Monday, October 27, 2008

Prague and Cesky Krumlov

The Czech Republic is the European Laos for me: I had heard of it but couldn't be sure which country it was on a world map. Upon arrival and discovery, it becomes one of the most beautiful and memorable parts of our trip. It goes without saying that the culture here is quite different from Laos'! But it's nice to be pleasantly surprised from a wild-card country.

Craigslist is an ingenious website and I am sure many of you would agree. But did you know that you can search for vacation rentals in foreign cities like Prague and negotiate prices lower fairly successfully during the off season? Try it. We found a beautiful apartment with cathedral ceilings in the city center for 4 nights and my favorite part - a big kitchen to cook in. Yes, this is Stacy writing if you couldn't tell. Andy is sleeping now so he can get up at 2:30am and listen online to MNF. Seriously!

Prague, the "city of 100 spires" is a setting directly out of a fairy tale. A giant castle (the largest and most ancient in the world) sits on top of a hill lit up in all its glory at night. The Charles Bridge suspended over the River Vltava is magical with its dozens of blackened statues lining the sides. Enough with the verbal imagery. Check out the photo album.

A highlight for us was watching a live orchestra play Mozart, Vivaldi and Bach (for 300 Czech Crowns, or about $15) in a beautiful old church in Old Town Square called St. Nicholas. The acoustics were just perfect inside, and we were delighted by the fresco paintings and giant crystal chandelier while listening to the music in the ancient setting. A quintessential Eastern European woman about the size of a linebacker sang opera during the 20 minutes of Vivaldi with her dark black hair in a low chignon and bright red cheeks and lips. Her voice was magic!

Now, we are in Cesky Krumlov in the south toward the Austrian border. We were recommended to visit this medieval town off the beaten path by Mr. Tightie Whitie himself (see Andy's last blog entry) and glad we followed his advice. This "pocket sized Prague" has a small fraction of the tourists and is surrounded by mountains and trees yet has the same elements of Prague on a smaller level. Tonight we had out first traditional Czech meal - beef goulash, cabbage and bread dumplings for me. Sounds like crap, but surprisingly delicious! We ducked inside a local's place for half the price and sure glad we did. Local beer (Pilsner Urquell, Eggenberg, Bernard Pivo) is the equivalent of $1 for 0.5 L! One liter at Oktoberfest was about 9 Euro, or $12. Europe doesn't have to be expensive - just go east.

Visiting cities, dodging tourists and seeing old buildings. More cities, more tourists and more old buildings. I have been inside more churches in the last 6 weeks in Europe than in my entire life. That has been the story of our lives and we are ready for a CHANGE. So a change we will have...tomorrow we leave to the Bohemian forest to spend 5-6 days in a cabin in the woods without contact with the outside world near a village near a city I still can't locate on a map. Time to hike, read books, cook and sit by the fire! The forecast calls for snow. Good thing I have my eskimo coat.

Sunday, October 19, 2008

Paris has that...Je ne sais quoi

Finally, I am able to put five years of studying French into good use. It’s amazing just how much comes back to me when surrounded by le francais. Plus, the French are nicer when you speak their native tongue. Simply learn “bonjour” and “merci” with a smile – I promise it will work wonders! We arrived here on Thursday, October 16 (after waking up at 4:15am only to miss a train connection and forced to buy a new ticket) with Andy’s friend Danny from work who picked us up at the Brussels train station. Paris is the anomaly on the trip so far as we had this planned long in advance because we are here to WORK! What is that again? Yes indeed, Andy coordinated two days of on-site work at an event here at the Paris Disneyland Resort in exchange for five nights accommodation and some much-needed Euros. Tres bien!

