Garnerbiker's Journey on planet Earth

This blog started as a trip journal for the summer of 2011 Europe trip of 69 days. My wife Katherine, and I decided to use the entire summer break that teachers get, and go crazy. Everything was new to us. I was surprised at the blog's following. It has now become a tradition to travel on our breaks and blog about it. I write mostly as a journal for myself and students, but also give travel ideas to others that might want to travel like us, or go to the places we have seen. Take a look at what's on here. The experiences that I have had through travel are continuously shaping my life. I recommend you get out there and do it!

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Tuesday, August 23, 2011

Reality...


Well, it’s been a few days since we have been back to Las Vegas. Reality is still showing it’s ugly face as we try to get back in the swing of things. The DMV, school, groceries, and home issues have been the culprits. Our roads are super huge and the vehicles are even more huge. It’s difficult to believe. When you see one person in a car 5x the size of the little ones in EU, you just have to ask questions. But, it’s freedom, right? The grocery store blew me away. Just a mile from the one I went into, there is another one just as big and has just as much stuff. I mean, everything. If you can’t find what you need in an American grocery store, you don’t need it. Truly, the land of “plenty.”

Went for a run yesterday, I was bombarded with the Vegas “isms” that I had grown to forget. But, as soon as I stepped out onto the blacktop, it all hit me…

The hazy dry heat even before the sun is up, the drone of airplanes taking off from McCarran Airport, the sound of irrigation systems running, the sound of unattended barking dogs, the rumble of oversized trucks and cars tearing off to the next stoplight, the sight of people walking their dogs that never look at you, broken bottles, dog poop, graffiti, to name a few. I knew I was home.

The city of Las Vegas has gone through even more construction in the last few months. You would think that there is a never-ending bucket of money supplying it all. Maybe there is. I mean, overpasses are completed, onramps are redesigned, and streets have been resurfaced. I couldn’t believe the change.

I could mostly care less about the workings and decisions of the town. People do not really have a voice here since the “control” is in the hands of a few businessmen that have had the power since the inception of the city. There are so many bribes, pay offs, and favors to be handled, nothing can happen fairly. But, I have a big problem with this one… We have a TON of houses here that are vacant. I think, it might be the highest in the country. Also, the number of foreclosures is the highest as well. So, in the midst of all that, with vast expanses of unoccupied homes and commercial property, something is brewing on the horizon. The greedy housing mogul Rhodes, of Rhodes Homes has bought and will develop a chunk of property just next to Red Rock Canyon Conservation Area. It is supposed to be as large as Summerlin and Mountain’s Edge. Mind I say that both of those places, especially MTN’s Edge have vacant homes. This would put houses on the outskirts of town without an infrastructure to accommodate them, and without people able to move into the homes. This is not even thinking about the environmental impact. I thought we had a water shortage. That land out there has nothing. Trust me, I walk it, hike it, bike it, and know it well. Over the trip, I got a Facebook message about a meeting or protest to show support to keep the land untouched. Unable to go, I thought there would be enough support from the locals to keep this thing down. NO. The county commissioners during their little “Pow-Wow” came up with a 5-2 vote in favor of destroying the land. Crushing. I have not looked into the nitty gritty yet about the decision, but it does not look good. One thought might be that this was time to secure the land from the gypsum mine. Surely, you can’t break ground in a time like now? With no recovery in sight for the economy, it would be traumatic to see this get underway. Look at this… The large Strip property, Fountain Bleu, a huge building that I would pass on my bike every time that I ride to school, is due to be imploded. This was never finished on the Strip and never occupied, but is one of the biggest buildings there. Truly, RECKLESS!!! As, is the new Rhodes project, it will only FAIL! I just hope that it never gets off the ground and the environment is not impacted.

Enough about the Vegas rant. It just wastes my time in a hopeless situation. I will look into the figures in the paper and the Internet to get it straight, even though it hurts.

As for the home, the master bath shower faucet was broken, which I tried to repair. Thanks to Richard’s help, it is all better. The Cavalier needed to be registered. So, I reattached the battery, took it to the SMOG place, it failed since the power was off for too long, had to go to the DMV to get a “moving permit”, now trying to reset the computer. I cooked chicken in the backyard and while burning off the grill; it was too close to the cheap plastic fence. It scorched the fence while at 700 degrees. Now, it bows in and hopefully the neighbor’s side is not that bad. The water bill is super huge and there is no problem in sight. Maybe the meter is wrong, but I have checked everything.


Tomorrow, we “officially” go to school for the first day. Students show up next Monday and it will be a party from there on. Katherine helped me in the classroom yesterday and now my music room is looking great. Changed some thing from last year just to keep it interesting. Today, it’s off to her school to work. But then, it’s off to JIMBO’s to jump in the pool and chill. No complaint’s there!

Sunday, August 21, 2011

Friends from the trip


Friends from trip

NJ

Mike- Las Vegas


Greece

Camille - Canada


Turkey

Luke - Australia
Rebecca - Canada
Atilla - Australia/Turkey
Carlos - Turkey
Michael - USA
Dave - USA
Paul - UK
Lindsey - Australia
Stacie - USA
Sule - Turkey
Basak - Turkey
Gulsah - Turkey
Sehrinaz - Turkey
Sevgi - Turkey


Bulgaria

Renata - Australia
Cammie - Scotland
Louis - Canada
Yana - Bulgaria
Nick - USA
Craig - Australia
Ed - Brazil
Stefka - Bulgaria
Nomadic Matt - USA
Scott - Scotland
Nick - England
Neal - England
Malika - Kazakstan


Romania

Gabriel - Romania
Flavia - Romania
Ches - USA


Croatia

VODAVODA - water bottle
Simon - Germany
Raphael - Germany
Lemon - England
Clements - Austria


Poland

Luis - Columbia
Awrasa - USA


Germany

Nadine - The Netherlands
Malou - The Netherlands
Barry - Scotland


Animal friends

Johnny Cochran - black cat on Mykenos
Spot Patch - stray dog in Greece
Krakow Retriever - chases rocks

Friday, August 19, 2011

Berlin to Las Vegas

Berlin to Las Vegas

Well, this is the last dated blog entry. It is sad trying to write something that will close the trip, but now thinking about it, the trip continues on, and is never done. The trip and travel are always with you. As I write this, and having spent a day in Vegas already, this thing will never leave me.

The travel back to the USA was great and fairly smooth. We woke up and bounced out of bed to see that our 3 French girl roommates were still out on the town. Good for them. We could use the room. The lights were turned on and we could be as loud as we wanted. Everything got stowed away in the packs and we checked out and headed to the metro. This time we were going to use the metro, then walk to the bus stop to take the bus to the airport. Cool, with one ticket you can use a subway and a bus. The Germans have this down! Tegel Airport is to the NW of Berlin and with the rising sun, we could see a nice view of the city to the east. Of course, we were there early for an international flight, so we got a bite to eat for breakfast and a few cappuccinos. I found a machine that gives you a super huge on for 2€. Check in was easy and we were asked a few security questions. I always think it is funny that they have to ask those things. Like, who the hell let's someone else pack their bag for them? They took the bags and we entered right next to the check in desk. Kind of weird, but we were in Germany. The flight staff was really nice and they were Americans. I ordered a drink and imagine this. It came with ice. The airplanes have ice but nowhere in Europe was there any ice. Good for them. I told the attendant that we had not seen this strange thing in 2.5 months. The 9 hour flight to Newark was a breeze since we were used to awkward travel on the trains. The seats were horrible on the 737 which seemed to be small for an international flight between 2 huge cities. But, you could watch whatever movies you wanted. The same plane for domestic travel, you have to pay extra. This was no Qantas Airlines. After watching a few movies and dozing off a bit we touched down in Newark, New Jersey.

