Venice and Rome

Venice
I think if I were to travel again, I would do my research into the history, or significant aspects of a city before I get to it. I'll be honest, I didn't know a thing about Venice other than it might be a nice place to take your girlfriend/finacee/wife for a romantic gondola ride through the cities waterways. That might explain the extent of my stay there:

• Got lost, couldn't find the hostel
• Checked in
• Walked around for a few hours eating pizza and gelato, and sat on a nice bridge that probably has a name because everyone was taking pictures of it.
• Got lost again
• Made some new friends at the hostel and went out looking for a good time.. Couldn't find one.
• Woke up the next day and figured thats enough of that, off to Rome!

Rome
It's too bad that Rome was the last part of my travels in Europe, because it was such a neat place. However at this point I had exhausted my desire to Rome roam around and sight see. But when in Rome, do as the Romans do?

• Spanish steps (Pubcrawl): Check
• Trevvi fountain: Check
• Vatican city: Check
• Palantine Hill: Check
• Roman Forum: Check
• Colosseum: Check
• Win a beer pong championship in the basement of a pub against two Koreans: Check!
• Get lost wandering around Rome at 3am, subsequently walking about 10km: Check...

One of the more fascinating things done while not Rome'ing was hanging out with an interesting new roommate at The Yellow Hostel, and getting advice about a Thailand adventure, as well as learning about symbology and cults (Angels and Demons may or may not have brought that topic up) that he has a real keen interest in. The people you encounter are often the ones that leave a longer lasting impression than say, the dusty stone remains of the House of Augustus at Palantine hill... Joe had priceless information about where to go, what to do, what to say and how to say it, from his experience living in Thailand for a few years....

Speaking of meeting new people, it's funny what simple conversation can lead to when in an unfamiliar place and without any familiar faces around.
For example:
Me: "Hey, I just got here to Rome, any suggestions where to go tonight?"
Cute girl doing makeup: "Well I'm doing a Spanish steps pub crawl tonight, why don't you come?"
Me: "uh, Ya!"

Trevi Fountain. An estimated 3,000 Euros worth of coins thrown in daily!

...Which in turn led to dinner and gelato the next day -> a Christmas market/fair downtown -> Beers with her two German friends (Xena..and Ben) and a fun night out -> overall a great last impression before leaving Europe. Boom.
Bored or lonely? Just talk to someone, you never know what will happen....









Again, I don't think I did enough research to really get the full experience out of Rome. If you go, do yourself a favour and learn some history and significance to some of the famous areas.

Northern Italy

Not your cookie cutter roads like in North America

After Switzerland the plan was to head further south to the other side of the alps in Northern Italy. My boss (who I can't thank enough for allowing me this oppourtunity) had made his way to a friend's home in Arco, Italy for some rock climbing which the area is famous for. I met up with him and his friend Morro and stayed at Morro's family home just outside the nice city on the edge of the largest lake in Italy, Lago di Garda. 





Interesting tid bits about Lago di Garda and Arco area;

• The opening scenes of the 2008 James Bond film Quantum of Solace featured a car chase with James Bond's Aston Martin DBS V12 around Lake Garda in Italy.
• The opening climbing sequence to the 1993 Sylvester Stallone movie Cliffhanger was filmed on a nearby mountain, with Morro's friend as a climbing stunt double for Stallone.

However greatly appreciated, but one night in a home with 3 young kids was a large change of pace after a few weeks in hostels. After being awoken to a young childs blood curdeling "wake up call" scream and a rope being tied around my neck by the other lovely youngster, time to get out and do stuff....

Off to Castello di Arco, a 12th century castle at the highest point of the city. Usually just a common sightseeing destination, but being an avid climber and entrepreneur it was Morro's job to scout out a way to scale the top of the castle to do some lighting repairs.

From atop the mountain and castle area, it was another one of those "If only someone at home could see what I'm seeing this very second", type of adventures...

Castello di Arco

 So far so good with weather. These sunny windless days are a travelers best case scenario.

Derek headed back to Canada and I head down to Venice by train, since I had a few days left on my rail pass to use up.

Beautiful Switzerland

Interlaken Switzerland

What can I say, this place is simply gorgeous. The train ride into Interlaken by itself was enough to set the standard for the views to follow in the next 3 days. As the name may suggest, the town is situated between two lakes on the east and west, with two mountain ranges to the north and south. Been saving up for an adrenaline rush? Come here.

Think of a sport or activity that's not for the timid and they have it; Bungy jumping, paragliding, canyoning and white water rafting, alpine skiing, mountain biking and not to mention being rated as the number one place in the world to go skydiving.

