30.7.05

Hey there.... 195 and I were in Brussels, Belgium! :)  The internet were more expensive in Euro countries so we barely got time to do the internetcafe hunt for a good deal.. hope to do blogs before going to IRELAND! Yay! :)

--
~Rachy

28.7.05

Slowly, but surely

I was slowly trying to catch up on blog train! I was still forever hanging on the rail out in the back at the end of train to in effort to keep up with the blogs!

July 22
Got up with castles on our minds, caught a train trip down to FÜSSEN, the charming little town admist greenish meadows and farms with blue/green lake, where Neuschwanstein castle perched atop its rocky spot up in the mountain...sounding very unrealstic and something out of storybook, eh? It actually does look that way, it was no wonder why King Ludwig II had it built there :)
We planned on seeing those famous fairy tale castles built by King Ludwig II and then, visit some medival towns among "Romantic Road". This term actually meant those fairy tale castles and towns that were left in its medival period, hence considered romantic to most of the visitors. We took two hours train up to Neuschwanstein castle and its neighbor castle for couples of hour and walked on its bridge high up across the gorge of appealing waterfalls where you can dip in its ponds at end of falling water (wish I gotten the chance and time to do that!) Then took another train trip toward Rothenburg, the medival town.. truly medival town except for its 1/4 of recreation in which it was destroyed in WWII bombing. Finally, took the overnight train from Wurzburg which was also one of Romantic Road spots but it was nighttime already so we headed on to Berlin, Germany.

July 21
Enjoyed the most of Munich, making reservation for hostel in the next city, Berlin and set the plan for the next day to see the castels among the Romantic Road (series of city between Munich to Frankurt. One of highlights of interesting Munich that its park had interesting parts to it for one part of its creek had an unique wave where you can actually surf there. It also had a nudist meadow where there were actually naked people there instead just being mentioned in the tour phamlet but no where to be seen, of course, we walk pretty quickly thru it to get to another side of park :P

26.7.05

München-Berlin, Germany

July 20

195 and I arrived at the Jager's Hostel in München, bleary eyed near 7am in which the guy at reception exclaimed taht we were early! In the turn, the rooms were still full from the last night and we had to wait untip 2pm to take the claim on our precious bed spots. It left us to leaving our backpacks in lockers provided by hostel and ate all-you-can-eat breakfast buffet from 7am to 10am. We certainly took our time with the breakfast, helping ourselves much as we could and checking the spots, circling them, on the map of what to see until 2pm. Around 10am, we proceed to explore the München, checking out St. Michael church where King Ludwig II and his brother Otto were buried at. King Ludwig II was very well known for his fairy tale castles, one of them was Neuschwanstein castle that was frequently seen in tourist phamlet, caledar, 3-d puzzles and more all over the world. Then zoomed back to the Marzienplatz where the Glockenspiel clock was built at townhall in the celebration/gift for the wedding of Hofbräuhaus at 11am to watch the statues play and go around...the travel book warned that pickpockets practically had a field-day picking tourists' pockets while they gazed upward to the Glockenspiel clock (it didnt happen to us as we had almost nothing on us except the paper map that was worthless to them, grinz)

Ah! Time already ran out for me.... sigh... to be paused until then :(

For those who took time to send/post comments on blog... Thanks! It sure ensured that the homeland was still there and you guys were still existing :) Keep up, would love to hear a tid bit peep from you guys, smiles.

23.7.05

July 18-19

After the tumble, we stopped at places we wanted for some stuffs then made a headway to hostel, grabbing our backpacks while zooming over to the train station to head down and left of this country which was Ceskey Krumlov, Czech Republic. It was a charming medival town that got stuck in its time. It used to be a hometown of large generation of noble families but they later lose the interest and moved off to more attractive city...later the industry period came but this town lacks of natural resources or any major railway. Hence, it got left behind in its medival period without any modernization. 195 and I stayed there for one night and viewed the luxury castle and walk through the medival town and found yet another vegetarian restaurant with some bavarian menu choices. Then got down to the train for Munich, Germany but found out that they accepted only cash and we didnt have much left so 195 had to run all way back to center of medival town for atm machine (whilse it would made more sense if the medival town didnt have it but the outside part of it would!!!) Anyway, we finally got the ticket and made our way up to Munch, Germany on another overnight trip on train.

