Europe – Page 2 – SteveWhittythoughts1965

November 23, 2012

Where next?

I have spent the last couple of week deciding on my travel plans for 2013. As a renowned procrastinator this has been a difficult task. Financially I am in the best of health but this ok because travelling on a budget adds to the sense of adventure. I also take advantage of the perks that available to me. I work for a coach company in the UK so there are some ways that it helps me to travel more.

Due to the work commitments I cannot travel as much as I would like. I only get so many days holiday in a year. However, I do not like spending time off work at home. It feels just a waste of my time. Some where do I travel next? The one decision I have made is that I will be sticking to Europe. As I was told by a Canadian in Prague that I was so lucky to have so many places that I can reach within a day. This is true, I must also admit that there are many places in Europe that I have yet to visit.

So I am pleased to announce that my first trip of 2013 will be to Vienna and Budapest. I visited Vienna in 2011 but I was laid low by food poisoning which meant that I did not get to see much of the city. Better luck this time I hope. On my travels in September I was given so many good reports about Budapest. If I had planned that trip better I could have included Budapest in the itinerary. However, I am looking forward to seeing what the city offers.

Now I hit the procrastinator stage of my planning. I am not sure what other trips I am going to plan for. Initially I was going to plump for a trip in June and one in September like this year. However, I am thinking more about a longer trip of over three weeks in September. This will all depend on whether I can get that amount of time away from work. If I do then I am looking to complete a circle of the Balkans starting and finishing in Zagreb. If not, then it will be back to the drawing board.

By publishing my plans it commits me to carry them out. I will also ensure that I will travel to London and other cities in the UK and report back to you.

Until the next post, stay safe, stay healthy and keep smiling.

Steve

October 12, 2012

Prague & Bratislava – Day 7, 16/09/2012

More than half way through my trip and I am off to Bratislava. This is the first time that I have travelled between countries on my travels. It all adds to the adventure.

Maybe I spent too long in Prague but now I feel ready to move on. The whole process of boarding the coach was painless enough. No need to check-in, showed my ticket to the driver. Also got a free bottle of water for the trip. I have never been treated like that before.

I arrived in Bratislava at around 5pm. What a culture shock compared to Prague. It was like chalk and cheese. Trolley buses were running past the bus station. It was as though I had been transported back to old communist Czechoslovakia.

It was a short trolleybus ride to the hostel. Again the comparison was chalk to cheese. Hostel Blues is a proper hostel with a kitchen, bar and chill out zone. More importantly it in the middle of the city. So after finding my bed I decided to go out for a walk. To be honest my time in Prague had caught up with me and I did not want to go far. So after a quick bite to eat and a drink I called it an early night.

October 10, 2012

Lennon Wall – Prague

One of the most unusual sites in Prague is the Lennon Wall. It is home to graffiti inspired and dedicated to John Lennon. As yesterday would have been the former Beatle 72nd birthday it seems appropriate to write about the wall.

During the 1980’s the wall was used to protest against the communist regime. Today it is seen to represent peace and love. The ideals that we should all live by. When I visited the wall last month I found the whole experience to be emotional and I found myself overwhelmed with the tears flowing down my face.

Here are a few of the wall’s images:

As the great man sang “All you need is love.” Until the next post, stay safe, stay healthy and keep smiling.

Steve

October 9, 2012

Prague & Bratislava – Day 6, 15/09/2012

Today certainly felt like after the Lord Mayor’s show. Everybody had left so I felt a little melancholic. I also felt dirty so it was time to a spot of laundry. That was the morning sorted.

I had not made any plans for the day so I decided that it would be best if I just wandered around the city. It took me to areas of Prague that were off the beaten track. This is something I enjoy doing a lot. You get to see how the city really breathes away from the tourist hub.

After lunch at the Pause Cafe I ventured back towards the centre of Prague. The Old Town Square is a good place to sit and observe the world passing by. Prague is not just about the tourists but also the street entertainers trying to attract the crowds too. Being a Saturday everything seemed so lively.

