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Time for another update on where I've been and what I've been up to. Last time I wrote I spoke about my adventures across Asia and now a complete contrast - Europe!
After four months in tropical heat and humidity it was time to move on the summer sun of northern Europe. We departed Bangkok on separate flight - Siobhan via Doha in UAE and me via Delhi in India. It was a little strange to be apart especially since there was plenty of people watching to be done and no one to nudge and wink at whilst doing it. Arrived at Heathrow late in the evening and after a 3-hour wait in customs I was ready to meet up and get to our new home.
We certainly weren't staying at Liz and Phil's but Woolich definitely had atmosphere and most importantly the price was right! We found a website that offers accommodation in people's houses for a fraction of the price you will pay in London backpackers and you don't have to share a rattling bunk with a stranger. After setting ourselves up we set about discovering the delights of Woolich - Iceland, Poundland, Primark not to mention the colourful characters that occupied the local Starbucks. Woolich was only trumped by Bexley Heath where the Poundland was huge, Primark has two levels and the locals were even more colourful and all sporting leggings of various hues and patterns with crop tops to complete the look - eewwww! Of course retail therapy was not the only thing we did in London town - days full of sightseeing were on the agenda. We hit London armed with a map and ready to take it all in. Trafalgar Square, Nelson's Column, Admiralty Arch, Horses' Guard, 10 Dowling Street, Churchill's statute, Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament, St James Park, Westminster Abbey, Buckingham Palace and to finish it all off - Harrods. So much to do in the few days we had before heading off on tour.
Sunday morning we began our 34 day Topdeck tour that would take us to 15 countries and would involve us camping - hey we are on a budget!! We left Kings Cross with 32 others and soon arrived in Dover for the ferry trip to Calais in France. Rain greeted us as we arrived and certainly made our first attempts at putting up the tents interesting.
The following morning the sun was out and we made our way into one of my favourite cities in the world - Paris! We hit the ground running beginning at the stunning Notre Dame. We crossed the bridge to get to the cathedral and immediately noticed the hundreds, if not thousands of locks adorning the balustrading of the bridge. Apparently lovers who visit the city bring a lock and attach it to the bridge crossing the River Seine. There were locks of so many colours and sizes covered with names of people from across the world. The last time I had visited Paris I had not seen this nor had I the chance to spend time at Notre Dame. Definitely one of the most beautiful cathedrals I was to see of many on this trip.
On to the Louvre via the paths along the Seine that are lined with sellers offering pictures and artwork of Paris. The Louvre is beautiful and although I didn't get to go inside and admire the masterpieces on show, the building itself is stunning. A walk through the gardens was next via the Arc du Triumph Du Carrousel that lines up with the Obelisque and the Arc Du Triumph along the Champs Elysees. We detoured via the Madeline Church to visit the Old Opera House where the inspiration for the Phantom of the Opera is said to come from. A lazy stroll down the Champs Elysees to the Arc Du Triumph finished off the afternoon before we wandered through the backstreets of Paris to get to the Eiffel Tower for a picnic dinner with the rest of the group. A pretty special way to end the day - trying escargot for the first time and sipping champagne under the Tower as it lit up for the evening. A final boat cruise down the River Seine was a magnificent way to see the city from a different perspective before we headed home.
The next day we packed up camp and headed to Switzerland a country that took me by surprise and quickly became one of my favourites on the tour. We settled in the village of Lauterbrunnen found in a deep valley enclosed with cliffs and snow-capped peaks. . The waterfalls running from the top of the mountains made the whole scene picturesque. While some spent the morning skydiving from helicopters high above the Alps - would have loved to but the budget didn't stretch that far! - so instead we took in the beauty of the valley and the little village. We spent the afternoon watching base jumpers take off from the cliffs and plunge into the valley below. A big night out with the locals was a fun way to finish up and ensure that someday I will come back to spend more time traveling through this stunning country.
On to Avignon in France next where we stayed for only one night on our way to Barcelona. Avignon is a gorgeous old town in the Rhone Valley in Southern France famous for its wine. The architecture of the old town was impressive. At one time Avignon was the home to a number of Popes and the places that housed these men were impressive. The Palais des Papes with the gold-topped cathedral were imposing figures in the main square. After talking a walk through the town a few of us gathered supplies and followed the wall of the old town back to the river near camp for a picnic dinner.
Siobhan and I eagerly packed up our tent the following morning - perhaps knowing that we would be sleeping in a hostel bed rather than on a blow up mat - or more likely because we were on our way to Barcelona. We kicked off the day with a visit to the huge Roman aqueduct Pont du Gard that is over 2000 years old. We watched three riders take their horses for a dip in the cool water and then investigated the aqueduct. Then onward to Spain!