***currently in Munich, soon to be heading to Berlin tomorrow (23 July)***

21.7.05

Now in Munich (München), Germany, adding parts on Prague,Czech

July 18

After packing up and leaving our backpacks in the luggage room at the hostel so that we could go up the Perin Tower and stop at two stores that we wanted to check out for our stuffs for it was closed on the day before. After climbing up the trail to the top of hill where the Perin Tower stood. It was a simple tower that in somewhat looked like the Effiel Tower in Paris, France or the Spaceneedle in Seattle, Washington state. It did have elevator (very small, only for one handicapped person to fit in) while rest of us who were healthy climbed the spiral staircase that go around the evelator tube. The view was indeeded worthwhile and we could see in the all direction of Prague and the land itself was a relaxing rolling hills, almost flat. There was a house of mirriors nearby so we went into it for heck of it and laughed at some ridculaous reflections of ourselves. Took a short cut through the park down on little dirt and grassy part of park where people vetured off the paths. It was bit steep and I went down bit too fast as I didnt want to walk down tenatively.. but in the turn, my body went too fast for my legs to keep up and I knew the turnout would be worse so I took a roll/tumble and stratched up my left leg and ankle, it sure hurt alot but I was allright with all of my limbs still attached! :)

As of July 17

Had a late breakfast for they served it an hour later on sundays...went out to enjoy the last day in Prague after pack up our backpacks and left it the luggage room of the hostel. 195 and I wanted to check out two or three places to buy some things of the Czech. We stopped at Jagr's restaurant for a drink and light snack for the place was owned by very well-known hockey player, Jaromiar Jágr, which was unkownst to me beside the Domik Hasek who was also from Czech and was best hockey goalie (his name was forever etched in my memory files for my high school classmate, Ryan, was crazy about him and would talk alot about him, heh...at which, I was sure he would be green with envy that I got to see the place that his favorite hockey goalie was from)
Afterward, we stopped at internet cafe (got to made the best use of the countries', which was not part of Euro, cheap prices) , updated much of our blogs and other small errands, got in touch with some people, then left to check one restaurant out that supposely to have some good vegetarian selection. When we arrived there, it didnt look like they have much for us to choose so we decided to head to next street where there was also another restaurant that have good selections as well. The restaurant was called BarBar, very laid back and artsy atmosphere with local artists' works being displayed on the walls. They sure did have resonably selection of vegetarian which was really good even through their prices was bit higher than the one we went to on other two nights. After the dinner, we mulled over whether we want to go to palace that have city view or walk up the park that had Perin Tower that gave you excellent view of city but at that time of evening, it was already closed. It was decided that Perin Tower would be climbed on the next day so we went for a stroll back to our hostel.

Missed part of July 16

I forgot to added that after leaving the Miss Deaf World, we stopped at one local bar called U Sudu that had series of catacomb rooms, where you go down the stairs toward basement, you would enter one room tables and bar..but there was yet another enterance into another room..hence when you enter that one.. you would see another one off in the corner or so. The barman was friendly and quite animated, it was entertaining time.. we stayed there for a simple drinks them headed back to hostel for the night.

17.7.05

Remaining part

July 16
1
95's birthday was TODAY, 25----->26 (no longer considered a youth adult by Europeans standard for discounts) sorry, honey. We slept in bit late on courtesy of 195's b-day and headed out to the internet cafe the first thing of the day to find out what was the plan with Magda for the evening as she said there were a deaf event in which we didn't know exactly what it was yet. After a good amount of time to do our stuffs on the internet, went out on a stroll toward more outer part of Prague to check out the market. It was ugly and pretty much poor part of Prague with some bums' homes scattered on bank of the river, the market was already closed in the early afternoon. Ah well, time to head back over to grand side of Prague and settled on eating at same restaurant instead of stopping at our hostel for the time was running out before the meeting time with Magda at the metro. We got to the stop of the metro that Magda told us to meet at bit late, thankfully, Magda was a patient gal. We met some other deaf people and got on bus (grinning at spite of ourselves for the bus was full of them with some isolated hearing person) We arrived at a hotel, in which, we finally discovered that the event was actually a Miss Deaf World pageant. Sadly, the whole program was run by hearing people down to every bit parts of it excluding the deaf contests (I hadn't seen them signed either!) Magda explained that her organization that was formed 5 years ago to fight for more of deaf rights had tried to get them to change some things such as TV screen to show big picture of interpreter and hearing spokeperson in small box instead the other way around that they had always done in the past. None of her organization's requests had been taken into action by those hearing people but Magda still hope that one day some differences would finally got through.

