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Hi all It's me again. Here is my blog for the past month...it might take a while to read. OVer next week all the photos will be up. Hope you are all well. Im havin a great time. Ive got about 5 weeks of travel left before I get back to london. Im going to Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland and to Italy.
The second day in Bruges we went on a day trip to Ypres (EEper) to see some WWI battlefields. It was a cool place. WE went to the world's biggest commonwealth war memorial, Tyne Cot. It even has 4 germans buried there. WE went to a couple of other memorials and also to a place called Hill 60 where the germans had a base camp and the ENglish spent a year tunneling under and placng explosives without the germans knowing and then blew the whole hill apart. Then when went to the Menin gate and I managed to find aFlook on the wall. And a CArmody (ann's last name).
13/9/07 - BRuges to AMsterdam (My birthday) WEnt for a walk up the belfry (belltower) in MArkt square ans saw lots of bruges before we left. I had the great pleasure of being able to celebrate my birthday in 2 countries on the same day. Unfortunately our campsite (although alot chaper) was very far out so we didnt get back in to meet up with a topdeck friend and another till almost 10. Oh well it was stilla sweet night. Eventually we ended up at a sex show (really crap but im glad i have done it). The actors (??) really didnt act well. they just loooked like they were going thrugh the motions. Disgraceful. Anyway pretty much everything in amsterdam closed down at 3 so we were forced to sleep on floor of our friends hotel till morning when public transport started again and we struggled home. Whoops forgot to tell you all about the Red light district. IT was surreal. WAlking along and in pretty much every window there was a little cubical with a curtain and a girl standing on display in a bikini. It was hilarious. They either had a red light or a blue light (I think red meant men onl and Blue meant the lady went both ways...I think) 14/9/07 - WE didnt get into AMsterdam til 3:30 that afternoon. It was a miserable daz so we just went to the sex museum. What a weird place with photots of old porn and of voyeuristic pursuits including beastiality and water works...disgusting. It was pretty cool though. Quiet one that night. 15/9/07 - Today we did a bit more sightseeing. WE went to the Heiniken Experience (in the old Heineken Brewery). IT was ok. A bit tacky but light hearted. Th ehighlight of the afternoon was the ANne frank house. Anne FRank and her family (and a few others) chose to go into hiding during the NAzi occupation on THe Netherlands during WWII in a hidden house above her Father's factory. It's amazing they lasted so long. We went through the hidden bookcase entrance and saw her room that has been left as she left it...with all these pictues up on walls. Its pretty amazing. Since our Bus was leaving very early the next morning (a sunday) josh and I were going to have alot of trouble getting in from our campsit ein the morning. So we had the great idea to stoe our bags in the central station lockers when we came in to go to the heineken experience and then somehow get through tthe night.Thefirst part of the night was cool. Josh and I got drunk and danced with some AMericans. But about one we wanted sleep. This began the worst night Ive had to experience. We slept an hur on the cold stone on the monument in the town square. In the icy winds the freezing stone sapping the heat from your body. AFter an hour we decided it was too cold. So we stayed in KFC till it closed at 3. Then wandered around for an hour trying to find somewhere else. WE slept there till it closed at 5. Then found Macca's open till 6 and satyed there till then. Then we were able to get into the station to stay there until 7 when we could get our bags. IT really was an awful night. It gave me a new appreciation of being homeless. Its pretty tough.
Berlin - 16-21/9/07
What a city. Even though it is the captial of a country of 5o odd million berlin only has a population of about 3.3 million. So it nevers sems like it is overcrowded. Obviously berlin as a historic past, with Hitler's having berlin as his HQ during his time as leader of the NAZI party. But berlin in its own right is a beautiful city. However, I think this is one of my favourite palces becasue if the history and what I learnt here. For many hundreds of years berlin was the home to the Prussian empire that eventually unified bavaria (southern region including Munich) and other states into the country of germany in 1871 (due to prussian pressure and the other states giving in). And from there it is famous for two more events (i suppose ). THe 3rd Reich (or 3rd dynasty). This is the 12 years that hitler ruled for (even though hitler wanted his dynasty to last for 1000 years ). And also for the berlin wall and the cold war years.
Josh and I went on 3 separate tours. We went on the bike tour that took us around the Reichstagg, Brandenburg GAtze, Holocasut MEmorial, Bookburning Square, all the old palaces, Checkpoint Charlie (CHeckpoint C), Berlin wall ammong other places. The history attached to all these palces is too much to write about here. BUt the tour was fantastic. To actually see the berlin wall and to hear about this divide between east and west berlin which divided east and west germany (not geographically) which divided east and west europe was truly amazing. But wealso got to see proud berlin, including the biggest railway station in the world, opened just before the soccer world cup last year.