Barcelona is magnificent!! A vibrant city with so many sights to see. Arriving in the city we went directly to Gaudi's Sagrada Familia. The 120-year-old cathedral is monstrous and certainly gave us a taste for what we were yet to see. That night it was off to Las Ramblas for a huge meal of paella washed down with enormous glasses of beer and sangria. Then we headed to a flamenco show and to take in more of the Spanish nightlife.
Saturday morning we hit the streets early we made our way straight to Parc Guell, which I have wanted to see since Kirsten, posted home pictures of some of Gaudi's best works of art when she visited years before. I loved it!! So many magnificent pieces set amongst the gardens high up on top of a hill overlooking the city of Barcelona. I watched an artist drawing some exquisite pictures of Gaudi's works in the shade of one of the long corridors - two of this artist's pieces are on their way home to grace my walls. We spent the remainder of the afternoon wandering the streets of Barcelona photographing the magnificent architecture including Gaudi's Casa Battlo, St Joseph Market and Placa Reial. On our way to dinner we cut through the Gothic Quarter to see the cathedral and were met by a swarm of people dancing in the square. Arranged in huge circles, men and women of all ages were dancing in the shade of the cathedral to the music of a small band.
Another early morning start saw us heading north back to France. We reached the French Riviera with plenty of time to cool down with some Papa Bear size beers and then head out to the local carnival for some fun. The next day Nice - Beautiful!! Blue sky, turquoise water and hot, hot sun! Wandered for hours taking it all in - Café Negresco - a favourite of Hollywood celebs on their way to Cannes, the Old Town, the vintage flea and antiques market and the beautiful pebbled beach dotted with some not so stunning oldies sporting over tanned leathery hides - eewww! That night we glammed up to hit Monaco on the way visiting the Royal Palace before checking out the casinos of Monte Carlo. Found no likely sugar daddy, so off to Italy.
We made our way north stopping in Verona the home of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. After making my way through the crowd to Juliet's statue - yes I did touch her well-worn breast - it gives you good luck after all, we headed directly to the best gelato store in town to cool down. We reached Venice later that afternoon and cooled down with a few drinks. The next morning - Venice! I loved this unique place the first time I visited and the second time was no less spectacular. We did a quick walking tour and then spent the rest of the day winding our way through the alleyways, across piazzas and over bridges watching the gondolas navigate the network of canals that run through this city.
The next Italian city to visit - the beautiful Florence. We travelled via Pisa where we had fun creating various poses with the Leaning Tower before more gelato. The scenery of the Italian countryside on the way to Florence is beautiful - miles and miles of happy sunflowers smiling at the sun.
The city itself is another magnificent sight. We did a walking tour of the main town in the early evening visiting the Basilica of Santa Croce, the famous bridge Ponte Vecchio with its beautiful shops built along it. We finally finished in the main square Piazza della Signora. We had a fabulous Italian feast for dinner before hitting the Red Garter Bar for some fun. As we approached the lookout near home we heard music blaring and we were completely stunned to see hundreds of people cycling on stationery bikes at the top of the hill overlooking the city.
The next day we were heading to Rome on yet another scorching hot summer day. We arrived late afternoon and thankfully headed into the city for a walking tour as the day cooled off. Rome is a city buzzing with energy - so many people, cars, and motorbikes! We started at the Spanish Steps and continued making our way through the bustling streets to the Trevi Fountain, the Pantheon, Piazza Navona, the Roman Forum and finally finishing at the spectacular Colosseum. The following morning, like a good Catholic girl, I made the pilgrimage to the Vatican City. Visiting this place for a second time certainly did not diminish the experience. We had arrived well before the crowds to escape the heat and as a result had plenty of time to take in the artwork and sculptures inside St Peter's Basilica. It was lovely watching the nuns lay out the alter cloths for the priests conduct their regular service to people from all over the world. The Vatican is simply a breathtaking place.
With our time in Italy coming to an end it was exciting to be heading to Greece to enjoy some time escaping the heat on board a sailboat. With the news that I was to captain one of the boats, we made our way to Igoumenitsa to begin the next part of our trip. We had a great group of people on the boat with us and all 6 of us were looking forward to being on the sea for the next three days. The scenery was superb - clear blue water and finally a nice cool breeze. A few hiccups as we set sail the first day - less than informative instructions to navigate our way to each port, smoke that appeared from the engine hold as we were cruising along and the mysterious loss of power - oh the fabulously flawed Faona!!. Luckily everyone on board had a sense of humour and was willing to give anything a go to make sure we did not sink. The magnificent Greek feast and entertainment we has waiting us at a taverna the first night made up for it all though. Lots of sun, swimming, sailing and great food - it was three days of something completely different for us all.
