So I know it's been forever since I've updated, but I wanted to just say that right now I'm sitting in a coffeeshop in Budapest that's called "California Coffee Company." Surreal!
Be sure to look backwards through this blog, since I will be adding Tunisia, Austria and Slovakia in chronological order.
I miss everyone! Write me an email - it's really sad when I finally get to the internet and don't have any from *real* people.
Erica
Saturday, November 28, 2009
Bratislava, Slovakia
Nov. 27, 2009I. Absolutely. Love. Bratislava. I definitely claim Slovak blood after seeing this wonderful capital city. Bratislava is a small, quaint city with an infusion of history and culture incredibly rich and the mighty Danube River cutting right through the middle.
Ben and I were lucky to have our own personal tour guide - a friend of mine is in his last year of medical school in Bratislava. Brano's lived in the capital for his entire life, and proved to be a wonderful guide. We walked along the coronation route (marked with crowns in the cobblestone streets and lending its history to the city's nickname, Coronation City) that the monarchs of the Hungarian empire took to the cathedral to be crowned. We also saw iconic statues of "the watcher" and "the paparazzi." After hiking up to the Bratislava castle, Brano bought us hot 
honey wine at the Christmas market in the center of the city that was surprisingly good. We even got to watch the mayor announce the official first lighting of the city Christmas tree! It was a great time, and I would come back to Bratislava in a heartbeat.
Vienna, Austria
November 26, 2009
The land of Mozart and wiener schnitzel! Ben and I are in Vienna at the beginning of the Christ
mas season, a perfect time to go. The Christmas market, with booths selling handmade 
crafts, was in full force and the city had decorations up everywhere. We walked around town for a few hours taking in the beautiful city 
in the crisp, sunny weather 
before taking the bus to Bratislava, Slovakia.
The land of Mozart and wiener schnitzel! Ben and I are in Vienna at the beginning of the Christ
mas season, a perfect time to go. The Christmas market, with booths selling handmade 
crafts, was in full force and the city had decorations up everywhere. We walked around town for a few hours taking in the beautiful city 
in the crisp, sunny weather 
before taking the bus to Bratislava, Slovakia.
Carthage, Tunisia
Nov. 7, 2009
Ben, Judy and I took public
transport to Carthage, 
Tunisia (about 20 minutes away.) It's the site of a lot of ancient Roman ruins. The contrast between the loud, bustling, vibrant Tunis and refined, classy, calm Carthage was like night and day. When not touring the ruins, we enjoyed walking around the town and seeing the gorgeous houses and wonderful Mediterranean Sea view. Great day!
Tunis, Tunisia
Tunis, Tunisia
Nov. 5 - 9, 2009
I've made it to AFRICA!!! It was not easy - our tickets (paper tickets; apparently TunisAir hasn't made the switch to the 21st century) were changed three times before the trip, on the day of the trip Ben and his mom were put on a different flight then I was, and then at the airport when we had it all figured out with the same itineraries (first we were flying through Lyon, then Paris, then Rome) -- our first flight was delayed! We missed our connection in Rome, so we ended up spending the night there and catching a flight out to Tunisia the next morning. At least the three of us were together, though. When I woke up in Holland on the morning of the trip, I never expected to be spending that night in Italy!
So anyways - we arrived in Tunis and after bumbling my way
through an immigration check at the airport (arrival card was only in Arabic and French) we got to go through a temperature checker! (I'm sure there's a more scientific term for that.) Guess they don't want any swine flu. To top off our difficulties with getting there, we waited for about an hour for Judy's luggage with the other passengers only to be told that there had been a strike in Rome and the baggage was never loaded onto the airplane. "It should arrive tonight at midnight." Ah well. Judy got her stuff eventually!
Tunisia itself - it's a country with a complex mix of Arabic culture
with French colonial remnants. The capital, Tunis, could be a Western Europe city with its sidewalk cafes and wide, tree-lined boulevards. Walking around, though, one begins to realize that the ratio of men to women is unnaturally high. There are women out, for sure, and not even the majority of them wear headscarves, but there still are many more men. The sidewalk cafes, with their tables lining either side of the sidewalk, start to feel like a gauntlet with gobs of men stopping their conversation to stare at you as you walk by. I discovered that the last thing they expect is for you to stare back at them. It's kinda fun to beat them at their own game...or so I told myself.