Paris…the land of berets, skinny moustaches and the Eiffel Tower (among other things of course). I put my tour guide hat on for Andy in the city as I have been here a number of times over the years and this is his first French experience. It was a bit of a tease to stay at the Disneyland Resort for two days before even setting foot in the city center. Not to mention the screaming little ones and strollers all around. Did I mention we are not ready for kids yet? On Saturday we finally ventured in on the RER A Train and popped up from the underground Metro beside the grandiose L’Arc de Triomphe and a bright sunshine-y day. It was a marvel to see the 8 unmarked lanes of traffic circling the 12-sided star of lanes spewing out from the circle around the giant arch. Next, we cruised down Le Champs Elysees and peeked in at the fancy pants shops that one day we will be able to afford to actually shop in. We meandered through to Pont Neuf and Jardin de Tuileries before sitting down to taste a crepe and a glass of red wine at a brasserie. Next, my favorite cathedral – St. Chapelle – where 1,113 scenes depicted in 15 giant stained glass windows tell the story of mankind through Christ’s resurrection in sequential order. I’m not Christian though I still truly appreciate this beautiful and stunning masterpiece built in 1247.

Now, let’s talk more about my favorite part of Europe…food and beverage. France is known for its fresh, local cuisine from specialty shops. After seeing a beautiful hilltop view of the city from Montmartre’s Sacre Coeur, we stopped into le boulangerie for a couple of baguettes, le fromagerie for Manchego, Chevre Rocamadour and Brie cheeses and le vinerie for a bottle of Cotes du Rhone. Picnic-style, we found a bench at dusk and sat down with our fresh goods. I can honestly say that this baguette was the very best I have ever tasted! Andy pulled off the first piece and I could see the steam rising from the interior, clearly fresh from the oven. Like a true gentleman, he handed the piece to me and it was doughy and holey in the middle surrounded by a crunchy and perfectly golden crust baked with just the right amount of oil and salt. The result was an absolutely perfect combination of flavor and texture. Magnifique! Manchego is a hard white cheese with a deliciously robust flavor and melted ever so slightly on the hot bread. After washing each bite down with a sip of the fruity yet dry red wine, our tastebuds were in heaven once more. I could eat like this every day.

The Louvre, the Seine and sipping kir at a French restaurant also made our time in Paris enjoyable. But the very best sight was the Eiffel Tower. Why, you ask? Yes, it’s just a bunch of metal. We arrived at dusk to just that – a bunch of metal. But as day turned into night, the tower was illuminated with colors of bright blue and purple. We strolled to the adjacent park to get a better view of this famous Paris icon and without warning it began blinking all over with white lights like a sparkler on the 4th of July. A wonderful gift from Paris we will remember forever.

Belgium: Beer and French Fry Heaven

Eating our way around the European Union is already one of the most memorable and enjoyable of my experiences thus far. And this deliciousness happens to me every single day! After a while, the beautiful old buildings and artwork start to blend together, starting to lose luster. Don't get me wrong, I have enjoyed those in their own right. But just try spending two months in Asia without good wine, bread or cheese - you will appreciate it! I'll name just two delicious treats for now.

We began in a village just outside of Antwerp called Zwijndrect. Andy's friend Thomas (from work), his wife Mathilde, two dogs and a cat live there in a quaint "smurf house" as they called it. (Photo Album.) They introduced us to the most delicious French fries I have ever tasted. And I don't even eat French fries! Why are they so good? They are deep fried twice. And somehow they are tasty with a load of mayonnaise on top. It tastes different than mayo from America - the Belgian mayo is creamier and less mayonnaise-y somehow.

Next, Belgian beer to wash down those frites. Duvel ("Devil"), Hoogarten (white), Bolleke and Kriek (cherry) to start. Most Belgian beers seem to have over 9% alcohol. Now that's bang for your buck! The very best experience, however, was our excursion to Brugge. (Photo Album.) It's a perfectly preserved medieval canal city with more than 200 beers that each have their own special glass with a special shape to maximize the beer's qualities. When I visited here in 2000 with my Dad we found a secret pub recommended by a local for the "best beer in Brugge." A turn down a tiny cobblestone alleyway that looks more like a doorway takes you to Van de Garre. We trucked up the narrow spiral staircase to the second floor in this building from the 1400s. An exclusive Trappist Monk beer is brewed here called the Tripel van de Garre. In Belgian beer-speak, this indicates the strongest beer in their range - this one at 11%.

Definitely a sipping beer that leaves a delicious taste...and buzz.

