Picture endless streets of communist era apartment blocks. Now picture these apartments covered in humungous advertisements that leave only the bottom windows unobstructed. This is Bucharest, Romania. I wish I could say something more about this Eastern European capitol city but there isn’t much to it. I had more fun with my hosts, an apartment full of fabulous French people, than seeing much of city! In quick summary, I visited a village museum full of houses picked up from all around Romania and reassembled in a park in the middle of the city and I attempted to tour the parliament building which was closed. Romania, or so I’ve been told, is not very interested in entertaining it’s tourists at this time. You’ll find just enough English signs to get by, and nothing more. Unless, that is, you happen to walk into an Indian restaurant. Yep, I had Indian food in Romania. I also enjoyed some good Chinese food…and of course, a night of food and dance at a local Romanian restaurant. (No, it wasn’t me dancing!)
Speaking of Romanian food, can I get some salt please??! Traditional Romanian food is peasant food which means two things: it is packed with as many carbs as possible because you’re supposed to be working out in the fields all day, and it lack an seasoning whatsoever. An example, and a meal that I could probably only eat once a year is called mamaliga cu branza si smantana. Basically, corn porridge, or polenta, that is then smothered in sour cream and cheese. That’s it. And the polenta is sort of a side note. Can you had your heart-attack today??
I’m currently in a town called Brasov. Some of you may have heard of Brasov for it’s close vicinity to Bran Castle, better known as Dra-Vlad-cula’s Castle. When you first arrive in the town of Bran, it looks like a Halloween town. Dracula, swords, skeletons, wigs, capes, you name it, you can buy it. The only problem is, and I hate to kill anybody’s spirit but, there is no factual evidence that Bram Stoker (the author of Dracula) was ever aware of the castle. Unfortunate as well is the fact that Vlad the Impaler never lived here either. It was until recently a museum of furniture collected by the Queen of something or other.
Basically what I’m trying to say is, don’t worry about getting here any time soon. In fact, the castle is now empty or the aforementioned furniture because next month it is being given back to the original owners and being used as a house once again. Bye-bye bloodsucker fans!
Tonight I’m leaving on a night train to Budapest, perhaps is will fill my Hungar for some seasoning. Yes, I just did just go there.
Friday, April 24, 2009
I Would Walk 500 miles and I Would Walk 500 More, Just To Be the Man Who Walked 1,000 miles…
As I was nursing my blistered feet after a long day’s walk I got to thinking about all the walking that I’ve done so far. I’m slightly obsessed with calculations when it comes to exercise and nutrition so of course I brought a pedometer with me. I haven’t written it down or anything but I’ve been averaging about 10 miles a day just walking around towns. Did you know that the average American walks less than a mile a day and stands for less than an hour? At first I laughed these statistics off but then I got to thinking about what the average American does with their day. They get up, get ready, hop in the car, walk into the building, sit at a desk all day, drive home, sit and watch TV, go to bed.
I’ve been gone for 92 days up to this point. That means I’ve walked around 920 miles. About that equivalent of me walking from Davis to San Diego and back or from Los Angeles to Portland, Oregon. Now for the nutritionist in me. If you consider that you burn an average of 100 calories per mile, that’s 92,000 calories and if you consider that there are 3,500 calories in a pound of fat, I’ve burned off about 26lbs just from walking. If only it actually worked like that…the traveler’s diet will be discussed by in another entry perhaps. Maybe then I’ll be able to explain that extra 10lbs!
I’ve been gone for 92 days up to this point. That means I’ve walked around 920 miles. About that equivalent of me walking from Davis to San Diego and back or from Los Angeles to Portland, Oregon. Now for the nutritionist in me. If you consider that you burn an average of 100 calories per mile, that’s 92,000 calories and if you consider that there are 3,500 calories in a pound of fat, I’ve burned off about 26lbs just from walking. If only it actually worked like that…the traveler’s diet will be discussed by in another entry perhaps. Maybe then I’ll be able to explain that extra 10lbs!
Thursday, April 16, 2009
Turkey-land - The Friendliest Place On Earth!