July 15
Ah Prague, Czech Republic! Yes, 7:30am was early but plentiful of people were already up as well. With our bleary eyes and backpacks as usual, 195 and I went to find a cafe and internet to have some breakfast and check on the email to see if 195 got anything from a gal, Magda that lived there, on where and time would we be meeting up. Flabbergasted, there were none cafe opened but McDonalds was! So we ate there but outside under one of tables w/umbrella (hoping no one would bust us eating at McDonalds) with much of grumbling but our stomachs were happy to have something to fill up. The internet cafe nearby opened at 9am, after even bit longer of sitting at McDonalds, 195 was able to check the email in which we now know that we would be meeting Magda in the afternoon in the same area that we were in. After looking up the hostels, we found one that was located right on an island in middle of Prague's river, Vltava. So we zoomed over there, hoping that it was not already filled up (no, not water but the travelers like us) and to our luck, there were a room for us in the dorm which actually was in a gym, interesting place (Travellers Hostel)! The day was still at beginning so 195 and I lounged out on one of benches scattered around the park around the hostel for an hour and went back into city, meeting up with Magda. She in the turn took us on a tour, went into Old Town first, saw its square and a church that had a beautiful clock in which the poor maker had his eyes took out just because the city leaders didn't want him to make any more for other places (very selfish of them). Alongside the way, we went over the Charles bridge, very old and was one of King Charles' projects. On the other side of river, we saw the Kings Garden and the Prague castle where before leaving its gate, we get to watch the change of guards, which was quite young between 16 to 20, I would say. One of them barely suppressed a smirk. We parted with Magda and went a down to earth restaurant and hit the sacks shortly after the dinner.


Remaining part of July 14
In our vain to find the way to Auschwitz Holocaust camp, the another local pointed us the exactly same direction that the woman at train station did. So we headed down with our backpacks on our back, enjoying the sweat creating creeks down our back. After a good distance, we didn't see any sight of bus or anything that show Auschwitz was in that direction, so we stopped while 195 went into convenice store to find out. The cashier pointed us back to the train station and putted down the bus numbers that we could take to that place. We were puzzled and wondered if the other locals were having a heck of time by telling us wrong directions. Finally we arrived at the Auschwitz and started our tour after deposited our packs at the luggage room (sure was glad that there were one). The Auschwitz was free and got various museums set up throughtout the buildings where the Jews, POWs, and some others were held at. It was around 5pm by the time we were done with looking, reading, and pointing...dued to the time and diminishing daylight, we decided not to visit another camp, Auschwitz II, which were even bigger and had lot more massacre done there. 195 and I headed back to train station area of Oswiecim and ate at the local restaurant which had surprising good selection of vegetarian plates. We helped ourselves to pretty local plates which was pedrogies (cabbage and onions), borsch soup w/boiled egg (beet soup), and cheese pancakes (crepes with ricotta cheese and powder sugar spiked all over it). Good and cheap! We later relaxed at the bar next door, also owned by the restaurant, enjoying cool drinks and watching the locals. At last, it was time to get on our train that was stopping in Oswiecim at midnight, arriving in Prague around 7:30 am.

16.7.05

Prague, Czech Republic

Ignore the first post on Prague for this computer I am using refuse to allow me to type anything in the box except for the title box so I had to resort to sending the blog via email.....

July 14
195 and I had simple breakfast provided by hostel, which was coffee with bread, lettuce, tomato, cumber, cheese, and HAM! Of course, we excluded the ham whilse putting together a sandwich to chow down on. We was thinking of another visit to this vegetarian restaurant, Greenway, that we liked so much but didn't want to waste the day so we headed to train station to take a train to Auschwitz where the holocaust occurred. Soon as we arrived there, we purchased yet another bone-rattling overnight sleep on the train to Prague, Czech. Back to Auschwitz.. We weren't sure where to find right bus that would take us to there so we asked the woman at ticket booth.. She made a walking gesture with her fingers and pointed to the street going down away from front of the station. We still wasn't sure if we understood her so 195 asked another local that was waiting at the bus stop.