After Greece it was time to start making our way to Croatia. On the way we travelled north through the Balkin region to Albania a country that I admit I didn't know much about until now. The time that we spent in the capital, Tirana, gave us a glimpse of a country that is in contrast to many other countries within Europe. It was clear that there was not the wealth within this city that we had experienced in other places we had visited. This was mainly due to Albania being shut off for many years by various Communist regimes up until the early 90's. It was not uncommon to pass a donkey and cart on the side of the road! The people there were very friendly and welcoming and our local guide was very proud to be sharing with us some of his country's history and significant sights.
The following morning we continued north through the Balkins to mountain ranges and the coastline of Montenegro. A picturesque country with beautiful towns set on the ocean. While we stopped for lunch I visited the old town and took pictures of the historic buildings that now house traders as well as the stunning boats from all over the world in the harbour. We continued following the coastline and later that afternoon arrived in the city of Dubrovnik nestled in the towering hills at the southern end of Croatia. Dubrovnik is another of the most favourite cities we visited. Our first night in town we explored the walled city filled with cafes, restaurants, bars and shops. Wandering the cobblestone streets was saw the Pile Gate, Onofrio fountain, Orlando Column and the church of St Blaise. The next day we relaxed at the Copacabana beach before heading back into the town for more sightseeing and a delicious meal in a local cafe.
Dubrovnik could only be loved by anyone who visits there - it is simply stunning. Next we headed north to along the coast to the ancient town of Zadar that features the most amazing 'sea organ' along its promenade. The organ is a piece of public artwork that produces harmonic sounds when it is 'played' by the ocean. After cooling down with yet another gelati - this time mojito flavour, we continued on to Plivicia Lakes National Park. Cascading waterfalls, turquoise lakes all set amongst wooded hills - absolutely breathtaking! We spent the day walking through this magnificent place and it was easy to appreciate why it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Our next destination was Hungary and the city of Budapest. Once again we were visiting a country that was until the 90's a Communist country. I did not realize that the city is in fact twin cities of Buda and Pest, which sit either side of the River Danube. When we arrived we took in the Liberation Monument, Hero's Square, the National Palace, Parliament House and the Fisherman's Bastion.
The following day - after finally working out how to validate our tram ticket with the help of a friendly old Hungarian man - we made our way back into the city to explore further. First stop - The House Of Terror! This museum was an outstanding place dedicated to the victims of Hungary's Fascist and Communist double occupation during and after WWII. The museum is actually housed in the former HQ of two secret police regimes and features some harrowing stories and images of some of the victims of terror during this period. The interrogation cells housed in the basement are accessed via an elevator that takes of five minutes to descend so that you can watch the story of how and why people came to be imprisoned here. One cell is easily 50cm wide, almost the same deep and lucky to be six foot high - in other words - smaller than most cupboards! A truly intriguing place that reminds us of the acts of terrorist dictatorships.
After a rather overwhelming morning, Siobhan, Lauren, Dianna and I took it easy and visited St Stephen's Basillica - named after the first King of Hungary and whose right hand is actually housed in the rectory! We strolled past the Jewish Synagogue and then visited the markets before preparing for an all you can eat and drink Mongolian Barbeque dinner.
Our next destination, Austria and the city of Vienna. On route we stopped in Slovakia and had lunch in the magnificent capital town of Bratislava. Found within the main square are bronze statues installed to create some life in the city centre after the fall of Communism. Cumil is the most famous - a funny guy looking up from a street manhole. Napoleon's army soldier shows visitors what kind of hat Napoleon wore during his visit to Bratislava in 1805. There are two other statues - Beautiful Ignaz a gentleman always greeting people on the streets and Paparazzi making pictures of people entering into the famous Paparazzi restaurant. Lauren and I won the photo competition with a fabulous picture of her attempting to climb on top of Napoleon's soldier.
We arrived in Vienna later that afternoon in the bright sunshine. We headed out for a quick tour of the city and a visit to a Schnapps museum and returned to camp in the pouring rain. Thank God we were now experts tent putter uppers!! Everything dry, but others were not so lucky. More of the same the next day as we visited the city to see Hofberg Palace, the Spanish Riding School and St Stephen's Cathedral. That night as a handful of others went to the Opera, some of us girls searched out a bar where we could fill the time while we waited out the rain. The 1516 Brewery was fantastic - cheap beer in huge glasses and the most delicious Vienna schnitzel.
