One has not truly lived until…
they have the seen the Alps!! OMG - they are amazing!! Tonigh, I am taking the overnight train from Switzerland to Amsterdam, and am sad to be leaving one of the most beautiful countries!! Let me back up for a moment…
Salzburg and Innsbruck renewed my appreciation for the beauty that is Austria. I know wayyyy too much about the making of the Sound of Music. I went over 9,000 feet into the Alps in a cable car and let me tell you - the air is so clean and the view breathtaking!! Almost 100 pics from that day alone!
Zurich was pretty cool, although VERY expensive. I took a day trip to the country of Leichenstein on the Swiss/Austria border. The entire country is about the size of Manhattan, so easy to cover in a few hours! Bern is the most under-rated city in Switzerland - it was true, old world Europe and simply perfect! I am currently in Basel awaiting my train, and while this city is small and quant, it is perfect for sitting at cafes, people watching and just appreciating life.
OK - now to Interlaken, Switzerland. Spent 3 days there and it is considered the adventure capital of Europe. The weather was not cooperating, so I was not able to go white-water kayaking as planned, but I did CANYON JUMP!! Basically, I jumped off a platform into a canyon - 150 foot drop, 5 seconds of freefall hitting a max speed of 80mph, before swinging a few feet above rapids and between 2 rock walls - CRAZIEST thing I have ever done and it was FANTASTIC!! I am waiting for the video to be sent to me, and when I have it I will for sure post it. You can only do this 3 places in the world - Nepal, New Zealand and Interlaken. Mom - Maybe you should not watch the video :)
So that is the update - less than 3 weeks of this adventure left :( …or who knows, maybe this is really just the beginning! Cheers!
Croatia and Slovenia
I know I haven’t posted in awhile, but I have been busy!! I am now past the half-way point, have completed 6 countries (7 after Tuesday) and I am just getting to do my laundry!! What do I need to catch you up on??
Croatia was amazing. I spent a day in Zagreb and then headed down the coast to Split. It was breath-taking. The fine pebble beaches, fresh food, the crystal clear seas….oh it is a place to see! It was a bit pricey, which surprised me. The hiking was great - you could see out to the islands from the top. Spent a day on the beach with the crazy locals, playing a cool game in the water. It is kind of like handball, but in water and with a smaller ball and no wall, and the point is to keep the ball in the air as long as possible even if it requires you to dive into the water to keep it going. The water is very shallow for a couple hundred meters out, so you have lots of room to run and jump and go nuts with it. Definitely got a nice burn that day, but am rather tan by now!! Then the American cruise ships docked and the charm of quant, secluded Croatia was lost….
Slovenia ROCKS!! The capital, Ljubljana, is very relaxed place - very arty. They have tons of bridges and all are very unique. After 2 days there, I headed north to Bled Lake for some R&R and adventure. The lake is stunning - it is postcard perfect. I went hiking twice and hired a bike one day. I think I cycled more in one day then I have in the past 5 years combined!! I also went canyoning, which is estenially a natural-made water park. After hiking to the top of the canyon in a wetsuit and harness, we (me and 2 other Americans and 2 Aussies) spent the next 3 hours sliding down rocks, jumping into pools, zip-lining, repelling and other sorts of crazy stuff. The pictures are nuts!! Canyoning Bob is the coolest dude ever…how do people get these great jobs??? The hostel was above a bar, and these Bled locals know how to party!! Shots at 9:30 am - sure, why not?
Anyways, I just arrived in Salzburg, Austria today and will be doing the Sound of Music bike tour in the morning…I know you are jealous!! On Tuesday, I am off to Innsbrook to take a cable car over the Alps and then off to Switzerland for the rest of the week!!!
…why is it all going by soooo fast!!! xoxo
2 weeks and 4 countries….
Just arrived in Zagreb, Croatia a few hours ago and the city shuts down at 10pm, so figured I would update you all and since I loved Budapest so much I feel it deserves 2 posts!!!
BUDAPEST! BUDAPEST!! BUDAPEST!!! I am the biggest cheerleader for this city. I had a blast and even added an extra night there. The bar/club scene is a little underground still, but what is there is awesome. The famous alcohol is called “paplinka” and it is like Russian fire-water. I can handle my liquor, but one shot of this and you are feeling warm and toasty!! It comes in 100s of flavors, so there is bound to be one you like - I tried the plum and honey.