Moments after hoping off the train and seeing half a dozen parachutes open and come down between the two glacial mountain ranges it was clear that skydiving and such activites were a major source of income for this place.
Randomly picked Balmers Herberge Hostel, and did I ever pick right. The most charismatic receptionist with a funky mix between a Swiss and Ukranian accent, but also said "Cheers mate!" as an Aussie would, as she handed me a free bottle of a new brandy-cola mix to guinea pig for them.

Hot tub, best nightclub in Interlaken below the hostel, snow capped mountains all around with blueish-green glacial runoff water canals flowing through the town.... I think the train stopped in heaven, or something like it.

One of the best things about hostels is the effortless manner in which you become buddies with the people you share a room with. Our rustic log cabin style room with bunk beds and a loft you had climb up into, was shared by just myself, a mid 30's New Yorker, and two UK girls that flew in for the weekend to jump out of a plane sporting a magic marker Movember Mustaches.

Night one:

• Steak and beer with the UK girls, followed by happy hour and a busy night at the "Metro" club downstairs with backpackers, sky divers and locals.

Day two:

GoPro goes everywhere

• Rented bikes from a shop down the street that was a strange mix between bicycle/scooter/car rental, coffee shop, and Thai food.... Strange, but the owners were happy to sit down and talk about how they sometimes see cows that wandered or fell into the wrong valley and have to get extracted, hanging from helicopters in the sky above.

• Biked along on of the emerald coloured canals towards the west lake after taking a gander at some ancient ruins situated along the canal.

• Lunch with the new buddies inches from the crystal clear lake water surrounded by mountains.

Girls headed for home and I headed for supper. Felt like diving right into the Swiss food culture, so the obvious choice was nachos, at Hooters.

Being a bit of an adrenaline junky myself, it was incredibly tempting to go sky diving while there. However, being on a travel budget and currently riding solo, it just didn't seem worth it to go and not have any friends there to do it with and a decade later say "Hey! Remember that time we went sky diving in Switzerland?!"

It's the awkward part of the season before it snows so most exhilarating activites despite skydiving were closed. I'll be back!
================================


Last day in Interlaken with no plans so might as well make the most of it and go get high, into the mountains. Trained it up 6762ft to Klein Scheidegg, home of some world famous Swiss skiing championship, or something like it.

JungfrauJoch, the "top of Europe" can be seen another 7000ft. up

Words, or pictures will never do justice to the magnitude and beauty of the sights available here, so I will not make the effort, aside from a picture or two.

I could take the train right back down, but the sun was shining and the sights like this do not happen daily, or yearly, or even a lifetime for a lot of people.
One "Max Relax" playlist on my iPod and 3000ft later I meandered my way down the mountain past chimney smoking log homes on hillsides, and strategically placed viewing points along the trail to the town of Wegnen.
Home of the ski world cup this January.

Long day in the mountain followed by a night in the hot tub. It may be early yet, but I'm putting my dibs on this day as one of the most memorable.


Next up, Italia...

Brauhaus, Lederhousen and German History

Mein German Kampf,

So after saying goodbye to Hollands kindest and most accommodating, as well as Canada's most spontaneous (and ridiculous), it's off to Germany.

With close to zero research or planning, just a little advise from a fellow Hess, Munich it was. The hope was to dip into some Nazi history and dive into some German bier culture.... Jackpot.

Along the 8 hour train ride closer to southern Germany I noticed the number of trees with white branches start to increase. From inside the warm train I was just hoping they were a neat kind of tree until I realized.... Holy mother-nature, I better start wearing an extra layer of underwear.

If you ever end up in a city and don't have a clue to the significance of this room or that street, the" free" walking tours put on by hostels are HIGHLY recommended. Best decision I could have made while in Germany. Not only did he spit out great information about this room and that street for a solid 4 hours all over the city, but it leads to meeting more people.

A lot of history in this room

The goal: "Get us local"

•Beer and bratwurst before noon in a local beer garden

•Clear the Beerfest movie stereotypes from our heads

•Catch the showat Mariahilfplatz at noon and learn beers role in the black plague simultaneously

•Go to the famous Hofbrauhaus and see where the regulars in lederhousen and hats with €2000 feather decoration atop drink bier from there badass bier steins.

•Above the Hofbrauhaus, stand in the very room where Hitler started the Nazi movement back in the 20's threatening murder and suicide of those in the room if they did not follow



New technology room in Deutsche Museum




The famous nude bathing Englischer Garten was closed this time of season for shrinkage sake, so we went to the Deutsches museum since it was warm inside, and we thought it was open late that day.





