Rome. It is an ancient city. Impressive, colossal, grand. Rome is associated with the Colosseum, pasta, scooters, grand mythology, and characters like Julius Ceaser, Cleopatra and Marc Antony. We went on a walking tour and our history lesson of the city began in 753 B.C. as we sat on the ruins of Nero's home. For some reason, Rome doesn't seem too interested in preserving Nero's legacy. I can't imagine why. Perhaps it for setting the city on fire to clear way for his grand development projects. Perhaps it is because of his legendary ruthlessness. According legend, Romulus and Remus were abandoned as infants and raised by a she-wolf. Therefore, the symbol of the city are of two babies sucking on a she-wolf. The statue is everywhere and decidedly odd. The brothers built cities on neighboring hills but tragedy struck when Romulus killed Remus during an argument and then decided to name the entire city after himself and decreed himself king. The city grew from a small settlement on the Palatine Hill on the south side of the Tiber River. Kings ruled over Rome from 753 to 509 B.C. and historians believe that Rome was under Estrucen rule during this time. There was an intense period of strife and the Estrucens were rebelled against and a new republic was formed. The Republic became increasingly more powerful during the 3rd Century B.C. Julius Ceaser entered the scene and transitioned the government from a Republic to an Empire but was assassinated in his quest for power in 44 B.C. The Roman Empire thrived and Rome depended on the rest of the Empire for its survival to provide for such a large population, estimated at 1-2 million at the time. Despite being replaced by Constantine as the capital of the Roman Empire and getting sacked by the Goths of Alaric and Vandals of Gaiseric in the 5th Century, Rome has maintained its status as a major world city to current history. It is a city rich in history and fascinating to explore.
The Ancient City
Our wanderings took us to the Colosseum. I was actually prepared to be disappointed by the Colosseum. There is just SO much hype. But it is pretty amazing. Melissa and I visited it during the day and then went again at night. It was beautifully illuminated and we sat in awe as we ate Swiss chocolate, soaking in its grandeur. It is perhaps one of my favorite landmarks on this trip. It was built during the Flavian Dynasty and completed in 80 A.D. It was completed in a record eight years. Its amazing what can be accomplished with slave labor. It could hold an estimated 50,000 people , separating all of the classes of course, and could empty out in five minutes. The area below the arena was an impressive labyrinth of 15 corridors and had two stories. Animals, gladiators, and props could be introduced to the arena. It could also be flooded for the reenactment of sea battles. It was used for about 500 years and hosted gladiator battles, as well as reenactments of battles (in which slaves and condemned prisoners played the role of the losing side). All of the shows were free to the public and financed by the emperor. It is actually quite terrible to think about the many people who were executed by the Roman Empire. A cross now stands in the Colosseum honoring the many Christians who were persecuted in the Colosseum. Despite a foundation measuring 14 meters, the structure did not withstand two earthquakes in the 6th Century, mostly due to the fact that two different soils were used in its construction. The Colosseum was then viewed as a used parts shop and columns from the Colosseum can be found throughout the city, usually in a Catholic church or statue. When the Catholic Church gained power in Rome, they simply put crosses atop statues, columns and pagan temples.
The Palatine Hill is also quite remarkable. It was home to the Roman Elite and the ruins there show an interesting glimpse into history. The Forum is situated at the bottom of the Palatine Hill and was the political center of Rome. The Curia still stands were the Senate met. Temple remains are located throughout and were dual purposed as places of worship as well as site of government offices. One can also see where Paul was imprisoned as well. Very impressive. You feel quite small sitting on fractured columns surrounded by ruins. You also become quickly dehydrated and hungry. Luckily, it isn't a terribly far walk to the Pantheon which is surrounded by some of the best gelatorias in town. The Pantheon was built in 126 AD as a temple honoring all of the gods. It is the oldest free standing dome and a remarkable structure, despite having half of its face shrouded by scaffolding. The inside is phenomenal. It is illuminated by a single sky light open to the air at the top of the dome. Rain water is drained by a system built into the dome. Pretty great engineering.
Fountains
Rome is a city of fountains. The Trevi Fountain is huge. It takes up much of the piazza while tourists take up the rest. Legend says that you can throw one to three coins in, but it must be done properly, with your back to the fountain as you toss it over your shoulder. The first coin is for when you will return to Rome, the second is for falling in love in Rome and the third is for marring that love. Many people choose to throw only the first two coins in. The money collected from the fountain goes to the maintenance of the fountain and to charity. My favorite fountain is probably the one at the base of the Spanish steps. It is of a sinking ship and is set within the piazza. I like it because it is simple, accommodates the low water pressure and is still quite beautiful.
The Vatican
The Catholic Church is very present in Rome. You cannot escape its presence and its power. The Vatican City is the smallest country in the world, encapsulated within one square kilometer. Despite its small size, it is very overwhelming. Upon getting off the metro, we were hastled by tons of people. ''Tour, skip the lines, we get you right in!'' ''Lunch? Hungry? This place is close by!" And then the inevitable beggars and hustlers at all tourist traps. We walked to St. Peter's Square, saw the line for the Basilica stretching across the square and promptly turned around and headed for the Vatican Museum instead. We were advised to go after 1200 and breezed through security, hardly waiting at all. To view the Sistine Chapel, you first must go through the Vatican Museum, past 53 galleries full of statues, busts, paintings, frescoes, crucifixes, chalices, and tapestries. It includes statues from Greek and Roman antiquity and paintings created in my lifetime. The crown jewel is the Sistine Chapel. Michelangelo, Rafael, Bernini and Botticelli all contributed to the masterpiece. Michelangelo is the best though. Again, I thought it would not live up to the hype, but it's pretty incredible. My neck hurt and my mouth was dry after looking up with my mouth wide open in awe of the beauty. If I were the Pope, I would reserve the Chapel for an hour each day, lie on the marble floor and stare up at the phenomenal artwork.
Men
Shortly after our arrival in Rome, I had my first experience with Italian men. The waiter for our first dinner in Rome was named Alex. He was a stereotypical Italian male in every way except for his looks. He was not inhibited by his appearance. He wanted to know where we were from and to help him with his English and he would help us with our Italian and he wanted us to hang out with him and his friend after he got off work. He kissed my hair several times, let his hand linger on my lower back and called me beautiful repeatedly. He had several lines, including "Ah, you must have Italian in your blood!" Which is interesting because Mediterranean spice is the one thing lacking in the European melting pot that is my genealogy. Alex employed the classic techniques of bringing us free drinks, an appetizing wine and a desert lemoncello - a tasty lemon liquor, in addition to the bottle of wine we split in hopes that alcohol would impair our judgement and make him more handsome, or maybe just handsome, or at least semi-good looking. He also brought me a love note, lacking only the 'check yes or no' boxes. ''Are you ready to spend the night with me? You are a splendid girl.'' Yeah, no. Melissa enjoyed the experience immensely since she benefited from the free drinks and watching my face turn a variety of shades of red.
Things I Did Not Expect When I Woke Up
Rome Edition
-Take a metro ride resembling a game of sardines. When the doors opened, people spilled out with the release of pressure
-Be circled by a flock of pigeons as we ate breakfast in front of Santa Maria Maggiore
-Learn how disgusting barley coffee is
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Geneva - It's a Wonderful World
Geneva. An international city. In fact, 40% of the population are not Swiss. Many international organizations are headquartered there. The UN, WHO, Red Cross and many others are based out of this city located in the westernmost corner of Switzerland along the banks of Lake Geneva. We were hosted by the Lucard family. Melissa knew Malcolm from the music scene in Colorado Springs. The Lucard family moved to Switzerland five years ago when Andrea got a job there. They packed up their house and two young boys and moved to a city an ocean away. The boys, Ulie and Gideon, 11 and 9 years old respectively, are intelligent, polite, hilarious, fantastic characters who have very bright futures ahead of them. Growing up in an international city has opened their minds and they are impressive young men. I was struck by how the Lucards are using their skills to make a unique difference in the world. Andrea works as a fundraiser for an organization that develops new malaria medication. Malcolm is the editor of the Red Cross Red Crescent. This lovely and dynamic family welcomed us graciously into their home and lives with incredible hospitality. After six weeks in hostels, it was absolutely wonderful to be in a real home, sitting on a real couch, taking a shower without flip flops, and being able to sleep in without hearing the snores of hostel roommates. Perhaps what I loved most was being part of a family and having a lively family swirl around me and being surrounded by love.