I also spent one afternoon caving in Northwest Buda and it was insane. The caves were over 200 million years old and it was not amatuer caving. We were crawling and sliding in all these tight spaces. Nothing like this would exist in the US as the liability would be too high. I signed a form that said “I am participating in this activity at my own risk” - not like the 20,000 things you need to do to bottle of tylenol these days. Planning on adding some more high-risk activities to my agenda…tallest bungie jump is in Switzerland and I might just be game!!
I also spent the day day in Eger, Hungary which is about 2 hours Northeast of the city. It is known for the wine made in the region called “Bulls Blood”. The city was almost like a movie set…the houses were perfectly painted, the people knew the shop owners, everyone got along. I did not take nay photos because I almost think the place was too good to be true, but I do have a few bottles of wine to enjoy from there.
So in all Budapest ROCKED!! Go there tomorrow if you can…I kind of wish I was still there…
Tibley
I am dedicating this post to Tibley, the coolest dog at the hostel.
So I am in Budapest, Hungary right now…Buda to be more accurate as Budapest is divided into Buda and Pest with the Danue running through the middle. Buda is a lot more modern, cleaner, safer and more beautiful than Pest. The differences are staggering. I got off the train in Pest and walked around lost for an hour before asking for directions, and for the first time since I got to Europe I was quite scared. Once I got over the bridge to Buda my feelings did a complete 180. No words can do this city justice - it is just fascinating. You can see the influence from Turkey slipping into the architecture. The food is similar to Austria with lots of cheese dishes. My hostel is almost out of the city and in a more residential area, but I am sleeping well at night and the people here are great! Went to dinner with 3 English gents and had the most AMAZING venison and dumplings. Getting hungry just thinking about that meal again…
I also committed the worst travelling mistake - I let my camera battery die :( Tomorrow I am heading to the caves and then on Tuesday heading to NE Hungary to the region they make the famous “Bulls Blood” wine and the village of the Twelve Beautiful Women. It is supposed to be breath-taking and I am wondering how many more times I can have my breath taken away on this trip!
Working for the Senate I always thought how beautiful the Capitol building is. However, after seeing all these European cities Parliament buildings, I think the US got a raw deal. All of these huge, wonderful buildings were built before ours (obviously) and all of theirs seem so grand. Just an observation…
I can’t complain…my life is perfect right now!!! For the first time in a long time, I feel peace with my life. Excuse me, but Nutella gelato and red wine are calling….xoxo
the unexpected find…
So on Wednesday, I took an hour bus ride from Vienna, Austria to Bratislava, Slovakia. I was told it was a pretty cool city to check out, and since it was an hour away and only cost 6 euro, I figured why the hell not. And let me tell you, Bratislava is AMAZING!!! My favorite city thus far. The mix of new, old and really old!!! The food is great - the people are wonderful - the architecture is fascinating - the culture is divine….I just can’t say enough amazing things about it!! There is an intense language barrier (not even a lot of the young people speak English), but they never seem to mind and always are willing to help. The beer is outstanding and the food is very good. The trip was just supposed to be for one night, and I have been here 2 nights and 3 full days already and I could stay longer…in fact I could live here!! It is very compact and easy to get around. It is very safe and barely any crime. A lot closes down early around here, but that is OK after a long, heavy dinner.
So Bratislava has been my little hidden gem in Eastern Europe and hoping for more along the way. I am going back to Vienna :( for the night (hoping to make it to the Vienna Opera) before heading off to Budapest, Hungary. This trip has been beyond fascinating and I have so much left!!!
LIVING IN THE MOMENT!! xoxo
…moving on!
Last night I took the overnight train from Prague to Vienna. It was not as bad as I thought it would be, but then again, I didn’t really have any ideas on what tthe train would be like. I finished up my time in the CR by taking a bus about 2 1/2 hours Southeast to this AMAZING little (or second largest in CR) town called Brno. I did not know what to expect turning every corner - truly, truly beautiful.
Vienna is a little like Prague, but less spectacular. I don’t know if it is the rain that is putting a damper on things, but I am sorely dissappointed in Vienna thus far. It is very touristy, the people I have met are not all that nice, and it is just not warming up to me. I have walked around for about 8 hours already and have seen a great deal, but it is just not getting ahold of me. I have tomorrow here in Vienna before moving onto Slovakia and then Salzburg next week, so I am not giving up on Austria just yet.
