...continued from Part 1 in the previous blog entry... As before, for the purposes of my Highlights blog, I will stick to the mostly superficial experiences of my travels. If you find yourself lost with the geography, check out the interactive google map that I have set up (I recommend clicking on the Terrain View option. For this blog Part 2, follow the red lines. The blue lines were covered in the previous blog. As we left off from the last post, I was leaving Montenegro... Here we go...
Albania
- The fact that many former Yugoslavs thought I was crazy for setting foot in Albania since it is seen to be one of the poorest and most lawless countries in the area.
- Unbelievably easy (lucky) journey into Albania on a string of mini-buses, and incredibly friendly people that spoke English better than many Europeans (particularly the French, Italian, and the Spanish.) BTW - everyone drives a Mercedes here! Apparently they are the only cars capable of withstanding the punishing roads... and driving tactics!
- Regular zoned power outages that are 'remedied' by noisy smoke-spewing portable generators sitting on the sidewalks next to cafe's, ice cream parlours, and anywhere else they can stick them in your way.
- Whimsically following a local suggestion to head to some mysterious Dhermi Beach, consisting of a crazy taxi ride through the mountains, contemplating staying overnight in an abandoned military bunker for lack of any accommodation, and the general craziness of a great travel partner Ritch from New Zealand.
- Amazing DJ and club scene at the Havana bar in the middle of nowhere, meeting volleyball girls, an opera singer "Opera", a pro-violinist "Kosovo", a princess/lawyer Aida, and the versatile architect/punk singer/athlete Dora.
- Mad public bus ride through mountains. Multiple drivers (non-simultaneous) required. Several vomit bags used (not by me). Reversing down steep grades around corners necessary to let oncoming traffic by. Stopping in the middle of the road to chat with random vehicles... and the drivers were gossipping and laughing the whole way!
- The bus 'stations' are just allocated areas. No signs, schedule, or desk. Just each bus driver yelling the destination. Bus leaves when it is full. No sooner, and no later if they can figure out how to pack a few more in. The pickup and dropoff points are also along the route wherever you like!
Greece
- Deciding to forfeit my ticket home and overstay my EU Visa.
- Scootering through Corfu and enjoying the sandy beaches.
- Randomly following some people down to the Greek islands of Santorini, Ios, Naxos full of amazing buildings, beaches, parties, and people.
- Spending an afternoon with a half-Greek/half-Thai surrogate kid for an afternoon.
- Exploring the mountains, sea, waterfalls, and Greek Mountain tea of northern Greece.
- Pretending to be a North American auditor for an English school (my couchsurfing host teaches English and thought it would be funny).
Sofia, Bulgaria
- An interesting 3:30am restaurant conversation with a local 'anything guy'. He told me interesting stories the way things work around Bulgaria... the cops, the bars, the cocaine, the girls, and almost everything in between. Yikes!
- Arriving in town later, opting out of a hotel room to save money, eating at the only diner open (see above), and spending the rest of the time in a 24 internet cafe.
- I really enjoyed Belgrade and decided to spend a few more weeks there. Unfortunately spent most of the time recovering from a nasty case of pneumonia-ish thing leftover from Greece.
- Learning more about the Blakan Gypsy culture.
- Sound of the crows as I walked into a new town through a leafy park in the crisp dusk air.
- Lively atmosphere of the cafes, markets.
- UNESCO Heritage site Plitvice Lakes and the many waterfalls and lakes of this amazing area.
Slovenia
- Bustling young cafe culture and active sporting city.
- Exploring the outdoor adventure town Bled, cycling through surrounding towns and countrysides, and continuously being overtaken by 55 year olds that I could not catch!
- Climbing to the highest peak in Slovenia, Mount Triglav, in the snow with ropes, helmets, harnesses, and someone else's clothes!
- Walking through gorge, smelling wood burning stoves, the scent of fresh flowers in the misty air, and the lack of vehicles.
Italy
- Realizing that North American Italian food is something grossly different (both interpretations) than the authentic Italian food.
- Accidentally stumbling upon the Biennale art festival in Venice.
- Staying in a shoebox of a hotel in Venice, but meeting a couple of great friends because of it. Wandering the canals, bridges, and exploring the labyrinth of a city by foot.
- The two Italian museums I visited were a complete dissappointment for me... the Uffizi in Florence and the Penny Guggenheim in Venice.
- Driving through countryside of Tuscany with two Australian girls I met, sampling local wine and food, and staying in some amazing old places.
- Hiking between the 5 coastal towns Cinque Terra, and enjoying happy hour everyday overlooking the sunset on the sea.
Switzerland
- Enjoying the brisk air of Lucern, forcing me to shop for a toque because it was so cold.
- Enjoying a pint in a local Lucern pub, but not enjoying the 9.50 I had to pay for it.
- Watching the outdoor extreme film screening under a blanket while looking at paragliders and snowboarders ripping it up on screen in the Swiss mecca of extreme sports, Interlaken.
Germany/France
- Dancing all night at a late club with some couchsurfing types I'd met and drinking 'new wine' and 1516 beer. That's the brand, not the quantity.
- Being surrounded by the Black Forest in Freiburg, then finally driving through it on a dark and grey day.
- Visiting Colmar in France and checking out the cool and unique buildings. My quest for a particular photo turned out to be a wild goosechase. The French have given me yet another reason not to trust them.
- Trying to act cool, while fairly nervous when the airport customs guys were questioning my passport. I had outstayed my visa, but I think the passport was too confusing for them to figure it out.
Ireland
- Seeing Sinead O'Connor at a sold-out live show in her hometown Dublin!!!
- Drinking a Guinness in the St. James Gate brewery in Dublin. It really tastes a helluva lot better in Ireland!
- Road trip #1 to Galway, the Burren, the Cliffs of Moher, and the rest of County Clare.
- Road trip #2 to Cork, Ring of Kerry, Dingle Peninsula, and Killarney.
- Somehow getting the coolest souvenir of my trip... an authentic stick used for Hurling, from one of the best players in Ireland's girlfriend... Hurling is only played in Ireland and it makes hockey look like knitting school.
- Seeing a hippie musical gathering at the Future Forest in the countryside of Kerry. The building was made with log rounds in flower patterns, spiral stairs through the tree branches, a green roof, stain-glass windows with mushroom patterns, and a massive fireplace to keep everyone warm.
London England
- And last but not least, I have to leave a special mention to a special bunch of people that left a distinct impression upon me before I headed back to Canada. A special mention to Nathan Champion, the pin-headed "Head Doorman" at Rubens at the Palace. This establishment with whom I've spent several hundred pounds of my company's money in the past, decided I was unsuitable to sit for a tea and write in my journal in the public tea room, and forcebly threw me out of the hotel claiming security issues. Lovely, charming, and I will continue to spread the word about their hypocritical 'service'.
From what I've seen, go east. Avoid the tourist traps of Western Europe and go see the real European countries before they are assimilated. Rome will be around for a while. The Balkans won't. Leave the Brits alone, they're almost as paranoid as the Americans.
