Walk – SteveWhittythoughts1965

January 7, 2014January 7, 2014

Day 11, 18 September – Everything Comes Together

This morning the weather looked more promising, time to explore Sarajevo properly. After a good breakfast in the hostel I made my way towards the historic centre.

My first stop was the Gallery 11/07/95. It is dedicated to Sebrenica massacre. I found this to me moving. The gallery tells the story of the events leading up to the massacre and why it happened. Watching the film I ended up feeling ashamed that the Western powers did not do more to stop this. It was clear what the Serbs wanted to do. Mladic even said that the Muslims were going to pay. The most heartbeaking moment was the scene where a woman was told that they were 99.994% sure they had found her husband's remains. A Japanese girl who was also watching just broke down in tears.

Moving on to the Gazi Husrev-beg Mosque I needed to reflect on what I had seen. I could do with cheering up. At this point I bumped into Timo and Ahmed who I had met in Mostar. Ahmed is a bit of a legend as he had jumped the bridge in Mostar. He mentioned that others from the hostel had made their way to Sarajevo. Feeling somewhat better I decided to explore the city further by walking round in a circuit. I was not paying too much attention on where I was going. I was just happy to be ambling around.

Yesterday the bad weather had prevented me from joining the free walking tour. As the weather was better I thought I'd best check it out. As usual I was there too early but I did not mind. While waiting I saw a couple of familar looking figures. It was the German couple from Mostar. They introduced me to Ryan from Northern Ireland. While waiting more familar faces appeared. These were the girls from Ireland. We caught up with each other while we were on the tour. One of the girls had received some good about passing her law exams. So a night out was agreed.

Back at the hostel I bumped into another person I met in Mostar. She was from Korea. Today was getting better. While waiting to leave the hostel we starting talking to a couple of guys from France. We were getting on well and they started to share the red wine with us. It went down well so we asked them to join us on the night out and they accepted.

We all met up at the girl's hostel. It had a bar which we could use. Sadly, it had ran out of beer so we ended up drinking white wine and rakia. I am sure that this is not going to do me any good at all.

We made our way to the Hacienda Bar where we met up with Timo and Ahmed. It was too crowded so we went to the Blues Bar. This was more like it. Live music and a great atmosphere, what more could a man ask for in life? Drank too much and after a bite to eat staggered back to the hostel.

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

Steve

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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

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May 25, 2013

Széchenji Chain Bridge – Budapest

Of the bridges that link Buda with Pest across the Danube, the best known is the Széchenji Chain Bridge. It was opened in 1849. The name comes from the major sponsor of the bridge István Széchenji.

There is a British connection to the bridge. It was designed by William Tierney Clark and the construction was supervised by Adam Clark.

P1000820 — Statue of Lions on the Bridge

This is the bridge to cross if you want to make your way to Castle Hill over in Buda. I think this is a beautiful construction that highlights Budapest in its glory days of the Austro-Hungarian Empire.

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

Steve

May 16, 2013

Photo of the Week – Lunch in Budapest

There is nothing better to do after a walking tour than eat some good food in a local restaurant. This was certainly the case in Budapest.

Like the idiot I am I have forgotten the name of the restaurant. All I can tell you is that it is on the top of Castle Hill in Buda. The meal itself was delicious. It consisted of pork, potatoes and red cabbage and washed down with a bottle of the local brew. Even better it was spent with good company with some of the people from the walk.

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

Steve

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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

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May 12, 2013

Vienna – A Reflection

I am pleased to admit that my second visit to Vienna was more successful than my previous one. At least I avoided getting food poisoning and I also managed to get to see more of the city.

Vienna as a city has always held a fascination for me. I love history and art. The reason for my first visit was to see the ‘Madonna del Prato’ by Raphael. Sure enough I managed to get off my sick-bed to get to the Kunsthistorisches Museum. However, I left Vienna I felt that there was some unfinished business.

During the four days I spent in Vienna I managed to get to see the following:

St. Stephen's Cathedral — St. Stephen’s Cathedral

I felt that I managed to experience a lot more of what Vienna has to offer. Yet there was still more that I wanted to see.

Overall, I loved my time in Vienna with its history, sights and smells. It is a city while a capital city still felt small enough to explore by foot and getting yourself lost. To experience an authentic Viennese coffee shop was a joy or experiencing the busker playing the cello outside the Hofburg on a cold Saturday night. These are the memories that never go away.

Yes, Vienna can be expensive but with careful planning there are bargains out there. Sometimes the best experiences are free. Would I visit again? The simple answer is yes. If Vienna is good enough for me then it will be good enough for you.

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

Steve

May 4, 2013

Schönbrunn Palace – Vienna

The Schönbrunn Palace is one of the most visited attractions in Vienna. In 2011 it attracted over 2½ million visitors. Schönbrunn literally means ‘beautiful spring’. The palace was the summer residence of the Habsburgs.

My visit took place in March but I could why it is so popular. There were plenty of visitors from all around the world. Visiting on a Sunday meant it felt full and there was some queuing involved. A visit to the Schönbrunn consists of two areas. The palace itself and the gardens.

When touring the palace be aware that you may be hearing the information through the audio guide as you heard in the Imperial Apartments at the Hofburg. Also you are unable to take any photographs. In fact you are not allowed to take any bags into the palace. The tour itself was fascinating and there were some interesting exhibits. However, I felt it do not last too long and was value for money.

My mood changed when I went into the gardens. This is the real attraction of the Schönbrunn. Despite it being March and weather was a little chilly the gardens looked magnificent. I must have spent at least three exploring. There were paths leading off to the zoo and woods. When you climb the hill towards the Gloriette you are treated to splendid views. I found myself taking plenty of photographs.

I made my way up to the Gloriette. Maybe it is just me but I was disappointed to see it used as a cafe.

Overall, I enjoyed my visit to the Schönbrunn Palace, especially the gardens. Sure they would look better in the summer but I feel that it could be too crowded to enjoy. I was glad that I visited in March.

Schönbrunn Palace, Schönbrunner Schloßstraße 47, 1130 Vienna

http://www.schoenbrunn.at/en

Nearest U-bahn station – Schönnbrunn

Classic Pass Plus €21.50 (€19.70 with Vienna Card)

Classic Pass €18.50 (€16.70 with Vienna Card)

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

Steve

April 28, 2013

Zentralfriedhof – Vienna

I know it is an unusual place to visit but I find cemeteries fascinating places to visit because they are full of history. Zentralfriedhof (Central Cemetery) falls into that category.

Opened in 1874 the cemetery became unique in Vienna as one of the first multi-faith. This was very controversial at the time in a very catholic country. It is now one of the largest cemeteries in Europe. It has become renowned as the final resting place for the following people:

There is also a memorial to this composer who was buried in a umarked grave.

What I found touching were the simple family monuments that had been looked after over the years.

If you are still wandering whether you should visit the Zentralfriedhof may I remind you one of the reasons why cemeteries were established. They were the original green spaces where people could escape from the city. In that respect it does the job as you can escape with no problem. The quietness and stillness really contrasts with the bustle of Vienna city centre. It made me think of my own mortality and remember the people who I have lost in my life. It also serves as a reminder that life is short and we should make the most of it.