14.7.05

Krakow (Cracow), Poland!

July 13
Here 195 and I, in the Krakow, Poland (I was not kidding that they actually spell it Cracow in their language) That left me wondering why heck did the Europe spell their "K"s with "C"s and "C"s with "K"s, ie. Canada -> Kanada, Krakow -> Cracow... Ah, soon as we stopped at a train station just before our final destination, the hostels representatives (they were all young adults) got on and start going from seat to seat, asking us if we want to book a room (we already booked a room a day before due to high season) Not one but several of them came by, forcing us to shake our heads more than the usual. Once we arrived at Krakow (keep in the mind, we arrived there around 5:30 AM in the morning) and there were even more of them, the aggressive hostel representatives! Soon as we escape the hoarding reps..We headed straight to our hostel, Any Time Hostel (keep that name in mind)...It was not that far and we were already used to all walking :) (I believe 195 had lost some weight)
When arrived, the door into hallway was open but there was no reception or any staff around.. After wandering around abit, trying to find someone.. I peeked at the note tacked on the front door for someone that was supposely to arrive there at 5am and discovered that they didn't have staffs 24 hours and would be opening at 8am. Now you see why I said to keep the name of the hostel in the mind..."All Time", eh? .... It was 6am by then so we wandered even more around the district, enjoying quiet roads (sparsely filled with cars but plentiful of trams, seemly their main transportation) And stopped at cafe for some pastry and two coffee each of us to kill the time. Finally, we got in and viewed the room, pointing out to the staff that it got no pillows or blanket (apparently someone decide to be pig and help themselves more of pillows for the staff looked surprised)
At last, 195 and I took nap for we couldn't really sleep at ease on the vinyl seat with some draft from the train window. Slept for good two hours (actually two for 195 but one for me.. Couldn't sleep for a while), once refreshed, we ate our lunch out in the porch (hostel supposely to have a kitchen for us to use but there was none, hm!) Afterward, we headed out to visit the old town...looked at Wawel Hill castle that had been there for over 500 years and buried 45 monarchies there, then wandering out in the streets, looking at random stores and spotted this internet cafe to keep in the mind. Lot of stores sell amber stones things such as little statues, jewelry, and more at cheap price for Poland was known for its amber stones (plentiful of it). We stopped at a sourvier store, looking for a certain thing, near St. Mary's Basilica and we stepped out just in the time to see a man in tower playing the trumpet for it became a tradition in the honor when the guard, having spotted Tartars army on the horizon, started playing his trumpet to alert Krakow's citizens and was killed by one of the invaders' arrows in the neck. It was well into the afternoon, so we started to head back to the hostel to shower and get ready for the dinner out at a vegetarian restaurant that we spotted in the book. On the way, we stopped at the train station to find out the time and prices for the train to the town called Oswiecim, where Auschwitz was located outside of. We would be going there tomorrow before heading out to Prague, Czech on yet another overnight train.
After struggling with the water temp in the shower, I finally managed to get cleaned, faring 195 a good luck with it when it was his turn. Yes, soon as we were ready.. We headed out with food on our mind and arrived at Greenway, the name of this vegetarian restaurant (forgetting the thought of "should I bring umbrella?" for it did rained abit earlier) This restaurant turned out to be one of best vegetarian restaurant we ever been to and the prices was filthy cheap! I strongly recommend this place to anyone that happen to visit Krakow, Poland whether they were a vegetarian or not! :) With stomach full and a smile on our faces, we huddled against the rain (regretting for not bringing the umbrella) toward the internet cafe.......You know the rest :) (it sure was strange to be doing the blog of the day on the same day of this day..) Until then........!

12.7.05

Budapest, Hungary

July 12
195 and I enjoyed sure enjoyed the time at Zoltan and Erika Wahl's place but we had to continue our trip out to Krakow, Poland. After a good breakfast and more chatting with picture-showing of their friends and enage party. The hunsband wasnt present as he had to get up at 4 30 am everydays for his work. We also took the picture with the family, minus the hunsband :( , in which we will post later on when we were back in our country. We headed out to the mall to do more blog updating for you guys, smiles! We were going to see some more places such as labryinth of the Castle Hill and statue park, citadel & liberation monument, and great synagogue today before catching the overnight train to Krakow, Poland.