We arrived on a Saturday afternoon and enjoyed chilling in the Lucard home. Malcolm was joined by an extremely talented and kind Brazilian bass player, Eduardo. They had a jam session while the boys played with their toy guns. That evening, we went to a Peruvian restaurant. We were introduced to ceviche, a delicious fish marinated and cooked in lemon juice. Mmmm good. We went to a jazz club and were treated to a beautiful jazz show performed by Malcolm's friend, Amber. Again, I was touched by the power of music and its universal power of communication. I got chills listening to ''It's a Wonderful World'' while the blind piano accompanist's fingers danced over the keys, creating beauty no eye can see. On our walk home along Lake Geneva, we heard music originating from a dock so naturally, we checked it out. A tent was filled with young adults dancing to music as two DJs danced and smoked on stage. We joined in, linking arms and spinning around to Roma music. At one point the music became decidedly more Eastern and Hindi as two girls appeared on stage wearing saris and flaming head dresses, creating an exotic sense of mystery. The DJ danced behind them, weaving back and forth in her gold sequence dress and purple fez hat.
The following day, we slept in deliciously late and lounged around watching Jurassic Park III with the boys. Classic cinema. We toured the city on bikes. We peddled to a market for lunch and the family perused the vegetable, fruit, cheese and meat stalls for the coming week. We rode through a park with massive chess boards painted on the pavement with huge chess pieces. Old men circled around the boards, engaged in lively discussions over the moves made, jabbing the air with their umbrellas. Others were carefully studying the games. We stopped to play chess. An elderly gentleman stopped to watch our game develop. At one point, I had a really good move which earned a ''Bravo'' and the 'ok' symbol of congratulation and appreciation. As I contemplated my next move, he offered his advice. But since I do not speak French nor German, his second language, it was to no avail. So I made a move and it was actually quite stupid, which he told me so, in French and with much disgust. He walked away with his umbrella clicking on the sidewalk as he shook his head. After our cerebral exercise, we got back on the bikes to explore the Old Town. The boys acted as fantastic tour guides as they described defensive measures of the city (including a pot of boiling soup poured down on attacking pawns). It was getting quite chilly as the famous bise wind swept off of Lake Geneva so we returned home. For dinner, we were treated to a traditional Swiss fondue dinner on a neighborhood dock/sauna/beach on the lake. It was an international affair. A doctor from Canada working as a polio epidemiologist and knows Bill Gates, his wife, a doctor from Italy who is an epidemiologist working in cancer research and their trilingual son. There was an Irish Olympian in cycling and his Swiss wife, a Canadian grad student studying foreign affairs and then six Americans. Conversation was not dull as we sat on benches and dunked bread in pots of hot cheese, drank white wine and snacked on cured meats.
Monday morning, we bid adieu to our new friends and went to the Red Cross Museum (after paying the fine for riding the trams using an invalid ticket. Word of advice: just buy the ticket, it's about 40 times cheaper than the fine). I was prepared for a depressing experience full of human tragedy on account of wars and natural disasters. It was actually uplifting and encouraging. You could see people doing good, taking action, and responding. People making a positive difference in the face of tragedy. You could see ''respect and love eclipsing violence and hate'' throughout the exhibition. The museum also talked of nursing's role throughout its history and how the Red Cross has played a role in recognizing nursing as a profession. The Red Cross was born out of Henri Dunant's response to human suffering in the wounded on the battlefield of Solferino. I love how I too can respond to human suffering as a nurse. My time in Geneva definitely challenged me. It is a city that is global in scope and it made me think of how I want to respond. It is not a question of whether to respond or not. The question is how. Working in the developing world has been something that has been on my mind and heart. My time in Geneva and at the Red Cross museum pushed that to the forefront. We shall see. I am an extremely goal oriented person. Goals are great and can be fantastic tools to offer direction. But like all good things, goals can become idols. They can act as blinders. Traveling and cities like Geneva rip those blinders off. It's like it says, ''Look at the world. It is wonderful and beautiful, as are the people. Look outside yourself and your own desires and paths and ideas. Look at the world! See trees of green and red roses too. See friends shaking hands saying 'how do you do' but are really saying 'I love you' See babies crying and know that they are going to learn a whole lot more than you'll ever know.'' Yes we live in a wonderful world. Look at the World. Experience. Respond.
Things I Did Not Expect When I Woke Up
Geneva Edition
-Watch a guinea pig pee on Melissa
-Play a game of tickle tag in the streets
-Be told that I was an idiot in French (English I would expect but in French, it is a new experience)
-Watch what the blind man could not see, his fingers dance over the keys improvising beautiful music
-Pull up a weather map of Italy in search of sun fueled by our hunger for solar rays after too many overcast days in Switzerland
We arrived on a Saturday afternoon and enjoyed chilling in the Lucard home. Malcolm was joined by an extremely talented and kind Brazilian bass player, Eduardo. They had a jam session while the boys played with their toy guns. That evening, we went to a Peruvian restaurant. We were introduced to ceviche, a delicious fish marinated and cooked in lemon juice. Mmmm good. We went to a jazz club and were treated to a beautiful jazz show performed by Malcolm's friend, Amber. Again, I was touched by the power of music and its universal power of communication. I got chills listening to ''It's a Wonderful World'' while the blind piano accompanist's fingers danced over the keys, creating beauty no eye can see. On our walk home along Lake Geneva, we heard music originating from a dock so naturally, we checked it out. A tent was filled with young adults dancing to music as two DJs danced and smoked on stage. We joined in, linking arms and spinning around to Roma music. At one point the music became decidedly more Eastern and Hindi as two girls appeared on stage wearing saris and flaming head dresses, creating an exotic sense of mystery. The DJ danced behind them, weaving back and forth in her gold sequence dress and purple fez hat.
The following day, we slept in deliciously late and lounged around watching Jurassic Park III with the boys. Classic cinema. We toured the city on bikes. We peddled to a market for lunch and the family perused the vegetable, fruit, cheese and meat stalls for the coming week. We rode through a park with massive chess boards painted on the pavement with huge chess pieces. Old men circled around the boards, engaged in lively discussions over the moves made, jabbing the air with their umbrellas. Others were carefully studying the games. We stopped to play chess. An elderly gentleman stopped to watch our game develop. At one point, I had a really good move which earned a ''Bravo'' and the 'ok' symbol of congratulation and appreciation. As I contemplated my next move, he offered his advice. But since I do not speak French nor German, his second language, it was to no avail. So I made a move and it was actually quite stupid, which he told me so, in French and with much disgust. He walked away with his umbrella clicking on the sidewalk as he shook his head. After our cerebral exercise, we got back on the bikes to explore the Old Town. The boys acted as fantastic tour guides as they described defensive measures of the city (including a pot of boiling soup poured down on attacking pawns). It was getting quite chilly as the famous bise wind swept off of Lake Geneva so we returned home. For dinner, we were treated to a traditional Swiss fondue dinner on a neighborhood dock/sauna/beach on the lake. It was an international affair. A doctor from Canada working as a polio epidemiologist and knows Bill Gates, his wife, a doctor from Italy who is an epidemiologist working in cancer research and their trilingual son. There was an Irish Olympian in cycling and his Swiss wife, a Canadian grad student studying foreign affairs and then six Americans. Conversation was not dull as we sat on benches and dunked bread in pots of hot cheese, drank white wine and snacked on cured meats.
Monday morning, we bid adieu to our new friends and went to the Red Cross Museum (after paying the fine for riding the trams using an invalid ticket. Word of advice: just buy the ticket, it's about 40 times cheaper than the fine). I was prepared for a depressing experience full of human tragedy on account of wars and natural disasters. It was actually uplifting and encouraging. You could see people doing good, taking action, and responding. People making a positive difference in the face of tragedy. You could see ''respect and love eclipsing violence and hate'' throughout the exhibition. The museum also talked of nursing's role throughout its history and how the Red Cross has played a role in recognizing nursing as a profession. The Red Cross was born out of Henri Dunant's response to human suffering in the wounded on the battlefield of Solferino. I love how I too can respond to human suffering as a nurse. My time in Geneva definitely challenged me. It is a city that is global in scope and it made me think of how I want to respond. It is not a question of whether to respond or not. The question is how. Working in the developing world has been something that has been on my mind and heart. My time in Geneva and at the Red Cross museum pushed that to the forefront. We shall see. I am an extremely goal oriented person. Goals are great and can be fantastic tools to offer direction. But like all good things, goals can become idols. They can act as blinders. Traveling and cities like Geneva rip those blinders off. It's like it says, ''Look at the world. It is wonderful and beautiful, as are the people. Look outside yourself and your own desires and paths and ideas. Look at the world! See trees of green and red roses too. See friends shaking hands saying 'how do you do' but are really saying 'I love you' See babies crying and know that they are going to learn a whole lot more than you'll ever know.'' Yes we live in a wonderful world. Look at the World. Experience. Respond.