80-90% of Berlin was destroyed in the war. Most in the Battle for Berlin in may 1945 just before the war ended by allied bombing and then soviet foot sldiers. however the city has been rebuilt with as much of the old materials as possible. Littled all overthe city are buildings with shell wounds on them. ITs pretty crazy.
THe city is a fun city. We went on a pub crawl whichwas pretty cool and then josh and I went to lego land which was such a tops morning. YOu could build and race your own cars and make them try to clear a jump. Josh smoked me in both but i fiannlly managed to clear the jump. However the young kids were so much better then us both!! But there were aso heaps of famous people in loego and even a recreation of Hogwarts and other places in Harry Potter including a Quidditch pitch and hogsmeade. However, zhe best bit were the recreations of many on berlin's sights in lego. It was amazing.
We also went on a 3rd reich tour. This tour specifically loked at hitler's reign and the holocaust. We went o pretty much the same places but the tour was invaluable to learn so much. The holocasut memorial is a very abstract piece of artwork that makes people make up their own mind about the holocaust. We also stood on the site of the inpenetrable bunker where hitler took his own life. It's been filled in becasue the peoplle of Berlin wanted it so.
We spent a few hours at chekpoint Charlie learning about the Wall, the precursors to the wall, the cold war and then the falling of the wall in 1989. We learnt so much about the history of the time.
One of the days we went on a day trip to Sachenhausan concentraion camp...one of the first. I must here make the distinction between the types of concentraion camps in the Hitler regime. There were three...transit camps (like terezin(ill write about that later), hard labour camps (sachenhausen and Dachau) and extermination camps (Aucherwitz). The tour to sachenhausan was one of the hardest but essential day in my time overseas. The stories of the brutality and treatment brought tears to my eyes. These camps did not just have jews in them (although often even inthese camps the jews were treated the worst). Homosexuals, gypsys, Jehovah's witnesses, social undesirbales (long term unemployed, alcoholics) and political prisoners (anyone that didnet agree witht the new regime eg. communists). There are no longer realy any barracks there except they have kept one of the jewish barraks. Conditions were appalling. Disease rifed through these little barracks. A few toilets and ash basins meant faecal matter would often be all over the floors. The sleeping quarters were often three times overcrowded. They only got 2 bowlsof watery soup and 2 pieces of bread per day and would work 12 hours every day in pyjama-like outfit and wooden clogs. If you got a bad wrk detail far away, outside in the freezing cold or hard labour then life expectancy was between a few days to a few weeks. But it was not just them versus us. EVen within the camp their was a massive hierachy. You had to tro t suck up to your barrack leader who dished out work detail. It was a bad lfe. Some of the stories of the atrocities committed including officers stealing inmates hats and throwing them into no man's land and then telling them to go get it. If they did they could be shot and if they didn't they were disobeying a direct order and thus were brutally ounished by the guards. Also, making them stand to attention all night in the middle of winter in their pj's and clogs. Apparantly the night they did that the inmates on death work detail were running back and forth from the crematorium becasue the men were dropping like flies from either hypothermia, exhaustion or just giving up (stepping out of line and beaten to death). Then there were public killings were inmates (for sometimes steal as little as a piece of bread) were strung up by their arms and gurads shot at their joints until their arms were ripped from their bodies. They then did tis to their legs. IT was horendous. We also went to the infermatary (hospital) where they was only only doctor who did wekly rounds. But they did conduct experiemtns on people that were horrific. Finally we also saw a exteminaiton facility. Inmates were not killed here but new busloads were killed here. So i the end it was a bit of an exterminaiton camp as well.
The whole day was so upsetting but im really glad i did it. In Munich Ill be heading to Dauchau and then in Poland Ill go to Aucherwitz.
Munich (Oktoberfest) - 21-24/9/07
What a blast oktoberfest was. We went on the first day and it was great. Singing, dancing and drinking. We drank for about 7 hours (wasn't too drunk though but still quite drunk) and it was so much fun. My brother had bought himself some liedehausan (leather pants) and his girlfriend some diendle (womens traditional dress). And that is what everyone wore. IT was amzing. The beer waitresses sould carry more than ten 1 litre beers (the stein itself weighed about 1/2 kg). I could barely manage four. The was a big band i hte middle.