Turkey is a lot like Disneyland. You are everybody’s “my friend”, there are countless Japanese tourists, and you always end up spending more money that you had planned. It is a country where even the poorest people seem to have something to sell! On my first day in Istanbul, I literally did feel like I was in the magic kingdom…Between St. Sophia and the Blue Mosque, there is an immense garden filled with well manicured flowerbeds in day-glo colors, delightful meandering paths and even an nice fountain. St. Sophia and the Blue Mosque are awe inspiring. The tile work in all of these structures is incredible. I eavesdropped on a guided tour and heard that they actually had tile theft problem at the Mosque because each tile was worth a couple hundred dollars! Then you leave the area and you begin to see the real Istanbul. It’s still focused on tourism, but it has a little bit for of an edge!
The entrance to the Grand Bazaar, or one of the many, is reminiscent of the cave of wonders (I know…I can’t seem to stop with these Disney references!). You walk in with a mass of other people and are swept up in the colors and sounds of hundreds of shops squashed together in a massive building. Now let’s get one thing straight, there are hundreds of shops but only about five different types of apparel.
You’ve got your carpet shops: I figured I needed the full experience so I let myself be led into one of these fine establishments. We chatted for a bit about Obama/Bush, how I was good looking and should find myself a nice Turkish bride, how he wasn’t like all of the other pushy vendors, how his carpets had been featured in national geographic (like two or three others I’d heard…) and how my mom would love some dusty old carpet for her floor. In the end, I made it out with just his card and a promise that if I should want to buy a carpet that I would come back!
The knock-off brand name clothes and shoes: If you are every looking for cheap anything…this would be the place to buy it.
Knick-knacks: These shops were probably the most interesting to me. They had everything from tea cups to lamps and chess sets. The problem with these stores is that there was WAY too much going on to ever be able to make a sale. They had things piled high and I was normally afraid to get close enough to actually inspect their wares! I did end up buying a nice wooden travel chess set. You will be impressed to know that I was able to bargain it down to half the price first offered! I still probably get ripped off…
Turkish sweets: Everything from baklava to Turkish delight. I must say that the Turks know how to make their desserts, although Turkish delight, especially the traditional “rose-water” flavored one, is not something that I plan on needing to try again.
And finally, jewelry stores: The one shop that I wasn’t actually ever ushered in to…mainly for the ladies I would assume.
Here is your history trivia for the week: What is ANZAC day?
A day that means thousand of Australians and Kiwis come to Turkey and fill up all the hostels so that you have to stay in a hotel. Okay, so there is a little bit for to it. ANZAC stands for Australia New Zealand Army Corps. During WWI there was a battle on the Gallipoli Peninsula where the Australian and New Zealand forces landed in the wrong spot along the coast and got slaughtered because the ground was so steep. There is a tour of the area. Don’t do it. Although it was fascinating to hear about it for the first hour and interesting to visit the first memorial cemetery, the following 4 hours of reiterated facts and identical monuments can get monotonous. It was a sad time and worth learning about, but you might as well just read about it on Wikipedia and mark it as a time to avoid Turkey.
Ephesus, oh Ephesus! What an amazing place! It was great to finally be able to see an mostly complete ancient city! I especially enjoyed the cows grazing amid the ruins of St. Mary’s Church. Troy, on the other hand, is an bunch of walls from different time periods. Honestly, playing with the puppies under the Trojan Horse replica was the most enjoyable part of that trip.
Maybe one day I will come back to Turkey and see the other 95% of the country! Until then though, other people will have to buy the carpets.
The entrance to the Grand Bazaar, or one of the many, is reminiscent of the cave of wonders (I know…I can’t seem to stop with these Disney references!). You walk in with a mass of other people and are swept up in the colors and sounds of hundreds of shops squashed together in a massive building. Now let’s get one thing straight, there are hundreds of shops but only about five different types of apparel.
You’ve got your carpet shops: I figured I needed the full experience so I let myself be led into one of these fine establishments. We chatted for a bit about Obama/Bush, how I was good looking and should find myself a nice Turkish bride, how he wasn’t like all of the other pushy vendors, how his carpets had been featured in national geographic (like two or three others I’d heard…) and how my mom would love some dusty old carpet for her floor. In the end, I made it out with just his card and a promise that if I should want to buy a carpet that I would come back!