Here in Newark we met with Sheila and Richard, Katherine and Andrew's parents. They came to the airport to meet up with us for our long delay as we waited for the flight to Las Vegas. We sat down for a bit to eat at Chili's. Man, it was weird in a full blown American restaurant! There was ice in the cokes. They gave you refills. The portions were huge. We got fries without paying extra. The service was odd is a brash way. But there was Sam Adam's beer. Let me tell you. Contrary to many people's beliefs, after sampling about 30 different beers on the trip, I would like to state that America has some darn good beers. The German group sitting behind us had Bud Lights on the table, which I unfortunately cannot put into the category of darn good beer. I felt for them. I hope that they try something else for a better impression of American beer. That's stuff for people that don't really like the taste of beer anyway, and for alcoholics, right? Someone has to agree with me. It was great talking to our first people face to face getting back in the country. They were really interested in what we had to say about the travels and were happy that we made it with all of our kidneys. We hadn't been robbed, attacked, or spit on. That will just have to wait for another trip. A couple of hours passed quickly. We said goodbye to Andrew, and Katherine and I headed back through security to our gate. We had not seen Andrew for a few years but only on a few choice occasions, and now we had spent a solid 2.5 months with him. Who knows when we will, or if we will ever spend time like that again. Good luck out there you little chump!

The flight to Vegas was typical hell. The plane was full of party people heading into town on a Thursday night. There were groups of girls getting their stuff together to hit the town as soon as the plane landed. Some people were drinking heavily and talking back to the flight attendants. They see that stuff all the time and put them in their places. Fools. I was able to witness 3 girls next to me during the entire flight talk about nails, purses, makeup, men, style, shoes, hair highlights, etc. Spectacular. Go to Vegas, lose you money, wind up in a hotel room with some ugly dude with a popped collar and love it. Thanks for your tourist revenue. We took off late from Newark and when the plane landed in Vegas people were pretty much fighting to get off the plane. Animals. Welcome back.

We grabbed our bags and headed out to passenger pick up. Alan, our pal that plays trumpet in the brass quintet, was there at the end of the walkway. Man, we were glad to see him! He took us back to the house and was happy to see us too. Now that we were back, he wanted know when the quintet was meeting again. So were we. We missed playing the horns and that will be something we have to get back on top of.

The house was in great shape. The AC worked. It was not broken into. The power was not shut off. But, there was no food for us to eat. Being too tired, we just took a shower and crashed. We made it!

Now as I write this, we have been in town for a day and the culture shock is setting in. The next entries will be about how weird we have it here as Americans. Yeah, it's weird.

Berlin, Day 4

Berlin, Day 4

The last day in Berlin was a blast. We tried to travel by bicycle, but could not manage a half day rental from the grumpy front desk guy. There was a little confusion with him, and he got a little angry. He seemed to get very mad when I said there was not a problem and his stubbornness did not help the situation. Oh well. Bikes would have been nice, but we managed to get to the museum without a problem. Our mission was the Pergamon Museum on the Museum Island. We arrived 15 minutes early, then they let us inside. We were handed a headset and started the tour. It was a self guided stroll with each feature having a number to punch into the digital player. This made travel very nice since we could go at our own pace. The museum is one of the most popular in Germany and it holds the massive altar of the Pergamon from the central east coast of Turkey. It has been rebuilt on this site in Berlin with extreme attention to detail. Interesting though, was how this structure was claimed and brought back to Berlin. It is a Hellenistic beauty from 200 BCE to 100 CE. Huge friezes were on display with columns and marble sculptures. It is funny how we began our trip with ancient Greek ruins and now we have ended it with more. By far, these are some of my favorite things to see and learn about. Knowing a little about the mythology makes them a real treat to see up close in person. It was a different feeling to see these ruins out in their native environment back in Greece and Turkey. I did not read up entirely yet on the procurement of the items, but the Germans did a great job "taking" them all. Around the early 1900's it seems like Turkey was ransacked and the locals were easily coerced into treaties allowing the items to be taken. I am sure that there were some wonderful bribes and political promises. Hell, they had a totally reconstructed Gate of Babylon. It might be me that is dumb, but it did not know that world icon was in the museum. In Europe, it seems that the big museums like the Louvre and the British Museum are just war trophies. Some taken by force and others wheeled and dealed for. If you set that shady business aside, the artifacts were displayed in a great professional way. Having English text and audio was informative. We were all glad that we made it to the museum and would have felt very bad if we missed out. My luck is normally to read about something after you missed it only to realize how cool it was.

From there, we headed to the main strip called Unter den Linden. We needed lunch and I was on a hunt for some German Weinerschnitzel! After a little walking, we sat down at a great street side place. The food was tasty and the beer was something different, but great and dark. Right in the middle of the road was a construction site with a jackhammer tearing up concrete. It became quite humorous watching people react to the nuisance. We didn't let it bother us, but after leaving, we realized how loud it really was.

The second museum of the day was the Topographie of Terror Museum. Interestingly enough, we had just be to a "terror museum" in Budapest. Seems to be the vibe going around in the 1940's and on! This museum lies just in front of the largest remaining section of the Berlin Wall. Inside is a giant timeline that hangs on steel cables from the ceiling. The building is very new and clean. The layout is very clear with pictures and documents displaying the rise and fall of the Third Reich. There were photos that I had never seen before shedding light into the deep secrets of Hitler and his partners. I had heard that in Germany the history of the Nazis is sometimes not taught in entirety to students and not talked about in the lives. Walking into this museum, I realized that even if that might be true, here was a place that the gruesomeness of the times was not hidden. I walked through with Germans and tourists in complete silence as we read and looked at the pictures. If that was true in the past, it is not now. Maybe, they are more in touch with their past today than they have ever been? Hopefully we can all learn from history only to not let it repeat itself. On a daily basis, I see things and events in the works for catastrophic failure, only to repeat some blunder in history that has already happened.

Back at the hostel, we got our bags together and prepared for our last night in Europe. We went to bed early because 4:15 am would happen oh too soon. Andrew was a little perturbed since our three new roommates were young beautiful French girls. Previously, we had a super snorer with a quiet wife and a French guy. I was just glad he did not go out with them that night since when we left at 5am, they were not back from being out on the town. Those French know how to party. I guess they sleep all day and party all night? That's something I just don't get. I had a tough time sleeping because I knew the next day would be some tough travel back to the USA. But, we were ready for it.

Wednesday, August 17, 2011

Berlin, Day 3

Berlin, Day 3

As I write this, I am laying down on the bed in a 6 person dorm contemplating what to do on our last day in Berlin. It is also our last day of the entire trip of the summer of 2011. Part of me wants to see more of the city, and part of me wants to let it all set in that we are leaving. It has been such a great time and like other trips in the past, you want to remember them as vividly as possible. So much in fact, you want to go back to the exact same place and try to relive the same thing. I have heard from others, since I have never tried that before, that sometimes it will be a poor experience. This is because you have the memories that were there from the first good experience and when you go back to relive the same thing, they might be changed in an undesirable way. So that leaves me with trying to bask in the memory of the now, trying to just enjoy what we have done and seen, and know that it will never be replicated in my life this way ever again. Times and circumstances change, countries change politics, money comes and goes, health quality is unforeseeable, and the sun might just burn out someday, so you gotta just do what you can. By the way, my sister Angela told me that the sun would burn out when I turned 25. I was 6 years old at the time and I have been worried about it ever since. Now that I have passed that age, everything is bonus time and I am just trying to do the best with it. Thanks Angela.

Today was something simple and fun. We rented cruiser bicycles from the hostel and hit the town. Something as simple as riding a bike, something I do 5 times a week back in Vegas, took on another meaning today. Previously, we had only walked the cities in Europe, but now in Berlin with super cool bike lanes, we were able to cover some serious ground. The weather cooperated and the bikes were great. Katherine rocked a pink cruiser. I had a grey one with yellow wheels, and Andrew had a purpose built commuter cruiser complete with rear rack and fenders. They were heavy, but handled the cobble streets just fine. Some of you know that I love bikes. Well, I have 7 in the garage right now. I use them to race, commute, travel, and explore mountains. Some in parts. Some race ready. But, today I saw something else a bike could do. It gave us the freedom to move wherever we wanted to go. Sounds simple, but we could go up sidewalks, over areas with people, ride in traffic with cars, pass through tunnels, cruise over bridges. In total, we went about 30 KM. I saw more of a new city at one time thus far on the trip. It was overwhelming! Also, extremely efficient. And... it looks like everyone else in the city has caught the bug. The city of Berlin is the flattest place I have ever ridden. Never once did I feel that we were going up a hill. Never did we sweat. Our booties hurt towards the end, but it was worth it. Bottom line: if you live in a flat city, get a bike, if not, you are missing out. If you live in a city with hills: get one anyway!