Things I Did Not Expect When I Woke Up
Geneva Edition
-Watch a guinea pig pee on Melissa
-Play a game of tickle tag in the streets
-Be told that I was an idiot in French (English I would expect but in French, it is a new experience)
-Watch what the blind man could not see, his fingers dance over the keys improvising beautiful music
-Pull up a weather map of Italy in search of sun fueled by our hunger for solar rays after too many overcast days in Switzerland
Friday, October 15, 2010
Interlaken: I Shall Have to Learn German as I am NEVER Leaving
Interlaken. A beautiful city situated between two lakes (hence the original name) and nestled up at the base of the one of the most incredible mountain ranges in the world. We immediately fell in the love with the city. For starters, the sun was shining brilliantly and Jungfrau stood so proudly and the city was so clean and paragliders landed right next to cows in the city park. The sun was oh so welcome after the cold dreary days in Lucerne. Melissa and I basked in the sun and the strumming of Melissa's ukulele was accompanied by the jingling of cow bells as a small herd grazed nearby. Our welcome to Interlaken may have altered my skeptical opinion of love at first site.
Our first day in Interlaken found us in the mountains, eager to explore the glorious Alps and enjoy the sun above the clouds. We traveled by train to Lauterbrunnen and then took a cable car up a cliff, above the clouds to a fantastic hiking trail offering phenomenal views. I had just discovered that my camera has a panorama function which is impressive, not just the feature, but the fact that I've had the camera for three years. Not exactly Capernicus but you can imagine just how enthusiastically I embraced this new discovery in the Alps. We had great views of Eiger, Monch and Jungfrau as well as Schilthorn, the site of the opening scene of the James Bond movie "On Her Majesty's Secret Service". We hiked along a fabulous trail to Mürren, hands down my favorite town in Switzerland, and probably Europe. I'm fairly confident that they are in need of nurses while Melissa is happy to start a career as a milk maid in Mürren. We wandered down to Gimmelwald (fantastically described in a Rick Steeves book but clearly he went there when it was sunny and not shrouded in cloud). We wanted to eat our lunch in the sun but weren't too excited about the prospect of hiking up the hill we had just climbed down. So we cheated and shelled out some Swiss Francs to take the cable car up to Mürren where we hiked out of the city and feasted on a delicious lunch of a whole wheat baguette, cheese, apples and a Toblerone bar. A herd of cows grazed nearby and a mountain stream trickled down the hill. Now one would think that the constant sound of cow bells would be annoying but as every good Saturday Night Live fan knows, you always need more cow bell. Really the sound is not annoying enough to be a clank but not dainty enough to be a tinkling. It is more of a clinkling if you will. Our perfect afternoon was drawing to a close and while we could have stayed on that mountain side all day, we realized that we should probably be responsible and not get caught in the mountains after dark in a country that we are not familiar with and don't know the language. We took the cable car back to the Lauterbrunnen valley and then walked to the Trummelbach Falls where you can see 10 waterfalls within a mountain. It was awesome to witness the power of rushing water originating from the Jungfrau glacier high above. The water was crystal clear. When the cascading falls met the calm pools in a turbulent union, the water became a greenish blue, reflecting the minerals of the mountain. It is a color I have never seen and it is absolutely beautiful. On our way back to Lauterbrunnen to catch the train, we saw a dairy farmer moving his cows home on a bicycle. There was a slight traffic jam (two cars backed up) when he reached his barn. The farmer was moving cows individually into their stanchions. One impatient driver was trying to help move the cows off the road. I helped too. The cows were quite gentle and responded to the tail twist quite well. I loved walking along, dodging the cow splatter and breathing in the pure mountain air accented by manure and listening to waterfalls cascade off the mountain.
The next day we woke up and our bodies only had a few complaints of our 6 hour hike. We were hoping to go paragliding but the clouds were too low and would not allow. Melissa wanted to check out Grindelwald so we boarded the train for the mountains. Unfortunately, it too was in fog. So we boarded a ski lift to First in search of the sun. We found it. We arrived in time to watch the Swiss Air Force flaunt their finest as we ate our lunch. They were performing an air show on the other side of the mountain (complete with live ammunition aimed into the mountain). We stared into the sky, waiting to see the fighter jets soar through the Alps, the Swiss flag gleaming in the sun as the planes maneuvered and danced in the sky. Each time we saw them it was terribly exciting. In Grindelwald, we saw signs warning skydivers and paragliders that the Air Force would be performing maneuvers. It was as if the pilots tacked up the signs and then turned the Alps into their playground. You knew that they we having a fabulous time. The power, screaming through the sky, the sunlight glistening on the glaciers and snow below on the rugged mountains and soaring through the brilliantly blue sky must have been incredible. We walked along the mountain tundra to a small lake and then headed down the mountain. The fog kept creeping up and soon we were in the clouds. It was eerie, so still that you could hear the fog settling in. The trail was marked by red and white painted rocks. We would get to one rock, reassured that we were still on the trail and peer through the dense fog, searching for the next marker. I had to pee and Melissa suggested I go by a small hill when suddenly a man appeared on that hill. I decided to wait until we got to the trees. When we finally got below the clouds we saw a sign with travel times and realized that we could make the next train, it would be cutting it close, but it was possible. We hurried down the steep grade, running at times, our gluts, calves, and knees screaming their protests. We made it though, with eight minutes to spare. Success! Our ginger extraction from the train is another matter.
Today, we woke up quite sore. Our muscles were rather vocal in their opinion of the previous two days. "What were you thinking of running down a mountain for 2 1/2 hours?!?" We spent much of the morning watching the sky, hoping that the clouds would lift to permit paragliding. We were blessed and able to go flying. The pilots set up the shute and harnesses. We awkwardly ran down a hill and then the air lifted us up and we were flying. It was a glorious feeling. The upcurrents swept us up and we turned gracefully over the trees. It was peaceful, sitting high above the ground and being carried by the currents. The clouds lifted and parted and Jungfrau was revealed, full of majesty and glory. All too soon, the flight was over. A few twists and turns brought us to the ground and it was actually quite smooth. I am hooked. I would definitely like to get into paragliding, get my pilots license and explore the world from a bird's eye view. Sounds pretty great to me.
The Alps
I have written about our hikes without describing these incredible mountains. The Alps are beautiful. Amazing. Majestic. Phenomenal. Powerful. Jagged. Rugged. Awe-inspiring. Powerful. Humbling. They jut triumphantly from the sea of clouds and reach for the heavens. The clouds swirl at their base and lap up against them in waves creating a layer, a barrier from the world below. There is a sense of Otherness, of Holiness. The majesty and power of the Creator is tangible and evident in the Alps. I felt humbled and so small and so insignificant and yet so incredibly loved.