Oktoberfest is pretty much a the easter show but instead of animals there is lots and lots of beer. In the evening we when drunkenly on carnival rides. I have decided I hate rollercoasters...especially when your're a little drunk.
The second day was good but no where near as good. There were too many antipodean tour groups (aussie and kiwi) who seems to have licence to act liek c*** and be foul and disgusting. There was also a bunch of AMerican d*** a the same table as ours. But it was still a tops day and we drank and sang and danced some more.
Dresden - 25-27/9/07
Josh left me in Munich and now Im travelling by myself. Im excited about doing so. I made my way back to berlina nd then onto Dresden, still in Germany. That afternoon I pretty much walked all around the town. It ws pretty nice but not as great as the other cities.
The next day however I took a train out to Koningstein in an area called Saxon Switerland (Still in germany). It had some really icrueasque walking trails and I haked up three hills including going up and seeing Koningstein Castle. It was fantastic and the little town was so beautiful.
Prague - 27-2/10/07
The czech reoublic is a beutiful place. Amazing old buildings tha survived the wars and beautiful scenery. The beer is so cheap and the food is so cheap. We ate put at the same restaurant for the 5 nights we were there.
The first day a few of us went on a walking tour. The best bits included the town square (my favourite square so far), the astronomical clock that goes off every hour, charles bridges, the jewish quarter and Prague Castle. Prague has three sections, new town (still very old), old town and even older town near the castle. The castle was nice and offered amazing views of the city.
The next mornigna few of us got up at 5 to head into town to watch the Cats hammer Port adelaide in the AFL grand final. THat day was a bit of a write off (as I went to sleep again) but i went into town in the arvo and had a walk around. That night 5 of us headed inot town to the biggest club in central europe. IT had 5 levels eahc with a different style of music. It was awesome. We arrived home at 6:30 in the morning.
One of the days Andy, Polly, Jarod and myself went for a walk around the oldest part of town and headed up the hill nexyt to the castle to get some amazing views. Hitler had wanted Prague to become the PAris of the east so u on this hill there is a fake eiffel tower (that is 1/5 sie of real one but due to it being on a hill actually stands taller above sea level than real one). Then walked thorugh the castle and saw the bear pit with bears in it. They are cruelly kept in there and debate rages over whether they should be released.
On our last day in Prague, JArod, Andy and Myself took a trip out to Kutna Hora (about 1 hour away) to have a look at a church decorated entirely with bones (40,000 dead as a result of the black plague). IT was a reall interesting little church. Human bones were used to create hanging and decorations.
Czesky Krumlov - (2-4/10/07)
What an amazing little village. This little town (although quite touristy) is so beautiful nonetheless. The palce tower is painted pink and green ( looks good not hideous). Cobbled, winding, small street litter this place. I have been lucky to travel during the autumn when the leaves are changing colour and falling off. Here and in Salzburg, Ive noticed it most. You just need to walk a little bit out of towna nd mountians surround you. The food was chea and delicious and the beer...very cheap...I still dont enjoy beer but im getting there. I think Czech beer is the best.
Czesky is a very relaxing place and we rested alot. However on the second day about 10 of us went on a rafting trip down the river. If was very very tame and we barely had to do anything but it was great fun to have a few drinks whilst floating alond a river through amazing scenery. That twas the highlight of my time in Czesky.
Vienna - 4-7/10/07
The best thing about europe is theat i so many palces you look up on the hill and you'll see a palace or castle and then when you look to the ground all you'll see is cobbled streets. T%hats what I love about europe...it is so different from Australia (even though half the bloody population of australia seems to be in every place we go to). Vienna is no different. It is a beautiful city with lots of old stone buildings. IT is very clean. On the first night about 8 of us went to the Opera house t see a proper production of the Romeo and Juliet version of Ballet...it was really good. I thought I wouldhate it but I was pleasantly surprised.We got standing room seats for only 5 aust dollars. Bargain.
Vienna has maybe my favourite palace so far (not castle). It is called Schonbrun palace. We took a tzour through some of the roms which had been recreated to look like how they would have looked between 18th and 20th centuries. It was so beautiful and stylish. The castle also had some amazing gardens. That afternoon myself and jarod were suppose to be having a look around vienna but instread watch a yo yo diablo street performers and break dancers for over an hour. We got a little bit of sightseeing in but then it rained. However, managed to get to another quintessential (like my choice of words here mat phillips!) part of european cities, a cathedral. This one was called St. Stephans. It was a sweet gothic one...but id be b*****ed if I could explain what that means (I think they have arched windows and lots of carved trimmings). I just like the look of them. For dinner we had the biggest schnitzel ever. In fact we got two. I ate one of mine and had the rest for breakfast, luinch and a snack the next day.