The old city of Tunis, otherwise known as the Medina, is part of the city enclosed by
centuries-old walls. There are winding, narrow roads with tons of shopowners hawking their wares in between colorful apartment doors and mosques. Very high-pressure, bargaining type of shopping - not for the faint of heart. I watched several British, American and Japanese tourist groups b
eing completely 
hounded by these retailers and even being chased after when they decided not to purchase. Yikes.
Nov. 5 - 9, 2009
I've made it to AFRICA!!! It was not easy - our tickets (paper tickets; apparently TunisAir hasn't made the switch to the 21st century) were changed three times before the trip, on the day of the trip Ben and his mom were put on a different flight then I was, and then at the airport when we had it all figured out with the same itineraries (first we were flying through Lyon, then Paris, then Rome) -- our first flight was delayed! We missed our connection in Rome, so we ended up spending the night there and catching a flight out to Tunisia the next morning. At least the three of us were together, though. When I woke up in Holland on the morning of the trip, I never expected to be spending that night in Italy!
So anyways - we arrived in Tunis and after bumbling my way
through an immigration check at the airport (arrival card was only in Arabic and French) we got to go through a temperature checker! (I'm sure there's a more scientific term for that.) Guess they don't want any swine flu. To top off our difficulties with getting there, we waited for about an hour for Judy's luggage with the other passengers only to be told that there had been a strike in Rome and the baggage was never loaded onto the airplane. "It should arrive tonight at midnight." Ah well. Judy got her stuff eventually!Tunisia itself - it's a country with a complex mix of Arabic culture
with French colonial remnants. The capital, Tunis, could be a Western Europe city with its sidewalk cafes and wide, tree-lined boulevards. Walking around, though, one begins to realize that the ratio of men to women is unnaturally high. There are women out, for sure, and not even the majority of them wear headscarves, but there still are many more men. The sidewalk cafes, with their tables lining either side of the sidewalk, start to feel like a gauntlet with gobs of men stopping their conversation to stare at you as you walk by. I discovered that the last thing they expect is for you to stare back at them. It's kinda fun to beat them at their own game...or so I told myself.The old city of Tunis, otherwise known as the Medina, is part of the city enclosed by
centuries-old walls. There are winding, narrow roads with tons of shopowners hawking their wares in between colorful apartment doors and mosques. Very high-pressure, bargaining type of shopping - not for the faint of heart. I watched several British, American and Japanese tourist groups b
eing completely 
hounded by these retailers and even being chased after when they decided not to purchase. Yikes.
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Porto, Portugal
10/14/09 - 10/16/09
I flew to Portugal for a couple days on a cheap Ryanair flight, and it was sooo nice to be in good weather again! Porto is the second largest city in Portugal, and it's situated on a river at the point where it runs into the Atlantic.
Portugal felt somewhat similar to Spain, and I got away with using my horrible Spanish. One could tell that the country prides itself on having a distinct culture, though, and the atmosphere definitely had its own Portuguese flavor. I can't really put it into words, but it was lovely!
The hostel was one of my favorites thus far. It's in an old three-story house with large ceilings and wooden floors. I woke up the first morning to the cutest kitten
coming to cuddle with me - turned out (thankfully) to be the hostel's resident!
coming to cuddle with me - turned out (thankfully) to be the hostel's resident!Also, northern Portugal is much more affordable than anywhere else I've been in Western Europe. The Big Mac meal was almost the same price as it is in the US!
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Bergamo, Italy
10/11/09
For my last night on this trip I decided to stay in a smaller town called Bergamo, Italy. (It also happens to be where the cheap airport is located!) I spent the day walking around their old city center and taking in the authentic Italian atmosphere.
I did not get a picture, but I also have to say that even though it was the fifth time I had eaten 
pizza in three days, my pizza in Bergamo was the best I've ever had. Yum!
pizza in three days, my pizza in Bergamo was the best I've ever had. Yum!
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