We had a double dose of extreme Berliners out today. One was a lady that heard me talking about a place being closed that called themselves a "Biergarten." I will not go into specifics, but I made a joke to Katherine about them taking time off before dinner. The lady heard me say something about "beer drinking pansies." She then fired off a rude comment to me under her breath. So I gave her a little too. No profanity. It makes people more mad not to use it. And... She hit the fan! It was worth it, but left a bad taste in my mouth about Berlin city folks. In a way that's too bad since I have not met many people in the town, and now I was thinking everyone was listening and hated us. So then I thought....

Earlier on the bike ride around the town I stopped to look at my map. I do that quite frequently since I want to see where were are, and what we want to see. This time, we stopped in a quiet section of town among the trees. A man came beside me and rattled off something in German. All I could make out was "helfen.". I kindly said, "nein, danke." But, I realized that he just wanted to help and make sure that we were taken care of. It is difficult to outweigh a nice encounter with a bad one. This time, I had the angry lady after kind guy by a few hours. But, all I could do after the lady's confrontation was let it burn for a long time. The kind guy, I just thought, "oh, how nice," and forgot about it in a few minutes. I see this too often in many aspects of my life and others. People can tell you, you did a good job, or, I liked that. You don't seem to pay attention, or just blow it off. But if it is a negative comment, or someone wants to point out a negative thing, it lasts forever. It might be that I am overcritical, we know that already, or just more fuel to show that negative things out last the positive. Hopefully, I can realize this in the future and let positive things have more power that I give them credit for. But, part of me thinks that the encouragement is "fluff" anyway. People don't really mean it, do they? It's easier to say something nice, but to fire off a negative thing, they must really have a reason. I don't know. I see it in the reviews of hostels. Most places do their very best and are very accommodating, but if one person has the slightest thing wrong, what do they do? They write about it and spew their mouth off. This is normally the case when you talk with other travelers. So, when I have had a great encounter with someone, I try to pitch their place to the best of my ability. This was the case in Selcuk, Turkey and Brasov, Romaina and Dubrovnik, Croatia. When people are more kind than the norm, I thank them profusely and tell others I see. But, is this just blown off the way that I take it? I would hope not, but if someone writes a bad review, this must hurt if you really care about you place. I see this at school among teachers. The negative comments have 10 times the power of the positive. I am not talking critiques, but jabs and people being downright rude. Be nice out there. Just because.

So, the day consisted of the bike ride. We also got a shirt for Andrew, and I got a shirt with the East German "Ampelmann" on the front and back. Its a cool looking man they use in the street lights. We ate again at the Kabab place down from the hostel. The Turkish dude Gokhan, has bills from other countries in his restaurant. I had to offer a 2 dollar US and a 2 Lev Bulgarian bill for his collection. It made his day. Hopefully he remembers that and let's our good conversation and friendliness outweigh the customer that whines about his food.

Tomorrow, we might extend the bike rental and hit 2 last museums. We want to end with a bang, but still gotta get to bed early to make the plane the next morning.

Tuesday, August 16, 2011

Berlin, Day 2

Berlin, Day 2

Today's events were viewed under sunny skies and perfect temperatures. Unlike yesterday, when the forecast called for sun and we got poured on, today the forecast called for rain and we got sun. Go figure. But, at least I had rain gear with us, and an umbrella.

Breakfast was at the local pastry and sandwich shop next to the hostel on the main street. We brought back the goodies to the hostel and checked our email and decided where to go. The decision was the Pergamon museum. It's the most popular destination for museums in all of Germany. Surely, there would not be a problem getting in, and now that it's 11 am, we will not have a line. Wrong! We walked all the way to the museum and were delighted with the massive line bleeding out onto the bridge. I walked to the front just for fun and it was a quarter mile long. Or at least it felt that way.

Enough about he problems getting to the museum! There was still some great, different, stuff to see along the way. We walked through Checkpoint Charlie again and were able to read the signs with information about he wall and it's historical significance. Yes, the information is good, but I was amazed at the people that were there reading it. Americans have the view that our history books are portraying, of course, but the displays were presented with all nations concerned being represented as well. By having an American interpretation of the wall, we were able to see what it was like for other people being there too. The Soviets saw it as something different than the Americans, and the East Germans saw it as something different entirely. Also, the number of people there looking at this important area astounded me. People were mostly reading in silence and being courteous of others around. It's not exactly a happy subject and people were being respectful. It was difficult to imagine what this place where I was standing was like in 1989, or even 1961. Not cool. I would have been shot where I was.

After we gave up on waiting in the long line, we headed to the DDR (Deutschland Democratic Republic) museum. This is a new "hands on" museum located just across from the museum island. The creators want you to feel what life was like in the DDR. Inside, you could see the little cars issued to the people called Trabi. They are super compact 2 door beauties sporting a 2 stroke motor. The gas would come with a 50:1 mix with oil. That is a super polluting monster that today we only use in lawnmowers and some boat engines. I am sure glad that we got rid of this technology in automobiles, but if you want, you can rent these little jobbies in town. I bet they are expensive. My luck, I would rent one and crash the thing. The body panels are even made out of a cotton/resin mix. So, I guess, you could be driving a pair of jeans? The rest of the museum displayed how other aspects of life were like. We saw schools, recreation, shopping, and living models. They had an interactive timeline outlining the politics leading to the downfall of the Berlin Wall. The collapse really makes sense if you look back on the DDR and how life was like there. We even heard radio shows and tv programming which shed light on the situation. Coming from America, it is difficult to imagine life like this. In a way, things could be turning into life like the DDR with our social programs and government influence. The whole time I was thinking how it might be like in North Korea. People had money in the DDR, but no one could buy things. There was no exotic fruit, cars, clothing that was fashionable, or a choice for much of anything. Supposedly, the North Koreans are living life in a similar situation, but without much money. Times have to be difficult there. I am glad the museum has preserved something so different, but it is very recent in the timeline, so the people are still living. This is great to get first hand accounts and I even remember the time of the USSR and East Germany before the collapse.

Once again, checking out a museum and trying to tie information together, leaves me with many more questions. At least I now have enough information to form questions where previously I was clueless. History is something so easy to forget. It is a dangerous thing to only live in the present and not have a historical perspective on the world. Sometimes, I wonder if politicians have ever read a book or been somewhere that has had turmoil. These things do not need to repeat themselves!

The trip is ending soon. Tomorrow, we might rent some bikes and go out on the town. We should take it easy and get ready for the grind when we get back.

Berlin, Day 1

Berlin, Day 1

Holy cow! I don't know where to start with today's madness. Being overwhelmed in a new city, making new friends, trying new food, and being bombarded with yet another mouthful of interesting history, this place is a monster! I have no idea where to begin.

We took a "free tour" that started right behind, or in front of, depending which way you look at it, the Brandenburg Gate. The morning was nice and there were a lot of people around. When our tour was to begin, there were quite a few lined up and ready to go. They split the massive group into a few subgroups to make things more manageable. Our leader, Barry, is from Ireland with red face and bright blonde hair. He was chuckling as he brought our group together after the initial madness. We then headed out to the Brandenburg Gate and we listened to him go on about the history. From there we saw the Brandenburg Gate, the Reichstag, the top of Hitler's Bunker, the Holocaust Memorial, the Nazi Book Burning Memorial, Checkpoint Charlie, Potsdamer Platz, Luftwaffe HQ, the Berlin Wall and the TV tower. One cool thing was the Reichstag, or the Parliament Building. It has a glass dome around it with a spiral staircase that tourists and locals walk up. The reasoning behind the architecture is that government should be transperant after what happened with the Nazis. The elected officials can always look up and see who they are serving, and the the people can keep an eye on their politicians. It was added recently and has been met with great approval. The view of the city is spectacular and requires reservations to get in line. Sorry, but we did not make it up there to see.