The knock-off brand name clothes and shoes: If you are every looking for cheap anything…this would be the place to buy it.
Knick-knacks: These shops were probably the most interesting to me. They had everything from tea cups to lamps and chess sets. The problem with these stores is that there was WAY too much going on to ever be able to make a sale. They had things piled high and I was normally afraid to get close enough to actually inspect their wares! I did end up buying a nice wooden travel chess set. You will be impressed to know that I was able to bargain it down to half the price first offered! I still probably get ripped off…
Turkish sweets: Everything from baklava to Turkish delight. I must say that the Turks know how to make their desserts, although Turkish delight, especially the traditional “rose-water” flavored one, is not something that I plan on needing to try again.
And finally, jewelry stores: The one shop that I wasn’t actually ever ushered in to…mainly for the ladies I would assume.
Here is your history trivia for the week: What is ANZAC day?
A day that means thousand of Australians and Kiwis come to Turkey and fill up all the hostels so that you have to stay in a hotel. Okay, so there is a little bit for to it. ANZAC stands for Australia New Zealand Army Corps. During WWI there was a battle on the Gallipoli Peninsula where the Australian and New Zealand forces landed in the wrong spot along the coast and got slaughtered because the ground was so steep. There is a tour of the area. Don’t do it. Although it was fascinating to hear about it for the first hour and interesting to visit the first memorial cemetery, the following 4 hours of reiterated facts and identical monuments can get monotonous. It was a sad time and worth learning about, but you might as well just read about it on Wikipedia and mark it as a time to avoid Turkey.
Ephesus, oh Ephesus! What an amazing place! It was great to finally be able to see an mostly complete ancient city! I especially enjoyed the cows grazing amid the ruins of St. Mary’s Church. Troy, on the other hand, is an bunch of walls from different time periods. Honestly, playing with the puppies under the Trojan Horse replica was the most enjoyable part of that trip.
Maybe one day I will come back to Turkey and see the other 95% of the country! Until then though, other people will have to buy the carpets.
Friday, April 10, 2009
Crete in three parts (The People, The Food, The Places)
New Pictures!
I arrived in Crete at 5:30am. Overnight ferry rides, although better than their railroad counterpart, are not meant for sleep. For ninety percent of the passengers, the eight hour ride is a chance for a caffeine and nicotine induced frenzy! Drum circles and dancing in the hallway and raucous card games accompanied by 20 Euro bottles of “house wine”! Or, if you are silly enough to try to get some sleep, a dark room where fore-mentioned sounds are slightly muffled by the lawnmower sleeping in the bunk next to you.
Upon arrival in the port of Heraklion, I waddled along the dark waterfront and made my way to the central square. The good thing about a regular ferry arriving at 5:30am is that some cafes are smart enough to be open for sleepwalkers like me. I grabbed a cappuccino and some bougatsa (don’t ask…I’m not really sure what it was other than tasty!) and drowsily watched the bunches of tourists file past to their hotels, already being forced to listen to historically jargon spit out by their guide. Around 8:30, I was picked up by my guide, a fantastic woman, and family friend. After depositing my gear in the flat, she proceeded to take me to her bookshop where I had maps and guidebooks thrown at me from all directions. I have to stop for a second and laugh because this moment seems stereotypically Greek to me. Picture three middle-aged Greek women sitting in a creaky old bookshop smoking and chatting about the latest gossip. They great me as a member of the family and quickly brief me on what is worth seeing on their island. And I take their word for it.
Okay…so, I almost feel bad making this analogy but you really have to imagine “My Big Fat Greek Wedding” to completely understand how this next part worked…it was amazing. Shortly after 9pm, I’m ushered out the door and into the cobbled street. We are off to dinner. But not just any dinner, a Greek dinner. What is a Greek dinner? Picture a table piled with so many dishes and glasses that you don’t know where to start and then add a waiter that keeps coming back to replace them. Cheeses and salads, cooked greens and fish, calamari and mussels with rice, bruchetta and tzaziki, baklava and flan, custard and Turkish pastries. I can’t even remember it all, just that it was delicious. The trend of stuffing me to the maximum was continued throughout each meal over the next few days. It was definitely worth the kilo gained.