To see some fabulous Swiss panorams of where we have been, follow the link. We did not go to the top of Junfraujoch or Schilthorn as it is rediculously expensive and we wanted to go hiking :)
http://www.swisspanorama.com/
Things I Did Not Expect When I Woke Up
Interlaken Edition
Move cows
Witness an air show
Take off into the sky
Realize just how desperately we need the sun (Melissa dubs it "sunshine junkie")
Watch the Swiss Militia have a parade
Watch a paraglider land behind the marching militiamen (FYI they have a hiking march, as though they are climbing a mountain)
Meet Austrailian filmmakers
Our first day in Interlaken found us in the mountains, eager to explore the glorious Alps and enjoy the sun above the clouds. We traveled by train to Lauterbrunnen and then took a cable car up a cliff, above the clouds to a fantastic hiking trail offering phenomenal views. I had just discovered that my camera has a panorama function which is impressive, not just the feature, but the fact that I've had the camera for three years. Not exactly Capernicus but you can imagine just how enthusiastically I embraced this new discovery in the Alps. We had great views of Eiger, Monch and Jungfrau as well as Schilthorn, the site of the opening scene of the James Bond movie "On Her Majesty's Secret Service". We hiked along a fabulous trail to Mürren, hands down my favorite town in Switzerland, and probably Europe. I'm fairly confident that they are in need of nurses while Melissa is happy to start a career as a milk maid in Mürren. We wandered down to Gimmelwald (fantastically described in a Rick Steeves book but clearly he went there when it was sunny and not shrouded in cloud). We wanted to eat our lunch in the sun but weren't too excited about the prospect of hiking up the hill we had just climbed down. So we cheated and shelled out some Swiss Francs to take the cable car up to Mürren where we hiked out of the city and feasted on a delicious lunch of a whole wheat baguette, cheese, apples and a Toblerone bar. A herd of cows grazed nearby and a mountain stream trickled down the hill. Now one would think that the constant sound of cow bells would be annoying but as every good Saturday Night Live fan knows, you always need more cow bell. Really the sound is not annoying enough to be a clank but not dainty enough to be a tinkling. It is more of a clinkling if you will. Our perfect afternoon was drawing to a close and while we could have stayed on that mountain side all day, we realized that we should probably be responsible and not get caught in the mountains after dark in a country that we are not familiar with and don't know the language. We took the cable car back to the Lauterbrunnen valley and then walked to the Trummelbach Falls where you can see 10 waterfalls within a mountain. It was awesome to witness the power of rushing water originating from the Jungfrau glacier high above. The water was crystal clear. When the cascading falls met the calm pools in a turbulent union, the water became a greenish blue, reflecting the minerals of the mountain. It is a color I have never seen and it is absolutely beautiful. On our way back to Lauterbrunnen to catch the train, we saw a dairy farmer moving his cows home on a bicycle. There was a slight traffic jam (two cars backed up) when he reached his barn. The farmer was moving cows individually into their stanchions. One impatient driver was trying to help move the cows off the road. I helped too. The cows were quite gentle and responded to the tail twist quite well. I loved walking along, dodging the cow splatter and breathing in the pure mountain air accented by manure and listening to waterfalls cascade off the mountain.
The next day we woke up and our bodies only had a few complaints of our 6 hour hike. We were hoping to go paragliding but the clouds were too low and would not allow. Melissa wanted to check out Grindelwald so we boarded the train for the mountains. Unfortunately, it too was in fog. So we boarded a ski lift to First in search of the sun. We found it. We arrived in time to watch the Swiss Air Force flaunt their finest as we ate our lunch. They were performing an air show on the other side of the mountain (complete with live ammunition aimed into the mountain). We stared into the sky, waiting to see the fighter jets soar through the Alps, the Swiss flag gleaming in the sun as the planes maneuvered and danced in the sky. Each time we saw them it was terribly exciting. In Grindelwald, we saw signs warning skydivers and paragliders that the Air Force would be performing maneuvers. It was as if the pilots tacked up the signs and then turned the Alps into their playground. You knew that they we having a fabulous time. The power, screaming through the sky, the sunlight glistening on the glaciers and snow below on the rugged mountains and soaring through the brilliantly blue sky must have been incredible. We walked along the mountain tundra to a small lake and then headed down the mountain. The fog kept creeping up and soon we were in the clouds. It was eerie, so still that you could hear the fog settling in. The trail was marked by red and white painted rocks. We would get to one rock, reassured that we were still on the trail and peer through the dense fog, searching for the next marker. I had to pee and Melissa suggested I go by a small hill when suddenly a man appeared on that hill. I decided to wait until we got to the trees. When we finally got below the clouds we saw a sign with travel times and realized that we could make the next train, it would be cutting it close, but it was possible. We hurried down the steep grade, running at times, our gluts, calves, and knees screaming their protests. We made it though, with eight minutes to spare. Success! Our ginger extraction from the train is another matter.
Today, we woke up quite sore. Our muscles were rather vocal in their opinion of the previous two days. "What were you thinking of running down a mountain for 2 1/2 hours?!?" We spent much of the morning watching the sky, hoping that the clouds would lift to permit paragliding. We were blessed and able to go flying. The pilots set up the shute and harnesses. We awkwardly ran down a hill and then the air lifted us up and we were flying. It was a glorious feeling. The upcurrents swept us up and we turned gracefully over the trees. It was peaceful, sitting high above the ground and being carried by the currents. The clouds lifted and parted and Jungfrau was revealed, full of majesty and glory. All too soon, the flight was over. A few twists and turns brought us to the ground and it was actually quite smooth. I am hooked. I would definitely like to get into paragliding, get my pilots license and explore the world from a bird's eye view. Sounds pretty great to me.
The Alps
I have written about our hikes without describing these incredible mountains. The Alps are beautiful. Amazing. Majestic. Phenomenal. Powerful. Jagged. Rugged. Awe-inspiring. Powerful. Humbling. They jut triumphantly from the sea of clouds and reach for the heavens. The clouds swirl at their base and lap up against them in waves creating a layer, a barrier from the world below. There is a sense of Otherness, of Holiness. The majesty and power of the Creator is tangible and evident in the Alps. I felt humbled and so small and so insignificant and yet so incredibly loved.
To see some fabulous Swiss panorams of where we have been, follow the link. We did not go to the top of Junfraujoch or Schilthorn as it is rediculously expensive and we wanted to go hiking :)
http://www.swisspanorama.com/
Things I Did Not Expect When I Woke Up
Interlaken Edition
Move cows
Witness an air show
Take off into the sky
Realize just how desperately we need the sun (Melissa dubs it "sunshine junkie")
Watch the Swiss Militia have a parade
Watch a paraglider land behind the marching militiamen (FYI they have a hiking march, as though they are climbing a mountain)
Meet Austrailian filmmakers
Lucerne
From Budapest, we took a night train to Zurich. We splurged for a 3 person sleeping compartment and had it to ourselves. It was great fun to have slumber party on a train. We crossed through Hungary, Austria and much of Switzerland in style. There were beds that popped out and we were even served breakfast. Not a bad way to travel.
We arrived in Lucerne (Luzern) to a very gray day. Fall is certainly in full swing. The leaves crunched beneath our feet as we walked along the lake. During the fall, it is foggy and clouds settle in at 800-1000 meters. Lucerne got its start in the 12th Century. A monastery and fishing village evolved into the head seat of four cantons. In fact, the formal name of Lake Lucerne is Lake of the Four Forrest Cantons. Lake Lucerne is much easier. Apparently, when it is not cloudy, mountains surround the blue green lake and it is breath taking. At least that is what the post cards and tourism offices advertise. Upon learning of our travel plans, a pompous German said, "This is not the time for Lucerne" in the most imperious and pretentious voice possible. Screw the right time. If we waited for perfect timing on everything, nothing would get done and how much life would be missed? Needless to say, we found a quiet town (with the exception of the fall festival carnival rides) with people rowing on the lake. It has a young population as it is also home to the newest and fastest growing university in Switzerland. It is town based on tourism. In the 1800s, after the advent of the steam engine, travel was suddenly more affordable and possible for commoners. Lucerne became a popular tourist destination and has been ever since. Thomas Cook selected Lucerne as a prime destination for British tourists because it offered spectacular lakeside mountain views. The city also has a medieval bridge, an impressive Baroque Catholic Church and a beautiful lion statue honoring fallen soldiers. One great thing about Lucerne is that it is very family oriented. We noticed how the men especially seemed to be more in tune with their kids and wives. While I have found that Bavaria seems to have the best looking men, Lucerne offers very attractive men as well. I saw several excellent specimens of the XY chromosome. They are fit, out-doorsy, love big dogs and perhaps their most attractive feature is how much fatherhood is embraced. It is a cultural norm. Excellent engineering, family-oriented, active lifestyles, amazing chocolate, high quality standards, and products to last a life-time. I think we could learn a lot from Switzerland.