Decided to go back to the museum alone the next day to see anything I had missed the day before. From the first automobile to the first electric dynamo and the very work bench where the first atom was split, this place has it all. Would be a fantastic place for a school field trip, if it were not located across the ocean.


Small half litre for some people watching in the market

 

Basement beer cellar @ Augustiner Keller

Went for dinner one night with some new friends I met on the tour. Some were American so wanted to have their very own thanks giving dinner in Germany. I had been to the Augustiner Keller the night before and loved it,so suggested we go there. So there we sat in an old beer cellar below ground under the restaurant. Strangers the day before, and now having "Thankgiving" dinner with an aerospace engineer from Los Angeles, a guy from England, an Auditor from Russia and a brother sister combo that were History teachers from the southern states. I guess this is backpacking? Love it. The Americans had turkey schnitzel which likely the best turkey I have EVER tried, whileI had pork leg sausages with sauerkraut and mustard with a liter of german beer.

AND THE MOST THOUGHT PROVOKING, AND CREEPY STREET ENTERTAINER/BEGGAR AWARD GOES TO:

See if you can figure it out.. I eventually clued in

The last day was filled with some more wandering, my new skill, which I now consider an expertise. I came across my first taste of the Christmas spirit while strolling through the somewhat famous Munich Christmas market. Again, kind of felt like home...








Next Stop, then heavenly mountains of Switzerland...

Amsterdamned good time

Time is of the essence, and this will have to wait... to be edited later

Edit:
still waiting to do this...

Spontaneous much?

Brussels Beauties

Belgium for a day

So while back in Africa I think I mentioned to Nikki via internet that I will be going to Holland once I get to Europe. She said something along the lines of  "Wooo, ill meet you there?!" . Right, like that would happen....

Sure as shit, while here in Holland I get a text msg that she has a flight booked and will be in Amsterdam Airport in about 48 hours. Off to the airport to meet the crazy canuck for a week more in Holland.

Spontaneity is the spice of life.



Regularly reserved for slightly
 more, powerful, members of the European Union



Mmm Belgian waffles sounds appetizing, off to Brussels. Toured the Council of the European Union building with an exclusive "behind the scenes" type pass courtesy of a family connection. I haven't really been following any form of news while over here, but sure sounds like they have their hands full at the moment with the euro €. 

Think about the most high end diamond, jewelery or clothing store you have ever been in. Now replace the diamonds, watches and necklaces with expensive and delicious chocolate in a 3 story black velvet walled glass encased chocolate sanctuary. Thats how they roll here I guess. Chocolate, beer, waffles and a little statue of a boy peeing into a fountain that drew alot of attention. Nice place!

...Back to Holland



Ahoy Deutsche land

Where to even start....

Maybe with the part about having the nicest, most accommodating and friendly relatives in Holland EVER.

If you read this, thankyou, thankyou, thankyou!

The plan was to stay a couple days to see the Bokkers family in Holland as I was almost the only one who hadn't been to the country and visit. Well a couple days turned into a week and a half of royal treatment and fun.

Getting to Putten involved my first and only near miss with the train system so far. Had the Miley Cyrus obviously cranked on my iPod and didn't realize I was in Rotterdam and had to transfer, so was a bit slow getting off. Then I realized I had forgot something on he train, resulting in a panicked run back on with the buzzer going, and jumping out sideways, sucking in my stomach as the door closed and started to roll away, yikes!

Point form may be the best way to bunch up the days:

• Got initiated into the dutch culture with a brief 37km bike ride to the October '44 war museum in Nijkerk, along a dijk and back to Putten, with a delicious stop for beer and a toasti in the town market

• Spend 11:11:11 11/11/11 eating apple gebak with Maaike
• Visit the location of the Battle of Arnhem, appropriately on Remeberance day
• Dutch food, yum

If you know anyone at home who is from Holland, are are curious why they bike so often, you will understand if you see the people here. Everyone bikes Everywhere! And for good reason, it's cheap, easy, "green" and efficient. I wish we had this amount of access to bike paths at home. Furthermore, I can't remember seeing a single obese person.. Coincidence?

Did some shopping in Amersfoort and witnessed the dutch tradition of Sinterklaas in the shopping area. Interesting how different countries have different was to celebrate Christmas. Zwarte Piet, is an intruging sidestep from our traditonal Christmas at home. Instead of the little elves that help Santa, they have Zwarte Piet, who spanks naughty kids, and sometimes even "puts them in the bag and being taken back to Spain", as old songs mention.