Barry, the guide, reminded us a lot of Scott the dive guys from Varna, Bulgaria. Barry is Irish and Scott is Scottish, but the two had similar demeanors. Barry would take the comedic approach to talk about the city, and even thought the history is not that funny, his humor kept you intrigued. We ended the tour behind the Berliner Dom with Barry going on a 10 minute rant on the the bringing down of the Berlin Wall. In the little park, people heard him and came to see what the commotion was. I was up front and when I looked around, I saw that people had heard Barry and came to listen. He ended his story with a great applause. The group was thankful for the epic tour of the city and graciously tipped him. From there, we followed him to the DDR Museum restaurant for a Currywurst and a "green" and "red" beer. Rumor has it that when the French arrived with Napoleon, they wanted to be served "some of the very best Berlin had to offer." When beer came to their table, they were appalled, because they wanted wine. So, they put some syrup into the beer to make it "better." Now the tradition has gone on to serve this weird beverage the French liked. Or, this is what Barry has told us. I should go search the Internet to get the real answer.

We made a Chinese friend along the tour and spent some time walking with him in the rain. It's started pouring as soon as we left the restaurant. The morning forecast did not mention rain at all, so there was no rain gear in my bag, just an umbrella. Katherine and Andrew walked back in the pouring rain and I held the umbrella over the bag to protect all the electronics and passports.

Later, we just chilled at the hostel in the huge room on the first floor. There were people coming by in hoards to check in and get a room. This place is really busy and the guests seem to be from all around the world.

Tomorrow, we will try to check out a few museums if we are lucky. I hear the crowds get a little crazy this time of year.

Sunday, August 14, 2011

Prague to Berlin

Prague to Berlin

Cleaning up the hostel room was quick and easy. We gathered our stuff, packed our bags and checked out as quick as we checked in. We had to say goodbye to yet another great city. The trot to the metro was quick and I dropped of a bunch of glass. There was no recycling right outside, and I knew the bottles that I had were worth a bit for the deposit return. I just left them by the trash can in hopes that homeless dude would score and take them to the right place. We made it to the train station easily for our last train ride and departure for Berlin. In the station we grabbed some sandwiches and drink for the 5 hour train rides.

Now as I write this we are in the train cabin. This ride is something much different tha before. They overbook the triangle and people ar edifying in the aisle. We had a reservation, so we have great seats. In the cabin, there are 6 seats, and not 8. Therefore, 3 people across is much nicer than 4. We now feel that we in first class. The windows are also unable to be opened. This is because the air conditioning actually works. The temperature is comfortable and we are sitting with a Brazillian and a couple from Italy.

Already coming to my mind are some finalizing thought about the trip. I feel bad that we are already talking about how much fun and what a great experience it has been since we still have Berlin to visit. Last night I studied the map a bit to see where the hostel was and how we might get there. I am already thinking thoughts about what I want to do when we get back. Reading people's Facebook posts, it looks like some teachers are already going back to their classrooms. I can not think of anything worse right now. But whei do return, it will be a "Wham! Bam!" session to get things in order for e next year. Normally, when it is Sunday during a normal work week, I dread going back to work. No, I do not hate my job, but it is somewhere where you are forced to be. But now I will look at it different and know that I will be able to travel like this again next summer or thereafter. The next 9 months of work will give me time to talk about my experiences and let the memories actually set in. Talking aout the trip with friends and students will let me really have a different interpertaioabout what has transpired in the last 63 days. Yes, I believe that the trip has changed me, but I wi ll not know exactly how and how much till I get back in the swing of things in the USA. Only time will tell. Maybe my priorities will have changed and my determination shifted? Most likely so. But to what? Seeing different cultures and customs sheds a new light on you perception of the Goolagong ole' US of A. I hate to write this entry as a final to the trip, but the ideas and thoughts are coming. Hopefully, this will halo to vent a bit and not end the trip with a massive recap. I would like to briefly spread the ending thoughts across the lat week. I am sure that once in Vegas, I will have some interesting entries about what life is like back at home.

As I write this paragraph, we are back at the hostel in Berlin. The train got here exactly on time which was a nice change. In the past, with our travels, we have seen some pretty late arrivals. The main train station in Berlin was ginormous with 3 or more levels. The S and U Bahn (their subways) connect there with busses outside as well. We shelled out for the metro tickets and quickly connected and found our Hostel's street. The air was cool and the sky was sunny. Berlin was looking to be a nice city and the weather was cooperating. The hostel is named, The 3 Little Pigs, for some reason. Maybe there are three owners? It is an old convent with super high ceilings and a huge main lobby that used to be a theater. Now, it is a reception desk that also serves beer and has pool tables. Little different, huh? I do get the feeling that it's the hostel machine that we have heard about in the large Western cities, but we are not in the West, but this city has a little character from there. Everything costs a bit of money too. Thus pool tables, fooseball, computers, breakfast, and laundry of course. We have seen these things for free in other places, but in a big city this is expected. At least the WiFi is free to use on your own device. Probably not for long.

Today is August 13, 2011 and while out for a short stroll from the hostel we noticed that the flags are at half mast. Also, the footprint of the Berlin Wall is right inn the street of the hostel. We put this all together when we walked to the Brandenburg Gate. A little information sign stated that the Wall was first created started on today's date in 1961. What a weird thing to be here on the 50th anniversary! I can only imagine what it will be like in 2039 for the 50 year party of it being town down. I don't think there will be much partying tonight, since the Wall stood for so much evil. Tomorrow, we will take another "free" tour, but of this new city. I am sure that we will get a ton of info on the Wall and be bewildered with the history this city has seen.

Let me get some sleep since the walking tour should last over 3 hours and we always do more walking anyway. I never thought that it would tire you out so much, but with the mental stimulation of seeing all this new stuff, you get beat! Gotta have enough food, water, money ,and an extra battery for the camera. Already seen some funny weird encounters. I will talk about it tomorrow.

Friday, August 12, 2011

Kutna Hora, Czech Rep.

Kutna Hora, Czech Rep.

Today we headed to the nearby town of Kutna Hora. It's lies just to the ESE of Prague about 70km away. The train ride was quick and enjoyable. We left at 10:05am. The purpose was to get out of the town for a day and see the small village that hosts many cathedrals and the "bone church." This church has 2 levels. The upper one is a regular church and has room for maybe 50 people, but the lower level is quite different. Back in the time of the plague, so many people were dying, and they needed a place to hold the bodies. The graves were filling up and the basement of the church seemed to be the best place. After these bodies rested for a hundred years or so, a guy decided to stack them into piles under the church. It turned into art for him, and being a woodcrafter, he made the bones into intricate displays and ornaments. The most recent modeling of the bones was in the mid 1800's, and that is what we see today. I must say, I have never seen this many bones before in my life. There are 4 huge piles (used to be 6) that are way over head high. Along the walls are intricate creations of bones. There were chandeliers and shields created from bones with the focal point being the central section. The crypt was decorated with 4 towers of skulls and a central chandelier using every bone in the human body. The tourists were plentiful and everyone wanted a picture. So did we. Not something that you see everyday.

From there, we toured the little town of Kutna Hora. We lucked out and found a little restaurant right by a giant cathedral. They had free WiFi and wonderful food. The price was right and we made ourselves comfortable. The cathedral was getting some renovation work on the outside, including the surrounding pathways. I love the stonework in the areas that we have seen on our trip. So, I had to thoroughly inspect the workers laying the beautiful stone. What they were laying is meant to last a good 1000 years. No joke. We have seen what was laid in Greece and this stuff was "bomber." They were using granite and their compaction techniques were top notch. The leveling lines were still laid out and looked similar to what I have used on projects. It would be a little weird laying asphalt or concrete along such a cool looking building. Watching all this sure makes me want to start on another stone project. Anyone need something done? Driveway, sidewalk, etc.