I made my way back to the hostel as I was meeting a couple of Australians to watch the Sunderland v Liverpool game on the TV. Upon my arrival I was greeted with a request to move dorms. The hostel had a party of four who would be split up unless I agreed to move to another room. I said that it would not be a problem and as a gesture of goodwill I was given a voucher for free breakfast for tomorrow.

That last night in Prague was good. So chilled out, though I may have drunk too much but it is a lesson to learn for the future as I may have gone over budget. Tomorrow, next stop Bratislava.

Until the next post, stay safe, stay healthy and keep smiling.

Steve

October 8, 2012October 8, 2012

Prague & Bratislava – Day 5, 14/09/2012

For a lot of people in the hostel today was their final day in Prague. The plan was to explore the area around Prague Castle. This seemed a good idea at the time. So a couple of us decided to head to the Old Town Square. The weather was good so we checked out what was going on. There were plenty of wedding parties. Of course the brides looked beautiful. There was a dixieland jazz band playing in the background. Plenty of people were soaking in the atmosphere. Some even brought the CD. I am not sure it would sound the same back home.

Dixieland Jazz Band in The Old Town Square

Eventually, we climbed the Astronomical Clock Tower. Once at the top space was tight due to the amount of people there. However, it did offer excellent views of the Prague skyline.

We decided that we need to head up to the castle. So after crossing Charles Bridge and having something to eat we caught a tram up to the top of the castle hill. We did not plan to go inside but just potter around. We saw the absinthe shop and it was selling ice cream flavoured with the drink. One of us could not resist. I tried some, it tasted foul but then again I do not like the taste of aniseed. So I started to drink beer instead. Drinking in the castle grounds did not seem right with the tourists milling around but I felt relaxed about it.

Slowly we made our way back to the city centre and I eat the sloppiest burger that I had ever tasted. At the hostel it was decided as it was the last night for the majority of us we should go out and celebrate. Always keen to follow I went to my dorm, got showered and changed. We made our way to the nearest club. I am surprised how relaxed clubs are in mainland Europe are about letting people in. I was wearing a shirt, jeans and trainers and the doormen were happy to let me in.

While relaxing with a beer you could see panic behind the bar. The Czech government had during the day banned the sale of alcohol over 20% proof due to recent cases of people dying from drinking contaminated booze. So it was beer all night, no hardship.

The atmosphere turned ugly when a group of locals decided to move around us. I had my arse slapped then another person started dancing in front of one of the girls. Her boyfriend naturally to exception to this and made his feelings known. He was ignored and a fight broke out which was a shame. Still it did not stop our fun and we continued to drink and dance. I am better at drinking than dancing. At the end of the night we said our goodbyes and wished one another safe travels.

Until the next post, stay safe, stay healthy and keep smiling.

Steve

October 4, 2012

Photo of the Week – Monument outside Devin Castle

This week photo is a monument commemorating those people who were executed by the Communists in Slovakia during their rule from 1948-1989. The monument describes it as during the period of Communist terror.

On the inside there is the names of the executed. They were all shot by firing squad. This is represented by the bullet holes that are all over the monument. It is strangely mesmerizing and make you think about the sacrifice people made for freedom.

Until the next post, stay safe, stay healthy and keep smiling.

Steve

October 3, 2012

Prague & Bratislava – Day 4, 13/09/2012

I should have not got out of bed so early this morning to make breakfast. Should have stayed in bed instead. I would have recovered from the previous evening’s excesses. Instead, I attempted to go for a walk Had to turn back as I was not in a fit state. After a further couple of hours sleep I was ready to take on the world again.

I thought that I would make my way to Charles Bridge. It was early afternoon and it was packed. Too packed with tourists. I was told that September would be a quiet month. Glad I was not there in the height of summer. I crossed the bridge and then decided to turn straight back and return to the hostel through Prague city centre. I ended up taking the route of yesterday’s walking tour though I was not aware of this at the time. The brain was not functioning properly at the time.

Back at the hostel for a quiet night, except it would not turn out this way. Met up with the gang from the pub crawl. There was a Man vs Food type challenge. Who could eat the hottest chicken wings and spare ribs. I could feel the heat from here. It was a good job that I did not join in.