Sunday, October 12, 2008

Amsterdam


Photo Album. I am ill for the first time during our world travels. Not sure if it was the cold weather change, the Oktoberfest craze or what, but when we arrived in Amsterdam on the morning of October 7 after an overnight train ride my nose was a faucet and my throat was quite swollen. Alas. Amsterdam would be the perfect place to rest for 5 days.

Andy and I arrived at "Luca's House," a room rental in a flat we found on Craigslist. The location was just perfect in a quiet neighborhood south of the Jordaan District. Our hostess was very kind and courteous and my eyes opened wide at the sight of a large, comfortable and cozy bed. My fuel tank was empty and I needed rest like a fish needs water. I slept a lot.

Amsterdam is a very special place. The town itself is absolutely beautiful, with fresh air, old brownstone buildings, reflecting canals and bicycles everywhere. I was in shock just how fit, fashionable, happy and healthy everyone seemed! The tourist season is over so it was a treat to see this town in its daily residential action. The vibe is very laid back and accepting. We were walking towards the entrance of the supermarket Albert Hein one afternoon. The man in front of us stopped and another man exiting the store stopped. "You go," one says. "No, you go," the other man says. "No really, go ahead," the first one says. "Please, you sir," the other one says. Finally, I said, "Ok, I will go then!" as I brushed past them with a smile. The people are consistently courteous and positive, I couldn't believe it. It was a treat to enter any sort of retail facility and receive eye contact and smiles from the employees. Some were even humming. I was telling Andy this would be a great city to raise a child in. Ok, too far from home but I will still always believe this to be true.

You can walk all over this tidy and clean city and that is precisely what we did. Walk, walk and more walking. We went to the Van Gogh Museum, the Ann Frank House and meandered through Vondlpark. We sat in coffee shops and cafes and killed an afternoon or two playing dominoes and journaling (thanks for the colored watercolor pencils, James!). We had beautiful weather, around 55 or 60 degrees and partly sunny every day. People watching was one of my favorite activities. I stayed in awe.

Did we go to the Red Light District, you ask? Of course. We walked through and heard a live band playing on a canal bridge as we peeked inside the red shrouded windows. Some women were smiling, some on their cell phones and others starting to get busy before the curtains closed. We marveled at the peace and acceptance of it all. These women are insured and pay taxes. The society works! But wouldn't it be weird if their ex boyfriend or parents walked by? Andy wondered. Who knows? But for as accepting as the culture is, I don't necessarily think so.

There is no place like Amsterdam. We will be back, indeed.

Thursday, October 9, 2008

I little memory I call, "tightie whities"

It wasn't one of those moments you envision far in advance, like "Oh, I wonder what the Pyramids or the Leaning Tower will be like? I can't wait to see them!" It wasn't even close to that actually.

Just a few days ago we boarded our overnight train from Munich's Hauptbahnhof central station heading 9+ hours to Amsterdam, Netherlands. What a ride it had been so far and whoa there is so much still ahead of us. Now let's hope we can sleep in our 6-person 'cochette', bunk bed style.

Stacy and I found our 2 spots on the bottom of the 3-high bunks, opposite each other (so we could gaze into each other's eyes and stuff). We had arrived with the tiny room almost full and then our final guest walked in shortly after us, beer in hand, very happy and fun-loving - not drunk mind you. We exchanged recent stories with him and 2 younger travelers on the top bunks, about Oktoberfest and where have you been, where are you going? Mr. Final Guest was quite informative and gave us some off-the-beaten path tidbits for the Czech Republic. "Wow, that sounds interesting," I was saying as I leafed through the Lonely Planet book looking for the little town on a map. "Now how, do you ge--$%#^!" Uhhhhh...(photo link)

Uhhhhh...I thought to myself, but didn't say, 'Sir, I know we're in Germany and all, but can you take your weiner schnitzel OUT OF MY FACE!' The kind man was just very comfortable amongst us all I suppose and right there in the 24" that was the space in between Stacy and I, he stripped down to everyone's favorite butt huggers and grape smugglers, THE TIGHTIE WHITIE (his were grey I must admit). Stacy and I peeked around the package to smirk at each other and just laugh silently. Time for bed it seems? Ah, the traveler's paradise.

Hey, it was HIS room too.