After the church, we headed back to the center of Kutna Hora. It was fun trying to find the train station without a real map. I tried to memorize the google maps in my head and it got us there. The station is a little distance from the center and most people take a bus or taxi. For us, we walk. It's better that way. The huge lunch had to be burned off somehow. The train came within a half hour and we headed back to Prague. It was nice to leave the city for a day trip and see what it's like outside in the farmland. Prague is not that big. You can get out of the city pretty quick. The terrain is generally flat and the big mountain are really far away. It would be great to do some cycling out in the rolling hills. Maybe sometime.

We got back to the hostel to find that the place is full. This is normally the case in the summer. So, getting a spot in the kitchen takes patience. The showers are a trick too. You just have to plan what you can, and then be willing to be flexible. Also, don't try to wash your clothes in the sink, hang them to dry, and need them real soon. With the humidity here, you might have to wear wet clothes. Some things take 48 hours to dry if you're lucky. I have a cord that I brought to tie up in the room. It makes a nice clothes line and can fit a bit of laundry.

Tomorrow, we will take it easy for one more day on the town. Prague has been nice and serene. The river is a nice scenic spot. Of course, many towns are built along rivers, but Prague does it nicely and in a little different way. The building and bridges are situated differently creating a beautiful skyline. Let's see what the next day brings.

Thursday, August 11, 2011

Prague, Czech Rep. Day 4

Prague, Czech Rep. Day 4

Today was another search and destroy mission. We set out to conquer a few sites and cover as much ground as possible. The trip on the metro into the town is quite nice. It is quick and efficient. People riding are very nice and courteous. Our first stop was the radio tower in central Prague. This tower serves as a radio installation and an observation point. Some say that it was set up to jam radio frequencies from the West and others just think that it is an eyesore. It was built from 1984 to 1989. From all around the town you can see this tower. The observation deck is at 93 meters high and provides a 360 degree panoramic view of Prague. No, it does not fit in with the style of Prague, but I do believe it is a testament to the 80's. Don't tear it down, just remember what times were like. One interesting thing was the sculptor, David Cerney put some huge crawling babies up the masts. They were supposed to be temporary, but the public seemed to love them and wanted them to stay. His intention was to have "computer babies" crawling up the techno monstrosity. Unfortunately, you could only see one head from the observation deck, but below one the ground, you could see them all.

After the tower, we headed to the Dvorak museum. They were closed for lunch, so we headed down the busy street to find some food of our own. We stumbled across a Korean BBQ joint and the consensus was to go on inside. We were the only white people in the place, so this must be good! We were treated to some fine food that was reasonable in price and the entertainment was somethingn else. Watching the Koreans provided enough entrainment for the lunch. It was such a different thing to be in Prague and be in a restaurant with a bunch of Koreans.

With food in the tummies, we then went to the Dvorak museum. Now, Dvorak has given us some very wonderful music in his time and a museum outlining his life and achievements was sure nice to enjoy. Inside the 100 year old building are some important documents and items in his life. We went through a translated timeline in English that was easy to follow. Upstairs was a mini recital hall where 2 times a week they perform his music live for the guests. We wish that we could have been there for that!

From there, we were looking for the "Dancing House". This modern building from the 1990's is supposed to be a sight to see, and it was! But first, we came across a surprise. There were bubbles in the sky and we had to see where they were coming from. What we saw in front of us was a huge automatic bubble maker. There were children of all ages playing in the park where the apparatus stood. Even I had to run through them popping the bubbles as they came towards me. It rotated multiple arms through the soapy solution, and with the breeze, made bubbles float across the small park. Cool!
Just down the road along the river was the "Dancing House". This is a corner building that is all twisted and bending in nature. It stands out from the other 19th Century buildings for sure, but adds a tasteful accent to the road. There were quite a few people taking pictures of the building and we took many for ourselves. Some call it the "Drunk House" since nothing in it is straight. This thing could have very well come from a Tim Burton film, and it very well might be someday.

On the way back towards central Prague we were trying to find the bar that serves the X 33 beer. It has 11.5% alc. and is a big tourist attraction. We stepped inside what we thought was the place. They were brewing beer in the back and we thought all was good. Upon sitting at a table the waiter rattled off in Czech, blah blah blah blah, and we said, "we speak English." he followed with , "well, hello then." and we were asked to sit somewhere else since they were getting ready for the evening meals in that room. oK... We sat and tried to get the wonderful X 33, but we told you have to do that in the other room. Now, we moved to our 3rd location and Andrew tried to order the beast. The waitress said, "you can only get that in September, and it as seasonal.". Argghhhh! So, we settled for the regular tap brew.

Across the street was aoutdoor store, so we for sure had to step inside. It had evything an REI store would have, but the prices were super expensive. The backcountry selection for mountaineering was huge and they had a lot of ice axes and avalanche beacons, which was a surprise. The clothing department was large and had a lot of USA brands like The North Face, Marmot, and Osprey. This town of Prague must have a lot of people coming into the store from out in the country because just out of town there are no huge mountains and people must be shopping for their long distance travels to the Alps and elsewhere. Keen sandals were like 150 US dollars! Glad we did not need any gear. What we brought has been thought through and we don't have anythig extra and have not broken or have worn out anything. So far...

We then took the comfortable tram back to the Ladvi exit. This time the cars were loaded, but still had room for us. When we arrived back at our stop we made the usual grocery store run. This time we saw one of the largest women we had ever seen. She stood maybe 7 feet tall and was working in the store stocking shelves. The lines at the checkout were crazy and long and when she came through, everyone stared. I felt bad looking as well, but I could not resist. It was a sight. I guess she should get paid more since she can reach to the top shelf without a ladder. Her hands were twice as large as mine!

It was a good day. We wanted to see the Smetana museum, but that will have to wait. Tomorrow, we will try to go to the Bone Church in Kutna Hoara. It's just a short train ride in the country. I have some laundry to do in the sink, so I have to run.

Prague, Czech Rep. Day 3

Prague, Czech Rep. Day 3

Breakfast today was a wonderful bedside array of tasty delectables. We had left over Simpsons cereal, hard boiled eggs, cheese, and a banana. You can easily get all that stuff at the local market, but having a refrigerator is a must for the milk. After downing the goodness, we headed to the Ladvi metro stop. Our mission: Get to the 10:30 free walking tour. We are hooked on these things. This one is actually called the "tip trip" and was spectacular. If you want to see the city on foot for really cheap with a good guide, try one out. We made it with a little time to spare in the center of the town. Jana ,our guide, took us all over and had a funny Czech accent when she spoke. It was like she had to force the English out of her mouth. For some reason, she was really interested in the 3 of us. I guess it was the teaching that we have done, or the fact we are from the USA. She spent some time there for a summer in a meat facility in Cincinnati. Sounds like a blast! She was able to save up some money working there to spend the last few weeks on a road trip through the West. Lucky her. The tour group was a little smaller than the usual walking tours, maybe because others had a rough night with the wide selection of Czech beer at their disposal? Could be. We toured the Astronomical Clock (intricate clock showing seasons, days, time, moon and sun phases), Massacre of 1610 (Catholic execution of high Protestant officials), Jewish quarter, Wenceslas Square, David Cerny sculptures, Communist museum, church where the Virgin Mary chopped off the hand of a thief and the hand has been on display for 400 years, and a few other sites. We ended in the nice Jewish area that butts up to the snazzy shopping area. We got a bite at an authentic Czech restaurant recommended by our guide. Yes, it was once again meat. Surprised? We went into the basement and sat in a smoke free bar area and really enjoyed it. Lots of thick sauces and hearty dumplings. Katherine had to give the Czech goulash a try. She made a good decision. Andrew opted for the stein full of wieners. Another good choice. My rosemary lamb was good too.

