Europe – SteveWhittythoughts1965

November 24, 2013November 24, 2013

Balkans Day 6, 13 September – Oh Sunny Day

I woke up this morning with my head feeling fuzzy. It was not an hangover but I had felt better. Also my tongue felt like it was itching. I wondered what I was going to do with myself for the day. With the hostel being underground it was hard to say what the weather was like. I needed not to worry as the weather was hot and sunny.

Breakfast was a pastry from the local bakery. It went down well as I made my way towards the old town. Neno the hostel owner told me that there were two things I should try while I was in Dubrovnik. Firstly, tour the city walls and then ride the cable car. Today I decided to try the city walls. I was not disappointed. Dubrovnik old town is beautiful. My finger never left the camera shutter button. At 90kn the tour lasted two hours. Also I walked the city walls early in the morning and I managed to avoid the cruise ship crowds.

For those of you who are looking to visit Dubrovnik my advise to you is to avoid the old town between the hours of 12-4pm. You cannot move for the cruise ship crowd. They were like sheep being herded by the dogs (tour guides). One aspect of Dubrovnik that disappointed me was the lack of signs for places of interest. There were plenty for the restaurants. My remedy to avoid the crowds was laundry. It was long overdue.

The laundrette was self service to the point that nobody was there. I seemed to be doing alright until I leant back and broke the chair. Oops, I hope there were no cameras to witness this.

Once back at the hostel I was not sure what to do. Eating out was not an option as it would put a dent into my budget. So homemade sandwiches it was with potato chips and fruit. It filled me up for the evening. I met a guy from Yorkshire, England who had just arrived from Mostar. He told me that I would love it. This was giving me something to look forward to. Kelly, a girl from Belguim suggested that we should go out for the evening and get some ice cream. It sounded a good idea to me. There is always room for ice cream even late in the evening. This was also a chance to console a Canadian girl who had just arrived into Dubrovnik. Sadly, her luggage had not, the worst fear for any traveller.

I felt that this was the best time to visit the old time. It was September and the season was starting to wind down. We were sitting on the steps of the cathedral enjoying our ice cream. We noticed a couple of guys taking photos. They had the full equipment including tripods. The wives/partners were with them and they looked fed up while their other halves were trying to shoot the perfect shot. I suppose it is better than using a iPad as a camera. That would lead me to a different subject altogether.

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

Steve

Posted with Blogsy

October 17, 2013October 17, 2013

Photo of the Week – Statue of Gregory of Nin

This week's photo is the statue of Gregory of Nin.

This statue is located in Split. It was designed and sculptured by Ivan Mestrovic. Gregory of Nin was a 10th century bishop who introduced the local language into church services replacing Latin. This move was opposed by the Pope. However, by introducing the Croatian language into the services Gregory helped to strengthen Christianity in Croatia.

The statue itself is popular with tourists. Rubbing the toe of the statue is supposed to bring you good luck.

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

Steve

Posted with Blogsy

October 10, 2013October 10, 2013

Photo of the Week – View of Split

This weeks photo is the view of Split taken from the bell tower.

This photo shows plenty of the old town. You can also see the mountains in the background. The photo was taken on the first day of my recent trip. This was to set the sense for all the trip.

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

Steve

Posted with Blogsy

October 7, 2013October 7, 2013

I’m Back

I have been back from my Balkans trip for a few days. This has given me time to reflect on the effect it has had on me. My colleagues at work have all noticed that I could not wipe the smile off my face. It was down to having the greatest of times while travelling.

I was grateful to work for allowing me to take three weeks off in the first place. This allowed me for the first time to plan a multi-destination trip. I had always wanted to visit the old Yugoslavia.

The trip itself went better than I had expected. From day 1 I met some great people who took me for what I was. Indeed, there were some people who admired me for travelling solo at my age. During the whole trip I felt alive and stress free. It is definitely something I want to do more. It was the best of times. The only problem I encountered was financial. This is one of the things I can learn from for future travels.