• Fries and Mayonaise, yum
• Dutch Kroketten, ask Nikki Leyser

The area was nice, and the food was a plentiful, so the two dogs, plus MOHAMMED the cat, went for a stroll. Never before have I taken a cat for a walk, until then. Let alone a cat named Mohammed?

Did I mention how flat this place is? No downhill skiing resorts here, thats for sure.



Always wanted to try one of these bikes, as well as wear very tight clothing?



Getting access to a computer is proving to be tough with the time it takes to write on here, "Amsterdam" will have to wait...

A dogs life

PARIS Pt. 2

Aimlessly wandering around the Louvre for an hour or two, slowing down in areas where people were more crowded (surely they must be looking at something important that I had no knowledge of?), eventually turned into more exercise than worth.

This led to the best discovery of the day; I left the world famous museum and headed towards the front grounds and garden areas and came across a large perfectly landscaped area where a group of 10 or so dogs were doing what they do best. I only spent enough time infront of the Mona to ask a kind old Asian woman to snap a goofy picture, but here I sat watching Labs, retrievers, German shepherds, and boxers playing fetch and rolling around for a solid hour and a half. I probably looked like that creepy guy sitting on a park bench at a playground that didn't have any kids of his own to watch over. I guess in a way though, it reminded me of home.

Ya, that creative...

Next best part of the day:Continued to walk around and came across a well known chalk artist in Paris, doing his thing. Guys got talent!

Some teenagers on roller blades were playing the most intense game of tag I had ever seen, coming within inches of colliding with tourists and eating a face full of colorful chalk covered asphalt.
Low and behold, I stayed and watched for another hour as they set up obstacles to 360 over and preform some of the most intricate footwork on inline skates I will probably ever see. Traveling solo, it's easy peezy pumpkin squeezy, doing whatever you want and not give a sheezy.

Notable happenings to conclude the French adventure:• Watching a intimidating 6'4" black security guard in a full black dress suit, black shades, black leather gloves and ball cap chase down (while on a not-so-intimidating cruiser bicycle) a young teen boy for soliciting tourists for money while on Louvre property.
• Seeing a homeless man sleeping in the metro, with his dog curled up in a ball sleeping on his chest. Mildly cute, but sad.
• Mass at Notre Dame church
• More crepes

Next stop, the Deutsche Land

Let the European Vacation begin

There's still a lot I feel like a need to write about Africa, to decompress in a way. However since I got off the plane in Paris 2 weeks ago, it's felt like go go go and get out there to see things.
Better catch up instead...

PARIS
No better way to start a morning in paris then a warm croissant or crepe.
I'm hardly the first person to visit this tourist packed city so there's not much point explaining what it's like to be up the Eiffel tower or see the Mona Lisa. Most have been there done that, but hey, just a couple more things to check off the ol'  "Life Experiences List".

We were given a kind warning about the large number of scammers and "Please Suh, could you spare sum change?" type of folks that prey on the touristy type in Paris. The engineer we worked with in Africa warned of a particular scam involving a gold ring. Within the first 10 minutes of our see-the-city adventure along one of the canals headed towards the Eiffel tower, a man walking past eyed John (co worker who I spent the first day with) and I up as potential prey. He bent over as he walked by and found a nice 'golden' ring that magically appeared.
His game plan: Offer it to us, and ask for a LITTLE change in reward for his kind actions.'... How do you say "Shove it" in french?
300m further down the canal we saw two asian men gladly handing a couple bills to a similar looking man. The puzzled look on their faces as they walked away from the kind samaritan and started to realize they were dooped was priceless...

Crepe with nutella and banana before going up Eiffel Tower: Check

Not knowing a single other piece of famous art besides the Mona Lisa at Musee de Louvre: Check

Sit at the top of the stairs below the Sacre de Coeur and listen to a man play Hallelujah on his harp: Check, and easily the most relaxing and peaceful start to a morning in months

First night in a hostel as a solo traveller was almost exactly as I expected. Sit in a room and drink too much french wine with young girls and guys from Tokyo, Texas, Australia, Boston, Norway, Italy, Sweden and Whales. Cold orange juice and a baguette on a canal side patio is a great start to the end of a morning after headache. Maybe a ham and cheese crepe along the way to the next hostel across town too. Man those things are tastey.

Next stop, bed.

Nearly 2 weeks of stuff-i've-been-up-to to throw on here regarding Paris and Holland, but a train from here (currently at family in Putten, Holland) to Munich, Germany in 6 hours means its time to stop hitting the keyboard and start hitting the pillow.

Anxiously awaiting the do nothing but sit and look out the window kinda day it shall be...