Tuesday, October 7, 2008

Oktoberfest 2008


Apparently we only needed to know 3 Bavarian words:

1. Servus!.....Hello/Goodbye!
2. Mass........The 1 litre glass mug you drink beer out of at Oktoberfest
3. Prost!.......Cheers!

Yes. We were at Oktoberfest! I mean sure, we've been to those mini-celebrations in various California towns like Old World in Huntington Beach and I have enjoyed my fair share of frosty mugs. But this was the real thing! And an authentic costume to wear from Simone is waiting for me in all it's glory. To my delight the drindl was absolutely breathtaking - a beautiful vintage piece. (photo of Stacy) I couldn't stop laughing out loud how new and exhilarating this was! This was one of those occassions where I couldn't contain my excitement. For half my life I have envisioned what this celebration must be like and now we are about to experience it.

I wasn't alone. (Photo of us) Lederhosen was everywhere I turned! Carnival music and the sweet smell of sugar-covered nuts filled the air. The day before was cold and rainy, but today the sun decided to shine brightly and warm us well - appropriately wonderful weather for the last day of Oktoberfest!

Allow me to interject and tell you briefly about Robert & Simone. When Andy and I were in Tuscany, Italy with my Dad & Judy two weeks ago we stayed at a B&B Farmhouse called Le Cetinelle in the countryside for one night. As we unloaded our bags, Robert asked us if we were Canadian because of all the patches of countries we have visited are adhered onto our bags. No, we're American but nice to meet you! We chatted for a couple of hours together after dinner, learned they were from Munich and invited us to stay with them. I envisioned this sort of instance in my many months of dreaming about this year-long trip. Meeting wonderful, warm people who paths cross with ours in some positive way. They say having goals with visualization increases the chance of achievement ten fold.

So here we are weaving our way through the crowds and stopped for a Bavarian delicious white sausage (photo). We haven't even had a beer yet! Suddenly, it was time to meet Roland, Mimi and Christian at the entrance of the Scohottemhane Spatennbrau tent. What? Not only are we at Oktoberfest with our friends but we have met a few more and we have tickets for a table at a box inside? How cool is this?!
"Servus!" Andy called out to the tent people sitting on loads of benches with a smile. There had to be a sea of over 8,000 people inside! By now, we we couldn't wait for a mass. This was definitely an experience that required a buzz. The litres of beer arrived at our lacquered wooden table and as Roland advised, this one will go down especially fast. An important rule we learned is that one absolutely cannot take a sip of this 6% beer without making eye contact with someone and announcing "PROST!" One must never drink alone at Oktoberfest! That's a lot of prost'ing. So much, in fact, that Andy shattered his glass! Photo.

Time (and liters of beer) passed quickly along with a melt-in-your-mouth rotisserie chicken quarter. By the end of the evening, we were all a bit bleary-eyed, grinning with our arms around each other's neck and singing German Oktoberfest songs. (Photo) Somehow, I could sing along by the end! There were a few Freddie Mercury songs as well, such as "We are the Champions." Freddie the flamboyant was a frequenter of Munich who enjoyed both his champagne and members of his entourage in the clubs. In any other city, playing Queen wouldn't be so fitting!

I will always remember this special night, in costume drinking Bavarian beer with our German friends in Munich 2008. MUNICH: Soft pretzels, white sausages, drizzling rain, Schloss Nymphenburg Palace, bike riding, long discussions over dinner, nights out on the town...we will be back again.

Complete Photo Album of Oktoberfest. For some odd reason, Andy's Mac won't upload photos to the body of this blog. Sad:(

Friday, October 3, 2008

A Little Camping...Where you say!?!

Photo Album. Our Italian venture has crisscrossed its way from the ports of eastern Ancona through the history and artistic grandeur of central Firenze, its zigzagged up and over the majesty that is the wine country of Toscana (Tuscany) and dropped us into the Empire of Rome (albeit for a quick 22 hours!). A little respite found us amongst the awe-inspiring cliffs of the Cinque Terre before our final Italian experience, romantic Venice – Truly, the Jewel of Italy.