In order to escape the clouds, you have to climb above them and go into the mountains. Upon hearing this, Melissa and I made a beeline for hills. We took a boat across Lake Lucerne to Hergiswil and hiked to Frankmuntegg. The hike was about three hours and we gained 3,200 feet in elevation. The hike was gorgeous and the clouds were quite low. We actually hiked through the clouds. We heard the jingling of cow bells as the herds grazed nearby. The cow bells are actually needed as the visibility is so poor in the fog and the forests can be quite thick. We hiked along a clear mountain stream cascading its way to the lake below. The peacefulness was shattered by gun shots from a shooting range nearby. Melissa commented, "Tourist practice." (That comment is one of the many reason why I love my friend so much.) We passed through an eerie clump of trees covered with impressive, sturdy spider webs. Even the spiders have embraced the Swiss excellence in engineering and craftsmanship. We were starting to get a bit tired and discouraged, climbing and climbing and climbing up the steep mountainside through the fog. When we finally broke through the clouds, we were first thrilled just to see the sun. And then we saw them. The mountains. The Alps are absolutely incredible. We looked down upon the trees clothed in the colors of fall, out upon seas of gently swelling clouds to see mountain peaks rise majestically, stretching for the heavens. Once, we saw the Alps and the sun, we were filled with renewed energy. I thought of how our strength is found in the joy of the Lord. The Alps, His creation, definitely reflect and inspire joy. From Frankmuntegg, we took the cable car to Mount Pilatus. It clocks in at 7,000 feet and offers phenomenal panoramic views from the summit. While 7,000 feet doesn't sound impressive, it is important to note that we started at our hike at 1,428 feet. That is an impressive elevation gain and it goes straight up. We enjoyed chocolate filled with cognac at the summit and gazed at the beauty before us. It was transcendent - both the chocolate and view would have been enough by themselves but together...? Can life get any better? I submit that it cannot.
To see the view from Pilatus for yourself, follow this link. You can watch a live web cam from the summit.
http://www.pilatus.com/webcam/default-n102-sE.html
Things I Did Not Expect to Do When I Woke Up
Lucerne Edition
Play Scrabble with a German alphabet
Discover how much fun Jenga is after a bottle of wine
Listen to cow bells
Become a chocolate connoisseur
Walk through clouds.
We arrived in Lucerne (Luzern) to a very gray day. Fall is certainly in full swing. The leaves crunched beneath our feet as we walked along the lake. During the fall, it is foggy and clouds settle in at 800-1000 meters. Lucerne got its start in the 12th Century. A monastery and fishing village evolved into the head seat of four cantons. In fact, the formal name of Lake Lucerne is Lake of the Four Forrest Cantons. Lake Lucerne is much easier. Apparently, when it is not cloudy, mountains surround the blue green lake and it is breath taking. At least that is what the post cards and tourism offices advertise. Upon learning of our travel plans, a pompous German said, "This is not the time for Lucerne" in the most imperious and pretentious voice possible. Screw the right time. If we waited for perfect timing on everything, nothing would get done and how much life would be missed? Needless to say, we found a quiet town (with the exception of the fall festival carnival rides) with people rowing on the lake. It has a young population as it is also home to the newest and fastest growing university in Switzerland. It is town based on tourism. In the 1800s, after the advent of the steam engine, travel was suddenly more affordable and possible for commoners. Lucerne became a popular tourist destination and has been ever since. Thomas Cook selected Lucerne as a prime destination for British tourists because it offered spectacular lakeside mountain views. The city also has a medieval bridge, an impressive Baroque Catholic Church and a beautiful lion statue honoring fallen soldiers. One great thing about Lucerne is that it is very family oriented. We noticed how the men especially seemed to be more in tune with their kids and wives. While I have found that Bavaria seems to have the best looking men, Lucerne offers very attractive men as well. I saw several excellent specimens of the XY chromosome. They are fit, out-doorsy, love big dogs and perhaps their most attractive feature is how much fatherhood is embraced. It is a cultural norm. Excellent engineering, family-oriented, active lifestyles, amazing chocolate, high quality standards, and products to last a life-time. I think we could learn a lot from Switzerland.
In order to escape the clouds, you have to climb above them and go into the mountains. Upon hearing this, Melissa and I made a beeline for hills. We took a boat across Lake Lucerne to Hergiswil and hiked to Frankmuntegg. The hike was about three hours and we gained 3,200 feet in elevation. The hike was gorgeous and the clouds were quite low. We actually hiked through the clouds. We heard the jingling of cow bells as the herds grazed nearby. The cow bells are actually needed as the visibility is so poor in the fog and the forests can be quite thick. We hiked along a clear mountain stream cascading its way to the lake below. The peacefulness was shattered by gun shots from a shooting range nearby. Melissa commented, "Tourist practice." (That comment is one of the many reason why I love my friend so much.) We passed through an eerie clump of trees covered with impressive, sturdy spider webs. Even the spiders have embraced the Swiss excellence in engineering and craftsmanship. We were starting to get a bit tired and discouraged, climbing and climbing and climbing up the steep mountainside through the fog. When we finally broke through the clouds, we were first thrilled just to see the sun. And then we saw them. The mountains. The Alps are absolutely incredible. We looked down upon the trees clothed in the colors of fall, out upon seas of gently swelling clouds to see mountain peaks rise majestically, stretching for the heavens. Once, we saw the Alps and the sun, we were filled with renewed energy. I thought of how our strength is found in the joy of the Lord. The Alps, His creation, definitely reflect and inspire joy. From Frankmuntegg, we took the cable car to Mount Pilatus. It clocks in at 7,000 feet and offers phenomenal panoramic views from the summit. While 7,000 feet doesn't sound impressive, it is important to note that we started at our hike at 1,428 feet. That is an impressive elevation gain and it goes straight up. We enjoyed chocolate filled with cognac at the summit and gazed at the beauty before us. It was transcendent - both the chocolate and view would have been enough by themselves but together...? Can life get any better? I submit that it cannot.
To see the view from Pilatus for yourself, follow this link. You can watch a live web cam from the summit.
http://www.pilatus.com/webcam/default-n102-sE.html
Things I Did Not Expect to Do When I Woke Up
Lucerne Edition
Play Scrabble with a German alphabet
Discover how much fun Jenga is after a bottle of wine
Listen to cow bells
Become a chocolate connoisseur
Walk through clouds.
Sunday, October 10, 2010
Pictures
I'm having difficulty getting my pictures to pop up in the slide show so I will put this link here
http://picasaweb.google.com/100994057288790207221/AdventuresWithAUkuleleAndKazoo?authkey=Gv1sRgCLa5qsOv6cOnWg
http://picasaweb.google.com/100994057288790207221/AdventuresWithAUkuleleAndKazoo?authkey=Gv1sRgCLa5qsOv6cOnWg
Budapest - Glorious Baths, Views, Baths, Music and Baths. Did I mention the Baths?
Ah...Budapest. I love this city. It is unique. I won't say fresh because it has even worse pollution than Prague. It is different. I think I fell in love with it because I went for two runs while there. I crossed the Danube and ran past Parliament, past castles and onto Margaret Island where I ran through ruins and past peacocks. Absolutely delightful. And then on my return to the hostel, my lungs were quite jealous of the bicyclists wearing N95 masks. Budapest: a delightful place to visit, but maybe not to live. Hungary is certainly struggling as a nation. Deeply in debt, its history in the last century is one of being consistently on the losing side. It has a high unemployment rate and the average Hungarian wages are about 500€ a month. Discouragement is present but as in most cases, the younger generation is more optimistic. But the people are a bit dour. An American living in Prague said, "Americans tend to be more cheery and happy. I would say the Czech tend to lean towards the more annoyed." Hungarians tend to be a bit more dour. Perhaps it is their diet. It gives new meaning to the Soviet Bloc. It's reflected even in the toilet design. There is a shelf with a small hole at the anterior aspect of the bowl. Who builds a shelf in a toilet? It is a terrible design. Is it just to admire their handiwork?
Budapest is actually two cities. Buda and Pest were unified after the construction of the Chain Bridge across the Danube. It has beautiful architecture. The Castle and Matthias Church and Fisherman's Bastion are in Buda. Buda has many hot water springs and hills whereas Pest is flat. Pest is home to the Parliament, St. Istavan's Basilica, Heroes Square and the more urban, metropolitan aspect of the city. We walked across the bridges at night and it was a beautiful site. The city really knows how to illuminate its landmarks. One of the challenging parts of traveling to former Soviet Block countries is that they aren't able to meet the European Union's standards to use the Euro so you are introduced to new currencies. The Hungarian Forint (HUF) is rather interesting. 1 USD equals about 200 HUF. It is a strange sensation to get a 20,000 bill from the ATM.