After eating, we walked back towards the center. It began to sprinkle a bit and watching tourists scramble to avoid melting is always a treat. Our next place was the Sex Machine Museum. Enough said. Look it up.

After that wonderful experience, we took ourselves to the Charles Bridge. I have previously seen pictures and paintings of this place and had to visit it first hand. It is the oldest bridge in town and was named for King Charles IV. He's the guy that also is famous for the university here in Prague. The bridge was one of the more busy tourist sites we have seen. People were everywhere and the views were impressive. Artists were on the bridge selling paintings and painting caricatures of the the tourists. It was fun to watch them do their work. The rain clouds were breaking and created a nice sunshine effect on the city along the river.

We crossed the bridge and walked along the river to the Franz Kafka museum. Out in front was a fountain statue of two blokes urinating into a shape of the Czech Republic. They moved with the water and were created out of bronze. Little weird, but the tourists that were posing with them were even more weird. Unfortunately, the museum was closed. The pictures, hopefully will do it justice.

The grocery store visit was much needed. It was nice to get back to our remote extension of the city where prices are normal and food is plentiful. We just got back to the hostel and munched down on some grub. The night had some annoying young Spanish girls that decided to stay up until the early hours and dirty up the kitchen. Not cool. Hopefully I can speak to them in the morning. I know their mom is not here to clean up after them like they are used to, and I hate that the morning cleaning lady will have to take care of their mess. Babies.

Prague, Czech Rep. Day 2

Prague, Czech Rep. Day 2

Today we toured the city a little bit. It was a self guided walking tour led by me, Garner. So, it was not that interesting to the normal observer. If you remember the Family Circus cartoon where the boy is told to get the mail and her runs a track all over the neighborhood going in and out of everywhere and finally comes home... our route was similar. We started by getting the 72 hour transit ticket that is good for busses, metro, and trams. We headed right into the center of Prague and got off right by the Prague Caste. From there, we walked around and headed up to the castle. The main sites up there are the St. Vitus Cathedral, Chapel of the Holy Cross, Old Royal Palace, and the royal gardens. We stomped through all and spent some time looking at the interesting tourists. I am sure that I was a spectacle as well since I got some long uncomfortable stares. Maybe that's because I was staring at them? The walk over to the gardens was nice, being able to look down to the Vltava River and the many bridges that cross it. The trees in the area were huge and had labels below them stating their information. I was impressed at the size of them and the diversity in such a small area. Some must have been there for over 300 years. We then walked down and crossed the river on the Manesuv Bridge. This brought us to the center of Prague with the larger buildings and busy streets. All the shops were open and people were everywhere. This is surely a more tourist crowded city than we have seen before. I got some postcards like a good tourist and we just looked around. The square is nice and has the usual cathedrals and patio eating establishments, as well as horse drawn carriages for sightseeing. Some things that struck us were the huge roasting pork pieces on the fire and the crazy clouds in the sky. I know those are two different things to be intrigued with, but the smell of the roasting meat was everywhere and I was temped to go and get a piece. The people eating it sure looked happy as they stuffed their faces. The clouds were catching my eye since it was supposed to rain. We had our rain gear, but the clouds kept forming in a dark shade of grey and never sprinkled at all. The sun would cut through and cast a cool effect on the buildings.

Stamps. Got 'em. No problem. Just walked into the post office, politely asked if she spoke English, she did, I paid, I double checked the international USA rate, and I was on my way. No elaborate screw up like in Krakow. I am happy.

After the town center, we headed to Wenceslas Square. This is actually a long street that goes from roughly the old town square to the Museum on the hill. This is where the crazy shops are and everything is super expensive. There are some hostels on there that charge 35 dollars a night to be in a 10-12 person dorm. Not cool. Our little place out via metro is WAY nicer... And cheaper. We poked our head into an international liquor store and yes, they had some cool stuff, but they were charging astronomical prices for everything. Once again, not cool. They also had those wonderful Cuban cigars, but unrealistically expensive. Way better in Krakow. Trust me. We went up a bit from there, caught the metro, and went back to Ladvi, our stop.

Dinner was stuff from the grocery store . It's cheap, quick, and better for you.

Oh yeah, we went to the "Beer Factory". The tables have 4 taps and a computer that tallies up the amount in liters. Tables compete and people are looking at who has drank the most. This must get a little crazy in the evening into the night. It was nice for lunch.

Monday, August 8, 2011

Prague, Czech Rep. Day 1

Prague, Czech Rep. Day 1

The night train was a little weird this time. We were in a couchette with 3 French travelers. We thought it would be a private sleeper room, especially for the price we paid. So, we were in for a surprise. Luckily, the French people were nice and courteous. We made the beds, taking turns in the small area, and just hung outside the room in the hallway. That is where you can stand and look out the window with the air blowing by. It's much nicer than being forced to lay down in the couchette room. I just go in there when it's time to sleep, and only then. It is interesting to talk with French people our age, especially the educated ones that are out traveling to broaden themselves and not to party. There is a huge difference between those travelers and you can pick up on that a mile away. While talking to them, who spoke darn great English, you know what not to talk about and what you can. But, it is fun to hover right on the boundary and see how they take it. If you want them to totally go off, start in on politics. No matter where you stand, the French people will tell you what's wrong, no matter what. Well, that was the stereotype. That was in my head, so I thought I would tread lightly. I hate getting a dissertation on how evil my country is. We avoided the danger spots of conversation and the night was fun. I took the top bunk without air circulation in the cabin. It was cool outside, but up there, it sucked. Hot, humid from 6 people breathing, and cramped. All I wanted was the window to be cracked, but everyone was sleeping. I did not want to disturb. Going out in the hallway cooled me off, and when I returned after a few minutes, the air-conditioning finally turned on. Then it got nice and I could sleep, but it was 3:30am. Oh, train travel.

We came into Prague with cloudy, cool weather. It was nice for a change. We did some research which made finding the hostel easier. It was a quick jump onto the metro and 5 stops to the north we got off. Right across the street was the hostel situated among some trees. It looks like the Alamo, with a front gate and painted yellow. We are a few miles from the center of Prague where the accommodation is much cheaper. It feels more quiet here and the public transit is amazing. There is the metro, trams, and bus service right here. I think we will get the unlimited 72 hour pass for the next few days. This would be nice in Vegas to have a system like this.

Dinner was a bite to eat in the Mexican/Pizza restaurant across the street. Next door to it is a place the sells VAT69. If you don't know what it is, look it up. Can't get it in the States. Saw the movie RED on the Mac device.

Tomorrow we will tour parts of the city. Should be fun.

Krakow, Poland Day 5

Krakow, Poland Day 5

Today was pretty interesting. We had to check out by 10 am, so that's what we did and just hung out in the lobby for a while. Our lobby at this place is actually quite large and close to everything that's going on. The kitchen is close, the front desk is right there, and the white golden retriever is always making passes with his ball. The people at the front desk have been more than helpful, adding humor to the conversation and making our time enjoyable. The Polish people have really been great. Except.....

Getting stamps, change, or post office employees!

Today, being Saturday, I thought that I would easily get some stamps for the post cards that I wanted to send to a few people. I had the cards, and some postage. But upon looking up how much postage was on the Internet, I was short. I bought some stamps in the underground salt mine from an old lady vendor. No, I didn't buy her cards, I just needed stamps. So, she gave me postage. I told her specifically that I needed them to go to the USA. She acknowledged, and I got the stamps and was on my way. But now I have a problem. The cards are written, and the stamps are affixed, but they are 1 Zlote short. All I need is a single stamp to make this all good. I would hate to drop a dozen cards in the box and have them get chucked. I believe that is what happened to the cards from Bulgaria. They were some of the best. Now, I want to be darn sure the postage is correct. I went to a post office on the way to the town center. Closed! I went in and asked some vendors. "Sorry, only for people buying post cards." That happened a few times. I found a post office that was open on Saturday. Bam! Closed at 2pm. It was now 2:30pm. I had an idea. I would go to the post in the middle square of Krakow. Sure thing. There is a post carriage there that is open for tourists all the time. But what happened? The freaking Tour Of Poland bicycle race was getting ready to start in the center. All streets were crowded and the post carriage was blocked in by advertising balloons. Closed! I kept asking vendors and they kept denying me the stamps. They probably wouldn't have the 1 Zlote stamp anyway. One option would be to pay the hostel attendant to wait until Monday to buy stamps and affix them for me, but that would be risky. I wanted to be sure that they would get sent. The last vendor, in a larger market I thought would be my best bet. I bought two Cokes and asked her about stamps. She told me she did not have any and I should go to the post office (where I just was)and try there. I told her that I was just there and they closed at 2 pm on Saturday. And I said, "but you knew that." She smiled. Now, I was flat out angry.