How do I feel now the trip is over? Surprisingly better than I thought. Last year when I returned from Prague and Bratislava I found myself bursting into tears. Now, I feel different. Maybe it is because I am a more experienced travellers. Also I felt a sense of achievement with my latest trip. It is said if you can survive a three week journey then the next step will be to undertake a longer trip. My dream is to take a long time away from work and go on a trip lasting six months or longer.

I am feeling more confident. Solo travel gives you that feeling as you have to think a lot on your feet. Meeting new people is something I feel difficult at home, yet this is not problem when travelling. After all we have something in common. Travel is the glue that binds us together. I like to feel that I have gained a level of respect from my work colleagues. They cannot stop talking to me about my trip.

What have I learnt for my next trip? The main lesson will be to be more flexible with my itinerary. I will have a starting and finishing location. This will give me the freedom to plan my destinations. Also I lave learnt not to be in one place for too long. I averaged three nights in each location. In hind site it could have been two and I could have seen more. Allow time to write my journal, update the blog and catch up on my emails. I had been lazy so I am catching up with myself.

To finish I would like to thank everybody who I have met during the trip. It has made my time more special. I wish you all safe travels.

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

Steve

Posted with Blogsy

May 14, 2013

Free Walking Tours – Budapest

After arriving in Budapest I was at a loss on deciding what to do on my first full day. I noticed that there was a flyer for 'Free Walking Tours.' Always taking advantage of anything that is free I looked to find my way to the meeting point at Vorosmarty Square. It seem at one point I would be the only person there. However, before 10:30 a lot more people turned up.

The tour was due to last 2.5 hours. The first 30 minutes seemed wrapped up in telling the history of Hungary. Fascinating it is but my bum was starting to feel numb sitting on the steps. Eventually we set off and soon we were bombarded with the sights and stories attached to them.

The tour itself took in the highlights of Buda and Pest. Crossing the Danube and making our way up Castle Hill. The guide was excellent telling stories as we made our way. A lot of these stories were funny and made the walk go a lot quicker. The tour ended up finishing past the Castle in Buda. We were more than happy to tip the guide. She recommend a fine restaurant to have lunch.

Free Walking Tours in Budapest offer four tours. The original morning walking tour, the afternoon tour, the Communism walk and the Jewish walk. All are free with just a tip to be paid out to the guide. It is part of the United Europe Free Tours Group. They also operate free walking tours in Berlin, Prague, Bratislava, Sofia, Ljubljana, Kiev and Bucharest.

As a solo traveller I enjoy walking tours. It is a great way of meeting fellow travellers and also a great way of familiarising yourself with a new city.

Free Budapest Walking Tours Team – http://www.triptobudapest.hu

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

Steve

Posted with Blogsy

April 21, 2013April 21, 2013

The Next Trip – September 2013

You may have read in a earlier post that I had planned to visit the Balkans in September 2013. After much planning I am pleased to share my schedule with you.

Balkans 2013

Split 9 – 11 September

Dubrovnik 12 – 14 September

Mostar 15 – 16 September

Sarajevo 17 – 19 September

Belgrade 20 – 22 September

Ljubljana 23 – 25 September

Zagreb 26 – 28 September

There were plenty of places I wanted to visit. However, I did not want to get into the situation where I am forever on a train or coach. It was quality time I wanted to spend in these places.

I am looking forward to the trip and will be counting down the days until departure.

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

Steve

Posted with Blogsy

March 7, 2013March 7, 2013

Photo of the Week – Model of Stephansdom

This week's photo is a model of Stephansdom (St. Stephen's Cathedral)

It is located outside the cathedral. It gives the visitor an idea of the cathedral while work is being carried out to clean the main building. It is also way of saying that I have arrived safely in Vienna after a long journey. I look forward to posting more about Vienna.

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

Steve

Posted with Blogsy

February 15, 2013

Photo of the Week – Venus de Milo

This week’s photo is of the Venus de Milo which is displayed at the Louvre in Paris.