We went to the House of Terror. It is located in the former Arrow Cross headquarters which was later used by the communist party's secret service. It is one of the most interesting, artistic and unique exhibits commemorating a dark time in the world's history. We walked in to see footage of the Nazis and Communists marching down Andrassy Utica set to heavy metal music. First hand accounts of atrocities were chilling. It was very well done. Perhaps a few more things could have been translated to English but I was thankful for the parts that were. It is a very heavy place though. I wanted to go because you can tell a great deal about a country by how it commemorates its history, both the good and the bad.
Perhaps one of the best things about Budapest is the baths. Our City Spy map gave the best description of the baths.
"In actual fact the best thing that ever happened to this city was getting invaded by the Turks. I wish no disrespect to any people who suffered this bloody time, but it could have been worse. It could have been the bloody Brits that invaded and I can say with absolute certainty that they wouldn't have left behind them those wonderful baths... If you don't spend a good amount of time up to your tits in warm, pungent water then you are foolishly not enjoying one of Budapest's best amenities. Thermal baths are among humanities finest luxuries."
I couldn't agree more. I was actually dreading going to the baths because that meant bathing suits. I didn't pack a bathing suit so I was going to have to rent one. And I really hate bathing suits. I like being covered...a lot. I took a deep breath and pushed past my body image fears and insecurities and went to the baths. I am so incredibly thankful that I didn't allow my fears get the better of me. I would have missed a wonderful experience. But that is often the case with our silly insecurities, isn't it? The thermal baths are truly glorious...wonderful...transcendent. Are these words too much? I also went to the sauna, which was a first for me. However, I must say that if one must loose their sauna virginity, the Turkish baths in Budapest is a pretty great place to do so.
We went to the opera. We could either pay to see the inside of the opera house or a pay a bit more and see an opera in addition to the magnificent and detailed interior. We saw Norma by Bellini so it was in Italian. We met at intermission and asked, "So what do you think it's about?" I had to rewrite my plot several times as scenes revealed different aspects of the characters' relationships. But its about druids, Romans, secret marriages, betrayed lovers, attempted child assassination, and fiery deaths. All set to beautiful music. Although it would have been nice to know what was going on, the power and beauty of the music was transcultural. That is the real reason why English speaking Americans can watch an Italian opera in Hungary. As the music swelled, so did my emotions. Music is a powerful form of expression and can speak to a deeper level much better than words can.
The following day (after a delicious community breakfast with Casey and Andrew in our otherwise creaky and disappointing hostel) Melissa and I hiked up to the Citadella to check out the Statue of Freedom as well as mock the statue and other tourists. We made our way down to the Gillert monument marking the spot where St. Gillert was stuffed into a barrel with stakes and pushed down the hill into the Danube. The monument did not reflect his interesting death. Then over to the castle again. We spent a long time wandering about trying to get to the other side of the castle without having to a) hike back down the hill just to hike up again b) pay to walk through a festival or c) pay 100 HUF to ride an elevator. All of this to take picture of Mathias Church and the Fisherman's Bastion and more importantly, further cement our good fortune in the love department by climbing and touching a statue. Melissa later reflected, "I can't believe how far we walked, all to give the horse's testicles a little tickle."
Things I Didn't Expect When I Woke Up
Budapest Edition
Watch an Italian Opera with Hungarian Subtitles
Enjoy buying a sausage
Go to a giant market to buy produce for dinner
Run through ruins
Feel like Rocky running past Parliament
Plunge into 18 degrees Celsius water after emerging from a 50 degree Celsius sauna
Eat a pastry and drink a latte in the famed Gerbeaud's where Princess Di, Brad Pitt, Madonna and Antonio Banderos have dined as well.
Scale a statue to touch the magical horse testicles in hopes of good luck in love
Budapest is actually two cities. Buda and Pest were unified after the construction of the Chain Bridge across the Danube. It has beautiful architecture. The Castle and Matthias Church and Fisherman's Bastion are in Buda. Buda has many hot water springs and hills whereas Pest is flat. Pest is home to the Parliament, St. Istavan's Basilica, Heroes Square and the more urban, metropolitan aspect of the city. We walked across the bridges at night and it was a beautiful site. The city really knows how to illuminate its landmarks. One of the challenging parts of traveling to former Soviet Block countries is that they aren't able to meet the European Union's standards to use the Euro so you are introduced to new currencies. The Hungarian Forint (HUF) is rather interesting. 1 USD equals about 200 HUF. It is a strange sensation to get a 20,000 bill from the ATM.
We went to the House of Terror. It is located in the former Arrow Cross headquarters which was later used by the communist party's secret service. It is one of the most interesting, artistic and unique exhibits commemorating a dark time in the world's history. We walked in to see footage of the Nazis and Communists marching down Andrassy Utica set to heavy metal music. First hand accounts of atrocities were chilling. It was very well done. Perhaps a few more things could have been translated to English but I was thankful for the parts that were. It is a very heavy place though. I wanted to go because you can tell a great deal about a country by how it commemorates its history, both the good and the bad.
Perhaps one of the best things about Budapest is the baths. Our City Spy map gave the best description of the baths.
"In actual fact the best thing that ever happened to this city was getting invaded by the Turks. I wish no disrespect to any people who suffered this bloody time, but it could have been worse. It could have been the bloody Brits that invaded and I can say with absolute certainty that they wouldn't have left behind them those wonderful baths... If you don't spend a good amount of time up to your tits in warm, pungent water then you are foolishly not enjoying one of Budapest's best amenities. Thermal baths are among humanities finest luxuries."
I couldn't agree more. I was actually dreading going to the baths because that meant bathing suits. I didn't pack a bathing suit so I was going to have to rent one. And I really hate bathing suits. I like being covered...a lot. I took a deep breath and pushed past my body image fears and insecurities and went to the baths. I am so incredibly thankful that I didn't allow my fears get the better of me. I would have missed a wonderful experience. But that is often the case with our silly insecurities, isn't it? The thermal baths are truly glorious...wonderful...transcendent. Are these words too much? I also went to the sauna, which was a first for me. However, I must say that if one must loose their sauna virginity, the Turkish baths in Budapest is a pretty great place to do so.
We went to the opera. We could either pay to see the inside of the opera house or a pay a bit more and see an opera in addition to the magnificent and detailed interior. We saw Norma by Bellini so it was in Italian. We met at intermission and asked, "So what do you think it's about?" I had to rewrite my plot several times as scenes revealed different aspects of the characters' relationships. But its about druids, Romans, secret marriages, betrayed lovers, attempted child assassination, and fiery deaths. All set to beautiful music. Although it would have been nice to know what was going on, the power and beauty of the music was transcultural. That is the real reason why English speaking Americans can watch an Italian opera in Hungary. As the music swelled, so did my emotions. Music is a powerful form of expression and can speak to a deeper level much better than words can.
The following day (after a delicious community breakfast with Casey and Andrew in our otherwise creaky and disappointing hostel) Melissa and I hiked up to the Citadella to check out the Statue of Freedom as well as mock the statue and other tourists. We made our way down to the Gillert monument marking the spot where St. Gillert was stuffed into a barrel with stakes and pushed down the hill into the Danube. The monument did not reflect his interesting death. Then over to the castle again. We spent a long time wandering about trying to get to the other side of the castle without having to a) hike back down the hill just to hike up again b) pay to walk through a festival or c) pay 100 HUF to ride an elevator. All of this to take picture of Mathias Church and the Fisherman's Bastion and more importantly, further cement our good fortune in the love department by climbing and touching a statue. Melissa later reflected, "I can't believe how far we walked, all to give the horse's testicles a little tickle."
Things I Didn't Expect When I Woke Up
Budapest Edition
Watch an Italian Opera with Hungarian Subtitles
Enjoy buying a sausage
Go to a giant market to buy produce for dinner
Run through ruins
Feel like Rocky running past Parliament
Plunge into 18 degrees Celsius water after emerging from a 50 degree Celsius sauna
Eat a pastry and drink a latte in the famed Gerbeaud's where Princess Di, Brad Pitt, Madonna and Antonio Banderos have dined as well.