July 11
The day was bit cool and gloomy as we head out by noon toward the city park (Városliget) where they got a park, palace, zoo, and amusement park. It was deaf day where all deaf parents, grandparents even that were not working that day brought their children to amusement park at discounted price. 195 and I parted our way at there to view the city and the spots. It was rainy and I failed to bring my umbrella so we only got to see St. Stephens church where they got a mummified hand of King Stephens but we could hardly see it in its glass case. We went to an Indian restaurant for a simple lunch then headed to the mall to use the internet at the book store and bought some food from Spar. We finally arrived back at our host's place around 9pm even through we said we should be back by 8pm, they said, "oh, dont worry as you got to see much as you want for its once in the lifetime" The wife, Erika, had the dinner ready for us (195 had told them that we didnt eat any meats that shocked them and after I explained that I was raised that way and 195 liked it so he followed as well without my part in telling him to be a vegetarian) Erika managed just fine, cooking up quite great and stomach filling dinner consisted of hard-boiled eggs in spicy sauce and oil alongside with a potatos and cheese soup (I am not sure what else was in it) but 195 and I both loved it. One thing we noticed that they tend to give us lot to eat and kept telling us to have second helpings while themselves only had one helping. We incidated to them to have more too but they just said they were already full, very generous host and hostess!

July 10
The train that arrived on evening of July 9's couches was manily of couchettes, only two couches were sleeperettes but 3/4 of it had to be reserved so the non reserve part was pretty full. We finally found a seat in one sleeperette where two other couple offer to share their space for most of people seem to be pretty selfish of their space so taht they could have more room to stretch out to sleep. Ah well but we managed to sleep most of night and woke up pretty early on the morning of July 10, out of Croatia, in Slovenia and into Hungary. When we pulled into Budapest, Hungary (they had three train stations), 195 and I mulled over which one of those should we get off at as we want to go to internet cafe to see if 195 got reply from his friend who was born in Hungary but moved to Canada at age 10 and still got a friend back there. We decided to wait until the second stop at more big train station, Keleti, in more inter part of city. At the turn out, we were glad that we got off at there instead for as we walked toward the exit of station, 195 spotted a guy standing with name sign, saying his name. I wasnt pay attention and almost went past that couple with the sign it was lucky that 195 spotted his name and realized that they were looking for us. Hence, we were lucky to catch eachother at right time and place. After a discussion of what to do next, look for a hostel with the deaf couple's help, their name were Zoltan and Erika Wahl. The wife, Erika, suggested that we stay at their place for we were going to stay only for two nights. We were grateful for it and it certainly nice to have a local deaf guide to show us around. They lived at edge of Pest part (Budapest was actually made up of two parts of cities, which were Buda and Pest) in a cozy small apartment with three small rooms, dining room, and kitchen along with half bathroom and shower/laundry room. They had two boys, one was 10 years old named Zsolt, and two 1/2 years old named Dániel. Both boys were hearing but signed real well. We dumped our backpacks in the playroom where we would be sleeping in and ate a light dinner then the husband, Zoltan, took us back to the center of Budapest to see some spots. We went to see the Chain Bridge (Széchenyl Lánchid) with its lights on at evening, they closed off the bridge at evening so that people could walk over it enjoying bands that were scattered throughtout it alongside the food stands. 195 and I were already drooling over a stand that cook vegetables on big round iron bowl so we got some; it was very delicious. Then with our guide, Zoltan, we head up the stairs toward tne Castle Hill (Várhegy) to get the city view and of the bridge. After it, we walked down to Matthias Church, its extior was covered with fanicful scluptures and carves with colorful mosaics on its rooftop. At last, we headed back to Zoltan's home around 10pm with him reminding us of the routine to take toward his place for the tomorrow as we had to transfer metro or tram then to bus then to metro, last bus to his place for the part of metro was under the construction.

9.7.05

Continued to be Continue...

July 9
Here I am, at internet cafe to bring the blog up to the date and killing the time as our train depart at 10pm to Budapest, Hungary..long day, long wait until then......