Bratislava - 6/10/07
Get this, for about the same money as a return trip from the coast to sydney...i managed to go on a day trip to another country, Slovakia. It's amzing how many people you meet who are just in countries for the weekend....becasue they can. Bratislava is the capital of Slovakia. Slovokia nd the Czech Republic were Czechoslovakia during communism and before the iron curtain fell. But now...they are known for their production of ice hokey pucks.
Anyway when we first got off at the train station (about 800m out of town), we thought...oh crap...this is eastrern europe. IT was pretty desolate and derolict. However when we got to the centre is was this really nice little hub with beautiful streets, markets and shops. It's jsut that you didn't have to go to far before it became bad again. It had a fantastic Castle with amazing views. The castle was called Bratislava Castle. That afternoon jarod and I watched australia get beaten by england in the Rugby world cup quarter finals. The pub was packed...mostly by poms....it was devastating.hehe.
Salzburg - 7-9/10/07
One of my favourite places. Salzburg has it all. A castle, cobbled srtreets, big chruches, old building, mountians...and ice caves. But more than that, Salzburg is famoua across the world, becasue of the old classic movie...The Sound of Music. We went around all of the places in the movie including the Schloss mirabell gardens where they do the stair jumping. The castle is grerat becasue it sort of matches my fairytale thoughts of castles...with big towers. It proabaly had the best views of salzburg old town and the surrounding mountains. I forgot...another thing that all european cities have is an old and a new town...both usually over 500 years ol!!
We went on a day trip into the alps (they run from Vienna in the east to the french riviera in the west). The drive was absolutely amazing with the mountians rising either side of you. There is only one natural ridge in the alps which was the only means of easy travel between northen and southern europe. SAince salzburg was at one end it had its castle ot help defend it (it has never been taken). ANyway we reached a town called werfen then headed up into the alps themselves. NEar the top of this section of the alps. There are no trees really. Just this white rock. The few treesthat are there are dropping their leaves in the autumn. Then we hopped out and hiked up the hill for the part of the tour we all payed for. Inside the mountains is a massive cave system that runs for 42 km into the mountains themslves. The tour took us into the first 1 km ...the bit that was filled with ice. The ice caves were discovered 80 years ago and due to global warming....the levels of ice has increased (due to more snow melting and dripping in throught the cracks in the rocks) over 10m higher than than the original levels of ice. The caves are amazing. THe first part is a called the ice wall. We had to climb 700 stairs to just make it to the top of this wall. IT took about 30 years between discovering the caves and someone getting all the way to the top. ITs pitch black in the cars. However every 3rd person carries the same free flame lantern uised 80 years ago. THe guide also has strips of magnesium they used to light up the caves. There is a pathabove the ice so below you is an ice floor. This ice wall is now a sheer face but it is very steep especially at the top. Then there is a flat bit with massive stalactites (hang tight from the ceiling) and stalacmites (might reach the roof one day) and other natural formations people have named over the years. IT was areally fantastic expeirence anbd the views from the top are amazing. Our guide (originally from sydney) got it very right in saying that if you were from america, Austrlia, Britain then we would never be allowed to do this whole day. THe dodgy walk up and the unsafe caves. But all the owners ask for is a bit of common sense in and around the caves. ITs pretty funny the different ideas about public safety and trust.
Since it is the home of THe sound of Music, on the last morning before the bus watched the movie itself (shows at the hostel every morning). But didnt get to see the end so Ill be getting it out soon after I get home.
Munich - 9 - 19/10/07
Now im in Munich staying with my brother. Munich is not as picturesque as other cities we've to ghowever I havn'T seen a whole lot yet so I may change my mind. ITs been great hanging out with my bro and his girlfrind mona.All I have done really is walk around the centre. Im planning on going to the castle that walt disney used as a model for his disneyland castle. Also to some nice gardens where nudity is encouraged, a palace and the first ever concentration camp used by the germans, Dachau (Dak-au). I was supposed to been to the castle already with pete but a coupl of days ago we were playing a fun game on a balance beam with springs attached to it instead of posts. Well at one time we both fell off and the bean flicked back and bent my foot backwards and I have been out of action for a couple of days but oin the mend now.
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