Scale a statue to touch the magical horse testicles in hopes of good luck in love
Prague
When it comes to writing about Prague, I have been a model procrastinator. In true procrastination spirit, rather than write about Prague, I spent time thinking about why I didn't want to write about a city that people tend to speak of with great enthusiasm. Comments like, 'I love the architecture.' 'It is so romantic!' I honestly didn't get a whole lot from the city. It felt flat. I thought of my days as a speech geek on the high school speech team and how there was a fine line between practicing your speech so that the delivery was perfect and practicing it so much that the delivery was flat, lacking energy. I found Prague flat, lacking energy and touristy. Charles Bridge is lined with little stands where people want to sell you paintings, 5 minute charactartures and jewelry (all claiming to be originals, naturally).
I enjoyed the train ride from Salzburg to the Czech Republic. I was struck by the beauty of the Czech countryside. There is lush vegetation. Fall had arrived and the vivid green hills were touched with color as the trees turned gold and red. Mist settled on the hills as though the sky was gently kissing the land in a mystical and beautiful union. Then we would pass a small town and the evidence of a turbulent past and weak economy were clear. Mounds of trash, buildings with questionable structural integrity and factory towers belched pollution. Environmental standards, clean air and good resource stewardship were not concerns of the Soviet Union which prized productivity above all else. The scars of the Soviet Union lie deep and touch every facet of life. Indeed some wounds are still very much open. This is what made Prague an interesting city to visit.
Our first night in Prague, our hostel (Sir Toby's Hostel - I would recommend it to fellow travelers) hosted a beer tasting. The Czech Republic is known for its beer or rather its consumption of beer. It drinks the most beer per capita in the world and holds its title with a convincing lead. I wouldn't say that the beer is amazing. Perhaps I was a tough judge just coming from Germany, where the beer is quite, quite good. However, the beer in Prague is cheap which is an excellent virtue, especially after 8 Euro mugs of beer at Oktoberfest. If you must know, Krusovice was my favorite beer - probably because it was dark. Melissa and I won a trivia quiz (our time at Oktoberfest served us well) and were rewarded with a beer that was 7 Czech Krowns (Kc). To put that in perspective, 1 USD equals about 20 Kc, so our beer was about 35 cents. We wisely shared it with others to minimize our own consumption. Prague is a popular destination with young backpackers as it is a cheap place to party. Many of the old communist buildings and bomb shelters have been refurbished as bars. We went to an interesting bar with ancient hard drives on the walls and engines suspended from the ceiling. Each engine still had moving parts and were outfitted with green lights. Trippy when sober, I'm sure it is even more trippy when intoxicated. The national anthem of the Czech Republic comes from a theatrical comedy and is titled, 'Where Is My Home?' Perhaps this is because of the confusion that comes from one too many Pilsners or its history of being overtaken by other world powers. We went on a walking tour of Prague and our guide shared that his grandmother had lived in the same village her entire life but has been a member of 7 different nations. Prague's golden age was under the reign of King Charles which is recognized in its architecture and the world famous Charles Bridge. The Jewish Quarter is also interesting and has the oldest synagogue in Europe and contains stones from Jerusalem.
Most normal people check out the Astronomical Clock (voted the most disappointing tourist attraction in Europe) the Hradany Castle, Wensceslas Square, Charles Bridge and the John Lennon Wall. But we are not normal. We went to the Museum of Torture Instruments which can be summed up as absolutely gruesome, disgusting, disturbing and sickening. I think the worst was that it was all done in the name of justice. However, it is certain that justice was not served. I had a lingering feeling that had I lived in the Middle Ages, I would have been accused of witch craft (for being too outspoken) and put to death in one of the 60 terrible ways displayed. Melissa and I had to go eat ice cream to make ourselves feel better. The following day, we took the train to Kutna Hora. It is an old silver mining town that competed with Prague for importance until the silver mine was exhausted. It would be rather difficult to play Keeping Up With the Joneses with Prague. Kutna Hora is also home to the Bone Church. During the Middle Ages, a knight brought back dirt from Jerusalem. The Holy Dirt made it a popular place to be buried but they ran out of room. Unlike the Jews residing in the Jewish District in Prague who simply went out and got more dirt to place on top of the existing graves (the Jewish Cemetery contains 13-15 layers of graves, the markers arranged like shark teeth), the people of Kutna Hora used the bones that piled up as decor. Chandeliers, pyramids, coat of arms, all made of bones. Strangely, it wasn't as disturbing as the Museum of Torture. In Kutna Hora, the plague and Hussein Wars contributed the most to the collection. Our final odd visit was to the Museum of Communism and it required a trip to the mall to celebrate capitalism afterwards. It was fascinating to see propaganda against America. Apparently there was a potato blight in the 1950s and it was blamed on America. Allegedly, America flew planes over the fields and sprayed bugs on the crops so "The American Bug" became a fixture in propaganda for the rest of the Cold War. As we were leaving, I stopped to look at the postcards. "Museum of Communism: Paranoia, Propaganda and Military Invasions, not just George W's America" and "Museum of Communism: When the voice of America was the voice of freedom" Those sayings were like a punch to the gut. I spent a great deal thinking about those sayings and why it troubled me so. All I can conclude is that I love my country and that while America is not perfect and has a lot of room for improvement and I'm sometimes annoyed by other Americans traveling, we are still a great nation and I am proud to be an American.
Things I Didn't Expect When I Woke Up in the Morning
Prague Edition
Watch Melissa return her dinner's stare
Watch Melissa's dissection skills improve greatly over dinner
Meet a Swedish Ninja
Play a ukulele and kazoo in a bar
Enjoy a new spin on Mexican food in an obscure Czech town
Go out with girls wearing dirndles (their Oktoberfest purchases)
I enjoyed the train ride from Salzburg to the Czech Republic. I was struck by the beauty of the Czech countryside. There is lush vegetation. Fall had arrived and the vivid green hills were touched with color as the trees turned gold and red. Mist settled on the hills as though the sky was gently kissing the land in a mystical and beautiful union. Then we would pass a small town and the evidence of a turbulent past and weak economy were clear. Mounds of trash, buildings with questionable structural integrity and factory towers belched pollution. Environmental standards, clean air and good resource stewardship were not concerns of the Soviet Union which prized productivity above all else. The scars of the Soviet Union lie deep and touch every facet of life. Indeed some wounds are still very much open. This is what made Prague an interesting city to visit.
Our first night in Prague, our hostel (Sir Toby's Hostel - I would recommend it to fellow travelers) hosted a beer tasting. The Czech Republic is known for its beer or rather its consumption of beer. It drinks the most beer per capita in the world and holds its title with a convincing lead. I wouldn't say that the beer is amazing. Perhaps I was a tough judge just coming from Germany, where the beer is quite, quite good. However, the beer in Prague is cheap which is an excellent virtue, especially after 8 Euro mugs of beer at Oktoberfest. If you must know, Krusovice was my favorite beer - probably because it was dark. Melissa and I won a trivia quiz (our time at Oktoberfest served us well) and were rewarded with a beer that was 7 Czech Krowns (Kc). To put that in perspective, 1 USD equals about 20 Kc, so our beer was about 35 cents. We wisely shared it with others to minimize our own consumption. Prague is a popular destination with young backpackers as it is a cheap place to party. Many of the old communist buildings and bomb shelters have been refurbished as bars. We went to an interesting bar with ancient hard drives on the walls and engines suspended from the ceiling. Each engine still had moving parts and were outfitted with green lights. Trippy when sober, I'm sure it is even more trippy when intoxicated. The national anthem of the Czech Republic comes from a theatrical comedy and is titled, 'Where Is My Home?' Perhaps this is because of the confusion that comes from one too many Pilsners or its history of being overtaken by other world powers. We went on a walking tour of Prague and our guide shared that his grandmother had lived in the same village her entire life but has been a member of 7 different nations. Prague's golden age was under the reign of King Charles which is recognized in its architecture and the world famous Charles Bridge. The Jewish Quarter is also interesting and has the oldest synagogue in Europe and contains stones from Jerusalem.