Until the next post, stay safe, stay healthy and keep smiling.

Steve

September 29, 2012September 29, 2012

Prague & Bratislava – Day 3, 12/09/2012

After a good breakfast I ready to undertake the free walking tour the hostel offers. The weather did not look too good and I had not brought a waterproof coat with me. Another item for the Christmas wish list. Still rain is only water. So we set out on the tour. The guide Javier was really knowledgeable. He had come over from Spain because there were no jobs for him back home.

The tour took in the historical centre of Prague including the Jewish Quarter but did not cross over to the castle.

As the tour carried on it was clear that the rain was not going to stop. Only one thing to and that was to purchase an umbrella from the nearest store. For 500kr it will have to do though I suspect that I would be lucky if it lasts until the end of the day. During the tour I got talking to a few people and seemed to be getting on well with them. We saw the Astronomical Clock strike midday. Javier said it was considered to be overrated. Like all great sites there were a lot of people waiting to witness the spectacle.

Rain I can handle but it was the cold wind that I was struggling with. I just wanted to go somewhere that was warm. Javier recommended a traditional restaurant to go and eat. My pork in fruit sauce and dumplings certainly hit the spot and went down very well along with the glass of beer too. I noticed that beer is cheaper than soft drinks. Oh my liver.

Some of the group decided that they were going on the pub crawl in the evening. My initial reaction was not was not to go saying that I would do it tomorrow instead. I made my way back to the hostel with an American lady from the tour. The problem was that neither of us were sure where we were going. I think it was more by luck than judgment that we found our way back to the hostel.

I spent the rest of the afternoon mulling over the question of attending the pub crawl. In the end I thought why not, I might as well enjoy myself while in Prague. Did I enjoy myself? Well I ended up in the tallest nightclub in Europe and did not arrive back to the hostel until 3:30 am. Trying to be clever I thought that I would not wake the dorm only to walk into the bunk bed. Happy days.

Until the next post, stay safe, stay healthy and keep smiling.

Steve

September 27, 2012September 27, 2012

Photo of the Week – John Lennon

This week’s photo comes from Prague. It is of John Lennon from the Lennon Wall.

This was one of the most moving sights I witnessed while in Prague and I felt emotional looking at the image. 2012 sees the 50th anniversary of the release of The Beatles first single ‘Love Me Do’. John Lennon’s cultural importance was recently recognized when the British music magazine ‘The New Musical Express’ named Lennon as the ultimate icon of the past 60 years. Need I say anymore.

Until the next post, stay safe, stay healthy and keep smiling.

Steve

September 26, 2012

Trip to Prague & Bratislava – Day 2, 11/09/2012

Not too much sleep as the man sitting next to me kept on rolling into my seat. Also I could not get too comfortable. A travel pillow is going to be in my Christmas list. Nothing else of real note happened until my arrival in Prague.

As soon as I got of the coach the warm weather hit me. This is a sign of it being a good trip. Once I negotiated the metro I arrived at my hostel, St. Christopher’s at Mosaic House. Upon checking in at reception there was a scare. Even though the girl behind the counter commented on how she liked my surname she could not find my booking. A moment of worry began to creep in my mind. Eventually it was found and I made my way to my dorm. I could not believe it. I thought I had booked into the Ritz by mistake. This is by far the most luxurious hostel I have booked into. Check out the photo of the bathroom.

I am certain that I am going to like Prague. However, I knew that after yesterday that I needed a good sleep so I decided to put my head down for a couple of hours.

I was awoken by the sound of my dorm mate coming into the room. After introducing ourselves he mentioned that he was from Marseille. To my surprise the next thing he said totally threw me. “Joey Barton” for he had just joined Olympique Marseille. Funny how football brings people together.

Talking of football the hostel was showing various World Cup qualifiers including England v Ukraine. England were lucky to scrape a draw. After a summer of sporting excellence it does not take it much for football to bring it back down to earth.

Until the next post, stay safe, stay healthy and keep smiling.

Steve