Greek island are like snowflakes. There are many, and they are all unique in their own way. Santorini, with it’s incredible mountain high town is just one of these fantastic spots of rock. The town is balanced on the plateau of island, divided by a volcano. Just the bus ride from the ferry port was worth the trip. Once you make it past the mobs of rental car hawkers that is. I wouldn’t drive a car up that road if you paid me. To view the artistic dance of buses as they weaved their way up and down the steep cliff, millimeters from the edge and the micrometers from the cliff face was incredible! Santorini is known for it’s wine and I have no complaints. They also have a peculiar way of growing the vines. As you make your way to the city center, you drive past fields of what look like bird nests on the ground. They actually grown the vines in circles…don’t ask me why.
I’d like to end their dissertation by posing a question…how do Greeks keep their buildings so nice and white?
I arrived in Crete at 5:30am. Overnight ferry rides, although better than their railroad counterpart, are not meant for sleep. For ninety percent of the passengers, the eight hour ride is a chance for a caffeine and nicotine induced frenzy! Drum circles and dancing in the hallway and raucous card games accompanied by 20 Euro bottles of “house wine”! Or, if you are silly enough to try to get some sleep, a dark room where fore-mentioned sounds are slightly muffled by the lawnmower sleeping in the bunk next to you.
Upon arrival in the port of Heraklion, I waddled along the dark waterfront and made my way to the central square. The good thing about a regular ferry arriving at 5:30am is that some cafes are smart enough to be open for sleepwalkers like me. I grabbed a cappuccino and some bougatsa (don’t ask…I’m not really sure what it was other than tasty!) and drowsily watched the bunches of tourists file past to their hotels, already being forced to listen to historically jargon spit out by their guide. Around 8:30, I was picked up by my guide, a fantastic woman, and family friend. After depositing my gear in the flat, she proceeded to take me to her bookshop where I had maps and guidebooks thrown at me from all directions. I have to stop for a second and laugh because this moment seems stereotypically Greek to me. Picture three middle-aged Greek women sitting in a creaky old bookshop smoking and chatting about the latest gossip. They great me as a member of the family and quickly brief me on what is worth seeing on their island. And I take their word for it.
Okay…so, I almost feel bad making this analogy but you really have to imagine “My Big Fat Greek Wedding” to completely understand how this next part worked…it was amazing. Shortly after 9pm, I’m ushered out the door and into the cobbled street. We are off to dinner. But not just any dinner, a Greek dinner. What is a Greek dinner? Picture a table piled with so many dishes and glasses that you don’t know where to start and then add a waiter that keeps coming back to replace them. Cheeses and salads, cooked greens and fish, calamari and mussels with rice, bruchetta and tzaziki, baklava and flan, custard and Turkish pastries. I can’t even remember it all, just that it was delicious. The trend of stuffing me to the maximum was continued throughout each meal over the next few days. It was definitely worth the kilo gained.
Greek island are like snowflakes. There are many, and they are all unique in their own way. Santorini, with it’s incredible mountain high town is just one of these fantastic spots of rock. The town is balanced on the plateau of island, divided by a volcano. Just the bus ride from the ferry port was worth the trip. Once you make it past the mobs of rental car hawkers that is. I wouldn’t drive a car up that road if you paid me. To view the artistic dance of buses as they weaved their way up and down the steep cliff, millimeters from the edge and the micrometers from the cliff face was incredible! Santorini is known for it’s wine and I have no complaints. They also have a peculiar way of growing the vines. As you make your way to the city center, you drive past fields of what look like bird nests on the ground. They actually grown the vines in circles…don’t ask me why.
I’d like to end their dissertation by posing a question…how do Greeks keep their buildings so nice and white?