Most normal people check out the Astronomical Clock (voted the most disappointing tourist attraction in Europe) the Hradany Castle, Wensceslas Square, Charles Bridge and the John Lennon Wall. But we are not normal. We went to the Museum of Torture Instruments which can be summed up as absolutely gruesome, disgusting, disturbing and sickening. I think the worst was that it was all done in the name of justice. However, it is certain that justice was not served. I had a lingering feeling that had I lived in the Middle Ages, I would have been accused of witch craft (for being too outspoken) and put to death in one of the 60 terrible ways displayed. Melissa and I had to go eat ice cream to make ourselves feel better. The following day, we took the train to Kutna Hora. It is an old silver mining town that competed with Prague for importance until the silver mine was exhausted. It would be rather difficult to play Keeping Up With the Joneses with Prague. Kutna Hora is also home to the Bone Church. During the Middle Ages, a knight brought back dirt from Jerusalem. The Holy Dirt made it a popular place to be buried but they ran out of room. Unlike the Jews residing in the Jewish District in Prague who simply went out and got more dirt to place on top of the existing graves (the Jewish Cemetery contains 13-15 layers of graves, the markers arranged like shark teeth), the people of Kutna Hora used the bones that piled up as decor. Chandeliers, pyramids, coat of arms, all made of bones. Strangely, it wasn't as disturbing as the Museum of Torture. In Kutna Hora, the plague and Hussein Wars contributed the most to the collection. Our final odd visit was to the Museum of Communism and it required a trip to the mall to celebrate capitalism afterwards. It was fascinating to see propaganda against America. Apparently there was a potato blight in the 1950s and it was blamed on America. Allegedly, America flew planes over the fields and sprayed bugs on the crops so "The American Bug" became a fixture in propaganda for the rest of the Cold War. As we were leaving, I stopped to look at the postcards. "Museum of Communism: Paranoia, Propaganda and Military Invasions, not just George W's America" and "Museum of Communism: When the voice of America was the voice of freedom" Those sayings were like a punch to the gut. I spent a great deal thinking about those sayings and why it troubled me so. All I can conclude is that I love my country and that while America is not perfect and has a lot of room for improvement and I'm sometimes annoyed by other Americans traveling, we are still a great nation and I am proud to be an American.
Things I Didn't Expect When I Woke Up in the Morning
Prague Edition
Watch Melissa return her dinner's stare
Watch Melissa's dissection skills improve greatly over dinner
Meet a Swedish Ninja
Play a ukulele and kazoo in a bar
Enjoy a new spin on Mexican food in an obscure Czech town
Go out with girls wearing dirndles (their Oktoberfest purchases)
Friday, October 1, 2010
Salzburg
After the chaos of Oktoberfest, Melissa and I crossed the boarder into Austria and stayed in Salzburg. We were also absolutely exhausted. Traveling will tucker you out. I got sick immediately after the marathon and then shared it with Melissa in Munich. We decided to slow down our pace considerably. We added several days to our stay in Salzburg but decided to cut Vienna.
Salzburg was catapulted into American culture through the favorite movie classic, The Sound of Music. It is a charming city on the banks of the Salzach River. It rose to importance during the salt trade. Salt was the only preserver in the world and vital for trade. Salt has played a crucial role in world history. It's been used as a currency, wars have been fought over it and trade routes determined by it. Melissa and I took a day trip to Berchtesgaden, saw Hitler's Eagles Nest perched high above and then went deep into the mountain to the salt mine. It was absolutely fascinating. The mine has been around since the 15th Century and is still active today. An ocean once covered the area. When the Alps formed, it encapsulated the ocean and the salt was then deposited within the mountain. Today, drills bore into the mountain and after determining the best location of salt content, a larger hole is drilled into the mountain and fresh water pumped in to dissolve the salt and create brine which is then pumped out to a processing plant. There, the brine is dehydrated and the salt packaged. We saw a pump that was used for 110 years without a breakdown. I found that very impressive as I have never seen machinery that reliable. We were in a very well established part of the mine and it was fascinating and beautiful.
Salzburg was founded by an archbishop prince and archbishops have overseen the city for centuries. The Catholic influence is quite noticeable. I counted 17 churches in the city center alone. There is a castle perched atop the hill overlooking the river and town. The archbishops needed to build a fortress church for protection during a time of tension between the emperor and pope. Living in the land of the emperor but aligning oneself with the pope required cautionary measures. A fortress and monastery were built on the opposite side of the river. Melissa and I hiked up to the monastery and then along the fortress wall which was a gorgeous hike and much needed for my soul.
The city was hosting an annual festival honoring St. Rupert. After Oktoberfest it was a rather tame affair. We enjoyed walking along the stands and listening to street musicians. Salzburg is the home of Mozart and you cannot escape that fact. The city (as well as the hills) are truly alive with the sound of music. There are also signs for Mozart everywhere. Mozartkrugals or Mozart chocolate balls are sold everywhere for an exorbitant price. We bought some at the grocery store where it would be cheaper and were extremely disappointed. There are better investments of calories. Street musicians are everywhere and were very talented. The ones who weren't compensated by being comical. There is a very strong tourism industry in Salzburg and The Sound of Music has almost been turned into a gimmick. We watched the movie at one of the daily showings at our hostel which was nice. It also left me wondering; did Julie Andrews mock the statues in the gnome garden in Mirabell Gardens? Because that was great fun.
Things I Did Not Expect When I Woke Up in the Morning
Salzburg Edition
1. Be mistaken for an Asian
2. Be mistaken for a man
3. Slide down a mining slide
4. Pose with gnomes
5. Float across an underground salt lake
6. Have the donar kebap redeemed in such delicious fashion
7. Be afraid to make eye contact with the most gorgeous man I have ever seen. To top it off, he was a woodcarver.
8. Experience nirvana in the form of the most amazing apple strudel in a vanilla cream sauce.
9. Explain bovine artificial insemination to a Canadian.
10. Yodel while hiking down an Alpine hill.
Salzburg was catapulted into American culture through the favorite movie classic, The Sound of Music. It is a charming city on the banks of the Salzach River. It rose to importance during the salt trade. Salt was the only preserver in the world and vital for trade. Salt has played a crucial role in world history. It's been used as a currency, wars have been fought over it and trade routes determined by it. Melissa and I took a day trip to Berchtesgaden, saw Hitler's Eagles Nest perched high above and then went deep into the mountain to the salt mine. It was absolutely fascinating. The mine has been around since the 15th Century and is still active today. An ocean once covered the area. When the Alps formed, it encapsulated the ocean and the salt was then deposited within the mountain. Today, drills bore into the mountain and after determining the best location of salt content, a larger hole is drilled into the mountain and fresh water pumped in to dissolve the salt and create brine which is then pumped out to a processing plant. There, the brine is dehydrated and the salt packaged. We saw a pump that was used for 110 years without a breakdown. I found that very impressive as I have never seen machinery that reliable. We were in a very well established part of the mine and it was fascinating and beautiful.
Salzburg was founded by an archbishop prince and archbishops have overseen the city for centuries. The Catholic influence is quite noticeable. I counted 17 churches in the city center alone. There is a castle perched atop the hill overlooking the river and town. The archbishops needed to build a fortress church for protection during a time of tension between the emperor and pope. Living in the land of the emperor but aligning oneself with the pope required cautionary measures. A fortress and monastery were built on the opposite side of the river. Melissa and I hiked up to the monastery and then along the fortress wall which was a gorgeous hike and much needed for my soul.
The city was hosting an annual festival honoring St. Rupert. After Oktoberfest it was a rather tame affair. We enjoyed walking along the stands and listening to street musicians. Salzburg is the home of Mozart and you cannot escape that fact. The city (as well as the hills) are truly alive with the sound of music. There are also signs for Mozart everywhere. Mozartkrugals or Mozart chocolate balls are sold everywhere for an exorbitant price. We bought some at the grocery store where it would be cheaper and were extremely disappointed. There are better investments of calories. Street musicians are everywhere and were very talented. The ones who weren't compensated by being comical. There is a very strong tourism industry in Salzburg and The Sound of Music has almost been turned into a gimmick. We watched the movie at one of the daily showings at our hostel which was nice. It also left me wondering; did Julie Andrews mock the statues in the gnome garden in Mirabell Gardens? Because that was great fun.
Things I Did Not Expect When I Woke Up in the Morning
Salzburg Edition
1. Be mistaken for an Asian
2. Be mistaken for a man
3. Slide down a mining slide
4. Pose with gnomes
5. Float across an underground salt lake
6. Have the donar kebap redeemed in such delicious fashion
7. Be afraid to make eye contact with the most gorgeous man I have ever seen. To top it off, he was a woodcarver.
8. Experience nirvana in the form of the most amazing apple strudel in a vanilla cream sauce.
9. Explain bovine artificial insemination to a Canadian.
10. Yodel while hiking down an Alpine hill.
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