July 8
We again relaxed for the day at beach, reading book.. later 195 went to Omis by bus this time to send email to a friend for a place to stay in Budapest, Hungary if we were lucky. Then we read some more, the most mistfortunate happed for the side of bed where Michael was lying on snapped and the bottom fell from the frame to floor. We summitted the woman and fixed it best as we could, keeping the room door closed for the woman didnt want her mother to see what happened to the bed for it was a new one, through not the strong kind. The next day was the day we were going to take overnight train toward Budapest, Hungary. I couldnt believe that it had been three days already as I felt that we hardly getting started our relaxing period in our 2 and half hetic months of travel.

July 7
I went out to a small market down the street while 195 was still sleeping to buy some food for a good breakfast. We cooked the onions, garlic, tomatos, and cheese with some oregano that we put in the bread alongside with chocoloate with wheats mixed with hot milk, it sure was good breakfast in a while. We then treated ourselves a day at beach, reading book, and basically relaxing blissfully.

July 6
195 and I decided to walk to the nearby town for some internet and to look around for Croatia was mostly the place for us to relax after all of moving and sighting. We walk and walk, hoping one of bend would brought us into the sight of town that we passed on the way to our location on the night before. We finally arrived there after approx. two hours of walking. The guy at tourist office was nice enough to walk us to the location of internet cafe in which we found that it will reopen at 4pm. It was 3pm so we ate at pizza restaurant nearby for we were starving. I first thought we would order one but 195 thought we should have one each (pizza in europe was usually thin and one whole pizza was enough for one person to eat it all) We didnt think with all of travelling and eating alittle habits that would leave our stomach small so as result we stuffed ourselves too much. I ended up feeling not too well and got headache. Nevertheless, we went up to an abandoned watch tower or fort that become an attraction to walk off some food then went to the internet cafe for a hour. I wanted to take bus back to our place while 195 thought we should walk to save money but I wasnt up to it with nausea and tired feet. At the end he won because four or more buses went by us without stopping so we walked afterall. Back at place, we looked at the map and found out that we actually made it all way to town called Omis that was 8km away.

July 5
It was 9am, 195 and I finally hopped on the train and napped for bit in sleeprettes but have to change the trains in Maribor, Slovenia toward Zagreb, Croatia. In Zagreb, we waited two hours before got on a train to Split, Croatia. It was brand new and functioned like an airplane for it had stewardresses and a lunch provided but unfortunately, it didnt have sleeprettes so we had t nap best as we could. We arrived at Split late at the evening, around 9pm and asked at bus station which bus going out to Lokva Rogoznica, where we would be staying at. We were told there were no more bus going there until the next morning which puzzled us for the woman at the place that we would be staying at sent us a schedule of bus times and instruction of what bus to take if we arrive after 8pm. We kind of stood around trying to figure out.. (that train station had lot of agressive women advertisting their home rooms for rent).. one woman was following us and looking at us.. so I showed her paper that I printed from my email of the intsructions. She saw Lokva Rogoznica and enthausically wrote that her grandmother was from there (she look about 60 years old but she sure wrote english very well) She beckoned for us to follow her back into station where she proceeded to speak to the woman behind desk of our desition. In end, there was a bus going that way afterall (hmphspatz!).. thankfully for her help, we made it to our place. The storm broke out on the way but luckily the place was just right across the bus stop, bit up on the hill. The room was nice with closet and shelves, plus balconey with table and chairs. They got a kitchen down below for anyone to use, as well as a tub in bathroom. We were directly across the ocean. We hit the sacks for the night with beach on our minds.