Half of our travels here have been spent fabulously with Kevin & Judy, meandering our way from a spectacular apartment in Floren/Users/andy/Desktop/Mini.JPGce to scenic B&Bs throughout the wine country; all the while in the little red, mirror-less jelly bean of a Daihatsu – everybody lean forward, hill coming up!! From Rome we were train bound and back to official backpacker status, just Stacy & I off to the northwestern coast and Riomaggiore, the southernmost of 5 tiny villages that make up the Cinque Terre. We enjoyed a nice room atop a hill, picnicked everyday and drank some of the best 3 Euro wine ever! Viva la France!, errr Italy!

We are now on our way to Munich for a taste of Oktoberfest and some QT with our new German pals, Robert & Simone. I have made a serious effort to avoid the cervezas and stick with the vino the last 10 days or so, giving my liver a chance to ramp-up for the serious stein gulping we’ll be doing in just a few short hours (well, maybe it’ll have to wait til tomorrow). When does this train get in?

Before we boarded this TrenItalia locomotive heading north, we spent 2 days in the postcard that is Venezia – the city of canals and NO CARS!! Romance was in the air. Gentle strolls through the cities back alleyways, sipping wine from water-side cafés, smiling at the gondolas drifting by at 80 Euros a pop and then cozying up at our luxurious camp ground to end the days. Whoa!?! Campground in Venice you ask? Indeed, the campground is the new millennium’s B&B, I’m telling you. For a small fraction of the cost of any place in Venice proper, this out-of-town Camping Alba d’Oro was perfect! I may be the cheapskate in the family, but it was the wife who found this place on-line and boy did she nail this one!

I think I may have overstated the reality, however. Despite the pleasant 70-degree days in Venice, we did not in fact camp – pitched tents, cookers, logs on the fire were not happening (my feet have been smelling though). Actually we had a Twin en suite room, which is basically a 3Mx3M room w/2 twin beds, a small wardrobe closet, heater and our own bathroom. It was like a mini motor home, just really MINI! But perfect!

The grounds of the place blew us away with a huge pool, 2 Jacuzzis, bar, restaurant, supermarket, Internet room w/ my coveted WI-FI & hundreds of accommodations! Families and young travelers alike were enjoying this place and the 20-minute shuttle bus ride that connected campers to the Venice, just across the lagoon.

The thought of coming to Venice and camping had never once crossed my mind, and once Stacy should me the web page it sounded cheap but really, what were in store for honey? I had seen a camping ground just outside of Athens that we passed in a bus just 2 weeks ago, and ewwewwe. The experience we had in Venice was utterly remarkable and fascinating. Believe it or not, the campground roll of the dice added to the creation of this lifelong memory never to be forgotten.

What a funny trip we are having!

Wednesday, October 1, 2008

A Cappuccino and a Hike in Cinque Terre


Photo Album. All is right in the world after a cappuccino. We’re on the train headed from Bologna to Venice at the moment. Last night I couldn’t sleep for some reason, so I used the 3-hour train ride from the Cinque Terre to Bologna for some extra winks. I woke up to the sound of an African-Italian woman speaking very quickly and loudly sitting across the aisle from us. I tried to ignore it but she just kept getting louder. I realized finally in my half awake state that she was quite pissed off at her friend with her eyebrows turned in and her words getting even more heated and closer together (all in Italian of course). We decided to move. Good thing we did, as the anger mounted and she stood up and began to hit the lady she was mad at! The whole train car was staring as another Italian lady tried to calm them down. With a final roar, they split up and the mad lady stormed away to the next car. I needed a cappuccino after that. I am certainly awake now.

Yesterday it rained all day in the Cinque Terre. Luckily we took advantage of the day before and hiked from Town #1 Riamaggiore to Town #4 Vernazza. It was quite a memorable day. Allow me tell you why.

Cinque Terre is a group of five old, quaint and colorful small towns hugging the steep cliffs of the Italian Riviera. On September 29, we awoke early and headed down the 350 steps to the village of Riamaggiore. We had been staying in a double room in a hostel located on a hillside above the town and boy, was it a hike everyday! See why we brought backpacks and not roller bags, Mom? A hole in the wall shop served fresh cappuccino so we indulged with a kind exchange of “buon giorno” and a seat overlooking the water along with our new favorite breakfast: yogurt, muesli and fresh fruit. Interestingly, Italians drink and serve all coffee drinks just warm, not hot. They sure go down a lot faster this way. And the food in this region is spectacular. The Cinque Terre is known for their fresh pesto, foccachia bread and fresh anchovies, though I must admit I didn’t try the latter.

