to get me a towel...... and on his return....he extended the towel towards my rear end, as if he were going to clear up the damage that way .......no way, jose (or whatever your name is).......he had done quite enough and i was able to pat my own behind to relatively less-wetness.....

at least he wasn't like this guy...... http://www.nearlygood.com/video/beerclean.html ......that could have gotten QUITE interesting.....

perhaps he just needed a little prior practice here:
http://www.digyourowngrave.com/beer-balancing-game/ ......

just my luck

2006-03-17T13:35:00.000-08:00

ok...so as many of you know...pixie and i went for a whirlwind roadtrip last weekend.......

i picked up the tab for the first tank of gas and (as per my own roadtripping tradition) picked us up a couple of lotto tix for the fun.......couldn't afford many so i went for one bingo and one crossword.....both popular favourites........much to my surprise, pixie announced that she had never relished the drawn out and often unvictorious enjoyment of this type of gambling.........

well, it took us a while to get around to the tix......it might have even been the second day....... when we sat down......at the table....very serious for some serious stakes .......i with the crossword, she with the bingo...the tension mounted...our pennies at the ready....and SCRATCH!

long before i had finishedmy concentrated endeavour, she announced that she had won.....what? thought i......and it wasn't even a dollar or two.....in fact, it was MORE..... great! now i was never going to that "A" that i needed to win 2000$ (for that A would have finished a cornucopia of words putting me into the holy-crap-winner-circle)....alas i was right......no A was in the cards for me.......but i had not lost hope...there was still the BONUS......as i scratched i had already anticipated defeat.....it's pretty much unheard of to win more than a free card on these things and definitely not to have 100% of your ticket purchases turn a profit.......i raised the penny to the flaky silver film that concealed my destiny.......one stroke, two strokes, three.....five seconds later it was revealed..........

WINNER times 2?!

that's right folks...between the two of us we made a pretty profit......not enough for retirement before graduation but enough to cover some of the weekend's entertainment....not bad, not bad at all........

in fact, on the way home i was still realing with the fact that we had indeed BOTH won on scratch-and-wins.......as i contemplated, it suddenly came to me.......do you think God had gotten confused when i prayed to get lucky?

i need a digital camera....NOW!

2006-03-13T22:34:00.000-08:00

no, but really....i do

i am faced with the fact that shelley has once again out-blogged me....mostly because i wait (and wait and wait) before i can post photos from momentous occassions..... and then, after such wonderfulness as this: http://getouttabed.blogspot.com/2006/03/its-all-about-chicken.html ....i end up not adding my bit.....for it seems too little too late.......oh woe is me, i know.....either way, check hers out.......for now

holy carp!

2006-03-09T10:44:00.000-08:00

by that, i mean....holy crap!
yesterday was my first in my community practicum....therefore, i had to drive all over burnaby...... and wouldn't you know, it started to snow....and guess what, it hasn't stopped......there is snow (glorious snow!) EVERYWHERE......just in time for me to have spring break! woohoo!..... hopefully it will continue while i run off to kelowna this weekend........and i will return to a fluffy white wonderland of fun......

acting?

2006-03-07T23:41:00.000-08:00

it's a little disconcerting when your demure female nursing instructor recreates perfectly the character of a drunken leacherous elderly man.....even if it is within the context of role plays to prepare you for clinical practice..........

and tomorrow the community practicum begins........da da da dummm!