July 4
Here was where our day got interesting....in morning we stopped at the train station to buy the tickets and leave our backpacks in the locker before visiting the church. We arrived there and went straight for catacombs.. at first, they showed us the coffins of dead priests then another room with in-wall tombs that was covered with marble wall with inscriptions of dead person that was buried in each boxes.. naturally I was bit disappointed for I wanted to see the creepy part..(I was too impatient) for in next minutes we actually headed deeper into the basement down to realistic creepy part.. dark hallway made of old brick and stones, the floor was just a dirt.. the guide led us to a room with window-size opening with metal bars over it. Inside it held bones of people with some of clothes still clinging to its bones. I wonder why they need bars for that as I dont think those bones could get up and walk away, leaving people puzzled with the empty room. The guide then led us to more rooms that held even more bones piling up everywhere. I was truly satisfied to finally seen a catacomb but secretly wishing that some of my friends were there with me for I would love very dearly to spook them! (yup, you knew me well, grinning devilishly) We headed to train for our train but soon as we got our backpacks and looked at the tickets, it was when 195 pointed out that it seem to show the train was leaving from another train station. So we double checked and realized that it was true and we got only 10 minutes left to get from one side to another side of city.. we ran and walk fast to U Bahn but we failed and missed it by measly 2 minutes!.. There was no another train going out to Croatia until 5am on the next day. I wasnt too happy and didnt want to be stuck in Wien for a night so we looked at the schedule and hopped on a train to the next city that would take us close to the border as possible. We finally arrived at the border town, Spiegfeild..however there was no trains going out to Croatia's capital city, Zagreb where we could take train toward our destination, Split. Hence, we ended up got stuck at the train station in Spiegfeild for 9 hours from midnight to 9am where the first train going to Croatia will stop there. We had to slept on the benches.. not exactly comfortable night but an experience to remember, grins.

July 3
After looking over the map of the city, 195 and I agreed that we can see most of it within one day unless it was closed or otherwise. We went out on the U Bahn and stopped at a Scohn Palace with an excessive backyard that was open to public to enjoy. It got nice arrangement of flowers on the lawns, making some kind of design.. it also got bush mazes, small marble ponds with statues, and a sunhouse. It even got a public pool and spa for people to use at a fee. There were lot of people milling around and some of people use it for execrise, mainly running and biking. After it, we hopped back on train toward another palace that was converted into museum of different categories such as expensive arts, armours, music intrusments, and more. We planned on seeing the section on armours but got detoured to the museum of modern arts. It was ok-ok for we find most of art very weird and almost pointless ( I kind of wished we went to another museum across it with possibly more interesting arts but I went for that one as I thought it might contained modern scultures, architecuture, furnitures not the art) We finally went to the Palace museum in the opposite direction and found out that it was only half hour left before it close so we decide to drop it and headed out to the church, St. Stephens, that got catacombs that held many bones of victims of plaque. However, it was already closed and the church was getting ready for the mass so we hold it off for the next day morning before we take overnight train to Croatia.

July 2
Here we were, in the Vienna (Wien), Austria. 195 and I went straight to the internet cafe to look up for hostel for we didn't have the chance to reserve one beforehand. The internet cafe was quite nearby from the subway which was called U Bahn in Germany regions. We found one at good price as usual for we will always go for cheapest one and they were usually clean places with good services so why go for fancier ones when you can get the same for the less? The one we got seemly to be in former hospital building for it was near the hospital but nevertheless its quiet and nice place that includes breakfast! Yep, we do try to look for ones that includes food, smiles. We zoomed downhill to a food store, Spar, nearby to buy some food for snacks and something to drink. Later in the evening, we went out to an Asian restaurant that have good selection of vegetarian meals (we originally wanted to go to real vegetarian restaurant in the city that we found in the book but decided to hold it off until the next day) That day was Saturday evening in which we later regretted in a way that we should have went into city for that restaurant as we later found out that pretty much of stores and restaurants close on Sundays. (guess still spoiled with our countries' plentiful opening hours but in other way.. the people there were luckily to have a guaranteed day off)

July 1
Happy Canadian's Day! (it was same as USA's July 4th) The staffs at Interlaken hostel, Switzerland were in the Canadian spirit and there was plenty of Canadian travelers around wishing eachother the great holiday. 195 and I wished we could stay there for one more night to celebrate it but we already stayed there for four nights (fourth night was free, one of specials and for the canadian's day). We headed down to train and took a train out to Brig where we took the train called Glacier Express. The man at train station was friendly and showed us two routine that we can take.. one was to go around that would cost us nothing due to our Eurail pass and another one was the Glacier Express which would cost us some money but the view was worth it as it go through up and down the mountains. Ironically of this.. both routes had about same amounts of travel time. So we opted for scenic route, in which, the man smiled and said it will be worth it and the view was fanastic! In the end, the trip actually was worth it.. it went through lot of small towns, rolling of green fields, sheep munching peacefully, rugged mountains and it actually was very cool up there with bit of snow drizzle (we both were clad in t shirts and shorts). We arrived in the unattractive industrial town whereas the name escape us but it was still in Switzerland, we then took the overnight train toward Vienna (Wien), Austria.