The following morning the skies had cleared in time for us to take in the Austrian countryside as we made our way to the former concentration camp Mauthausen. Located on top of a hill overlooking a small village, the camp is a quiet and serene place that much like the House of Terror, only reveals its horrific past in the pictures and videos on display in the museum. After watching a documentary about the camp's history we took a walk in the gardens outside the camp walls. Statues from countries effected by this place sit in memory of those who entered the gates here. A sad and daunting place but one I appreciated visiting if only to get a better understanding of the atrocities of the Nazi Regime during WWII and the Holocaust.
As the rain very fittingly began to fall again we continued on to Prague in the Czech Republic. Greeted by more fabulous architecture and statues in Wenceslas Square we continued along bustling streets - past the Sex Museum - and onto the magnificent Old Town Hall with the most intricate Astronomical clock. In fact we made it in time to see the 12 Apostles appear at the chiming of the new hour. The following day we started our tour of this beautiful city on the other side of the river at Hardpan Castle and St Vitus Cathedral. Once again our timing was perfect as we arrived just in time to witness the changing of the guards at the castle gates. The gothic cathedral located within Prague Castle features some of the most spectacular stained glass windows. We wandered from there through the narrow streets past restaurants and bars on our way the Charles Bridge. The bridge is lined with statues and features towers at either end with great views of the city. We spent time here admiring the work of various artists along the bridge and people watching of course - double denim is a favourite in Prague!!
In the Old Town the streets were lined with shops selling everything from marionette puppets, which Prague is famous for to Babushka dolls featuring EPL players and even Justin Beiber! We checked out the Tyn Church, which overlooks the Old Town Square and looks like something from Disneyland. Its two spiky fairy tales gothic towers are nicknamed Adam and Eve. Back past the Sex Museum again - unfortunately we didn't have enough Czech crowns to spare so we'll never know what the 200 objects and mechanical appliances they have on display actually do!! We finished off the day at the huge street market, which gave the chance to finally pick up three pieces for my growing collection from a local artist.
Our next destination was Germany and our first stop was Dresden. It was hard to believe that this city was virtually destroyed in WWII as the buildings have been restored so well. A quick stop but enough time to take it all in, grab some lunch and get introduced to Ampleman who was going to going to continue showing up during our time in Germany.
Our first stop in Berlin was a Soviet park followed by a quick bus trip through the city where we got the first glimpse of the city's major sites - the Reichstag, the Victory Monument, Checkpoint Charlie, the Brandenburg Gate and of course the remaining section of the Berlin Wall.
Siobhan and I chose to do a Third Reich tour the following morning where a local guide gave us more of an insight into some of the places most closely associated with the Nazis and WWII. The tour took us through the city beginning at the Reichstag Parliament Building, the Soviet Monument, the Brandenburg Gate where you can see the markings of where the Berlin Wall cut this monument off for over 25 years, the Holocaust Memorial - a huge field of stone slabs designed to remember the Jews murdered by Nazis Germany - very impressive! We also saw the sites of the former Gestapo and SS Headquarters and Hitler's bunker. We finished up at Checkpoint Charlie known for being the place where authorized people could cross between East and West Berlin. A truly fascinating city with a rich history and fabulously diverse nightlife.
The only way to back up Berlin was to head to Amsterdam famous for many things - canals, bikes, wacky tabaccy, sex shows. Our first night out took us to the heart of the city - Dam Square before we headed off to the Red Light District. A show at Amsterdam's Moulin Rouge ensured Angus had a fabulous birthday and Lauren learned a little more than she bargained for! Completely hysterical although if I now cringe when the song 'In the Navy' is played, this place had something to do with it! Eewwww!!
Not too early the following morning we headed out with Mike - a girl - from Mike's Bikes for a ride around Amsterdam where we cycled around the canals and parks just like the locals do. Mike was amazing - completely made up with red lippy, false eyelashes, platform heels, and a boob tube teamed with the shortest denim shorts ever. Watching her change a punctured tyre was an education and a show in itself!! Following the bike ride we wandered the streets, making sure not to wander into the bike lanes, visiting the flower markets and taking in this city so full of various types of culture - some traditional, others more eye opening!
A final dinner with everyone rounded out the last day of the tour - some people a little more hungry than others - and one more bar for farewell drinks.
Early the next morning we were ready to make the trip back to London just in time for the beginning of the 2012 Olympics. 34 days and 15 countries, so many places, so many sights and experiences and many new friends made along the way.
Next on the agenda - house sitting in France - sure to be more adventures in store I'm sure.
Nic x
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