Saturday, April 4, 2009
Somehow, Graffiti in Greek Doesn’t Seem As Bad…
I realize that it has been forever since I’ve written…so basically this is a short hand version. Some of the random things that have stayed in my mind about the past places that I’ve visited! For those of you who enjoy my longer rants, I'm going to try to be better and stay on top of it! Enjoy!
Zagreb:
-Old people like to go up on the mountain in crazy hiking outfits. Is it beneficial to wear socks that go up past your knees in bright colors??
- Good hostel. Stay at Hobo Bear if you are ever in Zagreb
Sarajevo:
- Don’t try to buy one onion because the store owner will yell at out in Bosnian and chase you out of the store…
- The ugliest Holiday Inn in history…yellow and brown and tacky…any right next door to the street that’s nicknamed “Sniper Alee”…
- If you’re going to beg on the streets, learn to cry more realistically (heartless…I know).
Belgrade:
- Don’t stop in the middle of the pedestrian zone to shake someone’s hand or the cops might detain you
- how many guns can we fit inside a castle wall? Only enough that you leave room for the tennis and basketball courts!
Sofia:
- Don’t worry! They don’t dub movies in Bulgaria…oh, except for animated movies because the target audience doesn’t know English yet…
- You can bounce a ball on your head along the side of the road for a living
Thessaloniki:
- Hrmmm…nothing to say.
Athens:
- Meat is always better when you can see the whole animal. There is nothing like walking through a whole building full of pig/chicken/lamb carcasses. I guess I’m just too used to refrigerated meat…how long have these goat innards been hanging sir? Only 7 hours? Perfect! Ripe to perfection!
- Grecian beggars seem to have fewer limbs than those of other Balkan countries.
- who decided that sticky/splatting jelly tomatoes were popular? I can understand the water, umbrellas and postcards being sold…but who decided that jelly tomatoes and other amoebile (yes I know this isn’t a word!) sticky toys would be a popular sell on the Acropolis??
Random travel insight:
- vapor wick socks don’t really work in waterproof shoes…It’s a little hard for your socks to get rid of moisture if your shoes are sealed! How can you deal with this? What is better? Wet feet because of your sweat is trapped inside or wet feet because the gutter/rain water splashed into the mesh or your breathable shoes??
Ciao
Zagreb:
-Old people like to go up on the mountain in crazy hiking outfits. Is it beneficial to wear socks that go up past your knees in bright colors??
- Good hostel. Stay at Hobo Bear if you are ever in Zagreb
Sarajevo:
- Don’t try to buy one onion because the store owner will yell at out in Bosnian and chase you out of the store…
- The ugliest Holiday Inn in history…yellow and brown and tacky…any right next door to the street that’s nicknamed “Sniper Alee”…
- If you’re going to beg on the streets, learn to cry more realistically (heartless…I know).
Belgrade:
- Don’t stop in the middle of the pedestrian zone to shake someone’s hand or the cops might detain you
- how many guns can we fit inside a castle wall? Only enough that you leave room for the tennis and basketball courts!
Sofia:
- Don’t worry! They don’t dub movies in Bulgaria…oh, except for animated movies because the target audience doesn’t know English yet…
- You can bounce a ball on your head along the side of the road for a living
Thessaloniki:
- Hrmmm…nothing to say.
Athens:
- Meat is always better when you can see the whole animal. There is nothing like walking through a whole building full of pig/chicken/lamb carcasses. I guess I’m just too used to refrigerated meat…how long have these goat innards been hanging sir? Only 7 hours? Perfect! Ripe to perfection!
- Grecian beggars seem to have fewer limbs than those of other Balkan countries.
- who decided that sticky/splatting jelly tomatoes were popular? I can understand the water, umbrellas and postcards being sold…but who decided that jelly tomatoes and other amoebile (yes I know this isn’t a word!) sticky toys would be a popular sell on the Acropolis??
Random travel insight:
- vapor wick socks don’t really work in waterproof shoes…It’s a little hard for your socks to get rid of moisture if your shoes are sealed! How can you deal with this? What is better? Wet feet because of your sweat is trapped inside or wet feet because the gutter/rain water splashed into the mesh or your breathable shoes??
Ciao
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