June 30
Good ol' Zurich, which was not very big city as I thought for a capital city would be. The travel book said Zurich was very clean city that it was almost impossible to find any cigarette butt anywhere. I did found some! But otherwise, it was sure very clean.. not single litterbug. 195 and I spent most of day walking down popular street and a shopping zone, called Bahngifstrasse (it was long name to remember) that have bear statues everywhere with different pictures or styles or looks painted or put on it. We also took a peek at modern house built by Corbusier-Haus for modern was unusual and new during this period of time (in 1950s) on the edge of city park that was laid out by the harbor with great view of water and sailboats. We then headed back up into the mountains to our "homebase" Interlaken to enjoy the evening before departing on the next day toward Vienna, Austria.

6.7.05

Days sure escape you

The last blog was June 25! I sure thought it was not long ago but no, it was 12 days already...oomp. Well when you was busy lugging along with a towering backpack on your back..searching and stumbling around for the location of hostel 195 and I were to stay at. When it was found, the sun miracously disappeared..left us misified of where did the day go.

June 30
We headed out to the Switzerlands capital town, Zurich for a day.... to be continued

June 29
We wanted to go up to the Top of Europe which was actually called Jungfrau.. we took train from Interlaken toward to town called Grindelwald. At the train station told us that it cost 259 euros to go up there, it sure made us pop out our eyes at the price so we dismissed it for the day was not at clearest and it simply was too costly for a poor backpackers like us. We wandered around Grindelwald for bit and got stuck in one pastry cafe when the storm broke out that last short time. Finally we went back to our town, stopping by a food store to get some food to try out a Switzerland recipe which consist of small potatoes, ralcette cheese, pickled pickles and onions. We cooked back at the hostel and it actually was great food and call it a night.

June 28
We decided not to wear our eyes and necks out with the sights so we took bus back to train station then walk from there toward one of beautiful blue-green lakes, this one was called Lake Brienz. We walked along its edge for quite while into noon until we came upon small rocky strip with few other people there what we were content to relax there *there were no beaches there* The water was cold but clear.. we swam abit and did most sunbathing and reading the newspapers at the same time. We then head back toward the town, showered, then look for food stores but most were already closed so we went to one restaurant for our dinner and enjoy the evening breeze walk back to the hostel. Pretty much laid back day, eh

June 27
195 and I left for Interlaken, Switzerland after prodding over which one we want to make our home base.. out of all Interlaken offer reasonably prices for their hostels. We departed early in the morning to the train station, I was smiling as I just showered before leaving and it sure feel good for I was sweaty and sticky. It was bit humid at Lake Como, Italy. But when we arrived at the train station, I was already bit sticky.. boy! We spent most of our day on the train toward Switzerland... once we entered the mountains I sure was happy to see those for I am definitely a mountains girl, at sight of those cheered me up. It was rugged, green and beautiful with some snow tops and blue-green lakes. We pulled in at the Interlaken, Switzerland in late afternoon and found our hostel without much of trouble and saw lot of flyers around that they plan to celebrate the Canadian Day *July 1st* We relaxed for the remaining of day.. checked out the town and enjoying the clean, crispy air. The water fountain was everywhere for us to drink and fill our bottles. The water came directly from the spring, quite clean.

June 26
Then on the next day.. 195 and I got up, nearly banging our head on the ceiling, scrambling down the ladders.. almost crashing into each other when 195 exited his boys dorm at the same time I exited girls dorm..*wondering at odd coincide that we both exited same time*..zooming, pushing aside people toward cafe for our precious piece of bread and a cup of juice or coffee..before we could sigh with a satisfaction, we were up and walking briskly toward the town. At there we sized up the tram that take people to top of the hill-mountain to see if we could hitched a ride on its rooftop but no, we brought our tickets like everyone else. At the top, we took a trail, trudged and crawled all way to the lighthouse where we get to see a breath-taking, almost needed a CPR in the process, view. We snapped some pictures like every other tourists of the Lake Como and took picture of our hostel at bird-eye view. At last , we head down back to town where we walked, wandered, gawked, and more on way back to our hostel for the night.*yes, I was exaggerated abit up above on june 26, hehe)