Anyways, I have noticed some crazy stuff here. Dogs are EVERYWHERE - on the trains, buses, restaurants, coffee shops! In the CR and Austria, you are still allowed to smoke in the restuarants. Babies are in bars like it is going out of style. Everyone seems to be making out - not just a peck, but a full on game of tonsil hockey. The locals speak English to the homeless to pretend they don’t know what they are saying. Advertisers do not hold back - nipples everywhere!!! Europeans wear acid washed skinny jeans much better than Americans.
This is why I love travelling…
xoxo
PRAGUE!!!
So I landed today in Prague, an hour late thanks to my flight being delayed from them down shutting the airspace due to the arrival of President Obama - i just can’t get a break can I? So, I hoped a bus and then the metro (you know how much I love public transportation) and ended up at my hostel in Nove Mesto, which means “New Town”.
“New Town” is really an ironic name since it is only new when being compared to “Old Town” that was built in 1348…you get my point. The architecture of the buildings are absolutely stunning and the city is just amazing. I would upload some photos but this computer does not have a USB port, but have no fear, it has a drive for your floppy disk. I guess I am really glad to be staying in “New Town” as I can only imagine what the computers are like in “Old Town”…hehe
My new found love is Garlic Soup. I wouldn’t suggest you consume this while on a date, but I figured it was OK since I was dining alone. Also for dinner - beef neck with classic dumplings and braised cabbage (who knew caraway seeds and vinegar was such a good mix) and three amazing Czech beers. This is definitely not a vegetarian friendly city, but everything was delicious!!
One thing I did notice while I was out tonight, was all the parents and their children going out for drinks. I go out to dinner and stuff with my parents when I am back in Boston, but I can’t recall if I have ever gone out for drinks with them and just enjoyed their company. Just another thing to add to my list of things to do this year!!
…i’ll report back soon - tomorrow heading to Prague Castle and St. Wenceslaus Church (yup, same as the christmas song re: Good King Wenceslaus). Still hasn’t hit me that I will be here for 8 more weeks!!!
If not now, then when?
I am 27. While that may not be important to many people, to me it is REALLY important. 27 was to be THE year!! The year that everything came together and my life would finally make sense.
27 started off bright enough. I had a new and improved, although temporary, job for a wonderful Senator. After working endlessly on the Health Care legislation for 2 years, I witnessed its passage in December. I also moved into a condo that I was under contract to purchase. Life was good, but the good times would not last.
Two months after turning 27, my Grandfather passed away unexpectedly. A Republican was elected to take the seat occupied by Senator Kennedy, whom I had the amazing privilege of working for for over 2 years, causing me to lose my job. And I lost my condo. Everything good in my life was brought to a jarring halt, and I felt helpless and hopeless in the midst of all of it.
After a week of lying in bed, drinking a lot and avoiding reality I knew I needed to get out of my rut. I emailed on two amazing friends and a last minute trip to LA/Palm Springs was planned in less than 24 hours! The three of us had studied abroad in Hong Kong and backpacked through Thailand together in 2003, and they know that sitting poolside, sushi, boba and champagne can make any bad situation better!!
I had a better perspective on my “situation” when I came back from LA. I understood that I did not get fired from my job, but rather I lost it through legitimate means in the political arena. I had been under contract to purchase my condo for over 7 months, so maybe God was saying now is not the time to be committed to a house. I realized that it was up to me to improve my life and it wasn’t going to happen on its own and that what I had really been given was a gift and not a curse.
So what does a jobless, homeless, single girl do when they find themselves with a LOT of free time on their hands? They dream…and I dreamed BIG!!!
I am going to “call in sick” for a year, or until my savings runs out, whichever comes first!! I am going to do almost anything and everything that I have wanted to do that time did not permit. I am going to backpack through Europe, skydive, learn how to drive a standard really well, practice more yoga, get a new tattoo, visit the Budweiser Brewery, read as many books as I can get my hands on, get a good tan, spend more time with my family and friends and just about anything else that comes my way. And while I will be actively looking for a job, but I am NOT going to settle for just anything.
On Wednesday, the journey begins - Washington, D.C to Prague via Amsterdam….
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