You can see that it is a popular attraction. I have recently rediscovered a lot of photos from my trip to Paris taken in 2005. Hopefully I will be sharing more with you.

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

Steve

December 8, 2012

Travel Plans 2013

Since I returned Prague in September I have been giving a lot thought to my travel plans for 2013. Sadly I am not in a position where travelling on a full-time basis is an option. It is a case of balancing travel with work. Also because of finances I have decided to stick to Europe next year. Do not worry the rest of the world, your time will come.

I may have already mentioned in a previous post that my first trip will be to Vienna and Budapest in March, In total it will last twelve days including the travel time. I will be using Eurolines coach service from London. The reasons for choosing these cities were clear. I was in Vienna in 2011 but was confined to my dorm with food poisoning so I missed out on the delights of the city. Second time lucky I hope.

I felt on my last trip to Prague and Bratislava that I could have planned the trip better and allowed time to visit Budapest. I am particularly looking forward to visit as I had heard good things about the city.

My second trip I am really excited about. I had mentioned that I was looking to do a loop of the Balkans. The only thing that could hold me back would be the amount of time work would allow me to take off. On Tuesday I was given the good news that I could take three weeks off work. Now I can start planning for the Balkans in September. All I know at this moment is that the tour will start and finish in Zagreb. Which direction I take will be down to logistics. I am looking to take in the major cities in Serbia, Kosovo, Albania, FYR Macedonia, Montenegro, Bosnia Herzegovina and Croatia.

Also 2013 will see me travelling more in the UK. Also I will be looking at the feasibility of planning a big trip where I would need to take a prolonged break from work. This has always been a dream of mine. At the least I should explore this. With my plans looking clearer I cannot wait for 2013.

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

Steve

December 3, 2012December 3, 2012

Bratislava – A Reflection

After Prague I thought that things would not get any better. Therefore I was totally and pleasantly surprised what I found in Bratislava. The city itself displays plenty of history yet it is small enough to be able to be explored by foot.

Initially when I arrived into Bratislava I was left feeling disappointed. It was Sunday afternoon and when I stepped out of the bus station it was though I was transported back to the 1970s and communism. The trolley bus looked rickety and dated. Having said that it did take me to the stop nearest the hostel.

After being advised by the hostel to take the free walking tour it was then I discovered the delights of Bratislava. There is a lot of history in Bratislava but there is also a lot to see that made me smile. The city does not take itself too seriously. Bratislava was a major city of the Austro-Hungarian empire. At one point the Emperors were crowned in St. Martin’s Cathedral. A lot of the old city was demolished during the 1970’s to allow for a flyover. One could only think how much more beautiful the city would look.

There are a lot of colours with Bratislava whether it is the bright blue of the St. Elisabeth’s Church or the greens and yellows. This is something that town planners in the UK should consider. A splash of colour is a great way of brightening a place. I suspect that it would not cost too much either.

It is also a city that does not take itself too seriously. There are indicators of this with some of the statues you find dotted around the city centre.

Being so compact Bratislava offers the cafe culture that I loved. Plenty of bars, cafe’s and coffee shops to enjoy. It allows you to watch the world pass by. It has that kind of vibe.

This is an ideal city for a long weekend. Spend the first day exploring the city centre. The next day I would go and see the spectacular ruins of Devin Castle. Spend the afternoon cycling in the surrounding countryside that hugs the Danube river. It is only a thirty minute bus ride from Bratislava.

My five must see attractions in Bratislava are:-

Bratislava Castle
Devin Castle
St. Michael’s Cathedral
St. Elisabeth’s Church
Slavin War Memorial

I would also include a trip to Shtoor Home Made Cafe. A perfect place for good coffee, sandwiches and excellent cake. What more can a man want from life.

To sum up Bratislava I would say that it is one of Europe’s secrets. How long it will stay like this I would not like to say. Whatever happens it will always have a small city feel that I love. I cannot wait to go back.

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

Steve