The sun was shining and the temperature in the low 70s – just perfect for a daylong hike between the towns. With our new best friend Rick Steve’s Italy 2008 book, we began on Via del l’Amore (Lover’s Lane) that meandered along the dramatic coastline. The Cinque Terre towns were quite isolated until the last century and villagers rarely married anyone outside their towns. Now that the trails are built, it changed the social dynamics between the towns and made life much more fun and interesting for courting couples. Cluttered graffiti lines the tunnels with words and drawings of love. A current craze in Italy is closing a padlock around a railing with your lover at a lovey-dovey spot. There is a cluster of padlocks on a gate at the edge of the tunnel that was entertaining to see.

Manarola (Town #2) is another tiny and picturesque town with pastel buildings stacked up on top of each other above a harbor. We went into the Sciacchetra (a local wine) Museum and a very gay Italian man who clearly had a crush on Andy greeted us. I could tell even before the man squeezed Andy’s bicep and asked, “Do you work out?” (No I am not kidding, he really said that!) We scooted along after that but I was just dying of laughter up the rest of the hill. Next, we cruised along the Manarola Vineyard walk (thanks to our buddy Rick), which followed above the edge of town up close and personal with the Sciacchetra grapes. They must have just harvested, as the vines were empty. By now we were ready to taste this vino. As you can imagine, the views were stunning.

Corniglia (Town #3) is the only town up on a hilltop not actually on the water. An old castle-turned-ristorante sits on the point and affords a commanding view of the intense blue Ligurian Sea. Eager for a taste of wine, we stopped into Enoteca Il Pirun wine bar tastefully decorated with wines in small brick alcoves, Italian reggae music blaring and a warm smile from Mario. We chatted with him and enjoyed a taste of a dry white, a rich red and the sweet yet dry Sciacchetra wine, with Mario pictured on the bottle. It was special to be drinking his particular grapes. I’m not much of a sweet wine drinker, but this wasn’t bad! Curiosity cured.

We bought our favorite picnic snacks: dry salami, pecorino Romano cheese, rustic Italian bread, tomato and fresh veggies and found a spot to relax for a couple of hours on a hilltop overlook in town. It’s amazing how much the crowds clear if you hike just a little higher. The 360-degree scenery was breathtaking of the surrounding green landscape on one side of terraced vineyards and olive groves and the other of the shoreline and infinite azure sea. It was relaxing until a cat began erratically chasing another cat that decided to leap up onto our lunch and spray the remains onto the ground. Luckily we were almost through. I walked down the hill to find a W.C. and peered into a room with a brick archway, an old wine press and oak barrels. An old man was pouring liquid into a large oak barrel that I can only assume is the Sciacchetra wine. It’s so fun to eat and drink the immediately local food & drink in Italy.

The hike from Corniglia to Vernazza (Town #4) was the most difficult yet the most rewarding. The trail hoofed us up into the hills into the olive groves and through the vineyards. From the top we could see views of all five towns, a true highlight. German hikers were the most prevalent on this trail, all outfitted with their trusty aluminum walking sticks. My knee, by the way, fared pretty well throughout all these hills and steps with my knee brace on. That was both surprising and good news for me. After this last 70 minute hike, we were pretty tired yet still climbed the hill on the opposite side of town to see a cemetery and more beautiful views. We ended up with a few snacks and a bottle of cool white wine on the breakwater rocks. We read, relaxed and enjoyed the warm sun. This is going to be the last we feel of natural warmth for a while!

Our legs thanked us when we decided to take the train back. We picked up some spaghetti Bolognese and headed back to our home (up yet another 350 steps). Along the way, we ran into Shirley & Aaron, a nice couple from Portland we met a few days prior and they invited us for a drink later that night. Why not? After dinner, we talked and laughed the night away before headed up (yet another 350 steps). It was a very memorable day.