Next we met up for the "free tour" of the Jewish quarter and ghetto to the south of town. It would be a lot of walking, but I'll get to the it after stamp issue.

So, we got back from the tour, tired and needing food. I saw on the map that we could easily pass through the train station area going back to the hostel to get our bags. This was where supposedly a 24 hour post was open. Just in front of the train station, this would be great. Something on the door said closes at 7 pm. It was 7:03, so I ran inside. There was no need to worry since the sign was for something else and the post was open 24 hours like I thought. Whew!!! Upon entering the que, there was a man to the left crying profusely, a lady attendant pounding a stamp onto paper over and over, and a line for the window I thought that I needed. Here we are I thought. This might work. I had 2.40 on the cards and needed a total of 3.20, so a single 1.00 stamp should do the trick and be over by .10 cents. Out of my forgetfulness, I just started speaking in English when I got to the window. Oops! You should always ask before you rattle off in USA talk. Most people will speak "some" they say, which is normally fine to do the business. She spoke none. None at all. She had no idea what I wanted either. I showed her the cards and tried to signal that there was not enough postage and all I need is one more Zlote per card. I busted out the paper and pen and tried to write my explanation with numbers and it still did not work. She then signaled over to a dude in line to come over and help. He spoke English and was efficient in helping, but not happy about it. Neither was she. I wanted the stamps myself so I could affix them in a clean clear way, but no, she hammered 1 Zlote stamps on there however she wanted and was killing my postcard creations. I tried to thank her anyway and was cool the whole time never getting angry. I just know that at the end of this all, I would have to try to explain it in the blog. The more crazy it got, the better the story. I have no idea why the man was crying either. Maybe he knew I was coming. Also, if you get a postcard from Poland, be thankful.

The Jewish quarter was something else. It was the last main area of the town that we wanted to visit and was a bit away. It would be another long walk and the return trip would have to be fast, since we had to catch a train later in the evening. We met up in the hustle of the Tour of Poland bike race in front of St. Mary's church. We followed the crazy guide throughout the streets to the south and we began the tour. We saw the areas that the Nazis forced the Jews into; small confines with fences and concrete walls. He showed us the oldest Jewish cemetery and the market square. There were a few synagogues. One in particular was a small orthodox synagogue in which only a few still go to worship. Poland had many Jews before the war and lost nearly all of them. I was surprised that the Polish language is spoken by so many of them, still. When they left by choice, not being sent by the Nazis, many took their language of Polish with them and did not change Today, the language is still strong with them and Poland still has a place in their hearts. many return, but the numbers actually living here is low. Our group did not have any Jewish people, and I was surprised how little the people knew about them. Our guide was questioning the group to get us interacting and they seemed to not know about anything that he was talking about. I have been lucky to have Jewish friends throughout my life that have been open to discuss what their religion is all about. The guide told us that people have treated them as outcasts in the past and they wanted to live in seclusion. No one knew what they did and therefore were afraid of them. This goes back to my problems with people being uneducated about other religions. It is easy to band together and develop hatred about people you don't know. The best bet is to learn about them, and hopefully you will understand them. Tolerance is what will keep things rolling in the future, but you have to work at it, on both sides.

The tour took us to the site of Schindler's factory that was made popular in the movie Schindler's List. Our guide filled us in on the real story and the changes that Steven Spielberg made to make it sell and be more appealing. I will not go into detail about it, but if interested, read up online. The real story is quite interesting and different. Now, the factory is part of the Modern Art Museum of Krakow. A little different than 1943.

We walked back to the hostel, got our bags, ate some pierogies in the main square, and headed to the train station. We were comfortably on time, unlike the time in Budapest with Josh. We hopped onto the train and it left right on time. We were now taking this party to Prague, in the Czech Republic.

Krakow, Poland Day 4

Krakow, Poland Day 4

Today was not full of emotional or depressing events like yesterday at Auschwitz. It was time for a change. We took a packaged tour to the giant salt mine just outside of town. The van came to get us in the morning and it was 40 min to get there. The tour was about three hours long and then we returned to the center of town. This is the oldest fully operational mine in the world. It has been mined for salt since the 1500's. Never ,has it been looted or destroyed, so everything in there is in great shape. We entered through a mine shaft about 90 meters deep, but we did not take the elevator down. We walked down a rickety staircase into the abyss. It was like a fire escape in a very old building. The wood was in decent shape and seemed to support all the tourists making their way to the bottom. Down below, there were several flat routes through the mine. The guide told us that there were over 300 KM of routes, so be sure to stay with the group, or else it would be a long night down below. I found that difficult to believe, but they have had 500 years to carve them all. I guess maybe that's possible. We saw rooms that opened up into large expanses and some have been converted to little chapels. The miners were very religious and wanted places to pray while taking a break from the work. Horses were used to hoist salt up and wood down the mine in these intricate contraptions. At times, hundreds of horses were used in the mine to work. Most lived their entire lives down below. One giant room even looked like the inside of a cathedral complete with a choir balcony, altar, and decorative walls. Chandeliers even hung from the ceiling. The guide was a young Polish woman that had a dry humor that we found to be hysterical. She was able to answer a few questions that I had and made the tour entertaining. The temps down below were cool and the moisture had been sucked out through the ventilation. Water is not good for the salt. The ride out was a little easier with a lift. When the lift went up, the lights went out and it quickly zoomed towards the surface. The air rushing by and the people tightly crammed inside made it a blast. We said goodby to the mine just as quickly as we got there and were headed back to Krakow.

When we got back we were hungary, so a stop at the grocery store was necessary. This is where hostel living really pays off. A whole entire meal that filled a bucket was made for just a few bucks. We made pasta with veggies, meat, and cheese. The weather outside was so nice, we just sat out back and chilled. This made for an easy evening of relaxing and blog writing.

Tomorrow, we go to Prague on the night train.

Friday, August 5, 2011

Krakow, Poland Day 3

Krakow, Poland Day 3

I am glad that I did not sit to write this blog after dinner. If I did, the last event of the night would have not unfolded. We needed to get tickets for the night train to Prague, so we went for an evening walk to the train station, which is just a 20 min walk away. We cut through a mall and busted right into the station. There was a single line for the international tickets and we got right into it. Within a few seconds a man came up and asked me some question in Polish. I told him I did not speak Polish and he switched to English. He was trying to get a ticket for some city I did not recognize and we started to talk. We never exchanged names, but the conversation was one of the more interesting ones that we have had in a while. He stood at maybe 6'7" tall with a golfer's hat with a nice suit jacket. We thought he might be a little younger, but he mentioned that he is 48. His accent was Polish, but he mentioned he spoke Russian, German, Czech, English, Polish, French, and some Ethiopian. Ok.... We have heard of folks like these and know to be leery of the massive languages they say they speak. We told him where we have been and he was interested. He told us about Poland over the past years and where they are going as a country. He was very optimistic and says things are going for the best. People are happy and spirits are high. I am thankful that we ran into a local with some thoughts about the country. It's one thing to just go into stores and restaurants and try to get an experience, but if you are lucky enough to meet a local that speaks English, you are in for a treat. He mentioned that he was married to an Ethiopian woman. I asked how that happened and what her family though of it all. He said that she is Catholic, and with Poland being predominately Catholic, he was in. He laughed and said, well most of us are. I took it that he was not that religious, but she was, and the family accepted him for that. Then, in a moment, he pulled out his iPhone to show us a picture of her. Wow! We all said his wife is really pretty. Then the bomb was dropped...she was Miss Ethiopia several years ago. Its funny how friendly he was and the conversation moved along in English with him. We could have had dinner and talked all night. Soon enough it was our turn in line. We got our tickets, and he did not. They were sold out for the train that he wanted. We said goodbye and wished him the best of luck in his travels. He was then off to the bus station to try his chances there.

That was the end of the day. It all started a little different and on a much less cheery note. We went ahead and booked a tour to pick us up from the hostel and take us to the Nazi death camp of Auschwitz -Birkenau. It was out in the country next to a small village. The drive was a little eerie knowing what we were about to see. I knew from pictures what would be there, but I knew that experiencing it first hand would be a different impression for sure. The entire Auschwitz area No.1 was the main entrance center and was built within an old Polish WW1 military site. The buildings were all aligned in rows and seemed to go on forever. They are brick with red colorings and each "block," as they are called, served a different purpose. The whole site was converted by the Nazis to be the "final solution" for the Jews, Gypsies, and native Poles. The second area that we saw, Auschwitz-Birkenau, they call No.2 and that is 3k away with purpose built camps made just out of wood. There were many chilling sights to see and the impact was immense. There were piles of hair that filled half a warehouse, shoes, suitcases, eyeglasses, and personal belongings. These were all preserved behind glass and look like people had just left them. Between two of the blocks was the "Death Wall" where people were tried in a makeshift court and taken right outside and shot on site. They say that hundreds died there. Now, it is still there with flowers and bouquets lying on the ground. All windows on either side of the corridor are covered to keep people from seeing the executions, and to keep bullets from coming inside. All the gas chambers and ovens at No.2 were demolished by the Nazis as they retreated, but there is still the main one at sight No.1. This is where you can actually go inside the gas room where the poison was dropped through the ceiling, people died, and then were lugged into the couple ovens just outside the door. This really made it personal seeing this first hand. Funny thing is, the Nazis did not do any of this work themselves. It was all done by slave workers that would end up having the same fate as those they put into the ovens. I could go on and on, but I believe you have to make a visit to get the whole perspective. The train that goes right up to Birkenau No.2 is quite a sight especially with the depth of view. The camps just go on and on forever. The scope of the sight is what is the most impressive. Yesterday, when we visited, was a beautiful mostly sunny day with cool temperatures. If all was removed, you would think it was just a beautiful pasture with birds chirping and the wind rustling the grass.

My intrigue is not "what" happened there at Auschwitz, but "how" it happened. People are very good killers, especially when brainwashed into believing what is right. The power of training and implanting thought is stronger than most people think. The best thing is a worldly education to build tolerance and a knowledge of the world's religions in my book. When people are forced into these things, and have no other perspective, problems ensue. In this case, it might be one of the greatest tragedies of the world. Just being a part of WW2 just makes the whole thing more depressing. People have a tremendous amount of power. It would just be a little easier if we all used it for good. The precursors to full blown genocide are happening all around the world today. If the fires are not put out, something much worse and encompassing could surely happen. From the looks of it, the Germans that participated or did not, just wanted to stay under the radar and not put up a fight in hopes that they would not be interrogated. Today, these situations come to us everyday on a much smaller scale, but the picture is the same. The agenda of just a few, whether religious or political, has the power to fully flatten mankind. That is what scares me.

I do not like writing about the Auschwitz visit. Hopefully, that is apparent.

Tomorrow, it's the salt mine for a change of pace.

Thursday, August 4, 2011

Krakow, Poland Day 2

Krakow, Poland Day 2

Today was about "change". I am not talking about that mystical word that has been brought up in American politics, but about the actual tangible coin that eludes us on our travels. Our problem is that when you go to an ATM, all you get out of the machine is large bills, or.... even larger bills. When you go to a vendor, no one can break them, much less, get anywhere near the right amount of money back. This is not specific to Poland as we have see this situation all over the place. One might think that the locals would be carrying around buckets of coinage in their pockets since they can always produce the right amount of money. This is not so. I do not see bulging pockets or hear the clang of money being toted. But, when you are in line at any store, the dude in front of you never has a problem and pays in exact change. Now comes our problem from today.

We had breakfast at our hostel. It was a simple spread in the lobby which we found satisfactory. It was nice to actually have food there like in the past locations. Then, we did some laundry and had to wait a bit to start the drying cycle. After that, we headed down the main street to get some local pierogies. This is where the fun begun. We each had a plate that the little old lady whipped up from behind the counter. The restaurant was small and only had seating for maybe 5 people. They came out with a sweet smell and were served with a cup of beet juice or something. Not sure what it was, but that was what we thought it could have been. It was warm too. We dipped the pierogies into the red liquid and all was tasty. But then, a woman came in and sat at the table in front of us. As a tourist detective, I watched to see what she did with the red sauce/drink. As we were dipping, she was drinking. Ok, maybe we should not dunk the dumplings into the cup, but just take a swig like her. She looked to be Polish and we followed suit. None of the restaurants make you pay right when you get your food and this time was no different. Our bill was 32 Zlote. All I had were 10s, 20s, and a 50. No change. So, I thought I could give her a 50 and get 15 back. This would add a little tip on there of 3 to make the change easier. She opened the drawer and there was nothing in there to create any type or change. There was no English or Polish conversing, but a lot of pointing and confusion. I showed her that I had a 20 and a 10, but that's not enough, and would leave her short of 2. Another woman came in and up at the counter she tried to help. But, I don't think she had the correct change to help me out. I am sure she only had the magical amount in her purse for her food and drink. Ok then... I am getting a little uncomfortable here and had Andrew and Katherine wait at the table. I went out onto the street to somehow find a measly 2 or 5 coin to take care of this. The first place I went was the bank across the street. Upon entering, I saw nothing like a US bank, but people all manning computers and dressed in stylish suits. I asked a dude if he could make change from a 20 and he told me to go down the street to another bank on the corner. Supposedly, there would be a change place there. Now what I have heard and seen is that the change places rip you off and take a commission on your transaction. Sorry. Not going to work for me. I thought I could easily just get a coke since we did not have a real drink at our pierogie place. So then, I went right next door and the sandwich joint sold Coke, so I said I'll take one. Nope! Out of Coke regular. "Would like Coke Zero or Coke Light?" Arggggghhh! No. Now, I pressed onward down the street to the grocery store. Surely, they could break a 10 or 20 for a Coke. I went to the back of the store to get the Coke and as I turned around, 3 people jumped in front of me to pay for things. Great. When I put the Coke on the table, I gently handed her the bill, and smiled. Bam! There was now change in front of me that I could pay the pierogie lady. I walked back to the restaurant only to see Katherine and Andrew with some confused looks on their faces. The lady probably did not know where I went or that I was insistent to get her the money. I handed her the 2 Zlote coin, smiled, and we left. The quest for the coin and change was complete. Now, I carry and hoard all coins. My precious!

We took a walk to the center of town again. This time there were more people out since it was later, and they were entertaining to watch, for sure. After passing the center we came to the castle on the hill. We walked around, saw the sunset setting, and headed to the grocery store. Our plan was to grill out on the hostel's new charcoal grill. The thought of some chicken parts seemed to be our goal. So, that's what we did. The chicken was the cheapest thing in the store, which was a little unusual. It took a little preparation back at the hostel to get the grill going, but the fire was good and the chicken was tasty. There's another point for hostel life. When there is a functioning grill, use it. The little things can be a lot of fun.

Tomorrow will be one of the most important day trips we take. We plan to go to Auschwitz, the Nazi death camp that is just out of town. We will be taking a tour that grabs us from the hostel, takes us there, provides a guide, and returns back. Been wanting to go there for years.